By Maureen Werther
Finding and retaining good employees is a challenge in today’s business world. As the unemployment rate continues to drop and the economy continues to improve, the demand for qualified workers continues to grow.
“Recruiting is about as competitive as I’ve seen it in a long time,” said James Marco, president of Saratoga Human Resource Solutions. He said for companies to attract and retain the best workers, they must offer more than just a competitive wage and benefits package.
“You’ve got to have a value proposition. If you try to buy loyalty through pay raises, you’ll eventually reach a point of diminishing returns. You have to incorporate a ‘cultural’ component into your work environment,” said Marco.
He said people are looking for a “safe” workplace – one that fosters a culture of problem-solving rather than assigning blame. He stressed the need for managers and supervisors to develop positive relationships with their staff.
“The command and control models just don’t work anymore,” said Marco, citing as an example one of his clients, who greets everyone one of his employees each morning. While that may seem like a small, even trivial gesture, it goes a long way toward creating the kind of culture of trust and teamwork that is so important in today’s workplace.
As workers become increasingly more mobile, establishing the culture of mutual respect and teamwork is more critical to getting and keeping the best people.
John Kuznia, CPA, SPHR, and owner of Truman Solutions in Saratoga Springs, said his clients are finding it hard to get the right people in the right seats.
