ceos on hr seeking perfection - skillsoft

HCAMAG.COMISSUE 12.2

EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET

AHEAD TODAY

CEOS ON HRHOW TO GET THE

MOST OUT OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH

THE CHIEF

SPECIALREPORTRETENTION

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR: THE NEW NAME FOR HC MAGAZINE

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR

SEEKING PERFECTION

Global fi tness brand Fitness Firstrebuilds its image with the help of HR

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SPECIAL REPORT

Staff retention is one of the most challenging issues facing HR directors and their staff. In this special report, we look into salary, learning and development and other techniques as ways of keeping great staff happy and on board

Fresh learning philosophies p31

Playing the game p36

Benefiting the employee p38

Keeping them aboard p40

RETENTION

SPECIAL REPORT

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SPECIAL REPORT

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Fresh learning philosophies Changing the face (and delivery) of L&D

New trends are emerging around both the content and delivery of L&D that are proving effective for boosting retention levels – and ultimately, your company’s bottom line

It’s frustrating to lose a decent employee. But it’s downright maddening when a person you had earmarked for long-term growth and acceleration up the company’s ranks walks out the door, taking with them years or possibly decades of valuable organisation-specific skills, knowledge and intelligence.

Rosie Cairnes, regional director Australia & New Zealand at Skillsoft APAC, believes retention tops the list as the most expensive issue plaguing organisations when managing their human capital.

“There’s always talk about staff turnover and what that costs businesses, but retention can also play a vital role in helping organisations keep customers,” she explains. >>

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SPECIAL REPORT

CULTIVATING CULTURAL FITIn years gone past, organisations have attempted to encourage staff loyalty by rolling out learning and professional development programs that are tied directly to workplace performance.

But as workplaces evolve, it’s becoming less about formal education and more about addressing individual needs, explains David Hunter, former director of HR at Siemens Canada. A specialist in business improvement and corporate performance management, Hunter is also the brain behind D-CYDE, an app designed to help organisations make better, smarter, more strategic recruitment decisions. When it comes to learning and training programs, Hunter knows what works – and importantly, what doesn’t.

“What organisations are learning now is that the incentives they offer don’t necessarily need to be related to their employees’ job skill,” he says.

“You see on the walls of different businesses, ‘Our values are our customers and our happy employees’, but what’s missing is some concrete ways of showing that,” Hunter says.

“To attract and retain good-quality people you need to show how unique you are, and you need to demonstrate that somehow. Eighty per cent of a person’s day is spent at work, and bringing training in-house that benefits both family and work is a much more culturally sensitive approach.”

TRADITIONAL LEARNING, NON-TRADITIONAL DELIVERYWhile ‘out of the box’ initiatives are certainly gaining traction, there is still very much a place for traditional learning and education in the workplace. These days, however, the success rates of these programs are as much linked to the delivery of the coursework as it is to the content being made available, says Rosie Cairnes from Skillsoft APAC.

“Sometimes, an employee wants to do a deep dive and do a course from start to finish, which means sitting at a computer to learn and go though each module,” Cairnes explains. “But sometimes it is a little less formal and more spontaneous. The best ecosystem of learning is when you can learn it when and where you can use it. That is the biggest trend we are seeing, a shift towards mobile learning, because most people – 74% in our most recent study – prefer to learn on the go.”

The study Cairnes refers to, which tapped into the experiences of 6,000 customers globally,

Tip 1. Don’t miss an opportunity to show gratitude. Find time each day to express thanks to prompt desired behaviours.

Tip 2. Connect recognition to something specific. Ensure your company mission and values drive the daily activities and exchanges that result in recognition.

Tip 3. Be genuine. Recognition isn’t a daily task to tick off. Be sincere, specific and reinforce the behaviours that have led to success.

Tip 4. Consider the individual. Some employees prefer 1:1 over public recognition. Recognise each person in the way that works best for them.

Tip 5. Make it immediate. Allowing time to pass between great work and praise will only weaken its effect.

Tip 6. Celebrate publicly. Consider ways to motivate others by amplifying stories of great work via your intranet, social channels, company-wide or team meetings, and email.

Tip 7. Don’t play favourites. Ensure recognition is attainable, fair and consistent for every employee.

Tip 8. Get leadership buy-in. Your employees’ perception of the value of recognition will increase when their manager supports it. Ensure your leaders make recognition a priority.

Tip 9. Make it fun. Find different, surprising and creative ways to show your thanks. Recognition shouldn’t become a monotonous expectation.

Tip 10. Let them choose. Non-monetary rewards are proven to be a great motivator, but only when relevant to the individual - provide enough choice that all employees can set their own preferences.

TOP 10 TIPS: FOR EFFECTIVE RECOGNITION AND REWARD



representing 19 million learners, found that employee expectations are shifting.

“It’s a transformation in expectations of how L&D delivers learning to individuals on the job. They expect to be able to learn via their smartphone on the go, to grab the information when they need it. We know that if there’s a disconnect between the moment of learning and when it’s applied, it’s proven to be less effective, so this is a natural evolution,” she says.

Employees also want to engage in more social learning structures where they’re connected with a community of some sort. For instance, in a customer service environment, this could involve learning modules that are accessible on a smartphone and that can be reached in the moment of need, ie when interacting with customers.

“It could mean connecting with a mentor or peer for advice, or brushing up on some informa-tion that will help to serve the customer in that moment,” Cairnes says.

TOP 3 REASONS PEOPLE STAY WITH THEIR EMPLOYERS:

Good opportunity for growth and advancement

Good work-life balance

Being well matched to their jobsSource: Randstad World of Work Report 2012/13

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SPECIAL REPORT

“What ‘learning’ is, by definition, is changing. It’s not just that formal end-to-end course anymore. Everybody knows something and everybody is a contributor to learning, so those organisations who are embracing informal, social, collaborative learning are ahead of the game.”

What’s more, those organisations that remain inflexible to these evolving learning methods may struggle to engage younger staff, adds Terry Reynolds, regional managing director, Asia Pacific, for rogenSi.

“A lot of people are looking for blended learning delivery. When an organisation is inflexible, you can run into brick walls,” he says.

A successful employee benefits program requires four key elements, says API’s national business development manager, Kylie Green:

1. Breadth of choice to ensure the program has benefits relevant to employees regardless of their demographics (industry, locations, sex, income, interest)

2. Right communication mix, including quality and frequent communications via different media (online, hard copy, in workplace, to home) to ensure the message reaches all employees and their families

3. High levels of servicing. Employees want fast and tangible benefits, so tools such as instant e-services, immediate in-store redemptions, benefits apps, same-day despatch, local state offices and the convenience of in-workplace servicing are important to achieve high utility

ALL THE BENEFITS: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PROGRAMSEmployee benefits programs are a management tool used to strengthen a company’s EVP in order to retain, attract and engage quality employees. Employee benefits programs are highly utilised in the UK and US and have been growing in popularity over the past 10 years in Australia.

Employee benefits programs are used by market leaders and innovative companies to gain a competitive advantage when attracting and retaining key talent. API Leisure & Lifestyle has been providing employee benefits programs for over 90 years. They work with over 160,000 employees across Australia via leading companies including BHP, J.P. Morgan, State Street, Citibank, Volvo, Ericsson, IKEA, ABB and more.

An employee benefits program provides employees with an extensive range of lifestyle and financial benefits as part of their EVP. Typical benefits include entertainment, dining, shopping, home and garden, travel, motoring, well-being and financial services.

“An extensive, relevant and local benefits range is essential,” says API’s Kylie Green. “API’s program offers employees access to thousands of benefits available at over 90,000 locations nationally. Employees can save up to $4,700 per year through discounts on their groceries, major retailers, gym memberships, movie tickets, fuel and more. What’s more, their benefits program gives them access to preferential treatment including pre-release and preferential seating at major concerts through to sporting events such as the AFL finals.”

Employee benefits programs have an added bonus. While effective as an attraction, retention and engagement tool, they have also proved to be a tool for regular positive reinforcement of your employment brand to both employees and their key influencers – their families.

DESIGNING FOR SUCCESS“A lot of people are looking for blended learning delivery. When an organisation is inflexible, you can run into brick walls”Terry Reynolds, rogenSi

Content supplied by API Leisure and Lifestyle.

THE IMPACT OF L&D• 61% of employees believe that learning

programs directly impact on their job performance.

• Half of all surveyed organisations spend A$1,000 or more per employee on L&D annually.

• 9 out of 10 surveyed employees access learning programs in their office.

• 24% access learning programs when they are commuting.

• Over half (54%) of all respondents say they feel a constant pressure to set aside time for learning and development.

• 74% want access to mobile learning via smartphone, tablet or laptop.

• 41% of surveyed organisations provide access to mobile learning, citing techno-logical barriers or security issues as the main barrier.

Source: Learning and Development Trends in Australia and New Zealand, Skillsoft White Paper, 2013



“Gen Ys may want an app, while the older guys want face-to-face. Go for a blended approach that suits the learner, not the organisation.”

THE PERCEPTION OF FAIRNESSRegardless of the type and delivery of learning you offer, there is one constant: the perception of fairness.

When employees feel like a particular individual or group is being favoured, it can create resentment, mistrust and a whole host of other issues. Avoid this happening with a clear three-step strategy for clarity in communication:

>> 1. SET INCENTIVE CRITERIABe clear about the reasons for providing professional development opportunities, and set up a process for evaluating employee requests. “What criteria are you using to pick whether someone gets to go to a conference or not?” says David Hunter, CEO of the D-CYDE Group.

>> 2. COMMUNICATE CLEARLY WITH ALL STAFF Say the marketing department wants to send five people to a conference, but in IT no one ever gets to attend conferences. This could breed resentment because, in the IT group’s view, they’re not being treated fairly. “If the marketing department gets to go because they’re trying to get more business and the conference will help with new business development, then that should be communicated to all staff,” Hunter says. “When it’s communicated and people have input, it can help create a dialogue that shows your staff the intent behind the initiative.”

>> 3. ARRANGE FOR SHARED LEARNING When a staff member goes through some sort of training module, what happens afterwards? Is there shared learning? Do they give a presentation? Are their findings delivered down the chain to other employees? Set up metrics to measure the outcome of the learning and ensure as many staff as possible benefit from the experience.



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ceos on hr seeking perfection - skillsoft

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