In Quebec, the labour market profile has undergone a radical transformation in a few short years. And even the global pandemic did not solve the manpower shortage and scarcity issues. Although the successive waves of COVID-19 swelled the ranks of the unemployed, the shrinking pool of potential workers due to the aging population and the lack of skilled labour remain real challenges. What strategies can businesses implement to deal with this problem? Companies are finding original ways to recruit and retain their employees, as each departure is costly.
A strong employer brand
Just like a product’s brand is a key factor of differentiation and consumer attraction, your corporate image plays an equally important role. Your employer brand must reflect your values, your strengths, your distinctive features, and the kind of work environment you offer to your current and future employees.
The flexibility of your employee happiness programs
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers well-being at work as “a state of mind characterized by a satisfactory harmony between the skills, needs, and aspirations of workers on the one hand, and the limitations and opportunities of the work environment on the other hand”. The best employee happiness programs focus on meeting the actual needs of employees and finding a balance between them and the realities of your situation as an employer.
Recognition is not only about wages
Employee recognition goes beyond monetary rewards. You must take the time to acknowledge efforts, encourage desired behaviours, value teamwork, congratulate employees, or simply thank them. A simple gesture or a kind word can make all the difference! Such actions cost nothing to the employer, but they engage human resources and increase their commitment.
Family-work balance to improve employees retention
In a survey conducted by Léger Marketing for Réseau pour un Québec Famille released in June 2020, 53% of the 3,006 surveyed parents said they would be willing to change jobs if they were offered better family-work balance conditions.1
In terms of key employee engagement, did you seriously consider what would be the impact of such accommodations for you? Would it be negative? What if your business ended up being more efficient with higher employee retention rate? A wide range of measures can be implemented to accommodate deserving employees for whom family-work balance is a real concern: flex or adjusted schedules, work sharing, work from home, personal days off, vacation fractioning, flexible choice of vacation dates, flexible meeting times, and much more.
Your ability to communicate with your employees
Did you know that most employees do not realize the value of your benefit programs? They only perceive the cost. You want to please them and the opposite occurs. Why? They overconsume, which leads to premium increases and service reductions. This becomes a cause of frustration for all employees. Why? Because they want to get their money’s worth since, from their standpoint, they are paying for it! Therefore, education, communication and employee participation in the decision-making process will enhance understanding, appreciation, and employees retention. This was true then, is still true now, and will remain true over time!
Your social footprint and community impact
Organizations are increasingly conscious of how important their social role and community involvement are. This is the meaning of corporate social responsibility (policies aimed at encouraging relationships with ethical business partners, promoting gender equality within the management team, supporting community philanthropic organizations, etc.). Another means of retaining your employees and attracting new talent is to be an organization aware of economic, social, and environmental issues.
Attractive and tailored hiring process
Today’s applicants must be treated like clients. Would you make your clients wait 30 minutes at the reception? Would you offer them a glass of water? Would you show interest in what they do or simply talk about yourself? Would you welcome them in your nicest office? Would you be excited to receive them as guests? These are mere details you might say, but such thoughtful gestures will set you apart from the competition and increase your chances of closing a deal with the client. Similarly, all businesses in your industry are competing for the job applicant you are seeking! This is why you must make your business attractive!
A magic formula?
In conclusion, there is no magic formula to address the manpower shortage and scarcity. Each business must be creative, flexible and even invest in order to attract new talent, as long gone are the days when resumes would pile up on the recruiter’s desk. You think that engaging and retaining employees requires investing a lot of money, time, and effort? Definitively less so than recruiting over and over again! The silver lining is that you have the power and ability to build your own attraction and retention policy. This is worth thinking through!
PVRH is a firm specialized in business consulting, talent acquisition, outsourcing, sourcing, and headhunting.
Established in September 2020, Club PVRH is a virtual one-stop interface where businesses are just a few clicks away from a network of experts that provide advice, recommendations, and training on human resources issues. Thanks to Club PVRH assistance centre, businesses can access real-time coaching, expertise sharing, and skills development capabilities in all aspects of human resources management (health & safety, labour relations and legislation, total compensation and staff evaluation, recruiting). Learn more about Club PVRH.
With more than 35 years of experience in human resources consulting and management with small and large businesses, Alain Doré built on his professional expertise to create PVRH. He now ensures that every member of his multidisciplinary team can provide clients with strong human resources and recruiting advice. Alain is also pleased to devote time and energy to the cause championed by the Quebec food bank network. Since 2008, the PVRH multidisciplinary team of 50+ experts promote a qualitative approach and flexible, customized solutions to needs analysis, across the full spectrum of their services. The PVRH team serves clients throughout Quebec, with offices in Montreal, Laval, Châteauguay, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Brossard, and Québec City. Business clients can thus access specialists in HR, compensation, communications, workplace and organizational psychology, labour legislation, sales, cybersecurity, and work organization (Lean Manufacturing).