Human Factor

Hiring Outside the Box

Think creatively about your hiring practices. Fickle younger employees and massive Boomer retirements make that key. BY LAURIE KAHN

Many companies, across all industries and market sizes, are struggling to attract and hire talented employees. While there are many new initiatives to make that job easier, it’s also important for hiring managers, human resources managers and owners to really understand the challenges their companies are facing. They should be open to changing the hiring processes that they may have had in place for decades.

Younger generations are not expected to stick around in any one position as long as was common for their parents and grandparents. As a result, turnover will increase with time. What’s more, about 10,000 Boomers are expected to retire daily between now and 2029. Many offices will struggle to replace crucial staff.

Despite the retirement trend, many Boomers also will provide employers with hiring solutions.

When they joined the workforce, people born between 1946 and 1964 were expected to work until age 65. With modern medical breakthroughs, many are working longer. In fact, younger generations entering the workforce today could be working well into their 80s or longer.

It will be important to hang on to high producers as long as possible, so think out of the box when considering how to keep them engaged.

Too often, job applicants over 50 are ignored. There is a great amount of talent out there that either needs or wants to work, and they should not be discounted. Consider offering those wishing to retire a more flexible schedule, perhaps fewer days per week or the ability to work remotely for a few months a year.

Maybe you can set up a job share with a veteran and a new hire; they can both learn from each other. Don’t rule out someone who has not been in media but has retired and has a large number of local contacts. This can be especially beneficial for filling sales openings.

You also might want to consider reevaluating the established qualifications for a given position. An annual review of all your job profiles may help you to reconsider what traits are really important for a particular job. Is a college degree required for success? Unless you need someone with specific engineering or accounting training, you might be able to broaden your spectrum of qualified job applicants.

Here’s a case in point: years ago, Google decided to join the radio business. As Google’s recruiter, my company was required to collect college transcripts from each applicant, regardless of how long it had been since they graduated. On top of that, potential job candidates had to have graduated with a minimum 3.5 grade point average. As many of us know, that requirement cuts out many of our current staff and potential hires.

Take the time to dig and decide what is essential for success when creating your job profiles and postings. You need to cast the widest net possible.

If you struggle to gain interest in fulltime positions, consider hiring part-timers. Many stay-at-home parents would love a part-time job and can bring great skills and expertise to your workplace. Many members of the younger generation have multiple jobs. Part-time workers can contribute on an individual basis or as a job share.

We are seeing more “team selling” models popping up in media. It can be as simple as a two-person job share. Or it might involve hiring an administrative person to help the sellers do their inputting so they can be on the streets conducting more customer needs assessments and closing business. This is an excellent spot for a new hire who is learning the business. We have seen sellers dramatically increase their billing by adding support. If you have a stellar employee who needs to relocate, consider the idea of rethinking their job and what they might do. A station in Idaho recently was faced with that situation when their general sales manager’s husband was transferred. They now have her set up as a regional manager, working out of Kentucky. With strong programs and accountability, this kind of arrangement can be successful – especially with established employees.

The workplace of the future will look drastically different than what it was like when many of us joined the job force. The smartest employers will create solutions that work for individuals and not just for the company.

Maybe you can set up a job share with a veteran and a new hire; they can both learn from each other.

Laurie Kahn is president of Media Staffing Network, a search and consulting firm that is focused on media jobs. She can be reached at (480) 306-8930 or laurie@mediastaffingnetwork.com.