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AUSTRALIAN WELDING | DECEMBER 2016
Tips for Successful
Recruitment & Retention Organisations that adopt successful recruitment and retention practices will, all else being equal, achieve far greater success than those which do not. This is especially relevant for the welding industry, where the most productive welders are in incredibly high demand. The cost of a poor hiring decision is estimated at 50% of the salary of the role that is being recruited. Making the wrong hiring decision is an expensive choice and may cost you more than you realise, but with careful planning and preparation it is possible to get it done right. Poor recruitment processes that lead to bad hiring decisions, and less than optimal employee retention programs that cause a high degree of employee turnover can create massive costs. There are ‘opportunity costs’ in the form of lost revenue and diminished customer goodwill. There are also other, less tangible, costs such as productivity losses in the shape
of low employee morale and extra time spent on training, additional workloads on current staff, and lost business relationships. For those looking to maximise their recruitment and retention efforts, there are a number of ways to do so. Recruitment According to Simon Bristow, Senior Regional Director of Hays Recruiting
Get to know what motivates your people and what they value. Everyone is unique, so make sure you talk to your employees about their career plans, situation and what they want.
Trades & Labour, “We are seeing a very healthy construction market in many states, which is driving job growth for a range of trades and labour, including good, reliable and experienced welders.” “Recruitment really does start with good attraction – you need people to know about your job before you can consider them.” “So firstly, pin down your needs. Do you need a candidate with experience working on fuel storage tanks, in a fabrication environment or installing structural steel on site? Do they need brownfield project experience? The ability to interpret drawings, then mark out and weld, or the ability to work with exactness to high level of tolerances? Do they need various welding techniques or their own tools? What tickets do they need? Must they be qualified to a certain level and able to meet a certain standard?” “Once you identify your exact requirements, advertise on relevant job portals, ask existing trades if they can recommend anyone, utilise social media and consider using a recruiter who specialises in trades and labour. A recruiter has a network of contacts and we can find the right welder for you – whether for a temporary assignment, permanent role or a temp-to-perm position.”