EDITOR'S NOTE

Keeping workers happy

A little bit of "r-e-s-p-e-c-t," is what Aretha Franklin used to sing about needing from her man. It's the same thing that most employees are looking for, too. Give it to them and the odds are in your favor that you won't have to go through the hiring process quite as often.

Hiring good people and retaining them are two of the biggest challenges a manager faces. The outcome could affect the bottom line.

Yet, finding skilled workers is going to get harder in the future. Already the supply is not keeping up with the demand.

It means that employers are going to have to work harder and offer more incentives and benefits. Of course, things like a decent pay check and signing bonuses are going to be key factors as well.

The bigger the job the harder it is to find the person with "the right fit." And companies want to make sure that they get the best person on the first try. That's where recruiters, or headhunters, often come into the picture. (See page 12)

The headhunters, who often specialize in specific markets, say it is more like "matchmaking." They need to know the client's business needs and find someone whose skills, experience and management style are going to meet those needs. The other end of the headhunting ladder might be for businesses that can use temporary help. (See page 13) And, according to the American Staffing Association, there are plenty of customers out there looking for quality, temporary workers. It estimates that each day in the country sees 3 million temps on the job.

In a place like the Seacoast, because of the relative intimacy of the area, temp agencies can offer more of a personal touch. But, as Roy Aboody of Staffing Sense puts it, in such a competitive business he has to be sure of his workers because if he were to send a bad one to clients, they would know it and seek help from another agency the next time.

Another trend in employment these days is the increased use of contract help. People with specific skills can match up with companies that might not have a permanent demand for those skills, but might need them to get a project or technology advancement off the ground. Or the company might need to add to an existing department for a limited time.

Once the hiring decisions and processes are over, smart businesses do what needs to be done to keep their workers happy. That means things like benefits, training, praise, support, room to grow and, increasingly, flexible hours and working conditions.

One such condition is teleworking, or telecommuting. Advances in technology such as Blackberries and wi-fi allow people to have a virtual office at home, on the road, or just about anywhere. And, millions of us, are taking advantage.

For example, the International Telework Association & Council reported a 30 percent increase last year in employee telecommuters. Of those, more than 45 million worked from home and more than 20 million worked from their car. (A lot, some might say too many, also worked while on vacation.)

But, the basic practice, still comes down to the human touch.

As Jack Newick of the seafood restaurants with the same name puts it, the key to employee retention is "They get treated like human beings. They can talk to us."

In other words, they get a little respect.

We’d also like feedback on the articles and features in Seacoast Ventures. And suggestions about the kind of information that would be helpful to you that we are not providing.

Reach CAL KILLEEN via e-mail or 610-1193.