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HRM in the News is South-Western's service to provide summaries of the latest human resource management news stories. Review the brief summaries and, for stories of interest, select the full summary. |
| RECRUITMENT | |
| Title | Brief Summary |
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Employment branding can be a strategic tool for recruiting great talent as well as keeping and motivating good employees. Creating the brand should be a careful process that takes into consideration the company’s business objectives and the best avenues for achieving those objectives. (Updated December 2006) |
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Recent college graduates are still most interested in starting salary, but are giving increasing importance to the total pay package offered by companies. They are increasingly looking to employers for stability and security, and savvy recruiters and employers will need to be prepared. (Updated September 2006) |
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Companies are hiring again, after the slump of the 2001 recession, and human resources departments are becoming more reliant on search firms to fill their open positions. When the relationship is handled well and expectations are clear, high-performance partnerships with better hiring efficiencies are possible. (Updated August 2006) |
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Many American firms, fearing unpredictable costs, are replacing their traditional pension plans with defined contribution plans. Before making the decision to make these sweeping changes, companies should consider whether freezing or closing these plans will adversely affect recruitment efforts. (Updated July 2006) |
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New regulations require any employers with Federal contracts to keep meticulous records of all job applicants who apply through the Internet. The rules are designed to discourage any systematic discrimination, and to make it easier to check a company’s record of recruitment and selection. Some worry that the new rules will make it easier for lawyers to develop class action lawsuits, but those who practice sound selection procedures should have nothing to worry about. (Updated February 2006) |
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As the employment market tightens, firms will need to approach recruitment in new ways. Recruiting at career fairs can be a great way to find high-quality hires, fill applicant pipelines and build the employment brand. (Updated February 2006) |
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Call center reps can be difficult to manage. Because the jobs are often low-paying, recruitment, training, and retention are constant concerns for managers who are charged with providing great sales and service to customers over the phone. Companies specializing in home-based workers are finding new ways to get the work done, while minimizing the time involved with recruiting and training representatives. (Updated January 2006) |
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After several years of a light hiring market, recruiters are retooling their messages and competing on campuses for the best and brightest MBA graduates. Some companies are also looking to hire MBAs already in the workforce, and others are developing their internal talent. (Updated January 2006) |
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Direct recruiting from competitors can be an expensive venture that drives up overall labor costs. Companies, especially those in tight labor markets, need to be prepared to offer workforce planning and non-cash incentives that can minimize the cost of pulling talent away from competitors. (Updated December 2005) |
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When recruiters are trying to attract a highly-qualified candidate, it can be tempting to bend the truth about what an organization or culture can provide. Replacing an employee, for any reason, is very expensive, and being extremely honest about the company and its culture during the recruitment process can prevent the mistakes that happen when imperfect matches are made. (Updated December 2005) |
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Online screening can assist HR departments in locating qualified candidates with questionnaires, assessments and virtual job simulations. However, companies need to streamline the process to avoid wasting time and resources. (Updated November 2005) |
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Survivors of Hurricane Katrina have become displaced workers living in various parts of the country. HR professionals are going beyond usual hiring practices to provide needed employment and enable recovery efforts. (Updated October 2005) |
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With the high rate of turnover in many industries, companies are utilizing exit interviews as a way to identify areas for improvement, thus reducing employee turnover and, ultimately, cost. (Updated October 2005) |
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Recent press regarding the widespread use of offshoring has prompted many U.S. companies to work with organizations who locate talent in lower-cost rural communities in the U.S. instead of overseas. (Updated October 2005) |
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Despite rising interest rates and oil prices, American employers revved up the economy for summer by adding 207,000 new jobs in July. Economists say companies are still cautious and are using "surgical hiring" to enhance their worker base. (Updated September 2005) |
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As Japan's population grows older, many factories in need of workers are hiring employees over the age of 60. Elderly workers do not generally get paid the same as other employees; however, they often need the money to supplement their pensions. (Updated July 2005) |
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One-third of all women drop out of the workforce at some point, most commonly for childcare responsibilities. Most never return to their original employer. Booz Allen Hamilton is trying to retain good employees by offering those who leave a chance to work on a contract basis. (Updated June 2005) |
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After years of encouraging workers to take early retirement as a way to cut jobs and costs, a growing number of companies are recruiting older workers because they have lower turnover rates, and often better work performance with less training and orientation time needed. (Updated May 2005) |
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Steak n Shake's new CEO has implemented a plan to improve turnover in restaurants and improve customer satisfaction. The efforts are paying off, saving millions of dollars every year and increasing the rate of new-store openings. (Updated February 2005) |
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A relatively new search engine and database technology called Eliyon is being used to scan the web to find qualified candidates for high level jobs. Some believe the search tool will revolutionize the way that firms recruit candidates. Others worry about an invasion of privacy. (Updated February 2005) |
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Because of the very visible and accountable role CEOs play in corporations, recruiters find that selecting the right person for the position has become part art, part science, and part sleuthing. (Updated January 2005) |
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Companies are using temp-to-hire strategies as part of their overall hiring plan. Having solid transition procedures in place before they are necessary is one of the best ways to seize temporary talent and make them part of the permanent workforce. (Updated November 2004) |
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A substantial number of Americans age 65 and over are still active in the workforce, and as baby boomers reach retirement age, that number will increase. Most HR professionals see benefits to hiring these post-retirement age workers, but are not taking steps to retain or recruit them. (Updated October 2004) |
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Trader Joe's, a $3 billion a year national chain with 217 stores, is known for its upbeat and engaging Hawaiian-shirt-clad employees as well as its eclectic selection of bargain gourmet groceries. Its success is attributed as much to its ability to save money by using private labels and dealing directly with producers as it is to its unique store environments and the people it employs. (Updated October 2004) |
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Walgreens Co. drug store chain believes in promoting loyal employees from within. They have a successful management succession plan that results in nearly 60% of Walgreens' executives beginning their careers with the company. (Updated May 2004) |
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IBM has an unusual approach to succession planning. They identify the key people, tell them they are on the plan, and then develop them through job experience. (Updated May 2004) |
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Various industries across the board have returned to hiring and that means that human resource professionals are needed. Many HR positions that are being filled have been open for a long time. (Updated 03/01/04) |
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One of the most innovative companies in the recruitment area is Proctor and Gamble (P&G). In a bold move, P&G has created an innovative website to appeal to college students, and it is the only way to apply for a job at P&G. (Updated 01/01/04) |
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Internally devised tracking
systems, off-the-shelf software and outsourced absence reporting are all
growing in popularity as employers try to figure out where an estimated 15
percent of their payroll is going. Even so, most employers still don't
know what they spend on absenteeism. (Updated 12/01/03) |
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Some employers are not only
accommodating, but actively recruiting disabled employees. The barriers to
employment come from both the employee and employer sides, but working
together to solve the problems is the key. (Updated 12/01/03) |
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SunTrust Bank combined 28 recruiting and screening systems into one with a minimum of chaos and a maximum of teamwork. It doing so, it saved money and got better candidates for employment. (Updated 12/01/03) |
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Hypertherm Inc. has an unusual
policy with regard to layoffs; there aren't any. For 35 years, this
company has avoided layoffs through the collective efforts of management
and employees. (Updated 10/01/03) |
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Online recruiting can save time
and money. It may also provide better qualified candidates than
traditional recruiting processes. (Updated 10/01/03) |
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The Illinois Manufacture
Housing Association discusses ideas for keeping staffing costs
low. (Updated 7/31/03) |
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