The document discusses recruitment and retention strategies for businesses in Baltimore County. It outlines the challenges businesses currently face in finding and keeping employees. These challenges include a lack of basic skills among candidates, high employee turnover, and generational differences. The document then provides strategies for businesses to improve retention, such as developing empowered workgroups, establishing clear career pipelines, and understanding different generations of workers. Recommendations are also given for internal and external recruitment strategies involving education, internships, and workforce development programs. The document concludes with emphasizing the need to involve current workers in developing solutions.

1. Recruiting and Retention Strategies for the 21 st Century Baltimore County Office of Workforce Development Department of Economic Development

2. Agenda Overview Employment Challenges/Realities Retention Strategies Recruitment Strategies Reward Strategies Next steps

3. What Businesses Are Saying Can’t find people with your work ethic, with basic skills, no criminal background, etc… Fewer candidates that match openings The few candidates they find: Not dependable Unrealistic expectations Don’t adjust well and soon leave

4. What Businesses Are Doing Hire only experienced workers No formal training for employees Seek alternative labor sources From competitors Through immigrant populations Language barriers Legal compliance Logistics (finding the right pools of workers) Lack of resources for assistance

5. Employment Challenge/Reality Finding and Keeping Workers is currently a “March of the Lemmings” Baby Boom to Baby Echo “No Child Left Behind” – College Only Parents - “broken contract” A “Worker’s Market” - Employer must change

6. Employment Challenge/Reality Transition from School to Work Generational Conflict Communication differences Expectations -“Spoiled Generations” – high goals Limited exposure to work Limited mentoring/shadowing

7. Employment Challenge/Reality Transition from school to work (Cont.) View skilled trades, construction & Mfg. as low-tech Limited exposure to training opportunities in the trades in K-12 Limited training programs/opportunities for dropouts

8. Retention Strategies Stop the bleeding Today’s Employee Lifecycle “ 20 th Century Job” 1 Company 25 Years + Promote Within Low Risk Low Reward Company Employee “ 21 st Century Work” 4+ Companies 5 Years Cross-Trained Higher Risk Higher Return Free Agent

9. Retention Strategies Stop the bleeding Understand why employees stay and go Learn to manage/retain Veterans, Boomers, GenXers, and Nexters (Millennials) all in the same workplace

10. Retention Strategies Develop Empowered Workgroups: Develop your workforce Establish culture of mutual respect Encourage creativity & risk taking Pay for knowledge - not longevity Lead by example (Be visible) Empower employees - explain the big picture Develop/Support Career Pipelines

11. Recruitment Strategies Internal Hire for enthusiasm/motivation Encourage word of mouth/referrals Encourage/Promote job shadowing Establish job titles tied to pride in work Ensure HR processes work Flexible work schedules

12. Recruitment Strategies External Educate the educators, career counselors Educate PTA’s and Parents Offer internships and co-ops Create/promote career pipelines

13. Recruitment Strategies External Workforce Development System Consultation & Needs Assessment Recruitment/Retention Services Maryland Workforce Exchange (Statewide jobs database) Pre-screening and assessment Facilities

14. Recruitment Strategies External Recruitment (Cont.) Promotion and outreach to targeted customer base Collaborative outreach to our Regional Workforce Development counterparts Development of career pipeline partnerships Outreach to institutions and training providers Intensive staff assistance to ensure efficiency and goal attainment Workplace Training & Education support

15. Reward Strategies Show Appreciation Pay Competitively In-Position Promotions Retention Bonus Mentor Bonus

16. Next Steps Involve your workers now Connect with resources Brainstorm with managers/employees Get them to “buy in” and “build” the workforce Capture and display comments and ideas Implement Execute and Follow-up

17. 21 st Century Challenges Learn Retain Apply Understand Teach