In Canada anywhere from 5.5% – 7.5% of employees will quit their job this year? This works out to an average of 3,700 employees who have their first day on a new job, each work day of the year. One reason why people change jobs is that they never feel welcome or part of the organization. As a result, they choose to quit their jobs shortly after being hired and move on to another company.

The cost of hiring, orienting and training a new employee can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000 per person, depending upon their position in the organization. Given this information, orientation is a sure way to cut costs in your organization and therefore, who can afford not to make time to orient new employees.

Objectives of an effective orientation program:

• welcome the employee
• develop positive perceptions about the organization
• confirm the employee’s decision to join the organization
• teach basic/fundamentals that each new employee should know
• put the employee at ease

The benefits of an effective orientation program for new employees:

• provides a genuine welcome
• presents complete information to new employee
• controls what gets communicated, when and how
• reduces chances for new employee mistakes
• reduces the likelihood of misinforming or totally neglecting the employee
• creates a positive impression for the new employee
• provides an opportunity for follow-up with new employees
• confirms the employe’s decision to join the organization
• reduces employee anxiety
• provides legal protection to the employer

The starting point of any orientation program:

The recruitment and selection interview. The following items at minimum should be covered:

• background of facility/organization
• job description
• probation period
• performance evaluation procedures
• work hours
• compensation
• vacation/time off benefits

Developing an orientation program:

1. Factors to consider
   • needs assessment
   • the type of employment status
   • size of the operation
   • number of employees hired at a particular time
   • potential employee audience
   • who will be responsible for orientation
2. length of orientation
   • Preparing for the new employee’s arrival
   • scheduling the orientation meeting
   • work area/phone/supplies
   • first job assignment
   • ‘new employee’ kit (booklets, paperwork, forms)
3. The Program:
   • What to include Who will do it? and When work assignments
   • welcome and intro, to co-workers
   • Company history
   • Workplace tour
   • job description
   • relevant policies & procedures
   • Salary
   • Overview of department
   • safe work practices
   • Benefits
   • general rules of behaviour
   • systems and equipment training
   • Administrative paperwork
   • Departmental policies & procedures
   • Organizational chart
   • pay policy
   • work schedule
   • Supervisor’s responsibilities to employee
   • Supervisor’s expectations of employee
   • Complaint, grievance or ‘asking questions’ procedures
4. The Kit
   • Employee Handbook
   • Policy on Employment Related Harassment
   • Employment Contract/Agreement
   • Forms: TDI, supplemental employee information, insurance forms
   • Copy of Collective Agreement (where applicable)
   • Sign off sheet
   • Evaluation

The Backbone of an orientation program

The Employee Handbook

Why have an employee handbook?

• establishes the conditions of employment present at the time of hire for example: hours of work, vacation entitlement, sick day payment, retirement age, etc.
• acts a reference tool for information about the employee benefit plan, payroll, overtime, pay increases etc.
• use as part of the orientation process to familiarize employee with the employer and his/her work location.
• communication tool to pass along organizational history, culture, and structure
• familiarization with the organization–who does what, identify appropriate avenues for information.
• reduces litigation because it clearly outlines what is expected from the employee – i.e. code of conduct, dress, language, smoking.
• establishes rules and regulations

Essentials of a Good Employee Handbook

• A disclaimer at the beginning of the handbook limits litigation concerning policies and procedures, hours of work, payment, benefits, etc. A good disclaimer will reserve the right of the employer to make changes to the content.
• A statement of the employer’s commitment to equal opportunity and to providing a harassment-free workplace.
• Introduction to the organization.
• Mission statement of the organization.
• Recruitment practices, how jobs are posted, positions are filled.
• Job evaluation methods.
• Salary Administration Practices:
  • merit increases
  • performance reviews
• Working Conditions:
  • hours of work
  • attendance
  • overtime
• training
• retirement
• computer/internet access policy
• code of conduct
• Special Services:
  • staff meals
  • security
  • health & safety
  • staff lounge
  • smoking room
  • parking
  • Advocacy
• Human Resources.
• Complaint/Grievance Procedures.
• Pay delivery and other payroll services (deductions):
  • Canada Savings Bonds
  • Charitable Donations
  • T4’s
  • Indirect benefits:
  • Group Insurance Benefits
  • Employee Assistance Plan
  • Group Pension/R.R.S.P
• Vacation
• Sick Leave provisions
• Leaves of Absence:
  • Maternity/Parental Leave
  • Jury Duty
  • Bereavement Leave
  • Personal Leave
• Guidelines for termination of employment.
• What to do if you cannot report to work.
• Acknowledgment of receipt of the book by the employee.
• Statement that the employer may have to treat some employees differently to ensure equal treatment.
• Personal Information:
  • how to update your file
  • release of information on your file, written request required
  • review of your records

Pitfalls in creating an employee handbook

• Information is written in language too difficult to understand.
• Carelessly chosen wording which creates an employment contract.
• Failure to state information will be updated from time to time (Management can reserve the right to do this).
• Inconsistency between sections of the handbook.
• Over promising or setting unachievable goals or standards.
• Too much information — less is more. It should be short simple English.
• Hardback copy makes updating extremely expensive and difficult.
• Too boring, no theme or sense of fun. Employee will not read.

Employers always seem to be asking me, “What in the world is Gen Y thinking when they do some of the things they do at work?” As a researcher and member of Gen Y, which I define as being born from 1977 to 1995, I think it’s important to shine a spotlight on what my generation is thinking when we show up to work (and then immediately ask for a coffee break). The more employers understand Gen Y’s perspective, the easier it is to identify the strategies and actions that can transform us into high-performing, loyal employees.

GEN Y’S TOP FIVE LIST FOR HOW WE THINK AND ACT AT WORK

1. No expectation of lifetime employment

Gen Y is the only generation in the modern workforce that has never expected to work for one employer our entire career. In practice this means that Gen Y expects to change employers throughout our lives, because it would be abnormal for us to stay with one company. This doesn’t mean Gen Y won’t or can’t stay with one employer, just that we see nothing wrong with switching employers if a job or company no longer fits us (or our sleep schedule).

Though we may not expect to be with a company for 20 years, we are willing to work extremely long hours for an employer if we feel a genuine connection to the company or its mission. At one online education company I visited, the Gen Y employees were working seven days a week, and some were taking showers in the office building in order to meet deadlines. One of the Gen Y employees told me, “That’s just what you do when your company is counting on you.”

2. A feeling of entitlement along with big expectations

The biggest complaint I get from employers of all ages — including Gen Yers who manage other Gen Yers — is that many in Gen Y feel entitled. We show up to work and act as if our boss owes us something for our presence. I know how off-putting Gen Y’s attitude can be, but before we condemn my generation as a bunch of spoiled brats (something that I find personally offensive and plan to tell my mom about) we should consider for a moment that entitlement is 100 percent a learned behavior. You are not born entitled. You have to be raised that way.

This might hit a bit close to home if your twentysomething child is still on your car insurance and carries one of your credit cards for emergency use only, which could mean a sale on cherry-flavored Pop-Tarts® at Target. In fact, many of us in Gen Y were told, “As long as you’re in college, we’ll help you out.” Seven majors and one study abroad semester later, we’re graduating with 196 credit hours and an Associate Degree — and courageously entering adulthood by returning home.

3. A hunger for instant gratification and tangible outcomes

Gen Y has come of age with almost instantaneous access to just about everything and everyone — from instant meals to instant messages. This constant immediacy has taught us to have little patience, short attention spans, and to seek ongoing progress in every aspect of our life. We hate waiting in lines at the grocery store (Can you say self checkout?) and don’t want to show our work on math problems, especially if you already told us our answer is correct. We will even walk into a fast food restaurant, see a line at the counter, and leave to go somewhere else.
However, rather than brand us as the “instant everything” generation, my research shows we are simply outcome-driven. This observation changes the conversation, because it shows we are not about having everything now, we simply don’t see — and therefore we do not appreciate — the steps involved in creating the outcomes we want. We literally do not connect the dots or consider our plans in terms of policies and procedures — that’s an older generation’s way of approaching work. Instead, all we want to know is what you want us to do. Then get out of our way so we can get it done. In the workplace, this makes us extremely project-oriented rather than job-description focused.

4. A new relationship with technology and communication

Since Gen Y grew up during the Internet boom and mobile communication revolution, technology has become an extension of ourselves. However, older generations have a big misconception when it comes to Gen Y and technology. Older generations think that Gen Y is tech savvy. This is 100 percent not true. Gen Y is not tech savvy, we are tech dependent. Important difference. We don’t know how technology works. We just know we can’t live without it.
5. A need for ongoing feedback

When it comes to employing Gen Y, if your company only gives annual reviews, then you can change the name. Call them exit interviews, because Gen Y won’t be there. We need feedback on a much more regular schedule, ideally twice a month, but don’t confuse frequency with a major time investment. We don’t want an in-depth 360-degree performance review, complete with personality assessment. Just a five-second check-in that says you notice we exist. All we need is for you to pause outside our cubicle and say, “Jordan, I saw how you helped Mrs. Booker solve the billing problem. Good job.” That’s it. Nothing more.

TURNING THESE GEN Y CHARACTERISTICS INTO A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
As a member of Gen Y, I admit that all five of these characteristics do not initially appear as workplace strengths. However, I have seen time and again how employers have made every one of these Gen Y characteristics into a workplace advantage when Gen Y is managed correctly.

The key is to start with an understanding of our mindset, find a common ground with your company’s goals, and build on it. In fact, the breakthrough moment for many of my clients who employ Gen Y is realizing that what their Gen Y employees want in order to put forth their best effort is often less expensive and easier to give than their current employment practices. Now that is something you will want us to text our friends about — but not until our lunch break.

©2009 Jason Ryan Dorsey, author of Y-Size Your Business: How Gen Y Employees Can Save You Money and Grow Your Business

Author Bio
Jason Ryan Dorsey, author of Y-Size Your Business: How Gen Y Employees Can Save You Money and Grow Your Business is an award-winning entrepreneur and an acclaimed keynote speaker often referred to as “The Gen Y Guy”®. He has been featured as a Generation Y expert on 60 Minutes, 20/20, the Today show, and The View, as well as in Fortune magazine.

Smart leaders don’t recruit the best people, they attract them. Why do they do it? They do it because it makes their lives easier, and their companies more successful. How do they do it? They have a clearly defined corporate Purpose For Existing (PFE), they tell the world about it, they live it, and the best people come to them. They don’t recruit, they attract.

The success of this method is based on two principles. The first is a very basic tenant of life on the planet; “Like attracts Like”. It is the reason zebras run together on the African plains, similar looking fish travel in schools, and in any given crowd of people, each sub-group is composed of individuals with similar characteristics. A leader who has defined their company’s PFE is saying in essence “I am a zebra. If you too are a zebra, come out here on the plains and join me.”

The second principle is that the best and the brightest in the work-force seek more than just a paycheck from their job, they seek fulfillment of their own personal Purpose For Existing (PFE). On average, employees spend 70% of their waking hours Monday through Friday either at work, getting to work, or preparing for work. For the most part, their work is their life. The best and the brightest know this, and understand this. They want to make sure that while spending 70% of their life at work, they are in some way fulfilling their own PFE. They seek out companies where the organization’s PFE supports their own.

The concept of attracting vs. recruiting might not seem like an important topic in an era of economic uncertainty where companies are laying people off, or putting freezes on hiring. The U.S. has been in that situation now for almost three years. However, data from the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, and independent studies from professional staffing and Human Resource Management firms indicate a change is coming. Projections are for labor shortages starting this year in certain industries and increasing to approximately 6 million skilled workers in 2012. The repercussions of such a shortage won’t just be felt in lost opportunity costs as companies can’t get the necessary qualified talent to serve new customers. More painful and directly impactful will be the costs felt as employers try to fill open positions. According to Human Resource studies, total costs to replace a skilled managerial level employee can total as much as 150% of the departing person’s salary by the time recruiting, training, and productivity costs due to losses with current customers are factored in. With studies showing 55% of salaried people planning on moving as jobs become available, this cost could be substantial for individual companies.

In light of this looming future, the opportunity to attract versus recruit the best people, as well as the issue of maintaining the right employees, both become more relevant.

Leaders interested in creating an environment where they attract instead of recruit the best candidates should follow three key steps.

1. Clarify Your PFE
2. Tell the World What Your PFE Is
3. Fulfill Your PFE

Clarify Your PFE
What is your organization’s Purpose For Existing (PFE)? Why was the organization formed? What unique function does it serve? Many organizations already have their PFE as a deeply imbedded part of their culture, and often it exists in some written form. It may seem obvious to you as a leader, or to your employees. Now is the time to either turn it into the written word if it isn’t yet, or make sure it is clearly articulated if it already exists in writing.

An example of a PFE that is clear, impactful, and to the point is that of Merck & Co., Inc. Merck is a global pharmaceutical products and services company that focuses heavily on research. Their PFE is stated in the following way “Our business is preserving and improving human life.” They back this up with the following sub statement. “All of our actions must be measured by our success in achieving this goal.”

Tell The World What Your PFE Is
When you have a clearly articulated version of your PFE, let the world know what it is. Put it on all your marketing materials, internal documents, web sites, and your communications with buyers, suppliers, customers, campus placement offices, and partners. Make sure that when people hear the name of your company, they automatically know what your PFE is. It is through these efforts that you are saying to the world “I am a zebra. If you too are a zebra, come join me”. Your PFE will have an impact on the people who interact with you. Those who have a personal PFE that is similar to your organization’s and who in fact can fulfill their PFE by helping your organization fulfill its PFE, will now be attracted to you. Think in terms of Merck. How attracted do you think someone is to Merck if their personal PFE is to improve human life?

Fulfill Your PFE
Ralph Waldo Emerson said “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying.” This is something for organizations to remember. To succeed in attracting, not recruiting the best people, an organization must live up to the PFE that it identifies and promotes to the world. Exhibiting actions incongruent with that PFE will quickly damage the company’s credibility and decrease their attraction. However, for organizations that live the PFE they create, every action they do makes the attraction that much stronger for potential candidates.

Organizations that follow these three steps will find themselves approaching hiring in an entirely new way. Creating awareness about the organization’s PFE and then interviewing people attracted to the company will become the norm, not recruiting. For organizations that are doing the three steps very successfully, having to work hard to recruit someone should be an indication that they are trying to get the wrong person. If someone clearly understands your organization’s PFE and your organization has done an effective job of fulfilling its PFE, but the person still needs to be convinced, then you don’t want them in your organization.

Make your life easier and make your company more successful. Don’t recruit the best people, attract them.

Copyright © 2006 John P. Strelecky (used with permission)

Author
John P. Strelecky is the international best selling author of “The Why Café” (Da Capo Press; April 2006; $12.95US/$16.95CAN; 0-7382-1063-3) and a highly sought after inspirational speaker on; “How to Achieve Maximum Success with Minimal Effort.” His CD series of the same name has received rave reviews from listeners. A graduate of NorthwesternUniversity’s MBA program, John has served as a business strategist for numerous Fortune 500 companies. Through his book, CDs, articles, and appearances on television and radio, he has positively impacted the lives of millions of people. John can be reached through his website atwww.whycafe.com, or by calling 407-342-4181.

Here are five benefits of developing a strong employer brand:

1. A strong employer brand can help your organization stand out. With the shift to fragmented workforces of small and mid-sized businesses, it can be challenging to recruit and retain employees, if you don’t have a consistent employer brand.
2. Positioning your employer brand helps you attract and retain people who “fit”. With four generations in the workplace and a wide variance in employee motivations, a compelling employer brand can help you identify, attract and retain the right people.
3. A great employer brand can help you stand out, even when you don’t have the resources to offer traditional benefits or salaries. Many people prefer to work for employers aligned with their values. A great employer brand can help you become an employer of choice.
4. A distinct employer brand can streamline recruitment. By being clear about your organization’s values, goals and culture, you can avoid interviewing people who are out of sync with your organization. And you can increase applications from people who “fit”.
5. Great people seek out great brands. The best potential employees may not be the ones applying to random job postings. Great people seek out great employers who represent opportunities to fulfill their goals, achieve their dreams and live their values. By building a great employer brand, you can compel great hires to seek you out – rather than waiting for a job opening to come up.

Benefits of employer branding | AlbertaJobcentre.ca

The survey of more than 1,700 Canadian employers reveals that 20 per cent expect to increase their payrolls in the next three months while seven per cent of employers anticipate cutbacks, for a Net Employment Outlook of 13 per cent. Of those polled, 70 per cent expect no change and three per cent are unsure of their staffing intentions for the upcoming quarter.

With seasonal variations removed from the survey data, the Net Employment Outlook is 14 per cent. This is a one percentage point increase from the previous quarter, indicating hopeful hiring intentions for the final quarter of 2008.

“This quarter’s Net Employment Outlook suggests that Canadian employers anticipate a steady hiring pace for the upcoming quarter” says Byrne Luft, Vice President, Marketing for Manpower Canada. “Employers are indicating that they will continue to increase their payrolls, but at a slightly slower rate than last year at this time.”

“The hiring climates in Western and Atlantic Canada are ahead of the national forecast,” adds Luft. Employers in Western Canada report an active hiring climate with a Net Employment Outlook of 25 per cent. In Atlantic Canada employers project a steady quarter with a Net Employment Outlook of 16 per cent. Employers in Quebec expect a weaker, yet still moderate fourth quarter projecting a hiring pace of nine per cent. Ontario employers report a modest quarter, projecting a Net Employment Outlook of eight per cent.

Strengthened by robust projections in Western Canada, employers in the Mining sector project a solid hiring pace with a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 28 per cent. In the Public Administration and Construction sectors employers expect healthy hiring climates both reporting seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlooks of 22 per cent. Employers in the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate as well as employers in the Transportation and Public Utilities sectors expect upbeat markets for job seekers reporting Net Employment Outlooks of 20 and 17 per cent, respectively.

Reporting a five percentage point increase from the previous quarter, employers in the Mining sector project a solid fourth quarter with a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 28 per cent. When compared to the fourth quarter of 2007, the Outlook has decreased by ten percentage points.

Public Administration

Employers in the Public Administration sector anticipate a steady hiring climate with a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 22 per cent. Hiring projections have increased by eight percentage points from the previous quarter. However, this quarter’s forecast remains the same as last year’s fourth quarter.

Construction

Reporting a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 22 per cent, employers in the Construction sector project an active staffing period for the final quarter of 2008. The Outlook has increased 11 percentage points from the previous quarter but has decreased six percentage points since the same time last year.

With a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 20 per cent, employers in the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate sector anticipate a favourable hiring pace. This quarter’s forecast is six percentage points stronger than the Outlook reported in third quarter. However, the Outlook is four percentage points weaker when compared to the same time last year.

In the Transportation and Public Utilities sector employers predict a positive hiring climate for the upcoming October to December period, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 17 per cent once seasonal variations are removed from the data – two percentage points weaker than the previous quarter when the seasonally adjusted outlook was 19 per cent. When compared to the fourth quarter of 2007, the Net Employment Outlook improves by two percentage points.

Services

Employers in the Services sector also expect a positive hiring climate for the final quarter of 2008, reporting a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 17 per cent. This is on par with the Outlook reported last quarter and is a slight decrease from the same time last year when the seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook was 20 per cent.

In the Wholesale and Retail Trade sector employers report a Net Employment Outlook of 15 per cent once seasonally adjustments are made. This is a five percentage point increase from the previous quarter. However, this sector has experienced a ten percentage point decrease from the same time last year. Despite these fluctuations employers expect an upbeat quarter for the October to December period of 2008.

Employers in the Manufacturing – Durable Goods sector report a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 13 per cent, indicating a respectable hiring climate. This is a seven percentage point increase from the previous quarter when the seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook was six per cent and is a one percentage point increase from the same time last year.

Reporting a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of ten per cent, employers in the Manufacturing – Non-Durable Goods sector employers anticipate a hopeful hiring climate for the upcoming quarter. This is a ten percentage point increase from the previous quarter when the sector experienced a flat hiring climate. It is, however, a slight decrease from the same time last year when the Net Employment Outlook was 11 per cent.

Employers in the Education sector expect a mild hiring climate for the upcoming quarter, reporting a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of four per cent. Employer optimism is declining when compared to the previous quarter, when the Net Employment Outlook was eight per cent, and also by nine percentage points from the same time last year.

Now, just over half a year later, RealPeopleRealStuff’s founders have launched a sister site named VideoJobShop.com, a kind of Monster/YouTube/Craigslist/Facebook mix. For rates ranging from free to USD 25 or more, VideoJobShop.com lets employers post videos describing the work and benefits they offer. To help them, the site contains a lengthy library of pre-recorded videos describing common occupations. Job hunters, meanwhile, can upload their video resumes in the hopes of catching an employer’s eye. A widget lets them link their online resumes to their Facebook profiles

Springwise: YouTube meets Monster

Sure they have time to interview candidates. They have three hours clear on Thursday. That should be enough time to interview four or five candidates.

It’s difficult to convince them that recruiting should be a strategic process that connects candidates who need what you have to offer and who possess the skills and aptitude to accomplish your goals and objectives.

The results of your recruitment process will directly impact several areas, including morale, motivation, respect, retention, quality of work, relationships with partners and clients, and your ability to focus on managing rather than spending the majority of time addressing problems.

You need to have a plan!

The management of the recruitment process will directly affect:

• the quality and diversity of the candidate pool;
• the effectiveness of the interviews;
• how quickly the position is filled;
• the ability to hire the best qualified person for the job.

Recruitment efforts will vary depending upon:

• the type and level of position;
• labour market conditions (anticipated supply of qualified candidates, current unemployment rate, etc.);
• the funds allotted for recruitment.

The recruiting process should begin when:

• the position responsibilities have been matched with the needs of the unit;
• the appropriate knowledge, skills, and behavioural competencies have been determined and included on the completed position description;
• approvals have been obtained.

The goals of the recruitment process are to:

• identify and attract the best qualified individuals for the position;
• promote the organization to “sell” the job;
• support affirmative action efforts by targeting outreach to underutilized groups.

Not all of them are ethical.

The Alberta government has ordered an unlicensed Toronto-area company to stop charging foreign workers for the promise of jobs in the booming province.

An investigation by Alberta officials found that seven men from India had been told that $18,000 would get them jobs as tradespeople in Alberta. The workers paid for travel costs and expenses on top of this fee.

Unlicensed recruiter ordered to stop illegally charging foreign workers