ATTRACTING AND ENGAGING A NEW WORKFORCE
The Canadian Grocery HR Council commissioned a review of the best academic literature on HR practices in retail to provide the industry with proven techniques to improve performance.
1 - Target under utilized sources of talent
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- Consider previously under utilized sources of talent; women, new immigrants, people with disabilities, Aboriginal people and mature workers.
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2 - Industry image
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- Promote the industry as a desirable career destination.
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3 - Positioning
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- Target recruitment messages to specific groups.
Example: today’s youth have been found to value work that gives them a sense of purpose and a sense that they are impacting the world around them. Target youth with messages that focus on your environmentally friendly practices and opportunities to use new technologies.
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4 - Being heard
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- Go to where the talent is: For example, partner with educational institutions and participate in “career days”.
- Partnerships within specific communities ex: new immigrants.
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5 - Use social media – Enter the virtual world
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- Social media is increasingly being used as a recruitment tool, especially for youth.
- Canadian youth are also enthusiastic users of social networking sites such as twitter and Facebook. Take the time to experiment for a while before you find what works for you.
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6 - Career potential
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- Not only articulate career opportunities and career paths – communicate career potential broadly as a recruitment tool.
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7 - Communicate the pay package
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- Communicate the pay package as a whole, not just the hourly wage. Consider schedule flexibility, advancement potential and learning opportunities as part of your total employment offering.
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8 - Don’t be afraid to focus on the type of person you want
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“If you like people and want to grow professionally, if you like to think on your feet in a fast-paced environment, if you think food is cool – we’re the place for you!”
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References
Ton, Zeynep and Robert S. Huckman. “Managing the Impact of Employee Turnover on Performance: The Role of Process Conformance.” Organization Science, vol. 19.1 (Jan.–Feb. 2008): 56–68.
2010 Sector Study Update – Canadian Grocery HR Council
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