Recruit, Retain, Retrain and Pray, Pray, Pray Ann F. Harbor The University of Memphis EDUCAUSE Southeast Regional Conference June 28, 2001

Agenda  IT Employment Realities  Recruitment Strategies  Retention Strategies  Retraining Necessities  Needed Next Steps  What Works For You?

IT Employment Realities (“It’s a Seller’s Market”)  800,000 Unfilled IT Positions  Recruiting contacts  Deep techies hardest to fill  Turn-over costs  Need for unique competencies  Misalignment with HR business processes and structures

Employee Lifecycle 1 Company 1 Company 30 Years 30 Years 1-3 Positions 1-3 Positions Low Risk Low Risk Low Payoff Low Payoff 4-6 Companies 4-6 Companies 4-5 Years on Staff 4-5 Years on Staff Multiple Positions Multiple Positions Some Risk Some Risk Increased Payoff Increased Payoff

Recruitment (“Find ‘Em, Get ‘Em”) Ad placement (where to advertise) Ad placement (where to advertise) Ad style (content and look) Ad style (content and look) Job descriptions/minimum quals Job descriptions/minimum quals Local/regional layoffs, relocations Local/regional layoffs, relocations Consider apprentices Consider apprentices Call former employees Call former employees

Find ‘Em/Get Em’ (cont’d) Direct contact minority businesses & schools Direct contact minority businesses & schools Word of mouth and staff referrals Word of mouth and staff referrals Search Firms Search Firms Help from Advancement Help from Advancement Participate in National IT Day or Participate in National IT Day or Student Recruitment Fairs

“Find ‘Em/Get ‘Em” (cont’d) Emphasize competitive differentiation Emphasize competitive differentiation Benefits package Benefits package University culture, relaxed work environment University culture, relaxed work environment Cool projects Cool projects Cool equipment Cool equipment Training opportunities Training opportunities Quality of life at work Quality of life at work Tuition remission Tuition remission Every day’s Casual Day Every day’s Casual Day Recruit all year long! Recruit all year long!

Selection (“Screen ‘Em) Don’t rush the process Don’t rush the process Interview in teams Interview in teams Include IT client officers Include IT client officers Tell the truth Tell the truth Ask probing questions about: Ask probing questions about: Technical skill sets Soft skill sets Career ambitions Attitude Make reference checks Make reference checks Select “best matched” Select “best matched”

Retention (“Keep ‘Em”) Orient thoroughly Orient thoroughly Mentor Mentor Pay for performance & value Pay for performance & value Create more of a Dot.Com culture Create more of a Dot.Com culture Live your values & lead with distinction Live your values & lead with distinction Invest heavily in people Invest heavily in people Recognize lifecycles Recognize lifecycles

Employee Lifecycle Stages (people³ - A Gartner Company) High Low

Retention (“Keep ‘Em”) Expect and support teamwork Expect and support teamwork Be inclusive with decision-making processes Be inclusive with decision-making processes Have meaning project and Provide meaningful reviews (performance management system) Have meaning project and Provide meaningful reviews (performance management system) Practice L.O. principles Practice L.O. principles Provide flexibility Provide flexibility Recognize and Reward Excellence Recognize and Reward Excellence

Development (“Retrain ‘Em) Invest in education Invest in education Technical Skills – J.I.T. Technical Skills – J.I.T. People Skills – O&O People Skills – O&O Leadership Skills Leadership Skills Organizational expectations Organizational expectations Train for needs as well as desires Train for needs as well as desires Job Share Job Share Tell your story Tell your story

UofM Exit Interview Findings Employment Employment 47% 1-3 years 47% 1-3 years 23% 3-5 years 23% 3-5 years 15% 5-15 years 15% 5-15 years 15% over 15 years 15% over 15 years Reasons for Leaving Reasons for Leaving 68%Higher pay/career growth 68%Higher pay/career growth 11%Return to school 11%Return to school 11%Moved from area 11%Moved from area 5%Retirement 5%Retirement 5%Other 5%Other Satisfiers Satisfiers Safe & adequate work space Fair & impartial treatment Supportive management Prof. development opportunities Collegial coworkers Participative planning process Fair & meaning evaluations Dissatisfiers Dissatisfiers Communication (top down) Equitable compensation Opportunity for advancement

What Next? What More? Continue to leverage scarce resources Continue to leverage scarce resources Pay competitively Pay competitively Continue working with HR on: Continue working with HR on: Shorter cycle time for hiring process Shorter cycle time for hiring process Process redesigns for better fit Process redesigns for better fit Out of cycle increases Out of cycle increases In-position promotions In-position promotions Retention bonuses Retention bonuses Sign on bonuses Sign on bonuses

Pray, Pray, Pray Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray our employees we will keep. If they should go before it’s time, May we find others--without spending a dime!

Discussion: