This Week's Herman Trend Alert

Green Banks Thrive
 

  The Herman Trend Alert

July 6, 2005

Candidate Uprising Waiting to Happen

Many employers are not paying attention. Their lack of sensitivity is about to cause some serious damage to their corporate recruiting.

During the late 1990s, employers faced the two-headed dragon of a shortage of qualified workers and a seller's market in labor. With numerous jobs available, talented people could---and did---pick the opportunities they wanted with the companies that offered the best package. That package always included how employees were treated.

Recruiters, gradually becoming more sensitive to employment market conditions, began courting desirable candidates. In fact, to assure their good reputation in this highly competitive environment, human resource professionals maintained a high level of communication with their applicants. Some of those workers would be hired; others would not be, but would tell other candidates of their experiences. As prospective employees shared their experiences---good and bad---with their fellow job seekers, employers became aware of the influence of word-of-mouth. If a company earned a bad reputation because of poor treatment of applicants, the top talent would not even bother to apply.

Over the past four or five years, employers have tended to ignore the common-sense courtesies of interpersonal relations. This misbehavior has become prevalent with employees as well as with applicants. Conditions have changed, but employers have yet to make appropriate adjustments.

The two-headed dragon is back. We face critical shortages of many skills, creating a scarcity in certain occupations that is already more critical that what was seen a decade ago. As we have shifted back to a seller's market, employee turnover has begun again. Executives continue to report that "finding and keeping valued workers" is one of the top three concerns that keeps them awake at night.

Job seekers are talking about how they are being treated. Incredibly, few employers have the courtesy to respond to prospective employees---acknowledging their resumes, thanking them for taking their time for an interview, or letting them know if the job is no longer available. Discourteous employers will soon discover that their competitors are capturing the most desirable workers, just by showing some consideration. Manners make a difference in today's marketplace.


© Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc."


ANNOUNCING: EMPLOYER OF CHOICE® WORKSHOPS
Have you wanted to be recognized as an Employer of Choice®? The first step is to send your champion to The Employer of Choice® Workshop. In Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam (17 and 18 March), Singapore (23 and 24 March), and Accra, Ghana (Week of 29 March), we will hold these two-day learning experiences. We will also hold a workshop in the United States in April. For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or email, her: joyce@hermangroup.com. She will refer you to the local sponsor.

LOOKING FOR A DYNAMIC KEYNOTE SPEAKER WITH A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE?
You need look no farther. Joyce Gioia (joy-yah) is a sought-after speaker in Asia as well as Europe, and of course the United States. Joyce shares her knowledge and expertise about talent engagement and retention with business executives around the globe. Her understandings and insights will inform and fascinate you. For more information on Joyce's topics, call Carol McKinney at 336-282-9370 or visit the web site at http://www.hermangroup.com/joyce.html.

GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html


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