Given changing demographics, competition for talent will be stiff over the next decade and beyond—not just in this country, but around the world. Accordingly, if Canadian employers are to have a constant supply of skilled workers, they will need to find ways to attract and retain diverse groups of employees.
Benefits have not traditionally held much sway when it comes to recruiting employees, let alone convincing them to stay. Nevertheless, in a competitive environment, benefits (especially work-related benefits beyond healthcare) may begin to be more important in attracting and retaining workers. Seventy-three percent of employees who work at the organizations named to this year’s list of Canada’s 30 Best Pension and Benefits Plans agreed or strongly agreed that their benefit programs were important in their decision to stay with their employer. The average response across all employees was 59%.
How can organizations that already have very diverse employee populations and/or are looking to tap into the diverse talent pool develop plans that meet a vast array of needs? This year’s 30 Best organizations provide some tips. Analysis of what these employers are doing with respect to their human resources programs suggests the following elements are key:
1. A solid business case for diversity. Business leaders, of course, have to be on board with the need to adapt plans to meet the needs of diverse employees. While they may understand the demographic imperative, a more compelling business case is the fact that an organization’s customer base is also increasingly diverse. It makes sense to have an employee population that reflects the client base, so that goods and services take the market’s perspective into account.
It’s equally important, however, for those at the managerial level to understand the need to attract and retain a diverse workforce. Employees are dealing with managers on a daily basis and if the frontline managers are not able to create an environment that is inclusive, diverse employees are not likely to feel a sense of connection.
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For that reason, Conexus, a financial services provider headquartered in Regina and one of the 30 Best, introduced education and awareness training for its staff before it started its recruitment efforts with the local Aboriginal community. That training was valuable when Aboriginal workers began working at Conexus. For instance, managers understood that bereavement leave had to be granted to more than immediate family when there was a death in the Aboriginal community.
2. Current and future pipeline assessment. Workforce planning is an important step in determining current and future staffing required to meet business objectives. If, for example, an organization finds that the supply of geologists is running dry and many of its current geologists are reaching retirement age, this may signal a need for special efforts to incent those older geologists who are already on staff to delay full retirement.
3. Employee needs forecast. Once an organization knows the types of roles it needs to fill, it can come up with ideas for attracting and retaining people to do those jobs. It’s at this point that employers may need to think outside the box. For instance, a pharmaceutical company was having a hard time finding pharmacists to fill a particular role. When it stepped back and looked at what the job entailed, it realized that nurses could do the work as well. Because nurses are also in short supply, this employer looked at what it could offer nurses that might entice some away from hospitals—things like compensation, regular yet flexible work hours, the ability to buy vacation as part of the flex plan, and a wellness-oriented work environment.
4. Focus group discussions. Before making any changes to benefit programs, check with current employees and perhaps even external groups to see whether these changes meet their needs. In the geologist example, the company worked with existing staff to establish a mentorship program where the experienced geologists spent time in more remote regions working alongside younger recruits to provide guidance. The program was extremely popular with both senior and junior geologists.
5. Ongoing communication strategy. Communication should be frequent in order to ensure that employees understand the features of the plan and how to make choices that best meet their needs. Communication may have to take several forms, geared to the way various members of the workforce best take in information. For instance, younger employees may prefer online communication, while older ones may favour in-person meetings. Communication should also be a two-way street. In order to keep abreast of employee needs and whether their programs continue to meet them, employers need to encourage a dialogue with a broad cross-section of their workforce.
6. Flexible program design. Based on what their own employees have told them, as well as competitive trends, employers need to regularly revisit their HR programs. Depending on how their workforce is changing, it may be appropriate to consider adding wellness initiatives, flexible hours, sabbaticals, and other new features. HR programs need to be easily adaptable to meet changing needs, while recognizing the necessity for cost containment.
The days of one-size-fits-all HR programs are long gone. However, by implementing a certain amount of flexibility into plan design, employers can provide several-sizes-fit-most programs and meet the needs of their workforce. Doing so will not only satisfy a diverse employee population, but may well serve to distinguish them as an employer of choice.
Sarah Beech is Managing Principal, Consulting for Hewitt Associates in Canada.
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