The front page headline in today’s Sunday Tasmanian loudly proclaims “JOBS CRISIS” for Tasmania. The 2 minor headlines relating to that proclamation tell us “Worker shortage hurts business growth” and that “Small businesses face pay war to retain staff”.
Well – let’s look at that for a minute.
It isn’t just a matter of having to pay increased wages in order to attract or retain staff. Unfortunately, to most people, that is the only part of what I’m about to say that they will understand or hear, so that is the simplest way to speak about the staff retention issue.
In today’s climate, you need to offer way more than just upping the pay, sitting back and providing ‘business as usual’, then bagging the crap out of your employees when they defect.
Yes, there are, and always will be, people (of all ages) who move around workplaces, for many reasons. There are also a lot of people who like stability in their lives. They like the good things in life. They realize they have to pay for those good things they like, ergo they need a job to support that lifestyle choice.
Those are the people an employer in Hobart needs to work hard to keep. Part of the article involves an interview with the owners of the Trocadero. Their message is that it’s nearly impossible to find trained or trainable hospitality staff for their venue. They say that in the 2 ½ years they’ve owned their café, they’ve turned over about 50 staff.
I’m sorry about that, and they wouldn’t be on their own in that scenario.
That’s why anyone entering the world of business really does need to have a lot more than simply the desire to run a business, with maybe a mental image of riches, reputation and a fabulously wealthy lifestyle coming their way!
As well as expertise, money, wisdom and confidence in your market, you also need one more thing. It’s something I have thought about, observed, analysed and seen proven to be true many times.
You need to be an empathetic human being.
You need to value-add to the ‘job experience’ your workers are receiving at your workplace. If your employees know with certainty that you are genuine in your feelings about them as human beings, as opposed to them as numbers on the payroll list every Wednesday, you will be repaid in spades. Yep – it’s THAT simple.
That emanates itself in many different ways, but basically, that’s what it comes down to.
Sunday, 15 June 2008
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2 comments:
So annoying Rita that the Mercury puts this as front page news when it's been happening round the mainland for years.
Hi Rita
I totally endorse what you are saying. I will happily come to Hobart and spend a few days with some newbies in the industry and their bosses at my own expense.
I am quite qualified not only as a teacher but also have qualifications in restaurant management through Regency Park in SA. I've also trained totally untrained kids off the streets to be pretty good wait staff.
It could be fun.
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