YouNeverStopLearning.com Newsletter March 2006 ALD, Inc. Providing education, guidance and solutions for mastering leadership competencies

March Feature Our year-end survey overwhelming requested more information on hiring practices – how do we make the best hiring decisions without relying on our gut? In response, we’re repeating an earlier publication that highlighted upcoming hiring trends and provided solutions.  Read on….

Increased Employee Turnover Makes Hiring Decisions Critical – How Effective is Your Hiring Process?  Do You HAVE a Hiring Process?   Look Out - Increased Employee Turnover is Right Around The Corner    As we look ahead to the next several years, the evidence seems clear.  Organizations that don't implement the necessary practices will face losing key employees, as voluntary turnover is likely to grow and once again become a strategic business issue as it was in the late 1990's   An Improving Economy Brings Unwanted Employee Turnover    Indicators show that our economy is getting back on track following the horrors of September 11, 2001. The U.S. economy added 2.2 million jobs in 2004, the highest rate of job growth since 1999. Economists expect the economy to add a similar number of jobs in 2005, a rate that should keep gross domestic product growth steady at about 3.5%. The growing economy is good news.   The bad news is that as the economy grows, employment will continue to rise, and with it voluntary employee turnover is projected to rise significantly.   A recent survey conducted by Dr Lynn Ware, Employee Retention expert, shows that in answer to the question... "What are the chances of you voluntarily leaving your job within the next twelve months? "... more thanhalf of the survey respondents (52%) said "moderatelyhigh to almost certain!”   Another survey conducted by SHRM, Society for Human Resource Management, showed that "83% of employees said that it was "extremely likely" or "somewhat likely" that they would actively seek new employment once the job market and economy improves".   Then there are the more macro trends.  Overall we are becoming a more mobile society and economy. For instance the US Department of Labor data demonstrates that, on average, employee tenure declined 82% from the 1950's to 2000. And the US national average employee tenure today is running 3.5 years.  Based on that we think it’s important to ask... Do you know what your organizations trend is over the last 10 years, and what it is today?   What Can You Do?    Read the entire article

ALD provides two great choices for developing the skills necessary for managing the hiring process and for conducting the interviews effectively:   Hiring Winning Talent – a classroom or online workshop to develop and implement a structured process that can really streamline and empower successful hiring Behavioral Interviewing – an online course to provide you with the tools you need to ask the right questions to better discover if your candidate is the right person for the job

Hiring Winning Talent 8.0 Hour Classroom Workshop or 4.0 Hour Online Course   There’s more to it than the interview!   A successful hiring process doesn’t start with the job posting and doesn’t end when a candidate has been selected. Before an open position is advertised, an efficient and consistent hiring process must be in place. That process will enable a manager to identify the job competencies, build the interview questions, and develop the hiring strategy required to win a really qualified new employee who performs well and fits in from day one.   Experience has proven that a manager’s ability to understand and participate in a structured hiring process has a direct impact on business results. Without a process in place managers devote too much time to interviews and too little time to interview preparation and the selection process itself.   Read more…

Behavioral Interviewing   1.5 Hour Online Course     The tools you need to ask the right questions DURING the interview   Successful interviews begin with these key principles:   1. Future behavior is best predicted by past behavior– can the candidate demonstrate that they’ve been able to effectively perform this skill/job in the past?   2. Effective interviewing begins with a thorough understanding of the open position – be prepared with the right questions and the right answers.   3.  Focus on the right fit for the organization, as well as capabilities for the job – what skills would the person need?   4.  Multiple interviews and interviewers produce more accurate results. 5.  Candidates must be treated with dignity and respect.     Read more and preview a segment of the online course

Organizations have successfully used both of these courses in preparing their management staffs for the task of hiring the right people for the right job. Contact ALD for more information or to preview either of these courses.

Bookmark these ALD links for quick training references

Integrated Learning Solution: Train to Ingrain - Comprehensive approach to creating lasting behavior change. AiA Classic- Increase self-awareness, self-confidence and self-motivation by affirming strengths, talents, and abilities; transform negative attitudes into positive ones. A unique learning experience. Online or Distance Learning Courses – Develop necessary skills through the advantages of online learning. Classroom Workshops – Skills and learning best captured in the traditional format. DiSC System Materials – Real interpersonal effectiveness is all about understanding our own impact on others, recognizing other styles so that we can adapt our behavior to other stylesto maximize interpersonal effectiveness.   Blended Learning – Optimize your investment in learning, consider at least combining traditional classroom training and the technology of the Internet; blend techniques in a variety of ways.   Feedback & Needs assessment Technology - A key competency of effective leadership is assessing current skill levels, providing feedback and determining developmental actions.

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