Talent Swap
By KIM GRONNIGER
Multiple sources indicate that today’s workers will change jobs a dozen times or more on their own initiative or as a result of employer layoffs. Experts indicate that people pursue new positions for a variety of reasons—to gain better compensation, career advancement opportunities and alignment with personal values, or to escape stressful working conditions, an unsatisfying relationship with a boss or work that bores them.
In this second installment of a four-part series, TK Business Magazine will explore how Topeka companies are addressing the talent swap issue in a transient era for attracting top employees.
A TECH SCHOOL'S TAKE ON THE TALENTSWAPWashburn Institute of Technology
Tim Clothier, director of the Business and Industry Center for the Washburn Institute of Technology, works with a variety of companies in Topeka to help identify employment needs and cultivate a workforce to meet them. Clothier believes the reasons employees leave one company for another are as varied as the industries they are working in.
Tangible factors like taking a position that offers more money, better benefits, flexibility or work/family integration may play a role in an employee’s decision to seek a new opportunity, just as intangible features like company culture, training and potential advancement opportunities can encourage employees to stay put and be patient.
“There are a lot of factors that might influence a person to become a job hopper, so the best companies have career path integration woven into the fabric of their human resources department so employees can see what is possible,” Clothier said.
Clothier says nothing beats the Midwest work ethic, as evidenced by the decision of financial services companies, global manufacturers, distribution centers and other companies to locate, remain or expand in Topeka.
“We’ve done a great job of attracting and retaining companies, and that speaks to the creativity and determination of our leaders and the caliber of our regional workforce,” he said. “But now we need to take that expertise to the next level since our community hasn’t grown much. We haven’t been stagnant—there’s been a lot of activity— but we need to grow.”
Clothier says the talent swap for manufacturing positions is of particular concern to area employers because of the community’s low unemployment rate and public transportation impediments that prevent employees from easily accessing factory sites.
“Transportation issues need to be addressed sooner rather than later,” he said. “It’s been a topic in Topeka for years, and until we fix it, our manufacturing partners will continue to experience talent swap issues.”
Whether an employee works in a plant or an office complex, Clothier says today’s workers are more astute and discerning about what they’re looking for.
"One person may want to work all week and have weekends to hunt and fish. Another may want to work a shift that allows for evening socializing,” he said.
Social media and advanced technology have also leveled the playing field for employees in the Midwest.
“It used to be people thought everything originated on the coasts and then migrated to the Midwest, but that hasn’t been true for decades,” Clothier said. “Workers in the Midwest have the same advantages as people in other parts of the country and that increases competition.”
Employees have more options not only in what they do and where they work but also in how they prepare for careers, including technical certifications.
“Technical institutions like Washburn Tech drive the economy at the local, state and national level,” he said. “We partner with multiple companies in numerous ways to help them continue to make progress.”
For example, Washburn Tech has helped Goodyear and Frito-Lay enhance their emergency response team preparedness, provided additional training for machinists and electricians at Mars Chocolate North America and established apprenticeship programs so companies can “grow their own workers,” he says. U.S. Foods and CoreFirst Bank and Trust also have sent staff to Washburn Tech to learn more about Microsoft Office programs.
“It’s not just up to the companies to provide opportunities though,” Clothier said. “Individuals should seek out activities that can make them more productive and marketable like taking on a new assignment or a class to enhance skills and experience.”
Regardless of the route workers take to career success—a college degree or technical certification, an entry-level position or a management training program—Clothier says the key is determining needs for the short term and the long haul.
“People are living and working longer, and planning is essential whether you are an applicant or an employer,” he said. “Competition for top talent is fierce, and we’re fortunate to have a lot of it in Topeka.”
AN INSURER’S EFFORTS TO ENSURE TALENT RESERVESBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas members rely on the company’s customer experience representatives to answer specific questions about their benefits, claims and eligibility, as well as general issues like health care reform or the possible closure of a hospital. In 2016, call center employees handled more than 1 million inquiries from members, group leaders and health care providers. With such significant volume, employees need to not only be knowledgeable about company policies and processes, but also aware of pertinent news stories that might prompt calls.
“Our representatives thrive on helping others, and they have the opportunity to do that each and every workday,” said Erin Nolte, assistant director of customer services operations.
To help ensure the company is hiring the right people for the role, it uses work ethic assessments and job match metrics in the selection process and communicates all aspects of position responsibilities and the structured environment in which candidates will work to manage expectations. That emphasis on communication extends to team initiatives, quarterly meetings with leadership for employees to learn more about department projects and activities, and a Customer Experience Task Force.
Additionally, call center managers have identified areas for flexibility including same-day vacation requests if spots are available and parttime positions, efforts Nolte says have allowed the company to retain good employees who would have likely left the company otherwise.
Thousands of daily calls run the gamut from routine inquiries about covered providers and claims to extreme circumstances involving rare conditions. To ensure that employees feel supported in assisting callers and to facilitate positive working relationships, trainees are assigned to a tenured employee mentor and a supervisor who meets with them to complete specific activities throughout their training period.
All employees have a customized development plan with features that may be focused on a specific skill, but Nolte says once the employee becomes proficient, plans can be targeted toward improving leadership skills by attending classes through Blue University. Blue University is a company-wide learning academy that offers courses designed to enhance both technical expertise and organizational efficiency.
Nolte says most of the turnover that occurs in the call center is the result of employees transferring to other areas of the company. She notes that several leaders at all levels of the company began their Blue Cross careers in customer service.
“Our employees are well trained and have a great base understanding of our products and a high-level understanding of other areas, making them great candidates for other departments,” Nolte said. “We actually encourage this movement because we want our employees to find a job that suits them and makes them happy.”
A LONG-TERM CARE PROVIDER’S INNOVATIVE EFFORTS TO BOOST WORKER TENURE Brewster Place
In a community with 15 nursing homes, two hospitals and a Veterans Administration hospital, competition for skilled nurse aides, LPNs and registered nurses is intense.
Joe Ewert, vice president of health services for Brewster Place, oversees about 180 fulltime and part-time nursing staff. He estimates the turnover rate for his complex at 50 percent with associated costs of $100,000 or more per employee for unproductive training time, shadowing, materials and other expenses.
“Turnover is something that plagues every long-term care provider,” he said, “especially with nurse aides, who can wait tables or pursue other entry-level positions that might pay more.”
Ewert says less experienced employees often leave for higher wages while longer tenured employees leave because financial constraints, family obligations, transportation issues and other factors prevent their pursuit of a progressive nursing career ladder.
However, a comprehensive plan to enhance employee training and engagement initiatives the past few months is already having an impact on retention.
The assessment process, implemented under the guidance of Cynthia Hornberger, former Brewster Place board member and former dean of the Washburn University School of Nursing, includes qualitative interviews and focus groups not only with nursing staff but also with residents and families.
“We have a person-centered care model, and we encourage our employees to create strong bonds with our residents,” Ewert said. “The residents always know the most about what’s going on with people so it was important for us to include them in the discussions.”
As a result of the feedback, Brewster Place made changes to its hiring, screening, evaluation and exit interview processes, compensation structure, and most significantly, to its training program.
“The training and orientation process came up in every interview,” Ewert said. “Skilled nursing in a long-term care setting is hard work, no question, and people said they felt overwhelmed.”
Brewster Place created a group of eight preceptors, nurse aides who demonstrate a high level of critical thinking, and enlisted their input for standardizing orientation and training.
“The preceptors had skin in the game to ensure that people coming in knew the right way to do things, and we made a huge investment in making sure they were successful,” Ewert said, noting that those crucial reporting relationships often determine whether someone will stay.
The preceptor program, launched in January, also allows Brewster Place to cultivate homegrown talent for people wanting to ascend a traditional corporate ladder. Relationships with Highland Park High School, Washburn Tech and Baker University School of Nursing also help create a professional pipeline. A new program through the Brewster Foundation covers first-year tuition expenses for a nurse aide who wants to become an LPN.
Realizing that a ladder concept might not work for all employees, Brewster Place also introduced a career lattice concept that enables employees to gain experience in more than one area.
A BANK’S INITIATIVES FOR EMPLOYEE RETURN ON INVESTMENT Capital Federal
Although online banking and ATMs satisfy the needs of many customers, Capitol Federal® continues to place a high priority on serving its customers in-branch and assisting them with their financial matters. Bank customer service associates, whether located in a branch or home office, have an opportunity to not only promote satisfaction among those they serve but also to chart a career path.
Competition for talented associates across the board was once primarily limited to other financial service companies, but Angela Dailey, vice president of human resources for Capitol Federal, says they have begun to find that competitors come from all different industries, from small retail operations to larger corporations.
Getting the right employees in the right positions pays dividends in multiple ways, not the least of which is reducing the cost of turnover. Dailey says an industry rule of thumb estimates that the cost of turnover is about 150 percent of an individual’s annual salary, including replacement pay for the person leaving, recruitment and training costs and new hire expenses.
Capitol Federal has taken several steps to help reduce turnover, including reviewing its compensation structure, offering benefits to part-time associates, creating professional development opportunities and implementing innovative “Generations at Work” training.
“Training and development opportunities are another way to focus on behaviors and mindsets that can unite the workforce,” she said.
Professional development initiatives address skill-based training, as well as relationship building, and open communications to foster stronger bonds among managers and employees. Senior executives participate in orientation sessions, and the human resources department uses a variety of tools and metrics to identify internal candidates for promotion. Additionally, the company’s associates also help fill open positions.
“Our team has found that candidate referrals, traditional networking and identifying and building relationships give the best results,” Dailey said.
Although the company has cultivated a decades-long reputation “as an attractive and credible employer,” Dailey said, “Job seekers are savvy, and we’ve moved to be more nimble in marketing to prospective applicants.”
With a corporate philosophy centered first and foremost on service to customers, Capitol Federal does its part, in turn, to support philanthropic causes and educational initiatives that benefit people throughout the state, which also involves its workforce. Individually or collectively, associates can make an impact in their community beyond fulfilling the responsibilities of their position.
“Every individual is motivated by different things,” Dailey said. “We strive to provide our employees with a framework of support encompassing everything from compensation, benefits and a strong reporting relationship to volunteerism and learning opportunities for their personal and professional growth.”
