By Cindy Stephens
During the past several years, we have seen an increase in the demand for hiring quality imaging service professionals and a decline in available quality talent for these vital positions. With many baby boomers retiring, there are not enough qualified individuals to replace these experienced and well-trained imaging service professionals. Add to that competition among hiring organizations and a need to retain the top talent organizations have already invested in.
Retaining your top employees should be a major concern since other competing organizations are going to do whatever they can to hire your best talent for their open positions. We know that employee turnover, if ignored, does not make it disappear. It is too risky to ignore, and the related costs can be expensive via decreased employee morale and customer service. If you do not retain top talent, it may impact the level of experience, skill and reliability needed for excellent customer service. No organization can afford that in today’s very competitive market.
Candidates today have the best opportunities available with many companies attempting to recruit them for similar positions. Many employees won’t hesitate to leave an organization for better opportunities. Many imaging service engineers leave a job due to salary and compensation issues as well as opportunities for growth. However, many have informed us that other factors for leaving an organization include “windshield time” and the often-extended time away from their families due to the huge service areas they cover. Work-life balance is a huge factor as well as feeling they are a valued member of the organization. Other factors include feeling like their job is going nowhere, lack of opportunity for additional training to improve their skills and lack of growth potential.
Therefore, it is important to have an effective hiring practice and retention policy. Retaining top employees is important for a successful imaging service department. Building strong relationships within the organization is key.
A successful retention strategy includes, key factors such as competitive salary and benefits, measurable performance objectives, effective communication processes, training and initiatives to encourage employee commitment.
Employees need to feel they belong and should have a sense of pride and ownership in their responsibilities. Satisfied employees know what is expected and enjoy their work.
Imaging service engineers often enjoy being leaders who can share knowledge and skills with other imaging service staff. Therefore, it is a good strategy for managers/supervisors to encourage and provide opportunities for sharing this knowledge through in-house training programs, presentations, etc.
Recognition for hard work and successful completion of special projects is important. A simple acknowledgement of appreciation via a hand-written note, verbal appreciation in front of a group or a small gift certificate goes a long way.
Create a healthy work environment. Encourage individuals to join an exercise program, support healthy eating choices and encourage individuals to reach for goals, whether personal or career-oriented.
Provide growth opportunities within the organization so imaging service engineers feel they have a career path. Encourage and recognize leadership, professional development and other training opportunities within the department. Provide funds and opportunities for certification training and accessibility to accomplish the certification. By investing in your team and building on their skills, employees gain a sense of success and accomplishment that they can be proud of.
Part of retention strategies include making the hiring process a high priority and avoiding delays. Top quality candidates are considering all aspects of opportunities to them and they will quickly stop considering any company that does not place an urgency on the hiring process.
In our 30 years in business, we understand what clients go through in their hiring process and know from experience that candidates go with the company who has the most to offer in salary and compensation as well as the quality of the work environment.
More than ever before, salary, compensation and benefits are very important. Candidates will typically go with the company that has the most to offer. When salary and compensation are close for similar positions, candidates will consider other criteria to see which company is the best fit. An organization’s culture is critical and, in this small industry, reputations are a big consideration, too. After all, most candidates do not want to work for a company with a bad reputation or for companies known for treating their employees poorly or not providing a good work-life balance.
Many companies take their time during the hiring process to ensure they have the “perfect” candidate. Companies don’t want to waste time hiring the wrong person because of the associated costs of hiring individuals. Therefore, human resource professionals and hiring managers want to see all available talent before they have a final offer for a prospective employee. The problem is that the “perfect” candidate may not always exist for that particular area, and often companies lose a great candidate because of delays in the hiring process.
Consider the value of attracting and retaining quality talent, rather than continually replacing staff because competitors have more to offer.
Understanding the reasons for losing top talent is crucial and having an excellent hiring and retention policy in place is critical.
One way to ensure your organization is the employer of “choice” is to offer more to prospective candidates than the competition.
