Recruitment and retention strategies

Aug 1, 2001 12:00 PM, By CHRISTOPHER A. HERTIG

In the contemporary world of asset protection management, increasing governmental regulation and technological sophistication are operational realities.

Both contract and proprietary organizations increasingly need to recruit the best people possible. Retention is also a major challenge in an economic climate in which jobs are plentiful or when the employer is in a remote location. Further complicating the issue can be legal requirements applicants must meet in terms of licensing, training, or special skills.

It takes a special type of person to represent management, enforce rules, make legal determinations and collect loss information. Simpletons need not apply.

RECRUITMENT: MARKETING THE ORGANIZATION

Some concerns to be addressed in making a recruitment determination are:

• What job tasks are required in the position?

• What personnel will be needed?

• What does the job description mandate?

• What questions should each candidate be asked during the interview?

• Are there any unusual requirements?

• What special environmental considerations should be addressed?

• What hazards exist on the job?

• What physical requirements exist?

• What stress factors are involved?

• Who is the ideal job candidate?

Once a model of an ideal candidate has been developed, it is helpful to understand the candidate's motivation to join the organization. Interviewing current successful employees, reviewing exit interviews of former employees, and analyzing the success of previous recruitment strategies can shed light on motivation issues.

Policies must be established to guide recruitment and ensure legal issues do not arise. It is important to conduct a job task analysis and to have a current, accurate job description on hand. From the job description, recruitment policies can be formulated to address possible operational and legal concerns.

Recruitment needs to be envisioned as a marketing strategy. Target marketing can focus the marketing effort toward populations most desired as applicants. An in-depth understanding of the target market can guide in the design of recruitment methods and ensure their smooth integration into the selection process.

External recruitment methods include:

• Newspaper advertising. Initially, it may be necessary to utilize this method, to establish a presence in a market or geographic area. Newspaper ads should contain the minimum requirements for the job and convey the expectations of the hiring organization. Care should be taken not to give the impression of simply hiring anyone with a “clean police record and their own phone.” The newspaper ad with “no experience necessary” does not create a positive impression among job-seekers or potential clients. Establishing an image is crucial. Far too many contract security firms are “penny-wise and pound-foolish” in this regard. Some proprietary organizations would do well to tone down the law-enforcement orientation of their ads, as prior police experience may not be desirable.

• Radio and television ads. These are also costly, but there are means of getting announcements aired on particular radio or television programs. An astute recruiter establishes a liaison with the marketing and pubic relations departments of the parent organization. Contractors can do the same, and also use their own marketing personnel. Marketing and media relations professionals should have the savvy necessary to know where cost-free air time can be obtained.

• Video. Distributed to a variety of audiences, video can be shown at schools, community centers or reserve centers. It can also be mailed to personnel requesting it through a Web site or shown on the site itself. Video is advantageous because it demonstrates the cultural nuances of the employing firm and prospective work environment. Video has the unique ability to illustrate model behavior. As such, it has tremendous educational value. It is also cost-effective, especially when developed through strategic alliances between production firms and endusers. As many firms have video footage of their organization already on hand, a professional producer may be able to turn it into an effective advertisement that can be used repeatedly.

• Billboards and posters. Both can be effective ways to project an image and attract applicants within a specific geographic location. They must be tastefully designed and strategically placed. Posters should be retained for future recruitment efforts and taken down if a recruitment effort is no longer active.

• Visits to schools and colleges. Such visits are best accompanied by video, posters, Web sites and other visual media. Advance coordination may also be required between college faculty and college placement officials. A continuing relationship in which the recruiting organization makes an effort to extend itself to the college is most effective. College professors and placement personnel should be recruited as advocates for the prospective employer. In this manner, recruitment and advertising are continuous and effective. Waiting until there is a dire need for personnel and then trying to speak before college classes will not work. College students are very image-conscious, and are often already employed. Career fairs in high schools, or guest lectures in classes, are strategies that must be used to cultivate an extremely large — and growing — market. There is also a trend in secondary vocational schools to offer a criminal justice or protective services curriculum. The “hook” in these programs is a career in policing. The reality, however, is few of these graduates can become police officers due to hiring practices of law enforcement agencies (requiring candidates to be 21, residency requirements/preferences, veteran's preference, etc.). These students make excellent recruits. Preliminary research into schools can be conducted through the Yellow Pages as well as by visiting the Web sites of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (acjs.org) or International Foundation for Protection Officers (ifpo.com).

• Visits to reserve centers. These can be productive if looking for military personnel. They may not have immediate results, however, as many of the target population already have full-time jobs in addition to their part-time military commitments. They can, however, be fertile fields for finding referrals to other applicants, or future applications from the original audience. As with schools, an effective liaison process is a must.

• Referrals from current employees. A reward for the recruiting employee should a new employee remain satisfactorily employed for a significant period of time can propel the process. This strategy can remain in place on a constant basis, and refinement can be made as necessary.

• Notices on Web sites and signs in or on facilities such as retail stores. A short notice on a Web site provides constant exposure at little cost. Signs on buildings, or in lobbies, for example, can pique an applicant's interest at low cost.

• Emailing security directors. This can also be used for entry-level persons needed to perform temporary duties, such as special-events protection. The International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (iaclea.org) has a list server for members.

• Hiring former employees. A former employee who left the organization on good terms and has technical skills and familiarity with the work environment may be a good bet. A file of former valuable employees may be kept on hand. Former employees may work particularly well in a part-time capacity.

THE TOTAL COSTS OF TURNOVER

Turnover of personnel is a major problem in the security industry. The constant churning of employees within some organizations is disconcerting to current employees who must work overtime on short notice and continuously perform in a “training mode.” In terms of costs, turnover of personnel results in a substantial loss to the employer. Direct costs may include administrative expenses and advertising, or hiring costs such as interviewing. Indirect costs may include training costs or a drop in efficiency of new employees until they are acclimated.

RETENTION STRATEGIES

Negative aspects of the work environment drive people to go elsewhere for employment. An article entitled “Danger, Toxic Company” in the November 1998 issue of Fast Company outlined the characteristics of a toxic workplace:

• An organization that requires people to choose between having a life and having a career.

• An organization that treats people not as people, but as factors in production.

• An organization that views people not as individuals, but as labor costs and not assets.

These are basic, fundamental characteristics of organizational deficiencies that will create dissatisfaction and turnover. There may be specific job attributes that contribute to employee dissatisfaction which must be addressed. Asset protection managers would do well to assess these factors via interviews with both current and former employees. Some considerations include:

• Pay. Obviously, financial security is important and it is unreasonable to expect employees to stay with an employer if they can easily earn more elsewhere.

• Schedules. People will not remain on a job if it is overly disruptive to their personal lives. Flexibility should be afforded in instances where there are pressing personal needs or educational commitments.

• Lack of recognition. People want to be recognized for their contributions. Recognition programs can take many forms — from simple verbal encouragement to letters, awards, bonuses and patches or insignia on the uniforms.

• Lack of education and training. This disables employees from keeping abreast of changes in the workplace and diminishes confidence in how to deal with workplace demands.

• Improper/incomplete socialization. Employees need to feel comfortable with the work environment in terms of physical layout (knowing their way around), values (policies and history of the organization), rules and procedures (post orders), management (chain of command) and coworkers (social acceptance).

• Career and mentoring programs. Both aid with socialization and retention and can be horizontal-promotion schemes with classes of officers. Mentoring programs can take the form of corporate mentoring, or police field training officer (FTO) programs.

CONCLUSION

Recruitment and retention of quality protection forces is now a greater challenge than ever. Creative application of strategies based on a clear understanding of employees is the only way that organizations will be able to survive without setting into motion an uncontrollable wage-cost spiral.

FOR THE RECORD

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Hertig, CPP, CPO, CPOI, teaches asset protection courses in the behavioral sciences department at York College of Pennsylvania. He has served as vice-chair of the ASIS Standing Council on Academic Programs and as director of accreditation for the International Foundation for Protection Officers. See our Web site at www.securitysolutions.com for a list of references.

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