Article published in The New Zealand Herald on 27 August,
2008
The number one HR headache reported by most organisations in 2008 remains the
same as it has been for at least the past five years – attracting and retaining
suitably qualified staff.
The skills crisis is just as evident in regional areas as it is in the big
cities. And one region taking active steps to address the issue is Hawkes Bay,
where the local chamber of commerce is coordinating a campaign to lure skilled
Aucklanders to a more balanced lifestyle in the Bay.
Chamber chief executive officer Murray Douglas said the region needed more
skilled workers and their families and Auckland was a natural hunting ground for
those recruits.
“To keep growing, it’s important that businesses find the best people to fill
job vacancies. By attracting skilled people to the region it injects new capital
and new life into the local economy,” he said.
“Hawkes Bay has a lot to offer Auckland families. There are plenty of job
opportunities, affordable homes, fantastic sports facilities and outdoor
activities and most importantly of all, time to enjoy it with loved ones.”
“No matter what part of the business cycle we’re in, it’s always a good time
to invest in quality employees.”
Hawkes Bay will exhibit at The New Zealand Herald your Career Expo, to be
held at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland on September 27-28. The expo will bring
employers and potential employees together in the biggest careers event in the
country, with a two-day series of workshops, presentations and exhibitions
across four pavilions.
Scores of exhibitors have confirmed they will take part at the expo,
including Venture Southland, JRA (NZ), Vero, Flight Centre, University of
Auckland, Royal New Zealand Navy, Massey University and Fullers.
Sponsor of the JRA Great Places to Work pavilion at the expo and leading
workplace survey and analysis specialist JRA has, for the past 10 years, been
researching what employees want from their workplace experience and how
organisations have gone about meeting these needs.
JRA analysis has identified that attracting and retaining qualified workers
remains the main issue for HR professionals around the country.
The urgency of this problem and the implications if the organisation fails to
successfully address it, have contributed to the growing interest in the concept
of “employee engagement” and how to foster it.
JRA’s Jessica Xu says JRA uses two powerful tools – key driver analysis to
identify what employees want and their Anatomy of a Great Workplace model to
describe the characteristics commonly associated with great workplaces.
“By applying multiple regression analysis, we are able to identify a unique
set of key drivers that have the greatest impact on employee engagement,” she
said.
“These key drivers tease out the needs and want which motivate employees to
help the organisation succeed and include factors such as encouraging honest and
open communication, encouraging a supportive and inclusive workplace environment
and ensuring jobs are challenging and make full use of employees’ knowledge and
skills.”
“The good news is these drivers are all under the control of the
organisation.”
JRA research has shown that best practice organisations share four
characteristics. The “Four Pillars” of a great workplace include clarity of
vision and entrenched values, a strong sense of community, a commitment to
developing people to their fullest extent and a performance culture where high
standards are set and expected.
In conjunction with the Your Career Expo, JRA is running an online poll which
measures the engagement profile of New Zealand.
Go to www.jra.co.nz/poll to complete
the quick six-question survey and so we can see what the engagement profile of
employees looks like in 2008.
