The successful attraction and retention of skilled employees is affected not just by economic and technological changes, but also by population and generational changes.
Companies are seeing the need to better engage with their employees and are realising that understanding their employees is paramount to success. Local Government is not immune to the problems that other organisations are experiencing in this area. However, the cost of staff turnover and the concern regarding future skills shortages can be reduced if improved attraction and retention strategies are put in place.
The South Australian Institute of Rate Administrators (SAIRA) recently produced the Rates Administration Recruitment and Retention Guide to help councils better understand different generations, and ultimately assist with recruitment and retention of staff.
Rates administration is a complex job, with legislation often making it difficult to understand. A paper published in 2006 by tmp.worldwide, titled ‘Promoting Local Government in South Australia as an employer of choice’, indicates that most administration and customer service roles are very visible to the public, but are the most disengaged from their organisation. Often they are the employees who get the least feedback and recognition internally, and may not perceive that they have any status within council.
This information is reinforced by a 2007 study for the Local Government Association of South Australia, titled ‘New Horizons for the Rating Profession in South Australia’. This study found that rates officers’ highest need for job satisfaction is feedback and recognition.
Funded by the Local Government Research and Development Scheme, SAIRA’s guide builds on these findings and includes:
- a range of training and career path options
for Rates Administrators - guidelines for councils for recruitment and
retention of Rates Administrators - a mentoring program for Rates
Administrators.
The guide covers a wide range of issues including generational differences, career development and training, job descriptions for recruitment, the recruitment process, assessments and mentoring.
LGASA Project Manager, Sandy Semmens, said the guide reinforces that best practice attraction and retention is about suiting all generations.
“Best practice is having the knowledge about generational differences and then putting in place recruitment, selection, development and retention processes that will ensure a good fit with the organisational culture, the management style and the specific role,” she said. “Having management practices that are consultative, engaging, empowering and flexible will guarantee more success in achieving this aim.
“Understanding your employees whatever the generation is the key.”
To view the guide online visit www.lga.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=14223 or for further information contact Sandy Semmens on
(08) 8224 2026.
