Author: Joan Stewart

Ever heard someone say there aren’t enough hours in a day? Well, you can’t create more, but here are some ways to come close:

1. Reward your starts by giving them more flexibility and more perks. A grocery store chain in Michigan lets its top performers pick their own schedules, which include an option to work three, 13-hour days a week. It’s a shift that’s proven to be popular.

2. Set higher productivity goals for employees, then offer them generous amounts of time off if they exceed the goals. For example, they can go home at 3 p.m. for the rest of the month if they hit the goals. This works particularly well with sales teams.

3. Give employees a chance to attend classes during the day if they are working toward a college or advanced degree. Many new graduates are looking for jobs that let them build new skills through continuing education.

4. Let employees work at home. For example, a bank that has problems staffing a 24-hour call center, especially during unpopular work hours such as 6 to 9 a.m., can let its top performers telecommute.

5. Allow employees to set their schedules according to the time of year that they need the most time off. An employee who coaches Little League and football might want to work 60 hours a week in the winter and 35 hours a week during spring and summer.

The tightest labor market in more than three decades is forcing employees to use crafty, creative and sometimes downright bizarre measures for finding enough qualified workers. Fortunately, often at least some of a company’s recruiting problems can be ameliorated in-house–by networking with the employees already within the company.

Below, five tips on starting your employee search in your own backyard:

1. Always pay above your industry average. Low salaries are an invitation for employees to look elsewhere.
2. Post all new job opportunities internally. Someone you might not have considered could be perfect for the position. This also shows employees you’re giving them an opportunity to get ahead.
3. Recruit spouses of current employees, or look to them for referrals. Don’t forget referral bonuses.
4. Call your company’s job hotline and critique it. Is it easy to use, or does it waste the caller’s time? Does the voice on the other end of the line sound friendly? Bored? Indifferent?
5. Ask employees for names of people they loved working with at their previous jobs. Then find out if those people want to work for you.

Employee loyalty has gone the way of the manual typewriter. Today s frenzied labor market is producing more job-hoppers than ever. These restless employees are often encouraged to leave by jobs where there s little chance to succeed. Use these tips to provide an atmosphere of success that will enhance your retention package.

1. Start employees off on the right foot with a strong orientation program that concentrates on what they ll be doing the first six months. Don t overwhelm them with information that has nothing to do with what they will initially be doing.


2. Let new employees determine how much they can do. It might be more than you think they can handle, but they might surprise you and perform beyond expectations.


3. Improve the quality of your managers by giving them formal training as soon as they are promoted. Don t be afraid of spending money on training–only to see them leave. Instead, think of what could happen if you spend no money on training–and they stay.


4. Train select employees on how to interview job candidates. Not only is this an additional job skill, but it lets employees participate as a member of an interview team and provide valuable feedback.


5. Provide ongoing career planning for employees. They often leave their jobs because they feel they re at a dead end.