Recruitment and Retention

"Recruitment and selection is the process of identifying the need for a job, defining the requirements of the position and the job holder, advertising the position and choosing the most appropriate person for the job. Retention means ensuring that once the best person has been recruited, they stay with the business and are not “poached” by rival companies." (Riley,J.2012)

We are always looking for staff, service users and families to get involved in the recruitment, assessment and retention of staff.  Should you wish to get more involved, or have a good idea you wish to pass on, then please let us know.

Social Care Alba are currently recruiting both internally and externally and in the past weeks we have seen the introduction of many new recruits. In addition, current staff members have been given the opportunity to become team leaders, thus broadening their skill sets. Both current and newly appointed team leaders will continue to offer their knowledge, support and guidance to their colleagues.

Our current staff members who have a working knowledge of their colleagues, clients and the everyday running of the company are invaluable to the continued success of Social Care Alba. Equally important is the recruitment of new staff members, who come to our growing team with their own varied skills and experiences.

The importance of recruitment and selection.

Recruiting staff is a very important for the running of every company. It is an essential process and it pays to do it properly from the beginning. SCA is well aware of the importance of "getting it right" at the recruitment stage. The company needs to be sure of a candidate's ability to work well within a team for the continued security and confidence of existing staff and service users.  When organisations choose the right candidates for the job, train them well and treat them appropriately, these people not only produce good results but also tend to stay with the organisation long term. Under these circumstances, the organisation's initial and on-going investment in them is well rewarded.

Advertising the job.

Job advertisements form an important part of the recruitment process. SCA uses various means to communicate job vacancies including but not limited to:

·         Job Centres

·         Newspapers

·         The Internet

·         Local colleges

We also use external web portals, from which people can apply directly to our office. This offer candidates the opportunity to learn more about the company via our website and allows the popularity of the portal to be monitored.

Although we recognise the importance of recruitment, we also need to remember the importance of retention. Retention of staff members shows that our company is a happy place to work. Over the past few months the team have been extremely busy in both the field and office .  This doesn't mean that we will neglect the fun aspects of working within such a good team. In the coming weeks there will be some opportunities to have fun.  In past years, staff members have used different holidays to take the opportunity to put some fun and laughter into their work day. As Halloween is creeping up on us, use it as an excuse to have some fun. Silly costumes will give our clients a giggle and it will give the team a chance to take incriminating photos, which can come in useful when a shift needs to be swapped J

As we work shifts, it makes it harder for the whole team to be in one place at one time. Nevertheless,  we are looking for ideas and suggestions for social activities for our staff members, so that we can get back to enjoying ourselves together!

Team building helps better communication between the staff and also between the staff and management. Good communication is essential for strong professional relationships, understanding and co-operation, which are all reflected in the quality of our work. Team building helps staff motivation and builds trust, thereby ensuring better productivity. (Tintin, 2011)

We have recently seen the second quarter of our special recognition award nominations scheme. This award is given for the work observed by clients, management and your peers and is a recognition that is an honour to receive. The award lets the staff members see that the work that is being carried out is both seen and appreciated by the management and your fellow staff members. An award of this nature is not only something to be proud of; it is something that all staff members should strive towards getting in the upcoming months (not only for the title but also the lovely plaque you receive). Introducing this award is a way for the company to show its staff members that it recognises and appreciate your ongoing loyalty and hard work. It is also hoped that it will motivate key behaviours including reliability, and self-confidence, which in turn inspires client satisfaction.

If any staff members have any ideas that can help with recruitment and retention within the company please get in contact with us. All (realistic) suggestions are welcome!

Top 10 reasons why happiness is an important part of your work life.

1: Happy people work better with others.
2: Happy people are more creative.
3: Happy people fix problems instead of complaining about them.
4: Happy people have more energy.
5: Happy people are more optimistic.
6: Happy people are more motivated.
7: Happy people get sick less often.
8: Happy people learn faster.
9: Happy people worry less about making mistakes – and consequently make fewer mistakes.
10: Happy people make better decisions.

(Kjerulf, J. 2007)

http://www.tutor2u.net/business/gcse/people_recruitment_introduction.htm jim 2012

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/team-building-in-the-workplace.html Tintin 2011

http://positivesharing.com/2007/03/top-10-reasons-why-happiness-at-work-is-the-ultimate-productivity-booster/ 

Caroline Raftis - Team Leader