As Turnover Grows, Will Flexibility “Recruit and Retain”?

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Paul RupertPresident, Rupert & CompanyJuly 11, 2013

It All Depends…

What We’ll Cover

The Mantra: flex recruits and retains

Can flex recruit like a “tractor beam”?

The Reality: some flex retains, some doesn’t

Falling Unemployment, Growing Turnover

The Surprise: flex may be a weak recruiter

What is “sticky” flex?

How companies can upgrade for

success

The Steady Decline of

Unemployment

Falling Unemployment

Leads to…

Greater turnover among existing employees

Tighter labor markets internally

Unfilled positions internally

A renewed emphasis on recruitment and

retention

?

But are these things

really happening?

??

???

?

?

?

Has Anticipated Turnover

Arrived?

A recent survey confirms client feedback:

TLNT article: “Half of Companies Report

Higher Turnover Than Last Year”

OI Partners surveyed 153 companies re:

talent loss in an improving job market

“51 percent of those surveyed report having

higher employee turnover in 2013

compared to only 30 percent that had

higher turnover in 2012.”

Who is Most

At-Risk?The fear of further turnover is growing. Survey

respondents were concerned about:

High-potentials: 78 percent of organizations

are concerned about losing high-potential

workers

Middle managers: 63 percent are worried

about middle managers departing

Front-line workers: 51 percent are

concerned about losing employees on the

front lines

Senior executives: 43 percent are worried

about senior-level executives leaving --OI Partners

Can Flex Help Retain

and Recruit?Asked to rank retention methods, respondents listed

flex schedules & telecommuting by level:

High-potentials: 45% flex hours, schedules;

22% telecommuting (#1 in combination)

Managers: 49% flex hours, schedules (#2

priority)

Front-line workers: 31% flex

hours, schedules; 18% telecommuting

(#4 in combination)

Senior executives: 100% comp; no flex--OI Partners

ALERT:

Past

performance

does not

indicate…

Power to Recruit

or Retain

Much data: employees value “flexibility” (control over

where, when, how they work)

Offer: flextime, telework, part-time programs

Satisfaction and engagement scores can be higher

for users of flex options

But, has flex really kept and attracted people

before? And will it do so again?

Is Retention

Flex’s Sweet

Spot?

“They retain highly

valued talent”

Since “Flexible Work Arrangements”

emerged two decades ago, a central

promise has been:

This claim has been made

thousands of times.

It is based on

two core

assumptions:

Once on flex,

it’s hard to

match

elsewhere

Flex work

meets major

personal &

family needs

Is Flex Offered the Flex

Needed?

Some flex is better than none – and “some flex” is

often what’s offered

Access can be random: few options, skeptical

managers, unnecessary controls on use

Flex programs can lead to rigid solutions that

don’t allow the fluid scheduling required

Limited telecommuting, no compressed

work, punitive part-time + no hybrids = some

flex

Satisfying?

Retention?

Maybe…

Maybe not...

If

If

Is the Actual Flex

“Sticky” or not?Flex can

please, satisfy, even engage

– but it is more likely to

retain:

Other employers don’t offer

similar options

You have an arrangement you deeply

value and think you can keep

Your option is rare enough –

like pensions of old – to

prove truly “sticky”

One challenge:

with telework

growing

everywhere, will it

be sticky

anywhere?

If

Then What About

Recruitment?

Recent surveys show flexibility crowding comp

and benefits in applicants’ top 3 concerns

Comp: Salary, incentives, 401K match

Benefits: Health insurance, dental, vision

Flexibility: Comp and benefits kick in on

Day One – and flex…

We have flex, but not

as part of this offer

You can apply after 3 or 6 or 12

months

Your manager will offer options from

our menu and decide on your

proposal

Any arrangement may be terminated if you are promoted

or transferred

How strong is a

typical flex

offer?

Flexible climates can

appeal -- flex

discussions are

rarely as concrete as

comp and benefits

Retain Some, Recruit Not

So Much

The rapid spread of telecommuting as a satisfier

may reduce it’s stickiness

The increase in flexibility programs does not

translate into attraction due to entry barriers

The growth of rigid “arrangements” has limited the

flexibility of flexibility

As turnover grows, yesterday’s flex may not serve to

recruit and retain as hoped:

How

Companies

Can

Re-Flex?

1

2

3

4

5

Drive through the line and

HR, not just HR

Insist on firm-wide principle

of collaborative

scheduling, not just free

standing options

Train managers in collaboration

skills

Negotiate flexibility in hiring

or Day One

Flexible work should yield

operational value

Thank you!

Q&APlease use the "Questions" tab on the webinar platform

Resources

Collaborative Scheduling:

www.rupertandcompany.com/c

ollaborative.html

Online Tools:

www.flexwisetools.com

Flexbulletin:

www.rupertandcompany.com/b

ulletin.htm

Rupert & Company

www.rupertandcompany.com