‘Train them! If I train them, when they’re finished they’ll just get a job at the mines’.
So is it better that you don’t train them and they stay! You’ve
probably heard something like this. More disturbingly is hearing an
employer say “I don’t plan to employ anyone, too much trouble and the
good ones just leave for the bigger money anyway, so why bother?”
There are two entities with employment. Having people job ready, with
the necessary skills, attitude and preparedness to move or accept a
position that may not be their dream job is one entity. An employer
willing to put on staff is the other. A fair bit of resources are put
into making people job ready, but is there enough help for employers to
become recruit ready. Some big businesses and government are
cutting back on staff. However, there is arguably a hidden job
market, predominately with small businesses. Try getting a tradesman
and I think you’ll see what I mean. It’s not just trade business
though; many privately owned businesses just decide to do extra hard
yards than go through the recruitment process. After all it’s
expensive and time consuming. If within 12 months the new recruit
leaves you can understand why businesses aren’t actively seeking more
employees. The Federal Government is spending $850000 on three job
expos and 18 workshops in Queensland to assist mainly former state
public servants now looking for jobs (workshops sounding very similar to
what Melinda White is offering to do for free later this month – see www.bizprosolutions.com.au for details).
More resources need to be directed to small business to help them
reveal more of the hidden job market (another of Melinda’s topics to be
covered at her workshop) and ways for employers to effectively fill
it. It’s got to be more than just holding a workshop, after all these
business owners are too time poor to attend. It’s time to start
thinking differently. The growth in labour hire, casual employment,
free lancing, out sourcing are indicators that the traditional
employer/employee models are not necessarily ideal for every business.
Let’s not wait until we see a growing trend in businesses not wanting
to employ. Attention to the employer as much as the potential employee
is needed, you can’t have one without the other.