People Pulse :: October 2005

Dear HR Managers and Business Owners,

Google "reduce employee attrition" and you will get lots of advice - 32,600 pieces of advice. Doing this is actually a lot simpler than what many of the articles prescribe. The solution is simple really: place the right people in the right job, recognize their performance, reward them occasionally, and treat them with respect. So why doesn't this happen?

According to a recent study by Leadership IQ, 46% of newly-hired employees will fail within 18 months, while only 19% will achieve unequivocal success. But contrary to popular belief, technical skills are not the primary reason why new hires fail. Instead, poor interpersonal skills dominate the list, flaws which many of their managers admit were overlooked during the interview process.

If managers focus more of their interviewing energy on a candidate's coachability, emotional intelligence, motivation and temperament, they will see vast improvements in their hiring success.

On behalf of the People First Solutions team, I hope you enjoy this month's issue.

Cheers,

Bob Murray
Partner, People First Solutions

Poll Question:
Do you run criminal background checks when considering individuals for employment?

Article: Do you know whom you're hiring?

Article: The Strategy of Succession Planning

Demotivations: Overconfidence

Pubic Sector employs nearly 20% of Canadians

According to Statistics Canada almost one in five Canadians work in the public sector, whether for governments, public schools, hospitals, or social service agencies.

- Source: The Canadian Payroll Association

Once you vote, you will see current poll results.
Final poll results will be posted in next month's issue.


	Recruiting Do you know whom you're hiring? Used car dealers often have a reputation for being crooks, but what about the woman selling shoes in the mall or the accountant at the high powered firm across the street? A recent study completed by InfoLink Screening Services and based on all the background checks done by the service in 2004, revealed that 8.4 per cent of job applicants had a criminal record, highlighting the need for thorough background checks when hiring new employees.			Retaining The Strategy of Succession Planning Succession planning isn't only for family-owned companies or large conglomerates. In fact, succession planning should be a part of every company's strategic plan. When Business Week magazine features an article questioning why Herb Kelleher, CEO of the very successful Southwest Airlines, has not designated and groomed a successor, it exposes a weakness in many companies' strategic thinking. The concept of succession planning has become an important part of many companies' strategic planning but not in all companies.


	© Copyright 2005, Despair Inc.


	People First Solutions Inc. #220 - 1075 West Georgia St. Vancouver, BC CANADA V6E 3C9 Telephone: 604.684.2288 Facsimile: 604.684.2265 info@peoplefirstsolutions.com		People Pulse :: Subscription Information Click Here to forward this issue to a friend. Not currently a subscriber? Register now to receive future issues. We respect your privacy. © Copyright 2005, People First Solutions Inc. All logos, and names are the copyrights of the respective owners.