People Pulse :: December 2006

Dear HR Managers and Business Owners,

As the baby boom generation slowly exits the workplace, a new survey warns that the future workforce is ill-prepared and lacking in both basic academic aptitude and critical workplace skills such as teamwork, communication and creativity.

According to the joint survey by Corporate Voices for Working Families, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and the Society for Human Resource Management, almost three quarters of those surveyed (70 per cent) cited deficiencies among incoming graduates in skills, such as professionalism, work ethic and basic work habits such as punctuality, working productively with others, time and workload management.

This month's issue of People Pulse includes article on the growing skill gap, and also how more and more companies are focusing on employment branding to help retain employees as well as attract new ones.

On behalf of our team at People First Solutions, have a wonderful holiday season, and profitable year to come.

Cheers,

Bob Murray
Partner, People First Solutions

Article: Recruiting for Skill Gaps

Article: Employer Branding for Retention

Success Stories:
The News Group

Demotivations: Pressure

Holiday parties without spouse?

52 per cent of the companies having holiday parties this year are only inviting employees, while 37 per cent of companies are allowing spouses.

Source: Battalia Winston International


	Recruiting Recruiting for Skill Gaps According to a recent National Employers Skills Survey, one in five workplaces reports 'skill gaps', with an estimated 7% of employees in Canada not fully proficient at their jobs; larger establishments have more problems finding and keeping the skills they need, even though they offer more training on and off the job.			Retaining Employer Branding for Retention Employer branding is becoming a recognized way to recruit new employees. Have you considered how your brand can help retain them as well? Your organization's brand can include a wide range of factors, such as compensation, culture, benefits, management style, and organizational goals. How strong is your employment branding?

"We asked the recruiters at People First Solutions to find candidates for two supervisory positions. The challenge was we needed two very capable individuals, who would step into supervisory positions immediately, and be capable of taking on increasing responsibilities in our organization. The candidates we hired are strong leaders and bring excellent support to our management team."

Robert Strong
General Manager - BC, The News Group


	© Copyright 2006, 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 2006, People First Solutions Inc. All logos, and names are the copyrights of the respective owners.