Engineering Inc. - November/December 2007 - (Page 15) How to Keep Them -tier talent By Samuel Greengard technology, manufacturing, biotechnology or some other field—the competition has never been stiffer. To survive, firms must not only continue to produce the best products for their clients, but develop recruitment and retention strategies designed to keep employees happy, energized and at the top of their game. The most successful firms offer a diverse mix of pay and benefits, develop skills and knowledge internally and work to create an environment where employees are encouraged to grow and flourish. But the challenge doesn’t stop there. Firms also must be attentive to global dynamics and the changing nature of the business environment. “An understanding of the labor market helps a company attract and retain the people they need,” says Lori OakesCoyne, principal and managing director of the Human Resources Advisory Group at ZweigWhite, a Natick, Mass.–based consulting firm. Indeed, a dearth of qualified candidates is forcing many firms to rethink their human resources practice and priorities. Displaying the welcome mat at job fairs or hiking pay no longer ensures that qualified candidates will line up for critical positions. Even if a firm does land a prized recruit, there is no guarantee, enticing benefits package or not, that the person will stick around long enough to become a difference-maker. In an era where highly coveted engineering recruits are routinely wooed away from high-paying firms for jobs in other market sectors—whether it’s information Darren roBB/Getty ImaGeS NovEmbER / DECEmbER 2007 ENGINEERING INC. 15
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