Consulting-Specifying Engineer - October 2007 - (Page 61)

experienced, requiring less investment in training. However, senior-level prospects bring a bit of baggage to the interview process, as they often are accustomed to the hefty benefits packages of the past. And for a lot of employers, offering these kinds of packages is no longer a possibility. While responses to the MEP Jobs survey were anonymous, they most likely were from senior workers, according to MEP Jobs user data. More than 80% of users have worked in their fields for more than 10 years, and nearly 40% of users have more than 15 years in the industry. Firms often value experience more than other qualifications on a prospective employee’s résumé, so it is useful to know that this shift in priorities among job seekers extends to the more senior among them. Creating a work/life balance Is your star performer missing her child’s T-ball game because of deadline pressures? Offer flexible her hours so the employee can take a few hours for the game and return to work afterward or earlier the next morning. Does your new employee need a place to take his child until suitable day care is found? Offer to help, allowing the employee to bring the child to work for a few days or arranging for child care on the company’s dime until the employee can locate a sitter. Ninety percent of employees say achieving work/life balance is a high priority, yet only 15% claim to be anywhere close to attaining it, according to research from Opinion Research Corp., Princeton, N.J. Helping workers achieve this goal alleviates some of the pain felt by shrinking benefits. Again, communication is paramount to making this plan work. Ask your employees what they are missing out on in their personal lives and see if you can adjust their schedules or duties to accommodate them. Creating a safe and open culture where employees feel safe sharing their outside burdens is necessary to achieving work/life balance. If employees can trust that the issue will be kept in confidence and that they are receiving help, they will ultimately become better employees because their minds will be on work, not wandering off, trying to find solutions to their personal problems. Share the gratitude Beyond access to modern tools and stimulating projects, business owners should consider the value of commu- builds a stable foundation for a firm’s success. Show me the money While the MEP Jobs survey indicates an increase in the emphasis employees place on qualitative benefits, engineers still need to feel adequately compensated. Although employers may not be able to offer the health benefits they once could, they can compensate in other fiscal areas. Take retirement benefits, for example. Particularly appealing to the seniorlevel prospects employers want, a vigorous retirement package is a satisfactory An alternative to hefty benefits packages is employeerecognition incentives, such as gift certificates, vacations and home electronics. Incentive programs may achieve greater results for the whole team. All employees should have an opportunity to participate, and loyal employees who are recognized feel valued by their employers. nicating client gratitude to the entire team. When a customer is pleased, he typically thanks only the person with whom he’s had contact from the start, and this may not be the employee who completed the physical labor on the job. Sharing the customer’s kind words with the entire team can go a long way in the fight to keep employees satisfied with their jobs. Tap an incentive program Another alternative to a hefty benefits package is employee-recognition incentives. Personalized non-cash awards, such as gift certificates, vacations, and home electronics, have a great impact in an employee’s mind. Incentive programs also can be designed to achieve greater results for the team as a whole. All employees should have an opportunity to participate, as each person plays an integral role in contributing to the success of the firm. Loyal employees who are recognized for their contributions feel valued by their employers, and this supplement for less-than-stellar health plans. According to the Eighth Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey, which announced its results in February, 62% of employees surveyed said they would leave their jobs for similar positions with employers who offered retirement plans. Flexible spending plans are another option that employers may find more affordable than traditional health plans. Designed to help employees pay for medical and day-care expenses tax free, these plans are an ideal alternative for organizations in the engineering field. After adopting these measures, your reputation as a compassionate employer will spread faster than you think, and before you know it, your phone will be ringing off the hook with qualified prospects looking to join your team. Not all of these solutions will work for every firm, and you may have to work out creative benefits on a case-by-case basis. However, it will be worth it in the end. Consulting-Specifying Engineer • OCTOBER, 2007 61

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Consulting-Specifying Engineer - October 2007

Consulting-Specifying Engineer - October 2007 Contents On the Web In the News M/E Roundtable How To Beat the Energy Codes Professional Practices Codes & Standards A Capital Job on Engineered Buiding Systems Going Green in Data Centers Overcurrent Protection: Fuses or Breakers? Third-Party Liability Management Report New Products Product Spotlight Jobs/Classifieds Specifier's Notebook

Consulting-Specifying Engineer - October 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.