Transcript Slide 1

NCHRP REPORT 685
Implementing Strategies to Attract
and Retain a Capable Transportation
Workforce
Review of Final Guidebook
May 17, 2011
Brian Cronin, Ph.D.
Lance Anderson, Ph.D.
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Roadmap
• Introduction
• Overview of Method
• Overview of Guidebook Materials
• Questions
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Final Report Full Text
• The full text of the final report has been published and is now
available online
• Cronin, B., Anderson, L., Heinen, B., Blair Cronin, C., Fien-Helfman, D.,
& Venner, M. (2011). NCHRP Report 685: Strategies to Attract and
Retain a Capable Transportation Workforce. Washington D.C.:
Transportation Research Board.
• Available at :
http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/Strategies_to_Attract_and_Retain_a_Ca
pable_Transpo_164747.aspx
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Transportation Workforce Pipeline
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Overview of Method
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Summary of Method
Task 1: Conduct a comprehensive literature
review
Task 2: Identify and document practices to
attract and retain employees
Task 3: Conduct full case study analyses of
best practices identified
Task 4: Prepare a draft outline of proposed
guide based on findings
Task 5: Prepare and submit an interim report
Task 6: Fully develop a guide of effective
workforce strategies
Task 7: Submit final report
Task 8: Present key findings and
recommendations
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Overview of Method
• Task 1: Conduct Literature Review
• Identified relevant information from published and unpublished
research, technical reports, conference presentations, and case studies
• Identified proven solutions used to recruit and retain capable
transportation workers
• Task 2: Conduct Benchmarking Study
• Identified best practices in workforce recruitment and retention
techniques
• Examined previous benchmarking studies and conducted focus groups
with professionals who make HR decisions
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Overview of Method
• Task 3: Conduct Case Study Analysis
• Identified and completed an in-depth examination of 25 innovative
workforce practices that are valuable examples of recruitment and
retention
• Task 4: Prepare A Draft Outline of Proposed Guide
• Designed a user-friendly framework for the workforce recruitment and
retention guidebook
• Task 5: Prepare Interim Report
• Submitted an interim report that provided information on methodology,
results of the first four tasks, framework for the final report, and a draft
chapter of the guidebook
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Overview of Method
• Task 6: Fully Develop Guide of Effective Workforce Strategies
• Created a guidebook that provides effective strategies for building a
capable transportation workforce
• Provided a CD with supplementary material, including the full text of
case studies included in the guidebook
• Task 7: Submit Final Report
• Submitted final guidebook including the study methodology as well as all
research conducted and suggestions for strategies to attract and retain
capable employees
• Task 8: Present Key Findings and Recommendations
• This presentation will present the key findings from the guidebook
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Overview of Guidebook for
Implementing Strategies to Attract and Retain a Capable
Transportation Workforce
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Chapter 3: Developing Future Applicant Skills
Overview
Concept:
•
Innovative Transportation organizations are
developing career interests among high school
and college students.
Definition:
• Involves identifying avenues for developing the skill sets of youth during the
K-12 years as well as at the undergraduate level. Prepares students for
future employment in transportation jobs.
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Chapter 3: Developing Future Applicant Skills
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Lack of skilled applicants
• Conduct internship/fellowship programs
• Failure to invest in talent
pipeline
• Partner with schools for youth
development
• Develop student curriculum and
educational academies
• Adopt scholarship programs
Workforce Practice – Oregon DOT
Workforce Practice – Minnesota DOT
• College Internship Program
• Seeds Student Worker Program
• Provides hands-on experience
with real-world projects and
creates a relationship between
potential employee and the
organization
• Connects students with on-the-job
learning opportunities
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Chapter 4: Increasing Number of Applicants
Overview
Concept
•
Partnering with under-graduate institutions and
minority organizations to increase number of
applicants, specifically those applicants who are
young and from non-traditional labor pools.
Definition:
•
Goal is to increase awareness of and attract more job-seekers to the
transportation industry. As a result, these practices help to establish a solid
applicant pool of potential employees for available transportation jobs.
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Chapter 4: Increasing Number of Applicants
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Geographic challenges
• Expand the recruiting horizon
• National disasters creating
competitive labor market
• Host career days
• Lack of diversity
• Aggressive Recruiting
• Difficulty finding applicants with
in-demand skills
• Implement employee referral programs
• Tailor advertising efforts
• Consider non-traditional hires
• Advertise in foreign languages
• Partner with source organizations to
increase numbers
• Integrate with source organizations
• Harness technology
• Utilize social networking
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Chapter 4: Increasing Number of Applicants
Key Points (cont.)
Workforce Practice – Kentucky
Transportation Cabinet
• Civil Engineering Scholarship
Program
• Scholarships given to college
students in exchange for a full
year of employment for each
year of scholarship money
received
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Workforce Practice – Minnesota DOT
• Community Advisors on Recruitment and
Retention Solutions (CARRS)
• Partnerships are formed with minority
organizations, which helps the agency
recruit and maintain a diverse employee
base
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Chapter 5: Screening Applicants
Overview
Concept:
•
Revising recruitment practices and policies to
make them more of a collaborative effort between
hiring managers and recruiting teams, while also
validating entry requirements and tests.
Definition:
•
Involves identifying avenues for enhancing the process of screening
applicants from entry-level staff to senior leaders. The goal of these efforts is
to help organizations accurately and efficiently screen and select the
individuals who are most qualified for job opening.
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Chapter 5: Screening Applicants
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Lack of recruiting process
• Preparing hiring managers to screen
• Bureaucratic hiring policies
• Use multiple interviewers
• Effect of economic downturn
• Integrate HR in the hiring process
• Screen for eligibility
• Screen for competency
Workforce Practice – Pennsylvania
DOT
• Screen for “fit”
• Civil Engineer Training Program
• 12-month job rotational program
that introduces trainees to civil
engineering; increases retention
and organizational performance
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Chapter 6: Promoting Existing Staff
Overview
Concept
•
Benefit of promoting internal staff is two-fold: 1.) it
saves recruitment and training dollars; and 2.) it
contributes to retention of staff by helping them to
see opportunities for advancement and their value to
the organization.
Definition:
•
Involves identifying high-performing employees who are likely to succeed at
the next level within the organization. The goal of these efforts is to help
organizations effectively, efficiently close workforce gaps.
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Chapter 6: Promoting Existing Staff
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
• Misperceptions of advancement
potential
• Lack of organizational
commitment
Industry Strategies
• Recruit existing employees
• Develop employees and maintain career
paths
• Create a job rotational program
• Develop a staffing plan
Workforce Practice – North
Carolina DOT
• Supervisor Academy
• Training program for supervisors
about fundamentals and
techniques for supervising
others
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Chapter 7: Branding the Organization/Industry
Overview
Concept:
•
Improving agency and/or industry image as well as
awareness of the diverse jobs available at DOTs
through more accessible media and re-branding of
transportation jobs.
Definition:
•
Involves positively marketing the organization and industry in an effort to
communicate the benefits of a career. As a result, these practices help to
establish a larger and more diverse applicant pool.
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Chapter 7: Branding the Organization/Industry
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
• Employee age, generational
gap
• Misperceptions of the job
• Misperceptions of the
gender/cultural barriers
Industry Strategies
• Advertise the strengths of the organization
• Get involved in the community and
advertise it
• Use real employees in advertisements
• Make the jobs appealing
• Improve image as “diversity friendly”
• Use a comprehensive marketing
campaign
• Capitalize on social networking
technology
• Communicate a message and target an
audience
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Chapter 7: Branding the Organization/Industry
Key Points (cont.)
Workforce Practice – Iowa State
University
• Institute for Transportation
(InTrans) Go! Magazine
• Magazine informs teens about
the transportation industry and
possible career paths and is
printed in both English and
Spanish
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Workforce Practice – Washington State
DOT
• Branding through Social Media
• Social media tools (e.g., YouTube,
Facebook, Google Groups, etc.) are used
to present employees and their roles;
helps to build trust and educate the public
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Chapter 8: Reducing Voluntary Turnover
Overview
Concept
•
Many transportation agencies are realizing that
reducing voluntary turnover is a cost-effective
approach to retaining a strong workforce,
particularly in challenging economic times.
Definition:
•
Involves efforts to monitor and increase employee job satisfaction as well as
organizational commitment.
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Chapter 8: Reducing Voluntary Turnover
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Short-term turnover
• Removing obstacles to employee growth
• Differences in job expectations
• Rewarding citizenship behavior
• Better location
• Keeping former employees close
• Deficiency in top management
support
• Rewarding employees
• Taking care of employees
• Focusing on retention early and learning
from mistakes
Workforce Practice – Regional
Transportation District (RTD)
• Champions of Transit Program
Workforce Practice – Missouri DOT
• Employee Solutions at Work (SAW)
• Collects and distributes best practices
• Integrates community
involvement and employee
wellness and recognition
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Chapter 9: Anticipating and Managing Performance
Issues - Overview
Concept:
•
Anticipating and managing performance issues
help organizations reduce unwanted
reassignments, poor performance and
involuntary turnover.
Definition:
•
Involves avoiding adverse decisions (e.g., reassignments, layoffs,
terminations), which could have been prevented with the proper forethought;
and 2) better differentiate between good and bad performers during
selection/promotion process.
.
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Chapter 9: Anticipating and Managing Performance
Issues - Key Points
Workforce Challenges
• Poor employee performance
• Insufficient leader support
Industry Strategies
• Providing meaningful performance
feedback
• Evaluating organization and job fit in the
recruitment process
• Implementing workforce planning and hire
the best people
• Utilizing Realistic Job Previews (RJPs)
• Mentoring and coaching employees
Workforce Practice – MN DOT
• Individuals Competencies for All
Mn/DOT Positions
• Describes performance
standards and helps employees
understand desired behaviors
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Workforce Practice – Virginia DOT
• Downsizing Substitution Program
• Allows retirement-eligible employees to
serve as substitutes for layoff employees
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Chapter 10: Developing Internal Staff Skills
Overview
Concept:
•
Providing opportunities for employee
development demonstrates that the organization
cares for the welfare of employees, which helps
foster employee commitment.
Definition:
•
Involves identify training and development content and methods to help
address skill gaps in the workforce. As a result, these practices help to foster
employee commitment, reduce turnover, and establish a better qualified
workforce.
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Chapter 10: Developing Internal Staff Skills
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Speed of technology
• Using job rotation
• Changes in policy and
technology
• Offering off-site and higher education
training opportunities
• The cost of training
• Offering certification type programs
• Difficulty providing sufficient
quality training
• Tailoring training opportunities to build
competency
• Failure to apply training
• Using technology to support training
• Failure to update training
Workforce Practice – North Carolina DOT
• Transportation Supervisor Conference
• Provides technical training on various
work practices
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Chapter 11: Improving Climate/Culture
Overview
Concept:
•
Building a strong, supportive culture and climate
can help to increase communication,
commitment, and effectiveness in operations.
Definition:
•
Involves building an environment where employees feel their values are
aligned with those of the organization. The goal of these efforts is to increase
an employee’s desire to remain committed to the organization.
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Chapter 11: Improving Climate/Culture
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Applicant trust after layoffs
• Improving the work environment
• Public sector challenges
• Engaging the community
• Retaining a diverse workforce
• Surveying and interviewing
• Engaging the employees
Workforce Practice – City of
Annapolis DOT
• Inter-Office Committee (IOC)
• Fosters inclusive decisionmaking among employees
allowing them to take ownership
of problem solving
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Workforce Practice – South Carolina DOT
• Rehabilitation Program
• Includes making structural improvements
to buildings; decreased turnover and
safety violations and increased employee
morale
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Chapter 12: Leadership Development
Overview
Concept:
•
Innovative Transportation organizations have begun to
provide managers with not only technical training, but
leadership training regarding how to motivate, evaluate
and provide recognition to employees.
Definition:
•
Involves sound training and management skill development. Also, should consider the
unique needs of female and minority staff to help remove obstacles to their
development as leaders. These practices help organizations to better develop leaders
throughout the agency.
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Chapter 12: Leadership Development
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Interviewing skills
• Providing leadership training
• Difficulty choosing leaders
• Implementing leadership development to
support specific demographic groups
• Lack of training for leaders/
supervisors
• Emphasizing follower development in
leader training
• Mentoring and coaching leaders
Workforce Practice – Maryland
State Highway Administration
Workforce Practice – Santa Clara Valley
Transportation Authority
• Advanced Leadership Program
• Joint Workforce Investment (JWI) program
• Ensures that employees are
identified and prepared as
leaders before leadership
positions are vacated
• Combination of programs resulted in
increased skill and commitment
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Chapter 13: Job Classification and Design
Overview
Concept:
•
Job Classification and Design allows
organizations to better manage jobs to maximize
the recruitment and retention of employees.
Definition:
•
Involves designing jobs to possess the appropriate scope of tasks and skills
required allows for employees to stay interested and challenged without
being consistently overburdened.
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Chapter 13: Job Classification and Design
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Aversion to manual outdoor
labor
• Creating dual career tracks for managers
and technical experts
• Lack of flexibility and autonomy
• Emphasizing job enrichment
• Lack of learning opportunities
• Creating advancement within positions
Workforce Practice – Minnesota
DOT
Workforce Practice – Pennsylvania DOT
• Transportation Specialist Series
• Focus on workforce planning
and professional development to
target current and future skill
needs
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• Position Analysis Workbooks
• Provides proper training and career
direction to employees and helps improve
organizational efficiency and effectiveness
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Chapter 14: Succession Planning
Overview
Concept:
•
Sound succession plans help to ensure stability and
organizational success. Process can range from
simple career paths to a formal selection process
where candidate pools are groomed for certain
positions.
Definition:
•
Involves identifying and preparing high potential employees through mentoring,
training, and job rotation opportunities to replace staff, upon exiting the agency, in key
management positions.
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Chapter 14: Succession Planning
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
• Lack of workforce planning
• Lack of career path/succession
planning
Workforce Practice – Minnesota
DOT
• Succession Planning for
Supervisors and Leaders
• Executive-level process
designed to develop and/or
externally recruit employees to
support targeted leadership
positions
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Industry Strategies
• Implementing a succession planning
program
• Establishing diversity goals
Workforce Practice – Pennsylvania DOT
• Succession Planning for At-Risk Positions
• Focuses on “at risk” positions, critical
organizational positions that may soon
become vacant due to impending
retirements, promotions, or transfers;
identifies candidates to be mentored or
enter job training
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Chapter 15: Developing Knowledge and Management
Systems - Overview
Concept:
• Cutting-edge transportation organizations are
developing strategies to address the need for
capturing institutional knowledge.
Definition:
• Involves practices that help organizations better manage the sharing and
documentation of institutional and job knowledge within transportation
organizations.
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Chapter 15: Developing Knowledge and Management
Systems - Key Points
Workforce Challenges
• Lack of knowledge transfer
• Fleeting institutional knowledge
Industry Strategies
• Creating people-focused knowledge
management systems
• Implementing communities of practice
Workforce Practice – Virginia DOT
• Knowledge Management
Program
• Helps manage the sharing and
documentation of institutional and
job knowledge and prevents the
loss of key data as individuals
leave the agency
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Chapter 16: Restructuring Benefits & Compensation
Overview
Concept:
• The restructuring of benefits and compensation
systems enables agencies to remain competitive
with other organizations’ recruitment & retention
practices.
Definition:
•
Involves adopting benefits programs that address the needs of employees.
Often these benefits are more cost efficient than salary increases. As a
result, these practices help agencies to better recruit and retain employees.
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Chapter 16: Restructuring Benefits & Compensation
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Anti-public sector sentiment
• Researching competitive compensation
• High expectations of an employer
• Supplementing with alternative benefits
packages
• Aggressive wage competition
• Better compensation and
responsibility
Workforce Practice – Santa Clara
Valley Transportation Authority
• Medical Opt-Out Program
• Employees are not required to
pay for health care if they are
covered by another plan
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Workforce Practice – North Carolina DOT
• Competency-Based Pay Program
• Competency blocks were developed
based on the initial skill block system in
order to be used across state jobs;
currently competency blocks are only
used for personal career development
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Chapter 17: Work-Life Balance
Overview
Concept:
• Successful work-life balance helps employees
effectively focus on their work since they are not
distracted by competing demands.
Definition:
•
Involves consideration of creative job arrangements and policies that support
employee desires to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The goal of these
efforts is to help make organizations more attractive to candidates and
encourage retention.
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Chapter 17: Work-Life Balance
Key Points
Workforce Challenges
Industry Strategies
• Different career decision making
• Improving existing work schedule
• Competing on benefits
• Allowing flexible schedules and days
off
• Impact of children
• Establishing a breadth of policies to
support different employee needs
• Allowing telework for high performers
Workforce Practice – Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA)
• Alternative Duty Location
• Employees operate out of offices in
locations that have a low cost of
living while working with teams and
supervisors in other locations;
resulted in a deeper candidate pool
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Questions?
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Contact Information
• For more information, please contact:
Dr. Brian Cronin
Senior Manager
ICF International
(512) 388-3389
[email protected]
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Dr. Lance Anderson
Vice President
ICF International
(703) 934-3000
[email protected]
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