COMMENTS ON RETENTION

“Senior Management Forum that reviews talent/vulnerability and determines action required.”

“Focus on leadership development, which includes clear development plans, feedback, coaching and mentoring.”

“Employee engagement council, which meets monthly to review retention initiatives.”

“Employee values survey results reviewed by Senior Leadership Team.  Establish actions as a result”

“Mentoring programs in parts of the company”

“A series of visible activities such as 1-on-1 with CEO, special training, etc.”

“Development of future leaders program.”

“Identify top performers through a leadership assessment process.”

“Evaluate both “Impact of Departure” and “Risk of Departure”.  Associates who are top performers, with a high impact of departure and high risk of departure, are placed on a mentor/development plan.”

“Pay 102% of market”

“Fabulous benefits (Masters degrees are FREE)”

“The top 5% of the business is identified as top notch talent, and special progression plans are put in place and closely monitored.”

“We conduct a “total rewards audit” to make sure that our top talent are rewarded appropriately and are receiving the appropriate level of communication, within the boundaries of our existing rewards programs.”

“We have a “future leader recognition program” to provide phantom stock (within our long term incentive plan) to the top talent / future leaders who are not currently eligible to participate in the LTIC plan.”

“We have an emerging leaders program in which we bring key people together and they work on a joint project to improve an aspect of our business.  They meet regularly with the CEO.”

“They participate in an enhanced bonus and stock option program.”

“Focus on people doing the “right” things and recognize them for it.”

“Restricted stock grant”

“Providing ongoing opportunities for growth and development (internal leadership programs, management of new projects, etc).  Most notably, our recent collaboration with Babson College creating a two week residential leadership program for high potentials/high achievers.”

“Assignment to global project management teams.  We currently have managers on assignment in the UK, Australia, India, Singapore, and Buenos Aires participating with other P&O employees on significant projects.  We’re providing experiences that they could have with no other employer.”

“Pay level reviews for key talent”

“Talent reviews that focus on career development and succession planning.”

“Compensation programs which pay for performance and long-term potential.”

“Generally we put financial incentives in place for key employees (stock options and restrictive stock) however, the decline in our stock price has negatively impacted this initiative…currently we are reviewing our options.”

“Outstanding and actively managed equity opportunities combined.  Good mix of vested/unvested options with attractive grant prices.  Stock has held up well for the past two years with significant upside potential.  Compensation package revised to include attractive variable component and very equitable bases (down through director level).  Excellent benefits (100% paid medical), new building and positive culture.  Keeping people so far has worked.”

“Planned job rotation and development planning.”

“Annual review of staff and development planning for key players.”

“Superior Benefits”

“Our performance review system and employee incentive program both highlight our top performers.”

“Keeping employees informed.  Honest communication with all levels of employees.”

“Talent Assurance Program – Identifying talent, then working to develop the talent through work based experience.”

“Economic incentives that are linked both to specific performance criteria as well as the passage of time.”

“Career development often through special assignments.  Employees update profiles every other year or so which are accessible to senior managers with opportunities to offer.”

“Compensation and benefits competitive with the largest players in our field, continuous focus on professional development and a lot of feedback for people in all roles in the organization.”

“Talent reviews – identification of high potentials and cross company discussions on development plans, compensation levels, and support.”

“Risk and Retention reviews – a cross business review of key metrics or indicators to alert us where employees might be underpaid, under-developed, under/over managed, dissatisfied etc., which ultimately translates into workforce plans and follow up actions.”

“Implementation of Leadership/Management Development Programs involving identification of current talent and competencies, talent and competencies needed in the future, gap analysis, cross functional and other training to bridge the gaps, recognition programs, etc. (in infancy stages).”

“Stock awards that vest over a multi-year period.”

“Interaction with senior management.”

“Portfolio Management” of the middle management hi-pots by our Executive Council (the five senior-most executives in the company).  The facilities strategic placement in assignments for developmental purposes as well as compensation management.”

COMMENTS ON HIRING

“Competitive people intelligence database”

“University Relations program leveraging the ability to attract students from targeted schools.”

“Behavior interviewing tools to better assess cultural fit and increase new hire value.”

“Proactive staffing (before openings are established)”

“Targeted searches at companies known to have industry talent.”

“Ensuring that our current job descriptions accurately depict the position being applied for.”

“We’ve built relationships with the top search firms, discussing vacancies ahead of time.”

“Almost 30% of our hires are from employee referrals, hopefully with like attracting like.”

“We maintain relationships with Universities to leverage recruiting of PhD scientist with unique technical knowledge.”

“We increased the finder’s fee for employee referrals to keep a steady flow of candidates.”

“We constantly interview, whether we have an opening or not, to always be on the lookout for top talent.”

“Top dollar pay and strong relocation program”

“Compelling work”

“We are working more closely with our preferred recruitment suppliers to help them better represent our employment brand.”

“We treat each candidate as a special candidate.  We adjust to their schedules.”

“Every candidate meets all the senior staff and all their peers.  We sell and environment, not just a job.”

“Industry focused search capability”

“Use industry consultants for referrals”

“Preferred search contact”

“A strategic communications plan both internally to employees and externally to customers and other major players in the maritime/shipping industry has been crafted in a manner to attract outside talent.  Our developing culture of recognizing and rewarding talent, and providing additional opportunities for growth has become known throughout our industry.  There aren’t many companies growing in our business – but we are one, and have positioned ourselves as an Employer of Choice/Desirability (trite, but true).”

“For senior level roles, we build targeted interviewing teams for a particular role/position, and also make use of external assessment professionals (Aspen Leadership Consulting) for their input as to the suitability of a given candidate for a given role (whether the person is an internal or external candidate).  We are highly successful in attracting the right people for the right roles (even if it takes time) and then follow-up repeatedly with them during their first 6-8 months as a supportive and evaluative feature.”

“Advance identification of key competencies that must be addressed during the coming 12 month period.  Action plans to develop internally or externally source candidates with those skills.”

“Industry research that identifies top talent for specific job openings.”

“Knowing where the best-in-class are.”

“Insuring that our preparation for a search covers all bases to attract the very best candidates.”

“Not much in place here as growth has been slow for the past two years with not much on the horizon.  However, we need to develop strategy to keep “eyes open” for select, opportunistic adds.”

“Individual recruitment efforts by CEO.”

“Convenient and comfortable workplace”

“Networking and maintaining relations with the prospective talent.”

“We are continually looking for creative compensation programs to deliver maximum value for the money and have been very successful in the past.”

“Hiring against competency based requirements – these have been developed for key positions throughout the company as part of our T.A.P. process.”

“Focused college recruiting efforts where operations executives become involved with the university.”

“Managers are expected to network so they know of 2-3 potential hires should we be in hiring mode.”

“Competitive compensation and benefits, opportunities to work on the most leading edge projects in our field with the top people in our field.”

“Flexible work schedules”

“Recruiting for only the absolute best-in-class – never settling for less than excellence.”

GENERAL COMMENTS

 “As you are probably aware, the government job market is much different from the private sector.  Many positions we employ are Civil Service and as such, hiring is mandated by State Law.

Additionally, we are unique in that our employee retention rate is very high in this industry; I would estimate it to be over 90%.  Many of our employees are hired and then retire from here or another community.  However, we did see that acquiring top notch talent was challenging this past winter when we had a number of our high level managers retire with the State’s Early Retirement Incentive Program.  With this program happening across the state, we found ourselves pulling from the same pool of candidates as other communities.  But I feel we were very lucky that we made some excellent hiring decisions.”

“Unlike other industries, health care is experiencing a shortage of health care professionals and are scrambling to fill vacancies.  We are evolving from a tactical mode to a more strategic view of the issues and retention and recruitment planning.”

 “In the current environment (integrating acquisition) the major emphasis is on retention, will be moving to acquisition.”

“The sudden change in the financial condition of the company has had a negative impact on recruitment.  We are reviewing our options at this time.”

“We are a fast-growing biotech with few processes in place.  We are beginning to focus and build in the Talent area.”

“We have been under a hiring freeze (add’l staff) for three years.  We are much more concerned about keeping the excellent staff we hired in 2000.”

“We are about to launch a major initiative concerning flexible working opportunities which our research suggests is highly desired by employees.”

“We’re not really focused on acquisitions at present – retention is our prime focus except for interns.”

“For the acquisition of talent, we rely on the basics of competitive salary, excellent bonus opportunity (often guaranteed the first year), and an exciting business environment with as little bureaucracy as possible that might get in the way of allowing the new employee to add value.”

“HR needs to be ahead of the curve on demographic trends in the next 5 years resulting in labor force shortages.”