News & Events
BALANCING PEOPLE & PROFIT
MCS Business Balance Breakfast Report
25th June 2008
Our delegates gathered recently on the morning of the 25th of July to discuss one of the biggest contemporary issues for employers today - the serious question of recruitment & retention. Every industry is under pressure – recruitment & retention in the current market is a game many businesses are not equipped to play – they are still using older style employment models which suit candidate poor markets – which are just not working. An integrated solution of work environment, development opportunities & flexibility is what is required to attract & retain a workforce. The guest speakers included Tim Logan, Qld President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and Councillor Shayne Sutton, Leader of the Opposition Brisbane City Council and Councillor for the Brisbane Ward of Morningside.
Tim discussed his struggles. as a retail business owner, in recruiting & retaining staff from a frontline retail perspective. His focus was on communication of expectations and also spoke about adapting his reward strategies to the individual. One staff member from his store in Nambour preferred frequent flyer points rather than cash bonuses (which was a motivation for some). Tim also advocates structured training & performance management as keys. His new staff members are provided job descriptions & performance reviews constantly as they develop. This constant contact & review is particularly important with the Generation Y staff that now populate the workforce. Tim also highlighted the importance of training and the recruitment service available through the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. It was a key integration of individualised reward, formal structure of work practice, use of formal training & recruitment services.
Councillor Shayne Sutton gave us an excellent insight into how a large organisation such as Brisbane City Council has adapted to workforce shortages and strong private sector offers. The council melds career paths, flexibility & lifestyle into their recruitment mix. Concepts such as maternity leave, career breaks, work from home, job sharing, study assistance, uniforms, workplace safety & disability assistance all contributed to the creation of the employer of choice environment aspired to by the Council. Councillor Sutton stated, "As a Public Sector Organisation - our aim is to provide & achieve a high level of service....To do this we have heavy focuses on people - the theory being by securing the right people and retaining them we can meet our corporate goals which, in our case is service provision rather than profit". It was an excellent case study into integrated solutions and it was hard to stop people signing up for the the Council on the spot! Congratulations must also go to Councillor Sutton and her husband, who recently announced the impending arrival of their first child.
It was a morning that the delegates were able to take something back to their businesses. Anne Borgna, from Midway Pharmacy commented, "We both came away with a great deal more enthusiasm and energy than we have recently in regards to staffing and our pharmacies." Greg Boyd, from Genepharm stated that after the session, "I have already applied some of the ideas to my Generation Y's...". Matthew Lee from SSS Australia commented, "This is the first breakfast meeting that has really concentrated on providing value". All part of the vision of MCS Business Balance - building business & realising vision!
Supporting the breakfast were the team from BA Creative - Peter Accini & Scott Cooper - who have done alot of work to assist MCS Business Balance. Thanks must also go to Greg Boyd from Genepharm, who also supported the morning with gifts for the delegates. In turn, it is again our pleasure to support Mater Little Miracles and recognise the excellent work that the Mater Hospitals do for the Queensland community.
It was a great morning of knowledge sharing, networking and for peers to meet, with Tonic on the Waterfront (Bulimba) providing a great venue. Thanks again to the guest speakers and to those delegates who took time out from a busy period to attend. To register for future breakfasts, please subscribe to our monthly newsletter on subscribe@mcsbalance.com.au.