Title: Staff Recruitment and Retention: strategies for effective action
Author: Alastair Evans
Publisher: Chandos Publishing
ISBN: 1902375726
Pages: 220, Paperback
Buy this book from the TrainingZONE - Blackwells bookshop.
One of the major concerns affecting companies around the world today is the recruitment and retention of staff. This book looks at these two critical issues, firstly how to recruit staff who perform effectively in their roles and secondly, having recruited them, how to keep them.
The first part of the book concentrates on the recruitment and selection of staff and covers the following areas: -
- the importance of establishing clear criteria before starting any recruitment and selection activity
- considering the alternative options before deciding to recruit at all
- attracting suitably qualified candidates
- screening and short listing to eliminate unsuitable candidates
- selecting and appointing candidates who provide the best match with the criteria defined using one or more of a range of selection tools available
The second part of the book is concerned with strategies for the retention of staff and covers areas concerning: -
- the causes of labour turnover and the strategies used by organisations for enhancing retention
- the role of effective induction in helping to ensure that new starters will stay with the organisation
- approaches to the design of jobs and issues of motivation
- the role of performance management, including target setting, reward and employee development
- work-life balance including flexible and family-friendly policies
The author quotes from research and international surveys to back up the issues discussed and examines numerous strategies and tools for recruiting and retaining staff. However, at times I feel he battles between providing an academic text book full of research and references and a workbook that a manager can dip into for quick reference advice and tools.
Overall, the book provides a good understanding of the issues affecting so many companies and through the research quoted, evidences the need for organisations to develop strategies to ensure that they recruit and retain the best staff, therefore reducing costs and improving business performance.
Alison Lowe
Business Development Advisor
alisonjlowe@hotmail.com
