Well, this blog ought to raise some eyebrows! Should management do more to involve its unions or non-union workforce in the development of an applicant pool? A recent article suggested as much. Cheryl Hentz’s article, “A Seat At The Table,” was published in the November 2021 Insight magazine.
Cheryl’s article did not mention specific actions that management should take. However, the article did describe an interesting shift in the relationship between management and the unions. Essentially, their relationship does not seem to be so adversarial these days.
In this article, I outline direct ways in which management can employ its workforce in the development of the applicant pool. Additionally, I share some practical, real-world examples of collaboration strategies that yielded results.
Smart Approach to Recruitment & Selection
First, we need to differentiate the concepts of recruitment vs. selection as stated in our earlier blog, “Employee Recruitment versus Employee Selection.”
Recruitment is the act of engaging, listing, or furnishing with a supply. In the human resources area, it is finding and attracting employees for a task or job.
Selection is this act of differentiating among candidates to find the right ones for the job. To put it another way, selection implies making a choice or a decision based on available data. In the case of hiring, the data could come from an interview, an ability test score, or a combination of an interview and ability test.
Engaging the Workforce in Employee Selection
Most of our clients already involve the workforce in the selection process. Employees participate in the selection process by:
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Monitoring the application-taking process
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Screening applicants
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Monitoring test-taking
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Participating in question/answer sessions for prospective candidates
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Conducting realistic job previews (tours)
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Serving on interview teams
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Participating in a selection oversight group
This type of employee involvement is a major step toward inclusion, a popular objective for organizations these days. Organizations are involving unions and workforces in work that is very important and vital to organizational health.
Strengthening Recruitment Power
So, what activities might organizations undertake with the workforce to strengthen recruiting efforts? Consider these examples from today’s workplaces. Each demonstrates collaboration between labor and management.
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- In one instance, a client staged a brainstorming session with the union. From that session, the client generated an innovative suggestion - from the union president no less. The union president suggested that a ticker on the Weather Channel might be one way to reach prospective candidates.
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- In another case, a brainstorming session with the union yielded a surprising discovery. Many of the organization’s top performers came from the same geographical area in the city! Thus, management decided to recruit there.
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- Another one of our clients engaged its workforce by putting “We Are Hiring” magnetic signs on the doors of employees’ vehicles. Additionally, employees placed flyers on the windshields of cars in a mall parking lot.
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- Recently, Ariens, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of lawnmowers and snowblowers, involved its workforce in a marketing project. The company put “We Are Hiring” signs in the front yard of all employees.
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- Many of our clients now send their union employees to job fairs. The employees answer questions and provide first-hand information about their jobs. This strategy is especially beneficial when recruiting for nontraditional candidates.
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- Here is a testimonial from the union vice-president at a large mid-south paper mill: Teddy White has seen nothing but positive results from the new hiring methods. He has been with the mill for 28 years. Aside from being a part of the Selection Oversight Group, he is also vice-president of the mill’s union. “We have tried for years to be able to refer people, because who is going to refer someone that reflects badly on them?” said White. “These processes have proved to be a positive joint effort with both the union and company. It also has motivated employees and gave a boost to morale.
Don't Overlook the Treasure in Your Midst
I encourage organizations to stage brainstorming sessions like these to generate more ideas. The time is right. Recruiting is a big challenge right now, but help is available. Management needs only to look at its most valuable resource – its people. Involving the union/hourly workforce in employee recruitment and employee selection gives management another means to fill job openings. In the end, this collaboration contributes to the overall growth and well-being of the organization.