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Cautious Recruitment and Retention Plans in 2009
February 26, 2009
CareerBuilder.com Sales Annual Hiring Forecast reveals hiring managers will offer more flexible work options and career advancement opportunities to retain top talent.
By John Smith
The recession's tremors spread to every size business in 2008, shaking confidence, causing reductions in staff and even forcing some companies to shut their doors. While the recession's impact is certainly history-making, less certain is exactly to what degree the downshifted economy will affect businesses in 2009.
The turbulence in the economic conditions has most organizations, including sales divisions and companies, proceeding with caution this year. One of the ways they will be prudent is with their hiring and retention plans. Whether it's from how they will cut costs to how many new workers they will hire, sales managers do not have all the answers yet. Without a crystal ball, the majority of sales managers plan to take a "wait and see" approach to hiring and retention in the coming year.
2009 CareerBuilder.com Sales Hiring Forecast
The findings from the 2009 CareerBuilder.com Sales Hiring Forecast reveal that the majority of sales employers will play the waiting game when it comes to hiring in 2009. In fact, nearly seven in 10 are either unsure about their plans or foresee making no change to their headcount this year.
With such a large number of sales employers riding a wave of caution with their hiring plans for the year, some may wonder if job candidates will be called on at all in 2009.
The answer is yes. Even though it is a lower number than in years past, 16 percent of sales employers plan to increase the number of full-time employees on their payrolls in 2009, indicating that there will be movement in the industry this year.
That movement will be happening despite the market conditions. One-in-five sales workers said they will actively look for a new job in 2009, citing better pay and more career advancement opportunities as their primary motivators for hitting the pavement. In addition, 81 percent of sales workers said that they are passive job seekers, those that are not actively seeking a new opportunity, but would be open to one if they came across the right opportunity.
With many sales workers' sights set on greener pastures, employers need to make sure one of the big casualties of the recession is combated: low morale. In tough times like these, top performers need to be cultivated and those who are on the cusp of greatness need to be pushed to reach their potential. While most workers are of value to an organization, a clear incentive strategy to keep top performers is essential in the downshift. That way, companies will be stacked with talent for when the cycle revs up again.
In addition to relevant incentives, some of the other strategies sales employers will use in 2009 to retain valuable sales talent include:
More Flexibility. Flexible work options continue to be an important benefit for sales employers to provide workers in an effort to keep them satisfied and prevent burnout. Nearly four out of 10 sales employers will provide more flexible work arrangements for employees in 2009, including:
• Alternative schedules—come in early and leave early or come in later and leave later — 66 percent
• Telecommuting — 44 percent
• Compressed work weeks — work the same hours, but in fewer days — 37 percent
• Summer hours — 21 percent
• Job sharing — 17 percent
Career Advancement Opportunities. Sales workers report want to know they have a future with an organization and poor career advancement opportunities are one of the reasons workers will look for new jobs in 2009. In response, 83 percent of sales employers will offer either the same or increased career advancement opportunities in 2009 as compared to 2008.
As 2009 plays out, sales employers will strive to recuperate from a difficult year. At the same time, businesses will look optimistically ahead to a recovery cycle. In the meantime, finding and keeping top talent will be part of the recovery process; but it won’t be all of it. As for what the rest of the process will look like and how long it will take—that elusive crystal ball reads—"time will tell."
John Smith is senior vice president of sales for CareerBuilder.com.
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