Question

Carter Cleaning Company

Getting Better Applicants

If you were to ask Jennifer and her father what the main problem was in running their firm, their answer would be quick and short: hiring good people. Originally begun as a string of coin-operated laundromats requiring virtually no skilled help, the chain grew to six stores, each heavily dependent on skilled managers, cleaner/spotters, and pressers. Employees generally have no more than a high school education (often less), and the market for them is very competitive. Over a typical weekend, literally, dozens of want ads for experienced pressers or cleaner/spotters can be found online or in area newspapers. All these people usually are paid around $15 per hour, and they change jobs frequently. Jennifer and her father thus face the continuing task of recruiting and hiring qualified workers out of a pool of individuals they feel are almost nomadic in their propensity to move from area to area and job to job. Turnover in their stores (as in the stores of many of their competitors) often approaches 400%. “Don’t talk to me about human resources planning and trend analysis,” says Jennifer. “We’re fighting an economic war, and I’m happy just to be able to round up enough live applicants to be able to keep my trenches fully manned.”

In light of this problem, Jennifer’s father asked her to answer the questions that follow.

I need your original answer, not someone's answer with at least three paragraphs per question. Thank you.

Questions

@ First, how would you recommend we go about reducing the turnover in our stores?

@ Provide a detailed list of recommendations concerning how we should go about increasing our pool of acceptable job applicants so we no longer face the need to hire almost anyone who walks in the door. (Your recommendations regarding the latter should include completely worded online and hard-copy advertisements and recommendations regarding any other recruiting strategies you would suggest we use.)

I need your original answer, not someone's answer with at least three paragraphs per question. Thank you.

Answer 1

After analyzing the above extract, what I could understand is that:

• The main reason why there is a high turnover ratio is due to the lack of quality work environment and culture where the employees don't feel like staying there for any reason. Firstly, being a human, everyone wants a good reason to stick to a place and if that's not available, they would choose another available alternative.

As a matter of fact. many strategies like providing the employees with both the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are really important in making them love to stay in the store without looking for the next job. The intrinsic motivation can be given by providing appreciation and compliments whenever they have performed in a good manner and at the same time provide them with various fringe benefits and other monetary tips if performed well which will boost their inner esteem to work hard and thrive for the best.

Another method is to give them a proper training (on the job training)in what they are doing so that they may find it really difficult to leave the job halfway and hence would get more practical knowledge in their allotted work activity. Also providing them with usual weekend holidays and paid vacations to take a break can also make them attach to the organization instead of jumping to other employers. By using these strategies, the turnover ratio can be reduced to a greater extent.

• Bringing some changes in the recruitment procedure they are conducting can be beneficial in getting the deserved candidates. One of the ways is to consult a reliable recruitment agency by whom we could get only good and talented candidates. The agency would be conducting the first round of interviews before selecting and hence the deserving candidates could come in hand without much struggle.

Another way to tackle this issue is to do internal recruitment where the workers within the firm can suggest and provide a good worker either from his families or peers who should also be trustworthy and hardworking. This also reduces the pressure from the heads of the owners.

Another way that uses the technology is to start a website and conduct recruitment through the online application method where a filtration process according to our needs can be set and find out the right candidates. Whatever the strategies are, the main point is to make the appointed employee sign a contract(based on compensation) where breaching of the contract of resigning before the period of the end of contract would lead to the payment of compensation legally.

All these methods can be adopted for solving the issue regarding recruitment.

Hence the answer.