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NYATEP Spring 2008 Workforce New York Conference June 12, 2007 10:45 am – 12:00 pm

Retention Intervention: Effective Strategies to Keep Job Seekers Connected to Your Program. NYATEP Spring 2008 Workforce New York Conference June 12, 2007 10:45 am – 12:00 pm. www.workforceprofessionals.org. Worst Job. Pair up with the person next to you (preferably someone you don’t know)

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NYATEP Spring 2008 Workforce New York Conference June 12, 2007 10:45 am – 12:00 pm

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  1. Retention Intervention: Effective Strategies to Keep Job Seekers Connected to Your Program NYATEP Spring 2008 Workforce New York Conference June 12, 2007 10:45 am – 12:00 pm www.workforceprofessionals.org

  2. Worst Job • Pair up with the person next to you (preferably someone you don’t know) • Discuss with your partner the following: “Describe a negative situation at a previous job that made you want to or actually caused you to quit.”

  3. Why Focus on Retention? • Long-term self-sufficiency • The goal of workforce development is to help people move into self-sufficiency so they can survive without public benefits • Funding demands • Public and private funders increasingly tie funding to outcomes, especially longer-term results • Program efficiency • Less drop-off = less recruitment / processing required to meet numbers. “Invest in your existing customer base” • Motivating and inspiring staff • If all we do is help people achieve dead-end jobs they probably could have gotten on their own, our work will quickly come to seem pointless

  4. http://www.livingwage.geog.psu.edu/

  5. http://www.livingwage.geog.psu.edu/

  6. Retention Approaches

  7. Retention Lessons from the Business World • How does Umpqua bank keep its customers? • Creates a sense of community through attractive services not necessarily related to core mission • Provides comfortable physical spaces • Enticing names, such as “store” or “community hub” rather than “branch” • Excellent customer service

  8. Inspire Hopes & Dreams • For many job seekers, the primary barrier to employment lies in negative self-perceptions and poverty of imagination. • To keep people involved, create a sense of the possible: • Visible displays of success such as posters, a “wall of fame”, career ladder models • Use success stories from former job seekers to keep people motivated

  9. Build Personal Connections Apart from external demands (such as childcare), emotional connection is key. Do participants feel your program provides: • Honest and frequent two-way communication? • Challenging, exciting work? • Frequent recognition and reward for performance? • Some degree of control over work? If you don’t know, ask! Use a formal “Job Seeker Success Survey” such as the one in your handouts

  10. Empower Job Seekers • Allow participants to shape and direct as much of the program as possible • Set & maintain high expectations that match how job seekers will be expected to act on the job • Remove barriers as much as possible • Build retention into every aspect of the program

  11. Recognize, Recognize, Recognize • In the words of Dr. Bob Nelson, the “Guru of Thank You,” feedback should be provided ASAP3 (ASAP Cubed) • As Soon -- As Specific • As Sincere -- As Personal • Certificates, handwritten notes, public acknowledgement and applause are often more effective than cash

  12. Staying Connected Once they are out the door…

  13. Maintain lines of communication • Don’t rely on just one approach: phone, flyers, email, etc. • Establish phone trees to spread communication and leverage the power of peer relationships • Use social networking sites like MySpace and Linked In to stay connected, especially when working with young people

  14. Create Excitement • Empower into participation • Agenda shapers • Co-facilitators • Recruiters • Guest speakers • Make alumni meetings “events,” with raffles, door prizes, other goodies • A “club card” creates an attendance goal

  15. Overcoming Resistance

  16. Retention Responses With a partner, chose and discuss one of the statements below you might hear from a job seeker about to quit • “This program sounds like the last place I was at, and they didn’t do anything for me.” • “No one calls me for interviews and every time I go to fill out an application, the job is already filled. I might as well give up.” • “You’re not really interested in me, you just want my paystub so you can get paid. I found the job on my own, so I don’t owe you anything!” • “I have to watch my children after work, so I can’t make it to alumni groups.”

  17. Analysis & Action Plan • Use the attached tool for your organization to look at: • Inspire Hopes & Dreams • Build Personal Connections • Empower Participants • Recognize Success Good Luck!!!!!!!

  18. Amy Landesman Director of Training 646-278-5687 alandesman@workforceprofessionals.org Dan Salemson Training & Projects Manager 646-278-5690 dsalemson@workforceprofessionals.org Workforce Professionals Training Institute 11 Park Place, Suite 701 New York, NY 10007 www.workforceprofessionals.org

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