Recruitment and Retention Tips for the Wine Industry
To remain competitive in international and domestic markets, the wine industry is investing in new technologies, R&D and new processes, but the need to invest in the right people to grow, manufacture, sell and deliver the product, is also critical.
Managers know that people whose natural behaviour is reflected in the demands of the job, are comfortable and motivated, perform better and stay longer. Put simply, having a good job/candidate fit means lower staff turnover and increased profit.
Sounds easy — get the right people, retain them, develop their strengths and bingo; you’re a profitable world beater. In reality, good job design can be hard work — ensuring you have the right people to fill the role is even more difficult.
Valid, accurate and unbiased information on both current staff and job candidates is required. Not surprisingly, good interviewing is essential. Having a wide range of interview tools in the toolbox can increase your hit rate from the average employment interview effectiveness of around 15% to over 70%.
The toolbox includes:
- Good job design
- Telephone screening
- Behavioural interview questions
- Examination of skills and experience
- Reference checks
- Skills and abilities testing
- Personality profiles.
Interestingly, personality profiling, behavioural questioning, and skills and abilities testing are the three most effective of the bunch, yet are the three most commonly forgotten tools.
The key to success is doing your research on what type of person you need, rather than just what they can do or have done in the past. Then measure that at an interview by asking the right questions.
Get a structure into your process, choose the right measuring tools and hone your skills for repeatable objective results. It’s just like anything else you would do around the winery!
So – our tips for getting the right people in your business in 2006:
- Plan your workforce ahead of time
- Put the effort in at the beginning by designing the job well
- Set in place an objective, repeatable selection process
- Design your interview questions to fit the job role
- Set aside some time to get along to your favourite training organisation (SAWIA!) and get yourself trained in how to interview, it’s a business skill like any other!
- Use a wide variety of selection tools to gain a better perspective
- Consider including psychometric instruments to get the inside track on your candidates.
It’s not just “people who are your best asset” – it’s the “RIGHT PEOPLE”!
The Rogers Group is offering SAWIA members some free help to design jobs, measure some existing successes, or get a free behavioural interview guide. Call Linda Walker at The Rogers Group on 1300 ROGERS (764377), or email her at linda [dot] walker [at] rogersgroup [dot] com [dot] au for further information.
By Linda Walker, Consultant, The Rogers Group
© 2005 The Rogers Group
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