HR: How to deal with ‘revolving door’ employees

The state of employment has changed a lot from previous generations to today’s workforce. It’s no longer expected that a company will choose a candidate to hire right out of high school or college, and that the employee will stay with the company until he or she retires. Rather, today’s college grads are more likely to switch jobs every few years as new, more exciting — potentially better-paying — opportunities arise. In addition, younger employees in the workforce want more than just job security or a good paycheck: they want fulfillment and flexibility, and options for growth. Human resource departments need to determine the best way to handle the problems that arise and opportunities that become available with this new model of work. Strengths:

• There are always qualified candidates. Because of the high turnover rate common to many job markets these days, you can be assured that, even if you haven’t found the best candidate for the job yet, there is an endless supply of new possibilities as people look for new work.
• You can select your own talent. Employers and social media are a good combination when it comes to recruiting. It has become common for employers to search sites like LinkedIn for new talent, since they can search for specific job skills and view profiles of potential candidates that meet their criteria.
• You have the brightest and best available to you. It’s true that your quick-thinking employee with the brilliant ideas might not stay on the team forever. However, regularly working with new talent allows your business to cultivate fresh ideas and keep your work from becoming stagnant.

• You know the end is in sight. It can be disheartening to spend time and money training new employees knowing they will leave in two to four years and that you’ll have to begin the process over again. But training is important if you want your employees to do the best possible work for your company.
• Communication is important. Today’s employees place a higher value on job flexibility, and appreciate opportunities to work from home or during non-traditional work times. If your company allows these options, communication is more important than ever, so you can make sure your team is always working smoothly and on the same page.