The Staffing Shortage Conundrum

The Staffing Shortage Conundrum - a closer look at the numbers

The staffing shortage in Communication Centers is a nationwide problem. If a center is nearly or fully staffed, it is an anomaly. It is time that we step outside the box to help alleviate the problem. The question is not only how can we get applicants in the door, but also how can we keep them?

The first step is to take an introspective look at the agency’s current retention rates. It sounds elementary, but the numbers can be astonishing. How do you calculate those retention rates? The first step in that calculation is to look at a specific period, for example, your last fiscal year. Then make the following calculation:

# of Employees Retained (stayed)	Divided by	# of Personnel at Beginning of Period Examined	Times (x) 100	Equals (=)	Agency Retention Rate
50	÷	75	X 100	=	67%

 

When calculating a turnover rate, again, start with a specific period such as your last fiscal year or the last six months. Then use the following formula:

# of Employees Resigned	Divided by	# of Employed	Times (x) 100	Equals (=)	Agency Turnover Rate
20	÷	75	X 100	=	27%

 

This same formula can be used for calculating the retention rate of new hires when looking a specific time frame: 

# of New Hires That Left (any reason)	Divided by	Total # of New Hires in Period Examined	Times (x) 100	Equals (=)	New Hire Retention Rate
15	÷	45	X 100	=	33%

 

These same formulas can be used for a variety of statistics such as the number of new hires that were terminated, number of new hires that voluntarily leave, vacancy rate, number of retirees, etc.

According to CritiCall, the average cost of training a dispatcher is $52,815. However, this is including the full salary of the trainer. However, your trainer would be there regardless if they were training that day. Let’s break down the numbers a little further to get an actualized cost of training a new employee:

Median dispatcher wage according to Bureau of Labor & Statistics	$39,640 or $19.06/hour	X4 months of training= $12,198.40
Trainer’s pay for 4 months	10% increase per hour at a conservative $19.06/hour = extra $1.91/hour	X4 months of training= $1,222.40
Training supervisor’s initial training hours/time	$45,198 per year according to Glassdoor which is $21.73/hour	X2 weeks of initial training= 1,738.40
Average cost for benefits package according to the Bureau of Labor & Statistics	$11.38/hour	X4 months of training= 7,283.20
Training supervisor’s time recruiting, testing, and interviewing applicant	Approximately 1 week at $21.73/hour	1 week = $869.20
Total		$23, 311.60

 

Hiring the “wrong” employee(s) can really take a toll on the budget. It takes approximately 18 months or more for an agency to recoup their training costs after an employee certifies. Knowing your numbers can not only be an eye-opener for management but also as a tool to request for more funds for targeted recruiting and hiring and perhaps a special category of monies used towards morale boosters or “incentives” to entice employees to stay and boost morale. Training costs along with retention statistics are a concrete was petition for a budget increase. Emphasize that a little investment towards these activities will ultimately lead to a higher retention rate which in turn means lowering the overall training costs of new employees.

Who is your target applicant?

Who is your target applicant versus your ideal candidate? Some agencies might say that their ideal candidate is someone who has a college degree, is multi-functional, and has no shiftwork barriers. However, who are the employees who are most likely to stay? Sometimes the ideal candidate is not always the tenured employee. One agency made a spreadsheet of all their seasoned operators and searching for commonalities. They were shocked to find that most of their tenured employees were single mothers who were initially looking to make a career change. They then looked at ways to recruit their target candidate.

Get the Whole Agency Involved in Recruiting- Think Outside the Box

We all have tried the typical methods of recruiting or even just have the job posted on the agency website. However, we need to think outside the box. Get the whole agency involved in recruiting. Yes, the whole agency. Patrol does feel our pain of overtime. On a larger scale, a swelling overtime budget for Communications’ minimum staffing needs not only diverts funds within the division but also takes away from other divisions within the agency. Orlando Police Department and other agencies have created a double-folded recruiting “flyer” that is the size of the business card. The card has all the necessary information such as rate of pay, benefits, and where to apply. If a field unit (including Fire/EMS) sees someone who might be a good fit for the agency (i.e. good customer service skills, multi-functional), they can hand out the card to the potential candidate. The cards can fit in their pocket or a small space in their vehicle without being obtrusive or bulky. The card is also ideal for Communications employees or other divisions to hand out. Keep them stocked at an easily accessible place such as a supervisor’s desk or supply window.

Ideally, it would be great to offer a small incentive if the person was hired and/or once the person was certified, however, most agencies are on a shoestring budget and cannot afford such incentives. A simple, personalized thank-you card, phone call, or agency-wide email can go a long way in your recruiting efforts.  

Partnerships

Partner with non-profit agencies such as Career Source or your local Veteran’s office that aid workers in looking for a career. The U.S. Department of Labor also is a great source to find those agencies that you may not be aware of. For example, they have a tab for more information American Job Centers and for Veterans on their website.

Partner with local colleges or technical schools. Colleges often have career fairs for their upcoming graduates and sometimes give discounted rates to government agencies who desire a booth. Contact the department head and explain the dire need for qualified candidates and see if you can either take 15 minutes to speak to a class or at least leave flyers in the lobby of the building. Larger colleges usually have career counselors to assist their graduates in finding employment. Contact them and offer some free recruiting material for the agency.

Finally, partner with agency recruiting. Most agencies have either a designated recruiter or even a whole department. Ask to be notified if they are going to a career fair and see if you can have someone from Communications tag along or even split the cost. You can also offer to split the cost of an ad that they might post on a job website. Some websites might even discount the rate if there are multiple ads.

Next Week….. Employee morale and retention rates….