It's Here! - CablePrice

TRACK & WHEELtimeTO recogniSEBaby boomers are gearing up for their retirement andwill likely leave the country with a shortage of skilledcandidates for their replacement. They have lived through anumber of market depressions and account for the majority ofsenior positions and directorships within the workforce - builtupon a solid foundation of hard-work and strong businessacumen from years of experience. The term Generation Xwill be a well known phrase to many. This segmentationof people born within a mid 1960’s – 1980 birth-range areregarded as quiet yet determined hard workers, with manytypically making up middle management positions andholding ambitions for greater recognition in the near future(although possibly viewed as aggressive by their senior Babyboomer generation). Gen Y are the new graduates and currententrants into the workforce, and do not get off as lightly onthe criticism front. They have been grouped together byphysiologists and human behavioural experts based upon theirbirth range being post 1981 and labelled as selfish, time poor,non-committal and transient, commonly referred to as the ‘Yme’ generation. On the other hand, they are also consideredextremely technologically savvy, very efficient communicators(albeit in undistinguishable txt codes) and dogmaticallydetermined.While each generation has its own particular strengths andweaknesses, our economy is at a cross-road and at the presenttime, each generation plays a valuable part in the workforces’diversity, experience and future direction - with all threecontinuing to play a significant role in most organisations forat least the next decade.With an increasingly transient workforce and the growingcosts of recruiting and training staff in an increasinglycomplex world, employers are looking to ways to developemployee loyalty – a concept that is thought to be, by some, adissipating trend – especially in the younger generations.At CablePrice, the company’s management undertookmidway through 2009 (a difficult year for all businesses – andstaff alike) to recognise and reward its long standing loyalemployees and further promote and develop staff loyalty.In launching a new long service recognition programme,Managing Director Sean Hashimoto commented, “while thecurrent economic environment has called on us all to makesacrifices, we can not lose focus of what is most important andvalued to us as a company.”“The old saying that employees are a company’s greatest assetis only an old saying because its foundations are rooted inhistory and experience - it has stood the test of time.”“The relevance of the experienced, loyal and motivatedemployee is never more essential than when market conditionsare at their lowest, and as a company we must recognise andclearly display the value we hold for their loyalty and skills”.The new long service recognition programme launched inAugust, formally recognises milestones at 10, 20, 30 and 40years of service with monetary rewards increasing in value andadditional leave entitlements, once specific levels of servicehave been reached. Additionally, on their anniversary theregion or department are provided a morning tea to celebratethe employee’s service, and recognise their contributions tothe company.This year alone, CablePrice has been honoured to havetwenty-one staff reach significant milestones of long service.“The experience our long serving employees possess, andtheir continued loyalty, are one of the fundamental strengthsof CablePrice as a company” exclaimed Mr. Hashimoto,before continuing “22% of the company’s current workforcehas been with the company for over 10 years. Such loyaltyreflects positively on CablePrice as a good place to work anda company offering real opportunities for career development.8