President and Vice President Quoted in Boston Business Journal
June 6, 2008
Gas Prices Trickle Down to Hit Recruiting, Retention
By Jennifer LeClaire Special to the Journal
While gas prices are hitting record highs, the war for top-notch talent is still revving up. So how are rising fuel costs affecting recruiting and retention efforts at Boston-area companies? And how far are local firms willing to go to ease the burden on current and potential employees?
"Gas prices are definitely entering into everybody's judgments about the jobs theyconsider," said Bill Driscoll, president of Robert Half International's New England division. "We're starting to see some candidates ask about telecommuting, gas bonuses or additional compensation to cover rising gas prices."
According to a new Robert Half International survey, employers are launching a variety of initiatives to help employees who are feeling financial pressure at the pump.
From increasing mileage reimbursement and implementing ride-sharing programs to subsidizing transportation and telecommuting options, some Boston-area companies are pulling out all the stops to combat prices at the pump for job candidates and current employees alike.
Warner Communications, a communications firm headquartered in Manchester-by-the-Sea, is one of those companies.
"In our ads and our discussions with candidates, our telecommuting option is even more compelling in the face of rising gas prices," says Carin Warner, president of the firm."We've been able to attract candidates from as far away as New Hampshire or Maine who want a position with the firm but don't want to make the commute to Boston."
About 70 percent of the firm's employees telecommute. Dawn Ringel, a Warner Communications vice president, says the telecommuting option also helps the firm retain talent. "When I filled my little Volvo sedan for $45 during the Memorial Day weekend," she says, "I thanked my stars that I'm part of a company that offers telecommuting for those who choose it."
Warner Communications also reimburses its agents for mileage to client meetings, but whenever possible relies on technology like WebEx for interactive conference calls to cut down on travel expenses.
"Clients are increasingly open to conference calls, be it because of gas prices or just time constraints," Warner said.
Paula Parnagian, president of World View Services, an organization consulting and training firm in Revere, cited the price of gas as a major issue for a manufacturing client.
The manufacturer recently bought out another area firm, and the acquired company's line workers now have to make a much longer daily commute to a new work site.
The solution, said Parnagian, was to give all employees a retention bonus equal to two weeks pay -- if they stay at least four months after the acquisition.
"Within these next four months, we are looking at what else we can do to offset this issue," Parnagian said. "One of the things we are working on is establishing a more empowered, engaging environment that makes folks want to stick around for the long term."
Some employees are taking gas-saving matters into their own hands.
More than 44 percent of professionals in the Robert Half survey said higher gas prices have altered their work arrangements.Some are carpooling or taking public transportation, others are turning to more fuel-efficient vehicles or driving slower. Still others are looking for a job closer to home.
Interestingly, 59 percent of companies are not offering any programs to alleviate higher gas costs.
"Gas prices are a problem all the way around. There's no escaping it. It's no longer just about how long candidates have to drive their car, it's about how much money it's going to cost them to drive," Driscoll said.
