We at Southwestern HR Consulting SWHRC are proud to be a part of our local HR Community both as members and leaders in the Human Resources Management Association (HRMA) and the Society for Human Resources Management New Mexico (SHRM NM). Our experience allows our team the opportunity to be certified with several credentialing agencies. We recently gathered at the SHRM NM Conference for two full days of HR learning. Please see the link below to see some recurring themes during the conference:

  • It is an employee’s market the likes of which have never been seen before. Older employees are either exiting the workforce or changing careers. Birth rates are falling while death rates increased. The available population is falling. In order to remain competitive in recruitment and retention, employers are going to have to meet employees where they are. Employees want more out of their work and it is not just a higher salary. This means rethinking the way employers have allowed staff to do work in the past. More than ever, it is critical that employers analyze their positions and determine where they can be more flexible in meeting employee’s needs.
  • Employers will still need to know where they stand in terms of competitiveness of their benefits package and salary so as to remain competitive.
  • It is  critical that employers assess their cultures and create opportunities for improvement. While salary has been cited as a major motivator in quitting, employees still resign in large part due to issues with company culture and management. Meaningful work and a supportive environment will go a long way in retaining staff.
  • Lastly, if you do find yourself in a position where you do need to recruit, the applicant experience is critical. Gone are the days of using a complicated hiring process to weed out less successful candidates. Candidates want to be able to easily and quickly apply to positions. They don’t want to scroll through a multitude of screens or go to a computer to apply. It’s also important that your job stand out. You’ll need to consider what you can do to capture a candidate’s attention, whether it is through a video testimonial tied to your position or optimizing your search engine. Most importantly, rely on your network to get the word out. Use your own employees to post positions on their social media. Referrals should be one of your highest recruiting tools.

If you are wanting to assess your retention and recruitment programs or don’t have one, contact us today at SWHRC.com. We can provide an HR assessment of your organization and provide you with recommendations. Call us today!


Magdalena Vigil-Tullar

Written by | Magdalena Vigil-Tullar

HR Consultant | MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CLRP

Phone: 505-270-7494 | Email: magdalena@swhrc.com

PO Box 14274 | Albuquerque, NM 87191

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