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Answer |
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Employer involvement is a key component
of successful welfare-to-work programs. Relation-ships
with the business community can facilitate job development
and placement, ensure that preemployment activities
meet labor market needs, and foster postemployment retention
and advancement services.[1]
Many program staff, however, have little experience
working with employers, and differences between the
cultures of the public and nonprofit sectors and the
culture of the private sector often make it difficult
to form and maintain effective partnerships.
Marketing your welfare-to-work program
is similar to marketing any product. You need to identify
your target audience, assess its needs, and show how
your product can meet those needs. Two common mistakes
are to approach employers without first understanding
their interests and to describe your program to employers
without making the connection to their needs. Your marketing
will succeed only if you can show employers that your
program can help them meet their workforce needs and
improve their bottom line.
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Building
a Long-Term Relationship with Employers |
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Welfare-to-work
and other employment programs that have established successful
business partnerships emphasize the importance of developing
long-term relationships with employers, rather than just
seeking immediate job openings for program participants.[2]
Businesses have contributed to these partnerships in a
variety of ways, including: |
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Conducting
practice interviews with job-seekers |
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Providing
input into job readiness curricula |
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Participating
in graduation ceremonies and other events |
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Donating
equipment for training, prizes for participants, or food
for events
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Reaching
out to other employers |
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When businesses
are true partners in a program, they feel that they have
a stake in its success, they share their knowledge and
experience, and they are willing to help solve problems
that arise.
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Understanding
Employers' Needs |
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Marketing
to employers begins with an understanding of the local
labor market. General information about the labor market
can be obtained from the media, universities, workforce
development agencies, and local chambers of commerce.
General information should be supplemented, however, by
surveying employers — in particular, those with entry-level
job openings — to learn about their specific needs.
The following questions can be the basis for an effective
survey: |
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What
are your current workforce needs? What workforce needs
will you have in the coming year? In the next five years? |
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What
main challenges will your company face in the coming year?
In the next five years? |
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For
which occupations do you hire entry-level workers? |
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Are
the entry-level jobs part time or full time, and what
hours do employees work? |
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What
wages do you pay entry-level employees? What benefits
do you provide for them? |
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What
education or special training do you require for entry-level
positions? |
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How
much employee turnover do you experience in entry-level
positions? |
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What
are typical reasons for employee turnover? |
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What
qualities and skills do you value in your workforce? |
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What
wage increases and promotion opportunities are available
to entry-level workers? |
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What
additional skills and training are needed for job advancement? |
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Who
makes hiring decisions for your firm? |
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How
do you usually recruit workers? Are you open to considering
new ways of recruiting? |
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Have
you made any efforts to recruit and hire welfare receipients?
What has been your experience?
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Designing
a Marketing Message |
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Once
you understand employers' needs and concerns, carefully
construct your program's market-ing message to address
them. The message should be no more than three or four
sentences and should do the following things: |
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Promote
your program's strengths. Show how your program's
unique features can provide benefits beyond what employers
can find elsewhere. |
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Sell
outcome, not process. Focus on the benefits that your
program offers to employers rather than describing the
program in detail.
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Provide
testimonials. Relate how your program has helped other
employers, by quoting their comments and citing examples. |
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Emphasize
the bottom line. Illustrate the value to employers
of your services, such as lower re-cruiting and training
costs and reduced employee turnover.
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Show
how your program can solve a problem. Identify a specific
problem that employers in your community are facing, and
say how your program can solve it, for example, by providing
job-ready workers or reducing employee turnover. |
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Be
specific. Avoid general statements. Instead, mention
the number of potential workers the program can refer,
the names of companies that have used the program's services,
and the average length of job retention for workers placed
by the program.
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Delivering
the Message |
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Effective
delivery of the marketing message is as important as the
message itself. Consider the following suggestions: |
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Use both verbal
and written communications. People respond differently
to various media, so repeat the message in various ways. |
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Be professional.
When meeting employers, dress in business attire, and
offer them a business card. Record a professional-sounding
message on your answering machine, and return all calls
promptly. |
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Encourage employers
who have used the program to market it for you. Other
employ-ers are much more likely to respond to a message
from their peers.
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Invest in professional,
well-produced communictions. Enliven written materials
with graphics and photos; use effective, well-prepared
speakers for verbal communictions. |
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In both written
and verbal communications, use clear and direct language.
In particular, avoid bureaucratic jargon and "insider"
terms. |
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Always follow
up your contacts. All communications shoudl provide
both the name and the number of a contact person at the
program.
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More
information on this topic |
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Notes |
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QFF#2
Answer 
