RISMEDIA, May 23, 2008-Even in today’s slowing economy, hiring of recent graduates continues to grow as long-time employees retire and companies seek new employees with energy, current skills and a fresh perspective. After investing thousands of dollars in recruiting and hiring a new employee, it is critical for companies to take advantage of their first weeks to foster “embeddedness,” a strong indicator of an employee’s success or longevity with the company.
CORT, a Berkshire Hathaway company and the a leading rental relocation services and rental furniture provider, believes it is helping employers make a positive first impression and accelerate the “embeddedness” process by providing what it is calling the nation’s first and most comprehensive suite of rental relocation services.
“Companies hiring recent graduates who make a priority of helping them adjust to both a new job and a new lifestyle will be the most successful at retaining those employees,” says Jon Hile, CORT’s vice president of rental relocation services. “When you consider the resources invested in recruiting and hiring a new employee, it is critical for companies to take every measure possible to help employees develop strong professional and personal connections to the company and the community.”
Based on more than a decade of research, three professors of management at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business developed the concept of job embeddedness. An article in the April 2007 issue of Harvard Management Update, “A New Approach to Keeping Your Best Onboard,” addressed the research findings that employees who are more embedded in their jobs are more likely to be successful and less likely to leave.
Job embeddedness is based on three interdependent aspects related to where the person lives and works:
1. Fit: An employee senses compatibility and comfort with the organization and the surrounding community. For example, employees believe their company shares their values and have a sense of belonging to the community.
2. Links: An employee has strong, positive connections with other people in the organization and with people and groups in the community.
3. Sacrifice: An employee believes that leaving the organization and the community would require giving up many things he values, such as interesting projects, rewarding professional relationships, and a rich, meaningful social life outside of work.
Rental Relocation Services Capitalize on Positive First Impressions
Libby Sartain and Mark Schumann, authors of “Brand from the Inside,” observed that the opportunity to build a strong relationship with employees begins with the first impression. “The honeymoon period when newly hired employees enter organizations is a singular opportunity to capitalize on their optimism and ‘imprint’ the employer brand.”
Standard processes in place to help new employees begin their new job include introductions to policies, procedures, benefits and other administrative paperwork. In the current competitive marketplace, companies must consider what more can be done to integrate new employees into the community.
According to CORT, the company partners with employers to make a positive first impression and accelerate the embeddedness process by helping new employees and project teams learn about their new community. CORT’s rental relocation services address a wide range of needs for employees and their families beginning life in a new community.
Perhaps the most important decision employees will make outside of the office is choosing a place to live. CORT says its area tours by local-market experts help employees make an informed decision about choosing a place to live with consideration including access to local amenities and knowledge about commuting patterns to get to work. CORT’s destination services also include neighborhood orientation, such as information on cultural and recreational amenities, places of worship, and help handling the details of a move including utility connections, car rental, renter’s insurance, assistance obtaining a driver’s license and other documentation, job search assistance for spouses, and much more.
A recent research study conducted by the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and sponsored by CORT Rental Relocation Services found that most new employees wished, in hindsight, that they had learned more about their new city. “This varied from information on the different areas within the city to information about the social life of the city, including restaurants, nightlife, and concert events. When moving to a new city, most individuals are not familiar with the different neighborhoods within the city or the social ‘scene’ of the city. If this information was known before actually choosing a place to live, these individuals could have moved to neighborhoods that better fit their personalities.”
“In the past, most companies providing relocation services have been focused on the needs of home buyers, not renters,” said Mark Koepsell, CORT’s Senior Vice President of New Business Development. “For the past decade, CORT has been assembling the elements and partnerships necessary to be a single, trusted provider of these services for recruiters, project managers, human resource professionals and employees. Engaging CORT to assist in supporting an employee’s decision to join an organization helps foster a feeling of belonging at the company and in the community.”
Those interested may learn more by visiting CORT in booth #113 at the 2008 NACE Conference in New Orleans.
For more information, visit www.cort.com.
