Employee attraction, retention and engagement project

The Employee Attraction, Retention and Engagement Project is designed to support the University's Staff Goal of "attracting and retaining excellent staff who exemplify USQ's values and providing them with opportunities to succeed personally, professionally and organisationally" through the development and implementation of a comprehensive talent management program aimed at:

• Tailoring HR practices and aligning employee-themed values to support the University's brand promise,
• Increasing the attractiveness of USQ as an employer to highly qualified and talented employees,
• Improving the retention of high performing employees,
• Enhancing staff reward, recognition and development opportunities,
• Strengthening leadership and management capabilities, and
• Building a strongly engaged and motivated workforce who are enthusiastic, satisfied and involved and feel an emotional connection with, and a vested interest in, USQ's success.

Some of the activities planned to support these objectives include:

• the identification and definition of the 'employee value promise (EVP)' and tailoring and alignment of current HR practices to the brand and EVP;
• the creation of a revised and refreshed USQ careers and recruitment website including consideration of career videos, employee testimonials and regional information;
• the development of branded job advertisements and the creation of branded merchandise and decor for interview and training facilities;
• a comprehensive review and update of USQ sourcing strategies, application, recruitment and selection processes including investigation of online applications, the use of selection criteria, introduction of values and behaviours, format and approach of interviews, assessment centres and psychometric testing, and employee referral programs;
• expanded induction and onboarding programs including online induction modules and the introduction of onboarding surveys for new employees;
• re-packaging of staff benefits, rewards and recognition initiatives including a staff benefits expo to showcase initiatives, and the investigation of corporate brand/values reward programs; and
• the implementation of a robust and vibrant management and leadership and employee development framework supported by the redevelopment and branding of the employee and organisational development component of the USQ website.

The Project will be led by specialists from Human Resources with input from a Reference Group including marketing and communications professionals, website and systems experts and key representatives from Faculties/Sections. Other activities will include internal focus groups, one-on-one meetings, external research, best practice studies and formal consultation at appropriate project stages through USQ's normal mechanisms.

Project work will be ongoing into 2010 with the advent of the HR e-Technology Project for e-Recruitment, e-Induction and e-Surveying, however a summary of original project accomplishments over 2009 is available.