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54 Strategies to Attract and Retain a Capable Transportation Workforce
Misperceptions of the Gender/Cultural Barriers. Participants indicated that females may not be choosing
transportation jobs because they perceive them as having gender barriers that inhibit successful career
advancement. In addition, female candidates may feel that they will be discriminated against on the job
because the industry is dominated by males. The National Association of Women in Construction reports
that only 10 percent of the construction workforce is female. Participants in a study for the Florida DOT
indicated that this statistic represents their experience (Cronin et al., 2007). Participants in the same study
indicated that the greatest influence on a female applicant's decision to accept an unskilled transportation
job is frequently the physical demands of the job. The next greatest influence reported was related to the
cultural and background influences (e.g., family and friends) on prospective female applicants and the
applicant's belief that people similar to her are not employed in the field (Cronin et al., 2007). This
"similarity factor" supports the contention that female applicants perceive the field as being male-
dominated. In addition to gender, close to one-half of the participants in the study indicated that cultural
and/or background influences, such as influential family and friends, are challenges with recruiting
applicants from other non-traditional populations (Cronin et al., 2007).
7.2 Industry Strategies. Researchers and program managers identify the following
programmatic strategies when describing industry efforts in "Branding the Organization/Industry" (see
Exhibit 7-2). While these strategies represent the general direction of human resource (HR) departments
across the nation, it is important that the specific needs of your agency are used to guide the development
and implementation of a program in your agency.
Exhibit 7-2
Industry Strategies: Branding the Organization/Industry
Strategy Strategy Description
Advertise the Strengths In terms of benefits, organizations emphasize retirement benefits, full-year
of the Organization work contracts, extended vacation time, on-the-job and technological training,
scholarships, reimbursement programs for continuing education, health
insurance, life insurance, flexible schedules, and telework programs. To
promote the potential for advancements, organizations develop career track
information that features the average timeline for promotions and describes the
positions available at each consecutive level of the organization. Candidates
who are not initially attracted to unskilled positions may reconsider the
opportunity if they know that their time at entry-level will be short and that
positions with more responsibility are only a short time away. When it comes
to recruiting younger generations, organizations are focusing on the social
aspects of the job and if possible the work flexibility and growth opportunity.
In advertisements and interviews, organizations are highlighting the team-
based work environment, social events, sports teams, and online networking
groups.
Get Involved in the Participants suggested their organizations perform community service work as
Community and a means of advertising their name and marketing their civic commitment and
Advertise It thereby increasing the number of applicants who choose to apply. Many states
have "Adopt a Highway" programs where organizations can participate and
place a sign on the highway that says "Cleaned by Organization X." Other
organizations provide their employees with company t-shirts to wear while
completing the community service. These efforts to increase community
involvement have been found to be effective in recruiting applicants from
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Branding the Organization/Industry 55
Exhibit 7-2 (Continued)
Industry Strategies: Branding the Organization/Industry
Strategy Strategy Description
Generation Y who are more attracted to organizations involved in the
community. After decades of corporate scandals, applicants are concerned
about the altruism and ethics of their employer in addition to the
compensation. "Working at a company that has high values" was a top 5 value
enunciated by organizational leaders in a 2008 study on talent management
and retention (Galinsky, Carter, and Bond, 2008). Some participants reward
employees who volunteer for road cleanings on their own time and/or who
help stranded motorists while on the job. Sponsoring popular activities (such
as county fairs), making charitable contributions, establishing green policies,
and raising the bar on business ethics are other ways to be present and noticed
in a community. One example of a program that several organizations have
joined is "Engineers without Borders."
Use Real Employees in Organizations have found that using real employees in their advertisements,
Advertisements especially women and minorities, has been very effective in recruiting
applicants. Real workers appear more credible, even if they are less polished,
and are more readily prepared to describe their daily experiences. Also,
applicants may be better able to identify with actual entry-level workers than
seasoned HR professionals. To capitalize on this idea, organizations have
rewarded high performers with the opportunity to speak at career days and
other recruiting events. These high performers can share anecdotes, statistics,
and quotes about their organization and other successful employees that started
in entry-level positions. This shows potential candidates that there is
opportunity for advancement within the organization. Some organizations
utilize female workers when recruiting female applicants. Other organizations
work with associations like the National Association of Women in
Construction to provide support in the area of recruiting females. One strategy
these groups are using is to show that many females already have experience
working in physically demanding jobs including hospital work, restaurant
work, and child-care, which could qualify them for other labor-intensive
careers.
Make the Jobs Employees perpetuate community and prospective applicant ideas about the
Appealing company by telling others about their own experiences. Thus, if employees are
pleased with where they work, those employees help to create a positive
reputation for the agency.
Improve Image as The transportation industry has traditionally been thought of as a seniority-
"Diversity Friendly" based industry that inadvertently discriminates against minority groups and
females who have been in the workplace for fewer years.
Use a Comprehensive Many associations and agencies recognize that recruitment challenges stem
Marketing Campaign from education and the lack of information available to students and the
general public about transportation jobs. Thus, some organizations have
launched comprehensive marketing campaigns to improve the image of
transportation. Rewards and recognition are also a large part of these
campaigns.
