AIKEN, S.C. - With nearly 550 new hires in 2017 and a drop in the average employee age of six years to 48, an effort by the Savannah River Site (SRS) management and operations contractor to address a looming increase in retirements is yielding positive results.
“We have put a strong emphasis on making sure that we inform, inspire, and reward our workforce as we build for the future," Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) President Stuart MacVean said. “We are focused not only on new hires, but also retention of our employees and supporting them as they grow."
The company hired more than 1,900 workers - mostly local - over the last four years. A more efficient security clearance process, market equity adjustments for engineers and scientists, and other improvements helped attract new employees, earning SRNS recognition as the “Workforce Innovator of the Year" by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
“We also to want to make sure we continue to benefit from the accumulated experience and understanding of the SRS personnel as our workforce evolves, so we’ve also expanded our mentoring and knowledge transfer initiatives," said Carol Barry, SRNS Senior Vice President, Workforce Services and Talent Management, noting a 40-percent increase in participation in a mentoring program in 2017.
SRNS initiatives to improve hiring and workforce retention include:
* A new web-based module that streamlines the onboarding of new hires using an automated process to complete new hire and benefits forms;
* An expanded internship program that resulted in SRNS welcoming 147 summer interns in 2017 and hiring 69 interns for full-time employment;
* Salary equity increases for engineering and scientist managers, and industrial hygiene and health protection professionals;
* Expanded variable pay efforts to include programs for attracting and securing new hires (sign-on awards) and retaining critical skills like fire protection engineers; and
* Encouraging employee engagement in the organizations LEAP (Leaders Emerging Among Professionals) and AMP (Aspiring Mid-Career Professionals), which conduct professional development, networking, and outreach events.
SRNS improved the hiring process, ultimately reducing time spent hiring employees by 50 percent. A new process to enroll new hires in training using the site badging system allows background checks to be completed prior to employees attending the training. Also, new employees can fill out security questionnaires before their first day, easing the security clearance process.
Perhaps the biggest impact, MacVean says, resulted from engaging all employees to identify better ways to tackle the SRS mission. The SRNS Focused Improvement Transformation and Continuous Improvement Program resulted in $41 million in productivity and cost savings in fiscal year 2017.
“We also exceeded our goal of $5 million in hard-dollar savings, reaching $6.7 million and allowing for more work to be accomplished," MacVean said. “Our employees are the cornerstone of our success."
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
