Employee retention is an issue in every business, whether private or public. Employee retention is a very complex function of business, and adding in the ingredient of the quasi-military atmosphere of the fire service makes it even more complicated. How to recruit and retain qualified employees remains one of the most frequently asked questions in the fire service.

Satisfying employees can be a very interesting balancing act. Everything from salary to benefits to quality of supervision plays into the equation, with no one factor holding sway at all times. Fire service managers can say goodbye to the days when the boss was king and the employee was just glad to have a job. The competition for highly skilled paramedics in this fire-based EMS market is too high for that attitude to prevail.

When someone asks me what the best route is to get into the fire service, I usually tell them to go to paramedic school first. In northern Texas there are large number of fire-based EMS systems in desperate need of advanced-level EMS — certified firefighters. An average annual paramedic turnover rate of 40% in my career department prompted the need for research into the subject of employee retention.

Private lessons

Employee retention is very complex and deals with all aspects of the human need for physiological and emotional comfort. There are those managers who still believe that throwing money at someone is the way to keep them happy; that may work for some, but the majority of employees are looking for more.

To eliminate bias by polling my own department, a survey was distributed among company-level firefighters in the Dallas — Fort Worth area asking for opinions on what would cause someone to leave one department for another and the importance of salary and benefits. The results were interesting.

When asked why they had resigned from their previous department, the majority of respondents cited promotional opportunities as the reason. Increased pay and increased benefits tied for the second-highest reason for seeking employment at another fire department. What's interesting about firefighters' responses is their similarity to the results from two surveys conducted in the private sector by the employee retention organization Chart Your Course International.

In 2001 CYCI found that challenging job assignments was the primary reason people would stay at their job, but in 2004 salary was the number-one reason. Do increased promotional opportunities equate to challenging job assignments in the private-sector survey? Both private-sector and firefighter surveys seem to illustrate that employees desire both competitive salary and a sense of accomplishment to be satisfied at work.

Another concern of employees found during the research was the need to feel that they are making a difference in the organization. In an attempt to explore the leadership techniques of a truly happy company, I spoke with Colleen Barrett, president of Southwest Airlines, which ranked in the top five of Fortune magazine's Best Companies to Work for in America four times.

Barrett said that one of the most important lessons for management is to learn to say thank you and to celebrate an employee's successes on the job. She gave some examples of ways to celebrate with little or no expense such as handing out “spirit pins” and recognizing an employee's accomplishments in the company newsletter. Barrett also related how her company “celebrates everything.”

“Follow the golden rule,” she said, and treat others the way you want to be treated.

Barrett also believed that the retention methods employed in the private sector will cross over to public safety, adding that it's important that employees feel appreciated and that they make a difference in the organization. “Everyone wants to be part of a cause,” she said.

What you paid for

So what is the answer to having happy, healthy and well-fed employees? Salary and promotional opportunities obviously vary among departments, with the ability to offer higher salaries being tied directly to income from sales and property taxes and other limited revenue sources. Promotional opportunities usually are related to the size of the department. Obviously a small department is limited on promotional positions, and if it's retaining its employees, the opportunity for promotion will occur even less.

When asked what a beginning salary range should be for a firefighter/paramedic, most who answered the survey said that $40,000 to $45,000 was fair and $35,000 to $40,000 was almost as fair.

Money and benefits are an important factor in choosing a career department, but how much of the money issue is being driven by employee demands versus competition for qualified people would require further exploration. There is an upward trend in the expansion of new firefighter jobs in Texas that will increase by 29% by 2012. It's a basic economic principal that an increase in demand must result in an increase in supply otherwise the price of the demanded item, in this case firefighters, will increase. Smaller sized municipal governments that have limited revenue growth won't be able to compete with larger cities with higher growth potential. A survey conducted in 2001 listed a starting salary for firefighter/paramedic at $42,400, but 2004 Bureau of Labor statistics show a nationwide increase for firefighter salaries to $45,588.

One state agency survey provides an average Texas salary at $39,602, though my research suggests a slightly higher average in the immediate Dallas — Fort Worth area of $40,017, which is in line with the responses from firefighters who suggest a fair starting salary of $40,000 to $45,000.

What importance does the average firefighter place on salary as a factor for employment? Several surveys and the Bureau of Labor statistics demonstrate that the average starting salary for a firefighter paramedic is in the range of $40,000. The decision to leave employment seemed to be split between increased pay and promotional opportunities. It's clear that more money is not the definitive reason, but it is a necessary ingredient in the recipe of employee retention.

Weighing the benefits

In conjunction with a fair salary, the majority of employees feel much more comfortable when they know what the future has in store for them in terms of pay. A salary-range step plan is one way of telling employees what the organization hopes to do for them in that area. Although not guaranteed in today's economy, some respondents feel that a salary-range step plan is a prerequisite for considering employment with a department.

Firefighters also were asked the importance of benefits such as longevity pay, post-retirement medical insurance, paid medical coverage for dependents and supplemental retirement benefits. The survey found the most obvious conclusion: Employees desire as many benefits as possible from their employer. The vast majority of respondents felt that all benefits in question were very important when considering employment with a prospective department.

The responses on benefits are significant when you consider that the rising cost of health care is causing some employers either to pass those costs on to their employees or to limit benefits. In addition, elected officials are feeling obligated to scrutinize budgetary spending more closely and are questioning the need to provide no-cost insurance to employees. Those employers that are able to provide the best benefits at the lowest cost will attract a larger pool of applicants and have a higher retention ratio.

If the costs of insurance rise for employees, it's logical that salaries also must rise in proportion or the result will be disgruntled employees. The issue of paid medical insurance for dependents is of great importance to potential firefighter applicants, who rated it highest in importance of all of the benefits researched. It stands to reason that if an employer can't provide paid dependent medical insurance, then the ability to attract qualified applicants will be reduced significantly.

Also significant is that post-retirement insurance is rated next in importance by firefighters responding to the research. A survey of 148 cities in Texas of under 5,000 population revealed that only 46 offer post-retirement insurance coverage to their employees, and only five of the 46 provided the insurance at no cost to the employee.

Firefighters are beginning to realize that planning for retirement is equal to or more important than top-end salaries. How long employers will be able to provide low-cost benefits to employees will depend on the long-term economic outlook.

Different payoff

Is job satisfaction tied to employee retention? The research would suggest so.

Firefighters also were asked for reasons they might leave a department. Comments were varied and included insufficient staffing, poor management, a lack of firefighter safety, and management not willing to listen to ideas. A lack of structured training, favoritism, too much busy work, inconsistency and the lack of local government stability also were listed. These responses strengthen the notion that firefighters, like all employees, need more than pay and benefits to be content.

Other fire department research suggests that job dissatisfaction is prevalent as a reason for terminating employment. An employee's personality, whether it be independent or rule-conscious, may contribute to job dissatisfaction, but the diversity of employee personalities can be exploited for the positive formulation of an organization's mission.

Another factor in job dissatisfaction may be the low call volume that is characteristic of smaller departments, which can create an atmosphere where firefighters are required to perform more mundane tasks like cleaning and equipment maintenance to occupy their time. Without a doubt, employee involvement in the department's mission can help alleviate boredom; meaningful tasks to employees will not only help accomplish the department's mission but will bring varying viewpoints, comments and suggestions on operational improvements. Although a recent survey lists “salary” as the most important factor pertaining to employment, earlier data reflects that workplace challenges were necessary to maintain employee satisfaction.

There's a need for worker appreciation and the capitalization of employee skills so that an organizational family atmosphere can be developed. Dissatisfaction with supervision also is a factor in employee retention. It's important for an organization to have well-trained leaders that employees can trust to be fair. Good leadership was found to be important to firefighters, who stated that lack of leadership, favoritism and inconsistency — all characteristics of poor leadership — were factors that would cause them to consider seeking employment with another fire department.

Management also must emphasize the need for education and development of supervisors, for it is through education that a true understanding of the organizational family member's requirements can be understood. All levels of supervision should receive additional training in personnel management such as Fire Officer I and II classes. Upper management should be directed toward personnel management classes at the National Fire Academy or local college level. Firefighters should be offered the opportunity for professional development and education whenever possible.

Pat on the back

The fire service faces many challenges if employee retention is to be increased. Some of these changes will need to take place at the management level of the department, but other changes must be implemented at the government administrative level.

Finally, it seems that the easiest and simplest solution is the one that can make the biggest difference. Management must foster an atmosphere of employee appreciation through simple recognition of achievements and good performance. The simple law of treating others as you wish to be treated will make a tremendous difference in employee retention. Recognizing an employee for a hard day's work with an occasional “thank you” can mean the difference between a disgruntled employee and one who feels appreciated.

Everyone wants more money, but try to remember how it felt to be a rookie when your lieutenant slapped you on the back and told you what a great job you did on that house fire. Your chest probably busted those suspenders and your helmet didn't fit anymore! Surveys have shown that there is a direct correlation between high retention and productivity. Employees are more productive when they are happy.

As fire service leaders we continually emphasize the need for good customer service when dealing with those we protect. How many times have you heard it said, “An organization's greatest assets are its employees”? Let's try to remember that it's our employees who make good customer service possible.

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Chief Thomas D. Griffith Jr. of the Pantego (Texas) Fire Department is a 20-year veteran of the fire service in Tarrant County. He currently serves as president of the Tarrant County Fire Chiefs Association and president of the Southern Emergency Response and Preparedness Association. Griffith is also a licensed paramedic and peace officer and is currently completing the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program.