Section 8-11-15(B) of the South Carolina Code of Laws says that state agencies “may use alternate work locations, including telecommuting, that result in greater efficiency and cost savings.” Telecommuting is a work arrangement where selected state employees are allowed to perform the normal duties and responsibilities of their positions, through the use of computers or other telecommunication equipment, at home or at another alternate work location apart from the employee's usual location of work.

Workforce planning is having the right number of people with the right skills in the right jobs at the right time.

Workforce planning helps agencies forecast future conditions and develop objectives for HR programs to meet the organization's needs.

The Workforce Planning Toolkit (.pdf) provides general information concerning the steps related to workforce planning and workforce planning strategies that can be implemented to address current and future staffing gaps.

Employee orientation and the long-term process of onboarding an employee can help employees launch a positive and long career with an organization. For assistance designing an orientation and onboarding program, please review From Orientation to Onboarding (.doc). 

For information concerning remote onboarding, please review Tips for Effective Remote Onboarding (.pdf).

Internship programs can improve the ability of an agency to recruit needed talent. Careful program design and execution are critical to ensure success. To assist agencies in designing and implementing internship programs, the Division of State Human Resources has created the Internship Toolkit (.pdf). 

The state of South Carolina is committed to finding the best individuals and giving them the opportunity to use their talents to improve their state and communities. To do this, agencies must have an effective recruiting strategy.

An effective recruiting strategy enables agencies to:

A statewide contract for executive search services is available to all state agencies, departments, institutions of higher learning and commissions.

Access the state’s job search portal, NEOGOV. 

NEOGOV users should contact NEOGOV if they lose or forget their username or password. 

Each agency can develop recognition programs that meet its needs. S.C. Code Sections 8-1-180 and 8-11-190 allow state agencies and institutions to spend public funds on employee recognition. There is a $50 limit on the amount that can be spent on each employee per award. The Annual Appropriation Act provides authority to fund employee award programs.

Retaining valued employees is essential for an agency to achieve its mission. Failing to properly address employee turnover can lead to:

• Direct and indirect costs associated with turnover.
• Loss of organizational knowledge.
• Disruption of customer services.
• Loss of time spent training new staff.

To increase employee retention, organizations must first determine why employees are leaving. One tool to determine this is a stay survey (.pdf). 

Recruiting and retaining top talent is critical to accomplish the mission of all state agencies. To assist state government human resources professionals with talent management the Division of State Human Resources (DSHR) provides various tools and resources related to recruitment, employee retention, employee reward and recognition programs, effective onboarding, internship programs, executive search services and workforce planning.