Work for a Gen X-er? Here is How

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Gen X-ers are currently aged 28-43 and have been in the workforce for anywhere from 10 to 25 years. Many of them have risen to positions of power and authority; they’ve done so by being dedicated to the task-at-hand and achieving measurable results. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when you’re working for a Gen X-er.

Take Compliments Seriously

Gen X-ers are inherently scrupulous and cautious by nature. When a Gen X-er gives you a compliment, they really mean it. Gen X-ers were raised in an environment in which compliments weren’t handed out freely, therefore, they really have an impact when they are used. This also means that you should be careful about handing out compliments or criticisms to your Gen X boss. Remember that everything you say or do has significant meaning for your Gen X manager, so be mindful of that as you choose your words.

Ask Expectations

Gen X-ers will have a clear expectation of what you need to accomplish. If that’s not communicated clearly to you, there could be some ensuing trouble. Gen X-ers are known for being incredibly self-reliant and not necessarily great at collaboration or communication. In order to avoid workplace tension, ask your Gen X manager what his or her expectations are from you. This could be in general at work, for a specific task, or in a particular instance. However, you must know that in order to be on the same page, you will need to ask them to clarify.

Expect Analysis

Gen X-ers are skeptical, analytical, and dedicated to getting the current task-at-hand completed before moving on to the next one. Because of this, Gen X-ers tend to analyze a lot before they make a move and usually only take calculated risks. If you’re working for a Gen X-er, you should expect to have your work analyzed intensely by your manager. This isn’t necessarily a reflection on you or your work quality; rather, it’s a way for them to check and make sure the job can be completed to satisfy the way they want.

If you aren’t someone who does well with analysis, make sure to check in with them proactively instead of having them come to you with an unresolved question. If you have the opportunity to work for a Gen X-er, you should take it. You will learn a lot about prioritizing, being independent, and decision-making.

If you contact Award Staffing, we can help you figure out the assets and skillsets you should discuss when interviewing with your potential Gen X boss.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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How Minnesota Businesses Manage Millennial’s Easily

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Millennials are unlike any other group in the workforce, and therefore, need to be handled differently from a managerial standpoint. Millennials are inherently entrepreneurial, goal-driven, and focused on multi-tasking. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when you’re managing a Millennial.

Give Freedom

Millennials “work to live” – not the other way around. When you’re managing a millennial, you need to know that they have other passions and side jobs that take up their time. In order for a millennial to want to stay with a company, they need to feel like they have freedom. They want to know that they can take off a Thursday to Monday for a music festival and still have a job when they come back on Tuesday. If your company doesn’t allow for that much freedom, make sure to emphasize and play up the freedom that is offered in order to remain an attractive option.

Give Praise

Millennials are sometimes referred to as the “Trophy Generation,” meaning that they’re used to getting compliments for any minor accomplishment. While you shouldn’t throw out meaningless praises just for the sake of praising your millennial employee, you should make it a point to recognize their efforts. Millennials are very sensitive in regards to who notices what, and in order to stay in their good graces, you need to make a note of that. This can be as simple as sending your millennial employee a quick e-mail about how much you appreciated their contribution to last week’s meeting. Whatever you do, it’ll make a difference and will lead to your millennial employee feeling that much more a part of the home team.

Value Contribution over Experience

Millennials don’t care about experience. They don’t care if someone has been in the company longer than them; if they feel they have better ideas or solutions for the company, they will view themselves as being superior. When you’re managing millennials, it’s important to value their individual contributions as opposed to the experience they may or may not have. In order for a millennial to feel good about where they are in the company, they need to feel like they’re being heard and that their ideas can actually make a difference.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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How Minnesota Companies are Managing “Gen X-ers”

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If you are in the position of managing a Gen X-er, you will likely be dealing with someone who is extremely independent and likes structure. Gen X-ers are inherently skeptical and self-reliant, so they really need a manager who can be sensitive to that fact, but also provide enough input to get the job done. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when you’re managing a Gen X-er.

Provide Detailed Feedback

Gen X-ers are extremely detail-oriented because they only focus on one task at once. If you want to effectively leverage your relationship with a Gen X-er for the good of your company, you will need to provide detailed feedback whenever possible. This will help the Gen X-er realize what he or she did wrong/right so it can be applied to the next task-at-hand. However, it’s important that the feedback is given after the task or project’s completion so that they don’t feel as if they’re being micro-managed.

Don’t Micro-Manage

Gen X-ers hate being micro-managed. If there is a task that you need to have completed, give the Gen X-er a broad overview of what you need to be done, and when. Don’t ask milestones of them, and don’t check in with them. They will get the task done by the time you need it done, but any other form of communication could annoy them and actually deter them from doing their best work.

Give Autonomy

Gen X-ers prefer to find their own solutions to problems. Give them the autonomy to work by themselves or from home if that’s what they prefer. Gen X-ers don’t love working in group environments, because they find it an unnecessary distraction from getting the current task-at-hand completed. It’s also appreciated if you can let them come to solutions in whatever means they find necessary, even if it’s one that you wouldn’t have ever originally thought to implement.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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How to Promote Safety with New Employees

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When you’re running a company, safety should be of utmost importance in order to reduce injury and stay on top of risk. Many unsafe situations can be attributed to new employees not knowing policies or not knowing what these unsafe situations are. Here’s how you can promote safety with new employees:

Be Proactive

Don’t wait for an incident to occur to tell a new employee that they’re in the wrong or not following directions closely enough. Sometimes, consequences of doing so can be so disastrous that the post-incident instructions might not even be effective. Make sure to train your new employee as you’re going about your day in order to increase the likelihood that you can proactively cover different issues.

Reward Good Behavior

Good behavior often goes hand-in-hand with safety, so it’s a great idea to reward good behavior. You can do this, however, your company decides, but it is important to publicly recognize new employees for good behavior. When you do so, you are cementing the importance of safety for your entire company and setting the precedent for any new employees to come.

Review the Policies Regularly

Your company has safety policies that help keep everyone in line, appropriate, and ultimately safe. It’s your job to see that your new employee knows the policies and adheres to them whenever possible. If you do this, you will avoid a lot of unsafe situations as the new employee will be more aware of their possibilities.

Ask if There Are Questions

A lot of unsafe situations are created simply by new employees being confused. Make sure you check in with your new employee regularly to see if s/he has any questions. If they don’t understand a rule or policy, keep explaining it to them in different ways until they do. Different employees have different learning styles, so as long as you cater to them, you should be on the right path.

If you have reviewed these suggestions and think it’s time to hire a new employee, contact Award Staffing. We will help you find an employee who is well-suited for your company and also is a rule follower. Much of the confusion surrounding safety can be avoided at the hiring stage; we’d like to help you do that.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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4 Reasons to Hire Someone On-the-Spot

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When you have a hiring authority position in a company, you’re often in charge of interviewing potential hires. Though your company may prefer to employ different wait periods between and after interviews, there may be some exceptional candidates you cannot risk losing. Here are four reasons why you should hire someone on the spot:

They Offer Competitive Insight

If the potential recruit you’re interviewing somehow offers competitive insight into your company, competitors, or industry, you should hire them on the spot. Proprietary knowledge is one of the most valuable assets in the business, and if you don’t take advantage of that person’s skills, your competitors might.

They Profess Their Dedication

If a recruit expresses a dedication to your specific company, you could think about hiring them on the spot. In today’s world, there are so many options when it comes to employment that dedication should be taken seriously.

They Provide Unique Value

If a recruit provides unique value that cannot be found anywhere else, you should hire them on the spot. Quality and talent can be hard to come by, especially in the interviewing process, so if you have it, you should definitely take advantage of it.

They Have a Time Limit

Some interviewees might have a time limit put in place for when they are able to be hired. For example, if they are considering a time-sensitive offer with another company. If this is the case, you should hire them on the spot so they know that your company is a serious contender in the hiring process.

If you are in need of recruits to interview, contact Award Staffing. We will chat with you about the types of people you should be talking to and interviewing in order to achieve the professional results your company needs. We will also be able to provide you with these individuals so you can spend your time working instead of searching.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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Here’s Why Minnesota Business Don’t Hire Someone

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In business, there are times when you’re going to need to hire new employees or add to your temporary staff. If this is done right, it can lead to improved productivity and increased workplace morale. If it isn’t, the opposite effects can ensue. Here are some of the reasons that indicate a potentially bad hire.

Desperation

Any time you’re desperate; you’re going to be in a bad situation. If you are hiring someone simply because you need to fill the spot, you might find yourself compromising on traits, values, or experience that previously would have been a necessity for you.

Social Obligation

If you’re hiring someone because you feel socially obligated, you may end up with someone who doesn’t take the job very seriously. If a relative or friend is pressuring you into hiring a certain individual, ask him or her to send your resume before the interview. If s/he doesn’t possess the skills you need, tell your relative or friend that you need someone who is a little more in line with your company’s needs.

They Look Good on Paper

If someone looks good on paper but doesn’t interview well, you may want to consider whether or not you should hire them. First of all, the resume could have been fabricated. Second, you should always go with your gut feeling when you meet someone in person. You could risk the safety of both your business and employees if you hire the wrong person after a bad in-person feeling.

They Live Close

It’s tempting to hire people who live close because they’re theoretically always ready to jump in for work. However, just because someone lives close does not mean they’re the best fit for your company. If they live close and meet your expectations, consider that a plus, but do not base your entire hiring decision on their proximity alone.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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Why You Should Customize Your Interview Questions

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When you’re interviewing potential candidates for a job, you need to see that they’re the right fit for that exact position. Usually, employers will use an interview as a way to gauge whether or not that particular employee is the right fit for the job. If you can, you should refrain from using boilerplate interview questions and here’s why:

You’ll Get Better Responses

It should go without saying that if you customize your interview questions, you’ll get better, more customized responses, which means that it will be easier to make comparisons between eligible candidates.

You’ll Be Able to See How They Respond in That Position

You can customize your interview questions so that your interviewees have to provide answers to real-life problems and solutions they would encounter if they were in that particular position. This is helpful because it allows you to gain a clearer picture of real skills and responses before making the financial commitment to hiring them.

They Will Be Able to Gauge Their Duties

When you customize the questions, the interviewee will be able to gauge their duties based off of what you’re asking them. This will make the interview process more of a double-selection because they will be inherently aware of what you’re asking them to do as part of their job duties. By customizing your interview questions, you truly will be able to find the candidate that is best suited for your company.

If you have written applicable interview questions for that particular position but need help finding candidates, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find the best candidate for you based on your unique needs.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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Why You Should Always Check an Applicant’s References

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When you’re interviewing candidates for a job, you may find that many of them will provide you with references from their last job. While it may be easy to skip over them, you should always check references and here’s why:

You May Uncover Some Important Information

A lot of employees will submit references and think that the employer will never check them. One of the most important reasons why you should check references is so that you don’t leave anything uncovered. If any of your employees had a bad incident or history, that’s something you’ll want and need to know about from a safety and smart hiring standpoint.

You Will Trust Your Employees More

When you can verify that potential employees are exactly who they proclaims they are, you will trust them more. With more trust comes the ability to give your employees increased duties that will ultimately take the burden off of you.

You’ll Learn More About Your Employees

Use this as a way to find out more about your employees that you weren’t able to find out in the interview. You can ask questions about their past employment history, how they performed their specific duties, and whether or not they were a team player. People often find it hard to talk about themselves in a positive manner, so this will be a good way to get the full picture painted.

If you have been checking references and don’t have any solid candidate options, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to recommend candidates for you, with pre-checked references, who would be a good fit for your team.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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How MN Companies are Becoming Millennial-Friendly

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Millennials are increasingly becoming a larger part of the workforce. If you want to stay on top of hiring trends and have a company that’s able to advance, you will need to make your company a hub for millennial innovation and creativity. Here’s how you can make your company millennial-friendly:

Hire on Social Media

Millennials live on social media, so if you want your company to be millennial-friendly, try reaching out to them through that platform. You can use social media as a way to inform millennials about job postings, or you can even take it one step further by actually reaching out to them via a specific social media platform such as Twitter or Facebook.

Have a Flexible Schedule

Millennials love flexibility, because they have such a wide range of interests. If you really want your company to be millennial-friendly, you’re going to need to give them a flexible schedule. Before you shake your head no and refuse, please keep in mind that there are different ways to accommodate flexibility. For example, you could have employees choose different days and hours off so it’s not too many at the same time – as long as Millennials are doing the choosing, they’re happy.

Assign Responsibility Based on Merit, Not Age/Time

If you want your company to be millennial-friendly, you’re going to need to assign responsibility based on merit as opposed to time or age. Millennials value the here and now; if they work hard, they expect to be rewarded for it. Therefore, if you strive to have your company give responsibility or reward based on tasks completed or effort shown, you will be well on your way to being millennial-friendly.

Give Everyone an Equal Voice

One of the biggest ways you can make your company a great place for Millennials to work is by giving everyone an equal voice within the company. While this doesn’t mean that everyone has to make decisions, it does mean that everyone listens to what everyone else has to say in terms of opinions or feedback about how to complete certain things. You’ll find that this will make all of your employees that much more collaborative with each other.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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How Minnesota Businesses Ensure Staff Bonding

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Staff bonding is crucial if you want to build up a strong team and cohesive feeling in the workforce. When you encourage your staff to bond with one another, you’ll find that it translates over into your company’s productivity and overall well-being. Here are some great ways to ensure your staff bonds with each other:

Schedule Regular Meetings

Face-to-face time is the best way to cultivate meaningful relationships. If you schedule regular meetings with your staff, you’re ensuring that they see each other in person on a regular basis. If you can, let the staff gather in the conference room a few minutes prior to the meeting starts so they can have time to catch up and really focus on building those relationships.

Arrange for Non-Work Activities

If you really want your staff to bond with each other, you will need to schedule a few non-work activities. These could be as simple as getting out of the office for a low-key happy hour to something more elaborate like a company-wide off-site retreat. Any effort that’s out of the office and an interruption from everyday work life will have the same effect – it will get staff members out of their comfort zone and trying new things in an effort to bond with those who are going through a similar experience.

Encourage Collaboration with Duties

If you have a task that needs to be done, why wouldn’t you divide it in half and ask two of your employees to conquer it together? This will show them that you are actually serious about having them bond, and it will force them to creatively work together to find a solution to a common problem. This is a good strategy to help facilitate the bonding process between two individuals who wouldn’t normally get along with one another.

Incentivize Friendships

Don’t be that employer who’s bothered by staff members befriending other staff members. Even though they may be tempted to chat with each other during work, realize that a lot of that chatter and banter will indeed be work-related. You can personally incentivize friendships by letting your staff members naturally develop these bonds again and not tearing them apart with new or work schedules.

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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