When it Comes to New Tech, Study Finds Employees Feel Like An Afterthought!

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Employees want the best tools for their jobs, but when companies adopt new tech they often feel out of the loop, and ‘put upon’. How many of you have received an email like ‘we are changing systems, please complete these 10 easy steps…’ and then just ignored it forever? You aren’t alone! …Or maybe you were the one who sent that email, and wondered ‘why is everyone complaining and dragging their feet?!’ Most of us have been there as well. The simple fact is, that getting buy-in for new tech is hard, especially when people don’t understand why.

In a recent survey, PwC found that while 90 percent of managers report the introduction of new technology is made with the workers’ needs in mind, only 53 percent of the employees agreed, and 73 percent of those employees say they know of systems that would help them turn out higher quality work than the ones they use now… uh oh.

Those numbers are bleak, especially when one takes into account that this isn’t a niche problem. The survey included 12,000 workers spanning c-suite to administrative roles, from eight countries, and through a wide range of industries including consumer markets, health industries, financial services, manufacturing, and technology and media.

It’s clear then that tech adoption is a widespread problem, and a pain point on both sides of the equation – the departments pushing digitization and the workers being bowled over by it. So, here are some things to consider before driving innovation!

What motivates employees?

When it comes to motivations there are three distinct employee personality types with their own distinct set of motivations. Curiosity-driven, status-driven, and rewards-driven.

  • Curiosity-driven: 34 percent of employees are motivated by curiosity, efficiency, and teamwork. This group is the most open to new tech adoptions and will invest up to 20 hours of training per month. These are the folks who champion tech to the rest of the company!
  • Status-driven: 37 percent of employees are motivated by advancement in their careers, recognition, and status. They likely already feel overwhelmed by all the different tech being introduced into their working lives, and would prefer streamlined solutions. Don’t let the grumbling fool you, this segment will still spend around 17 hours on tech training every month.
  • Rewards-driven: 29 percent of employees are motivated by individual achievement within a predictable environment. This group likes a routine and cares about the well being of their coworkers. They are the hardest to evangelize as they don’t prize efficiency or recognition as highly as the first two segments.

How much time are they willing to invest? 

Turns out, most employees are willing to invest upwards of two days per month in up-skilling, but only 50 percent are satisfied with the available resources, and 46 percent say their company doesn’t value tech-savvy workers. This data signifies an opportunity for leaders to define avenues for their teams to learn, and be rewarded for their learning. Sooner, rather than later, would be ideal as The World Economic Forum projects that by 2022, 54 percent of employees will need a substantial amount of training, with 35 percent of those in need, requiring at least six months of instruction.

Does the human touch still matter? 

Yes, when asked employees would still prefer, by in large, to have face to face interactions when it comes to talking with colleagues, providing feedback, getting help with difficult questions, and receiving HR assistance.

But the digital assist still has its place.

Some processes can be both human and digital. For example, initial tech evangelization can happen through in-person meetings, and product demos while extended training on features and nudge reminders can happen digitally over slack or via the product directly.

Things employees would prefer to do via tech: schedule vacation time, update personal info, get IT help, review benefits, enroll in benefits, and look for new employment.

Confer with mixed-level tech committees: 

Consider conferring with “informal leaders”, people who may not hold a leadership title per se, but who can give you an idea of what the company looks like on the ground level. Don’t discount the value of this view!

At the end of the day, employees want to feel like the leadership is driving tech-innovation to enable workers, not replace them. When asked if the rise of AI would make the world a better place, 88 percent of the C-suite respondents said yes, while only 48 percent of the staff surveyed agreed. This disconnect is emblematic of why the tech adoption can be so tricky; workers fear that digitization isn’t to support them, but to edge them out. The best thing any organization can do to encourage innovation is to involve employees in the decision, and illustrate the value proposition clearly!

Sourced from www.smartrecruiters.com by Kaya Payseno

Seeking Religious Accommodations at Work in Minnesota

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Title VII protects employees from religious discrimination in their workplace. In addition to this federal law, which applies to employers who have at least 15 employees, most states have similar laws with lower minimum-employee requirements. These laws not only prohibit discrimination in word and action but also require employers to make reasonable accommodations which allow their employee to practice their religion “on the job.”

Keep in mind that your employer is also protected from providing accommodations that place an undue hardship in either actual costs or inconvenience. Although they are legally obligated to work toward an acceptable accommodation, they do not have to meet your exact request. Furthermore, your employer also has the right to ask for an explanation of your beliefs and to expect your lifestyle to support your convictions. And finally, while your religious beliefs are part of who you are, and you have the right to share your faith. However, does not permit you to proselytize or harass coworkers. If a coworker asks you not to talk to him/her about your religions – don’t.

How to Seek Accommodations-

So, assuming your religious beliefs are genuine, how do you seek accommodations for these beliefs and practices while at work?

1. Begin with the right attitude. Portraying a spirit of consideration and cooperation will go a long way in obtaining satisfactory religious accommodation. On the other hand, reciting the law or suggesting a potential lawsuit if they don’t honor your request only leads to negative and potentially volatile situations.

2. Take time to research your employer’s policies regarding requests for religious accommodations.

3. Request a meeting with your manager.

4. Open with a statement of appreciation for their leadership (not false flattery, but a sincere thank you.)

5. Explain that you are seeking accommodations that will enable you to practice your religious convictions while on the job. Be prepared to share your beliefs and what activities you desire to participate in during the day. For example, if you have a set time for prayer or desire to wear specific attire, such as a head covering.

6. Come with suggestions for how your employer can accommodate your beliefs but be willing to hear out their response. Perhaps your suggestion will cause undue hardship in a way that you didn’t foresee. Listen to their ideas. The best solutions are usually a compromise.

7. Present your requests in writing, even when the initial appeal was verbal. This will help prevent misunderstandings and confusions later.

8. Assure them that you will fulfill your responsibilities and accomplish all assigned tasks. Present a specific way for you to “make-up” for anytime spent in prayer or other religious activities.

9. Keep a dated record. Include who you talked to, what your request was, and whether it was accommodated.

10. Be flexible and willing to do your part. End the meeting discussing potential accommodations the same way you started – with an attitude of peace and cooperation.

Ultimately, when and how you present your case goes a long way in the end result. Taking the above steps seriously will almost always ensure appropriate accommodation. If, however, you have taken the necessary measures with a cooperative attitude and your employer refuses, you may have to take legal action. In this case, be careful, be cautious, and be certain that you have covered all the bases.

Award Staffing is a diversified staffing company. We hire associates based on skills, experience, education and their fit to a company’s culture. We work with equal opportunity employers, who do not discriminate on religious or other diversities. Contact us today if you are looking for a new job opportunity.

Fair and Legal: A Recruiters Guide to Background Checks

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When you hear the term ‘Background check’ the first association that springs to mind is an inquiry regarding criminal history. However, there are actually a multitude of screenings that this umbrella term denotes, including – educational transcripts, driving record, military service record, credit report, licensing checks, workers compensation claims, and more. For the sake of this article, reference checks and employment verifications are a different category than background checks.

A background check, including one or more of the above screenings, is often critical to assessing candidates fit and competency for a role. To conduct these checks, it’s important to follow certain protocols to ensure a fair and legal process for employers and candidates. The laws surrounding background checks are, in general, a codification of best practice, and not tedious hoops through which to jump. Most of the advice here will strike a common sense chord, but never hesitate to talk to legal counsel, and note that initiating a background check program should be done under the guidance of a lawyer.

Let’s explore the different types of background checks…

Educational-

Academic transcripts and financial loan information are generally confidential and you will need consent from the applicant in order to access these documents, it’s possible to request the candidate to provide this information to save time and energy.

Criminal-

To investigate criminal history legally, written consent from the candidate is required. Sealed or expunged items may not appear on the applicant’s record and only in some states can an employer request this information.

Credit-

To access a candidate’s credit report, an employer must first obtain written consent. If said credit report is the basis for disqualifying that candidate from consideration for the role, the employer must provide a copy of the report to the candidate and give them the opportunity to contest the findings.

Driving-

Driving records require written consent of the applicant, and should be viewed for positions that require operating a motor vehicle.

Military-

Basic military service records like name/rank/assignments are available without the consent of the applicant, but not always. For complete records, an employer must have written consent from the candidate.

Investigative consumer report-

This is a detailed background check that usually includes interviews with colleagues, former supervisors, friends, and family regarding the applicant’s character. Such a report may not be compiled by the employer without the applicant’s written consent.

Licensing-

Confirm the candidate’s accreditation for tasks like food handling, serving alcohol, commercial driving, or operating a forklift through obtaining written consent from the candidate. It is often easier to ask the candidate to present a copy of their license in the application.

Reference Checks/employment verification:-

Reference checking and employment validation are used to verify the information that the candidate provided on their resume. While written consent from the candidate is not generally a legal requirement, it is considered best practice to notify them prior. In order to avoid unfair or discriminatory hiring practices stick to questions that have to do with the candidate’s ability to perform the role well. Avoid delving into character and personality questions as then the reference check /employment verification verges on an investigative consumer report. Reference checking and employment verification work best when you have a structured system, like a set list of questions that are the same for all candidates.

Here are some notes for best practice and legal behavior for conducting a background check…

Run a background check if permitted. 

Background check protects the employer from being liable for an unfit employee’s job conduct. Background checks become especially relevant if the position requires handling sensitive financial data or personal information.

Know which roles allow background checks and which require them.

Background checks become especially relevant if the position requires handling sensitive financial data or personal information. There are many “positions of trust” for which a company would require a background check. In some states, an employer can only request background checks for certain types of employment, so be sure to check with your regional laws.

Understand what type/s of background check is/are pertinent.

Use your best judgment about which type of background check is relevant to the job at hand. Is a criminal history pertinent, or do you just need employment verification or transcripts? The answer will vary by role, never hesitate to seek legal counsel for guidance.

Be sure the background check policy is consistent.

Consistency means that the employer runs a background check based on the role, not on the candidate. For example, if HR performs a background/credit check for one CFO application, it should then perform one for all the CFO applicants to ensure a fair evaluation of the candidate pool.

Obtain written permission from an applicant before performing a background check.

Notify the applicant before performing a background or credit check. If the request has a reasonable basis and the candidate refuses it’s usually permitted for you to drop them from consideration at that point. Remember, in most states, notifying applicants and receiving written permission isn’t a courtesy, it’s a legal requirement. So check your regional laws, and don’t pass over this step!

Give the candidate an opportunity to explain the results.

The information surfaced in background checks can often be outdated or wrong. If a candidate is dropped from consideration due to the findings obtained in their background check, notify them and give them an opportunity to contest or explain.

Find third-party background check providers in the SmartRecruiters’ marketplace!

Note on criminal history discrimination…

Performing a reasonable set of background checks is always a good idea on the part of the employer. These screenings should always correlate to the job function and should steer clear of discrimination. On one blog I came across in researching this article – that shall remain anonymous – the author suggested that an employer could screen for criminal history based on the candidate’s address… this suggestion is at the least discriminatory, and – in most cases – illegal. As stated above, make sure to screen according to the role, not according to the candidate.

Another issue that often arises in background checks is whether or not to hire a candidate with a criminal history. Many businesses will say ‘no hires with a criminal history whatsoever”, however, increasingly, this hardline stance is viewed as a bit antiquated and many companies today will take into consideration the nature of the offense, how long ago this offense occurred, and if those things affect the performance of the role for which the candidate is being considered.

Safety is often a concern for employers considering candidates with a criminal history, and this may be where the nature of the crime and the time since committing the crime are considered to provide context for the hiring committee. Seventy-million people in the US alone have criminal histories – that’s one in three adults –  and about 75 percent are still unemployed a year after their release. Excluding people with criminal records from the economy seems to detrimental to their re-entry into society, and of those who re-offend 89 percent are unemployed at the time of their arrest.

At the end of the day, whether or not to hire a candidate with a criminal record is up to the company and may vary by case. For more information on hiring someone with a criminal record, please explore “Once Incarcerated, This CEO Now Helps Americans with Criminal Records Find Work” and “Unlocking America’s Incarcerated Workforce”.

This article was sourced from www.smartrecruiters.com by Kaya Payseno

Religious Accommodations in Minnesota Workplaces

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Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. employers must reasonably accommodate an employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer. Nondiscrimination includes making accommodations for an employee’s sincerely held religious, ethical, and moral beliefs, or practices unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the business or create serious safety issues. A reasonable religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that allows employees to practice their religion or sincerely held ethical or moral beliefs.

Title VII includes a broad definition of religion. In addition to traditional, organized religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, it may also include the religious beliefs of a singular person or a small group, providing that they are sincere and in continuity with their lifestyle.

The responsibility of religious accommodation, however, falls on both the employer and the employee. The employee must be sincere in their belief and initiate the accommodation by making a request. The employer must then offer accommodations, providing they do not cause undue hardship on the business. The employee and employer must work together to create an acceptable solution.

So, what are common requests for religious accommodations?

• Dress and Grooming: Dress codes and/or required uniforms are often at the root of a religious accommodation. While often designed for practicableness and safety, they may create a conflict with religious practices. For example, a uniform that includes pants will create a conflict for a Muslim, Pentecostal Christian, or Orthodox Jewish woman who only wears skirts, and a no hats rule will not work for religions which require specific head coverings, such as a yarmulke, headscarf, hijab, or turban. Another issue may arise with religious-motivated tattoos or hairstyles.

• Work schedule changes, leave requests, and daily prayer times: From requesting a both an allotted time and a specified place for prayer several times/day to requests for not working on their Sabbath day, religious employee requests abound. For example, a Catholic or Protestant employee may need to be off on Sundays and specific holidays, such as Good Friday while a Jewish employee may require time off from every Friday at sunset to Saturday after sunset and a native American may request time off for religious ceremonies.

• Religion and Job Responsibilities: While many job responsibilities don’t create issues, conflicts with religious observances do arise. For example, some religions ban the handling of specific meats, such as pork. While assisting in any responsibilities tied to birth control may be a conflict in other religions.

How can my business accommodate religious issue in a practical manner?

While it can be a challenge, religious accommodations that work can usually be found. Common solutions can include modifications to workplace practices, policies or procedures; schedule changes/shift swaps; changing tasks or job reassignments; adjustments to dress and grooming rules or use of work facilities for religious purposes. The following best practices will help you achieve positive, harmonious results.

• Establish policies for religious accommodation and communicate those policies to all employees – white collar and blue collar.

• Encourage a positive attitude among managers and supervisors and lead the way in treating everyone with respect.

• Consider each request individually. Ask questions and respond with an attitude of helpfulness in finding an accommodation that both covers the employee’s issue without creating a hardship for the business or other employees.

• Be as flexible as you in regards to scheduling. This is applicable not only when adapting an employee’s schedule to his/her beliefs/practices but considering potential conflicts when planning work events. For example, don’t schedule a Saturday company picnic if you have employees who celebrate their Sabbath on Saturday.

• Take care in every aspect of a planned company event. For example, if you must offer roast pork for a company dinner, then be sure to have other options available for those who refrain. Celebrate non-religious holidays. Make party attendance voluntary. Keep the music and playlist work-appropriate. If the organization donates to charity during the holidays, choose the recipient organization carefully. Some charitable organizations have religious affiliations that not all employees embrace, so alternatives should be offered.

• Don’t allow management staff or other employees to retaliate against or segregate an employee who is being accommodated. Beware of letting your decisions be influenced by the comments/complaints of other employees or even customers.

• Avoid snap judgments, which can result in a lawsuit. Train your management staff considers all angles before responding to a request. Create a system of steps to follow wherever a request for religious accommodation is made.

• Be careful not to let the pendulum of accommodation sway too far off balance in the other direction. Yes, your employees have a civil right to express their beliefs, but they don’t have a right to harass other employees. Balance freedom of religious expression with freedom from such harassment.

What constitutes an undue hardship on my company?

The courts have proven to be fair in determining undue hardship on companies. For example, on one hand, you could set the times for all-staff breaks to accommodate a couple of the prayer times of your Muslim workers. On the other hand, if a factory had a large segment of Muslims who wanted to leave the assembly line several time/per day for prayer, causing a costly break in production, it would be considered a hardship. Other examples of situations ruled as a hardship include (but isn’t limited to) when the requested accommodation:

• Violates a company’s seniority system
• Creates a staffing shortage
• Jeopardizes safety, security, or health-
• Creates a costly situation – such as the above-mentioned production shutdown.
• Results in paying other employees increased over time.

In Summary

In many instances, there is almost nothing more important to an employee that his or her religious beliefs. The law recognizes that and requires employers to make accommodations for religious beliefs within the workplace, providing the allowances don’t create an undue hardship. While this can be challenging, positive, cooperative attitudes and communication from both the employee and management staff ensure success. Because there are many nuances and differences, it is best to have an overall policy but respond to each case individually. What works well for one employee might not work in another employee’s position. Research has shown that employers who are willing to provide religious accommodations benefit tremendously and can improve their bottom lines.

 

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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Where the Most Time Is Wasted in the Recruiting Process

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Last year the average time-to-hire was 23.8 days, up from 13 days in 2010 according to Glassdoor findings. This lag time is a problem because it costs your company revenue, and makes for a bad candidate experience. Though a variety of factors play a role in the time-to-hire metric, including low unemployment and a lack of skilled workers, or just workers in general, there are steps your organization can take in order to reduce that time and stop costing themselves precious resources, not to mention their reputation.

Costs of protracted time-to-hire:

Loss of revenue: Every day a job goes unfilled you lose the revenue that employee would have generated.

Internal Resentment: Burning out current employees who have to cover the work of the open position.

Bad Candidate Experience: Candidates feel nervous, frustrated, or in the dark.

Opportunity Loss: Candidates may take your slowness as a sign of poor company communication, and take another offer.

To identify an action plan for more efficient recruiting we went to the numbers! Hiring is a multi-step process, involving many departments, so we looked at 30,000 hires to isolate each step and locate the problem area. Here’s what we found: There are four basic steps in the talent acquisition flow – view application, review candidates, interview, and offer. And it’s these two final steps that are causing TA teams to stall out.

So who did we survey?

We looked at 30,000 hires from SmartRecruiters last year from small, large or enterprise companies in Financial Services, Education Management, Health Care, Retail, and Information/Technology Services. In the interest of delivering the most relevant information, we omitted the extreme outlier cases. You may notice that our average time to hire is 4.8 days shorter than the average gleaned from Glassdoor, this is most likely because all our data comes from organizations using an applicant tracking system (ATS), whereas the above survey includes teams working without this technology

Let’s go to the numbers-

Average: 19 days

1 day to see an application
3 days in review
9 days to interview
6 days to make an offer

Fastest 25 percent: 5 days

Less than 1 day to see an application
Less than 1 day in review
3 days to interview
1 (next) day to make an offer

Slowest 10 percent: 85 days

11 days to see an application
18 days in review
30 days to interview
26 days to make an offer

Interviews are the slowest step no matter what type of company. Quicker alternatives to multiple in-person interviews could be phone screenings, video interviewing, and/or online assessments! A quick win for hiring managers using Smartrecruiters was making use of the mobile app, which cut the hiring process by an average of two days when compared to those using their desktop computer exclusively!

Surprising takeaways and expert commentary-

Lengthy hiring processes could be hurting more than helping when it comes to tech talent! As expected high-volume low-skill hiring, like retail, is done much faster than information/technology services, however, that time could be hurting you more than you think. Engagement expert from WilsonHCG, Paul Dodd says.

“In regards to tech, there are a ton of aptitudes, skills, and knowledge that needs to be verified, and depending on the latest & greatest profile, with things like java stack or hadoop, your talent pool is small. Any, one professional would possibly have two or three offers so if you aren’t fast enough, the opportunity cost for not having them on your team could be significant.”

Internal and referral candidates take longer to hire. Internal candidates spent an average of 14 days in the interview stage and referrals 17, while the offer stage took 8 days for internal candidates and 4 days (which is actually below average) for referrals.  Perhaps the familiar nature of these candidates make the time factor seem less urgent, but “This is a huge miss,” warns Katherine Moening, marketing manager for Click Boarding.

“Current employees can make, or break, your hiring game. Provide them with the same level of care and attention as new hires during the hiring and onboarding process – and they’ll become champions for your business and your brand. Treat them as less urgent, and they’ll go find someone that’ll treat them better.”

It takes more time to reject a qualified candidate, who was interviewed, than to make the hire by a factor of over 3 days. When you have your pick of qualified candidates it can be hard to tell one they didn’t make the cut, but remember timely communication is key to keeping rejected candidates in your candidate relationship management system (CRM) talent pool for the next position that opens up!

This article was sourced from www.smartrecruiters.com by Kaya Payseno

Giving Thanks for an Award-Winning Year

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November brings with it the essence of gratefulness and giving of thanks. We gather round tables laden with succulent foods. We enjoy the fellowship of family, friends, and sometimes the stranger. It’s a time to pause and reflect on all that is good.

As the management team at Award Staffing reflects on the year, we are thankful, oh-so-thankful for our staff of recruiters, our associates, our clients, and every candidate who has walked through these doors. This past year Award Staffing was honored with two amazing awards, and each of you played a role in this accomplishment.

Star Tribune’s Top 150 Minnesota workplaces –

Summer opened with Star Tribune’s announcement of their Top 150 Minnesota workplaces for 2018.

As Star Tribune Publisher Michael J. Klingensmith congratulated the recipients he commended each of the 150 recipients for “creating the very best work environments in the state of Minnesota.”  Award Staffing is proud to be named one of those recipients. Ranked 31 out of 70 small businesses was truly an honor.

American Staffing Association Genius Grand Awards –

The momentum carried to Summer’s end when Award Staffing received the top honor in the 2018 American Staffing Association Genius Grand Awards in the New Company Identification Brand Program, Print Recruiting Materials classes, and in the Externally Facing Company Website category. These national awards recognize the best and most innovative communications and marketing campaigns among ASA staffing agency members.

From a single office 30 years ago to six locations throughout the Twin Cities, Award Staffing has grown from a two-member team to many staff members working together to deliver the connections job seekers and clients are seeking. By using innovating technologies and processes, we have developed the quality of service that has made us a premier staffing company.

Through these awards, we are changing our perception from being a “staffing company” to pursuing the role of a “coach” or “cheerleader,” who provide helpful reminders that you are a person of tremendous value despite the challenges you’re currently facing. This campaign emphasizes the importance of creating real experiences, impressions, and interactions that shape how our customers and associates feel about Award Staffing.

In spite of tremendous growth – because of our growth – we continue to hold firm on our signature approach to service. Our mission is to reinforce connections between the people and the places we serve. Our role is to fulfill gainful employment by serving both job seekers and businesses alike.

We love serving our community, our clients, and our associates. It is with humble hearts and gratitude for each of you that we receive these awards. May each of you experiences a blessed Thanksgiving.

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 Have a Competitive Wage Advantage in Minnesota

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Regardless of the size of your company; and the amount of effort you do – or do not put into your brand; you have a brand. Whether you offer a service or a product, that brand is determined by how you treat your employees and how you treat your clients. The truth is – how you treat your employees determines how your clients are treated. And, while benefits, growth opportunities, culture, recognition, and appreciation are all part of the package, the wages you offer, play an essential role. Paying competitive wages is not an expense; it’s a wise investment in one of your most important assets. It’s a success marker.

The payoffs of offering competitive wages – from entry-level to your CEO.

Competitive wages –

• Build your brand – public favor is a powerful tool.
• Indicate that your care – and that’s a winner.
• Attract a higher level of talent.
• Increase employee satisfaction – which increases word-of-mouth recruiting
• Boost employee focus and productivity – and hence, your bottom-line.
• Create an incentive for employees to give their best.
• Foster a creative, innovative culture.
• Encourage company loyalty – increasing retention rates.
• Promote staff cohesiveness.

On the flip side, failure to keep up with the wage market can cost far more than the additional investment in employee pay. Consider the following:

Talent is tight:

Your competitors are always on the lookout for talent. They aren’t afraid to court- and then poach – your top talent. And if they succeed, that leaves you with delayed projects, disorganization where the river once flowed smoothly by, and now you must devote time and expense to hiring, onboarding, and training someone new to the company nuances. In upper-level positions, the costs tied with a departing professional can often be more than double their annual salary.

It works the same for entry-level and mid-level employees. When the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, they often jump. This leaves you searching for additional staff right and facing a loss of production.

Money talks:

While it’s true that workers are willing to settle for less pay if the benefits are superb and the culture is attractive, they still need to pay their bills. Remember, part of the formula for a winning culture is happy satisfied employees, and underpaid employees are less likely to be happy, satisfied employees. Furthermore, if you have the withal to offer superb benefits, then you can most likely put a priority on wages too.

You get what you pay for:

Grandpa said it, and it’s still true today. A flat iron steak doesn’t cost as much as porterhouse and . . . It doesn’t taste as good either. When you fail to pay competitive wages, your competitor who does attracts the higher quality employees, and you are stuck with the run of the mill brand.

Time for Wage Strategy in 4 Steps –

As Galen Emanuel points out,

“Every successful leader and organization know that in order to maximize profits, it’s absolutely imperative to hire and keep the best employees possible.”

Wages may be considered an operating expense – and therefore a potential area to prune, but like any sound investment, raising staff salaries can deliver healthy returns.

Zeynep Ton, the author of The Good Jobs Strategy, asks this question

“Are workers mostly costs that detract from profitability, or are the engines that drive revenue growth?” 

Her research for the book indicates that, counterintuitively, companies such as Costco are more profitable precisely because of relatively high employee wages— rather than despite them.

The Steps

1. Start viewing employees as an appreciating asset:

Your business may have a great product or service, but the strength behind that product or service is the employees who make it possible. And, satisfied employees who love what they do become more valuable over time as they accrue new skills, knowledge, and

2. Determine the value of the position:

Here’s where accurate job descriptions are invaluable. You can’t determine the market wage if you don’t understand what the job entails.

3. Get to know your market:

Study salary reports and compensation surveys. Get involved in industry groups. Compare similar positions in similar companies in your geographic area, but also pay attention to national averages. Pinpoint the median salary/wage. Obviously, an assembly-line wage is much easier to measure than an upper management position.

4. Create a benchmark:

Choosing to pay ahead of the median puts you ahead of your competitors. On the other hand, don’t go way above – this only creates a false sense of entitlement, and sets a standard you might not be able to keep. The key here is to be above average but remain in a sustainable position.

You may have to adjust your view of your employees but applying these strategies and setting an above average wage will create a brand to be proud of and ultimately build your strength as a business.

Whether you have already joined the ranks, or are just starting the move toward living wages, consider a partnership with Award Staffing. We value our community economy, workforce, and job seekers, as well as the ultimate success of our clients. For this reason, Award only works with companies whose pay rate begins at $12/hour. Which is one of the reasons, were named Star Tribune’s 2018 Top Workplace in Minnesota! Contact us today.

 

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 Tactics Your Hiring Team Can Learn from Army Recruiters

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Though they may not be actively engaged in combat, Army recruiters have one of the toughest jobs in the military. In 2018, US Army recruiters were tasked with enlisting 70k new recruits by the end of the fiscal year. With the Pentagon working to boost the number of active service personnel to 500k by 2024—a five percent increase over current numbers—these quotas are will only increase in the coming years.

With unemployment at record lows, the US Army has revamped many of its traditional recruiting practices in order to hit these ambitious goals. Many of these same strategies can also be useful to recruiters hiring in the private sector, as the current talent shortage affecting industries from tech to healthcare present similar challenges. Here are four Army recruiting strategies that civilian recruiters can learn from.

1. Proactively Recruit through Community Engagement

Sergeant First Class Duggan Myron has a saying: “First contact, first contract.” It’s no secret that high schools are one of the top sourcing-channels for military recruiters, but Myron takes a more proactive approach to finding potential recruits. He contacts faculty, teachers, and guidance counselors ahead of the school year to build rapport, creating channels of communication so that students who have questions about joining the service, or perhaps need career advice, are directed to recruiters for more information.

An effective method for recruiters—military or otherwise—to reach the people they want to hire is by being actively involved in their communities. For Army recruiters, this means participating in community events, sports games, and school functions to demonstrate they aren’t simply robots looking to fill quotas. Perhaps your company would consider sponsoring a youth sports team, or throwing a block party.

Communities aren’t always geographical; it’s about identifying the places where your ideal hires come together—online forums or networks, colleges, professional groups—and nurturing them. CRM solutions top the list of 2019’s best recruiting tools for enhancing sourcing so that recruiters can attract and hire great talent ahead of demand.

2. Sell Your Organization’s Purpose

After the US Army switched over to a volunteer model in the wake of the Project VOLAR during the 1970s, they began promoting careers within the military. They currently offer 150 different career paths in fields like engineering, law, and medical, as well as unique roles like band officer or culinary specialist. For many, enlisting in the Army is a way to learn vocational skills, travel, and earn a steady income not available elsewhere.

When talking with potential recruits, Army recruiters spend time figuring out what motivates them, and how to tailor their message to best suit that. “You can’t just tell a recruit everything he or she wants to hear,” said Myron. “You’re more of a life coach.”

According to research from CECP, a coalition that promotes greater corporate social responsibility, organizations that care about social good retain employees 23 percent more than organizations who don’t. Greater employee retention means happier, more engaged, and more productive employees, with fewer open positions.

Get to know your candidates and find out what they want in their career path in order to best sell your organization’s benefits and purpose.

3. Be Honest and Upfront

“The best message to get through to somebody is harsh reality,” said Sergeant First Class Joshua Morrison, and with thousands of US troops currently deployed in conflict areas like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, the Army doesn’t want disillusioned soldiers or early washouts to find out after they enlist that this isn’t the right career path for them.

Managing expectations is a daily routine for recruiters, and is hugely important when speaking to candidates. Today’s workers have fewer qualms about leaving a job if they feel the responsibilities or culture was misrepresented. In fact, 17 percent of employees quitwithin their first three months of starting a new job, eating up company time, resources, and creating a poor company image.

4. Focus on Recruitment Marketing that Truly Resonates

Gone are the days of patriotic Army posters featuring a sincere Uncle Sam pointing at the reader. At the time, the call to serve one’s country in times of war were enough to drive new enlistment, but that strategy doesn’t work with today’s recruits.

In 2015, the Army Marketing and Research Group partnered with McCann Worldgroup to roll out “the Army team” campaign. These 60-second, black-and-white commercials focused on the many aspects of service and sacrifice, while highlighting the virtues of enlisting. No longer focused on the individual, the language used in these ads is more inclusive and pluralistic, and has since established a major presence on social media through hashtag and veteran outreach efforts.

“Research has shown that Gen Z is all about making a difference,” said James Ortiz, director of marketing at the Army Marketing and Research Group, “a difference for family, for community, for their country, for the world.”

Today, the US Army is heavily invested in employer branding, and its efforts to reach recruits goes beyond simply pointing a finger. Modern companies who want to attract and hire the best talent need to find ways of presenting compelling messaging accompanied by a candidate-facing brand that showcases why their organization is where today’s candidates want to work.

Sourced from www.smartrecruiters.com by Scott Wardell

What is a Living Wage? How Much is it in Minneapolis?

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In our tight labor market, many companies are raising their wages to attract and retain employees. The issue of wages, however, goes much deeper. Regardless of a low or high unemployment rate, what are ethical wages? Is complying with state-mandated minimum wages enough? Should companies consider living rather than wages minimum wages?

For example: in Minneapolis, the minimum wage, as of 1/1/18 is as follows

• $9.65/hour – Large employers (annual gross revenue $500,000+).
• $7.87/hour – Small employers (annual gross revenues <$500,000).

On the other hand: Minneapolis’ living wage ($/hour necessary for a worker to support themselves – and dependents, if any – a basic, but a decent lifestyle) is calculated from for $11.96/hour for one a one-working adult household to $19.88/hour for each adult in a two-working adults/3-children household.

At first glance, raising entry-level wages from minimum to living suggests a considerable cost for employers, but don’t jump to conclusions. Employers in many industries have discovered that paying the minimum wage is counter-productive while the ROI for upping their entry-level positions to a living wage is quite positive. They consider the cost of higher wages an investment in the health and success of their company, rather than an expense. Why?

A Higher Labor Budget

  • A Higher Labor Budget Leads to a »
  • High Quality & Quantity Labor Creating »
  • Smoother Organizational Operations Resulting in »
  • Stable Growth, Sales, & Profits

Consider these 5 benefits of paying a living wage-

1. Increased employee motivation:

When employees are paid fairly for their work (and anything less than a living wage falls short of fair), they have a heightened sense of self-worth in aligning with the company mission. Good pay says their job matters, which increases their motivation to do it well.

2. Increased attraction of skilled workers:

Job seekers take note of companies who pay entry workers in line with real-life expenses rather than the minimum requirement. It not only builds their confidence in the potential to move upward if hired, but it also increases their respect for a company and their desire to work there. The result is higher quality workers.

3. Higher retention rate:

A vital pillar of job satisfaction is the ability to support themselves and their families on their wages. Another essential is the self-respect that comes from employee valuation. Living wages are a significant contribution to both components. Yes, it costs more to pay higher, but the savings in lower turnover more than makes up for it.

4. Decreased negative employee issues:

From absenteeism to disciplinary problems, the amount of issues, as well as the need to monitor your employees’ actions and attitudes goes down. Satisfied employees are happy employees. Happy employees show up – on time – and get along with each other better. Production increases and the company is healthier overall.

5. Boosts the Economy:

When workers earn more money, they spend more money. This stimulates the “big picture” of both regional and national economy, which increases opportunities for everyone.

How does a company implement a living wage policy?

In an excellent consciouscompanymedia.com post by Irit Tamir, Policy and Advocacy Manager at Oxfam America, she offers the following steps.

• Benchmark your current wages against the living wage in states and localities where you operate.
• Determine if you are now paying a living wage to your employees and contracted workers.
• Be sure to assess conditions for contingent workers. While many employers take advantage of the convenience and cost-effectiveness of using firms, these contractors may leave workers with little security, low pay, and few benefits.
• Calculate the gap between CEO pay and the average pay of employees – match this gap against the company’s values.
• Consult employees (and, if appropriate, unions) -this is an opportunity for employees to engage, collaborate, and improve the organization.
• Engage your board and create both short-term and long-term plans.
• Commit to both transparency and consistent reviews.
• Look at sourcing strategy – giving preferential treatment, including long-term contracts, to suppliers who are also committed to living wages, overtime policies, and reasonable benefits.

Offering living wages to your entry-level employees is a business opportunity. It is ethical, makes business sense, and helps to build a thriving economy and society.

Whether you have already joined the ranks, or are just starting the move toward living wages, consider a partnership with Award Staffing. We value our community economy, workforce, and job seekers, as well as the ultimate success of our clients. For this reason, Award only works with companies whose pay rate begins at $12/hour. Which is one of the reasons, were named Star Tribune’s 2018 Top Workplace in Minnesota! Contact us today.

 

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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3 Tips and Tricks to Sell Your Jobs Better

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Talent acquisition professionals who understand how top talent thinks are in the best possible position to recruit them to their organization. Today’s job candidates have more opportunities than ever before, and while the majority of them are passive, 90 percent are open to discussing new work opportunities.

With the war for talent at a fever pitch, how can recruiters distinguish their company from competitors? Exceptional hiring teams are beginning to think like marketers, and treating candidates like their customers. To that end, TA professionals are packing job opportunities in a way that puts more focus on candidates’ wants and needs.

Once the money is off the table, candidates are mainly interested in the type of work they will do, the impact it will have, and how it fits into the company’s overall mission. Keeping these factors in mind, recruiters must then frame discussions about new work opportunities around them.

Here’s how to discuss three selling points recruiters often miss in a way that resonates with today’s high-quality talent.

1. The Position

Sure, outlining the role’s responsibilities and expectations feels like a given, but positioning the role in a larger context than the day-to-day grind will help make any position become more attractive to candidates. Explain how the job makes an impact on the company, or potentially the industry as a whole, choosing to focus on purpose rather than compensation or benefits during the first few conversations.

Salary is often the single most deciding factor for candidates to switch jobs, but research suggests greater income brings more happiness only up to about $75,000 per year before it runs out. We quickly acclimatize to greater income, causing it to lose value, which is why intrinsic motivators like company fit and career growth opportunities are crucial.

2. The Company

Candidates want to see culture in action. Think about all the ways your Employer Branding is showcased across different channels. Does your company career page still have stock photos? Over half of all candidates look at company websites for their first line of research before applying, so including photos and video of actual employees sharing their experiences are powerful content. Does your organization’s social media presence and email messaging align with the values that you want to promote? How is the work-life balance among employees? Do the candidate’s interests align with the company’s values?

Top talent often has more than one offer to consider, so recruiters need to demonstrate what makes their company unique from competitors. As brand ambassadors, recruiters are tasked with explaining the company’s mission and vision in a compelling way, so they need to not only have a thorough understanding of what makes the organization’s core product or service it’s strongest selling point, but also how the candidate can directly impact it.

3. Career Growth

Flat hierarchies, project-based work, and the constant demand for new skills have caused many to rethink the traditional career ladder concept, but career growth remains one of the top three reasons why candidates accept offers. What’s more, over 56 percent of candidates choose to stay with their current employers because of opportunities to challenge or improve their skills.

For candidates, a job offer might be a huge life decision, so it’s crucial that they understand the company structure, and know how to locate the services and resources available to them for advancement. Giving new hires the opportunity for growth demonstrates that you want them to succeed in your organization.

Recruiters are increasingly turning to technology solutions to automate certain steps of the hiring process, freeing them up to spend more time on “human” functions like understanding what motivates candidates. When approaching candidates with work opportunities, it’s important that recruiters frame their discussions about the role, its responsibilities, the company, and the candidate’s future around their wants and needs. Not only does this give candidates the best possible experience, but it is the best way to set them up for success.

Sourced from www.smartrecruiters.com by Scott Wardell