Best Tactics for Recruiting Quality over Quantity

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The HR Challenge: Attracting qualified candidates, rather than a realm of respondents who not only lack the required experience, and skills – both hard and soft but also fail to fit your culture.  It’s a complicated process and involves much more than reviewing resumes and interviewing a short list of candidates. Bad hires are costly and time-consuming. If you want better results, consider revamping your system. Consider these steps.

Face the Current Challenges –

A talentnow post lists three recruiting challenges, which play a role in today’s market.

· A talent shortage: According to surveys almost 75% of employers are struggling to find relevant candidates and more than 85% of the qualified candidates are not actively seeking a new position.
· Qualified candidates hold the reins: When top talent appears on the market, they’re typically hired within ten days, which boils down to a candidate-driven market. In fact, more than 20% of recruiters struggle with meeting the demands of qualified candidates.
· Your company brand is lacking: This challenge is perhaps the easiest and the hardest to change. Easy, because you can take specific steps; hard, because a negative reputation is hard to overcome. In our social media world, candidates can quickly glean who is and who is not their dream employer. In fact, 84% of job seekers say a company’s reputation is a critical factor.

Respond: Companies can’t change the shortage, and said shortage is why candidates hold the reins…but you can build your reputation and establish an attractive culture.

· Operate on ethical principles and maintain integrity.
· Stand behind your company claims.
· Be involved in your community, as well as globally.
· Treat your employees as your most valuable asset. Show appreciation and offer the best compensation program you can. Know your “market” when determining which benefits and perks to include.
· Communicate with employees. Ensure that they understand the big picture and how their role connects to it

When you create an attractive culture and a solid reputation, your company will naturally entice more qualified talent.

Adopt up-to-date recruiting tactics –

Be intentional about hiring diversity. According to LinkedIn’s Global Recruiting Trends Report, 49% of companies surveyed say intentionally incorporating diversity provides a better representation of their customers, 62% claim it improves company performance and a whopping 78% attribute it as a factor in improving company culture.

Create a robust and affirmative employee referral program: Focus on your top performers and engagers. Communicate your job description to them and reward them well when their recommendations turn into a great hire.

Reinvent your interviewing process: Make use of technology.

· Utilize video interviews, rather than phone screens, to narrow the list.
· Interview in a setting similar to your workplace culture.
· Include soft skills and emotional intelligence assessments.
· Adopt virtual reality assessments – it enables the candidate to “try on” a job.
· Use data to help make strategic hiring decisions and predict hiring outcomes.
· Use social recruiting strategies. 80% of employers claim that social recruiting helps them find passive talent.
· Consider mobile-enabled application processes.

Change your job description focus –

Evaluate what the job’s absolute requirements are, what you can train on the job, and what really doesn’t matter in the big picture.

Obviously, specific skills – especially technical ones – are crucial, but sometimes those skills are developed via experience, certifications, and online learning, instead of a degree. And sometimes, the candidate with a degree is sadly lacking in emotional intelligence, communication, and other critical soft skills. In addition to essential skills, pay attention to aptitude, attitude, work ethic, integrity, and people skills.

Attracting qualified candidates will remain a challenge, but companies who present an attractive culture and build a strong reputation, while staying informed on and embracing technology will reap the results they’re seeking – qualified candidates, who become great hires, rather than a pool of much less potential.

If you’re looking to hire the best talent in the business, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find the right employees for your unique business needs. If you’re searching for more tips and trick on how to improve your company’s workforce, check out our hiring solutions blog.

 

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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Beyond Incentives and Bonuses

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Two of our previous blogs, The Psychology of Incentives and Bonuses: The Downsides, discuss the not-so-positive aspects of incentive programs and bonuses. In fact, it might be time to step back and reconsider your employee bonus program. But, before you are too alarmed and scrap the entire bonus program, evaluate your options. Maybe the best option is to revise your current practices and offer alternatives.

Possible Revisions:

· While you may not be able to give 10% raises across the board, evaluate what you can do. The cost of turnover is high and the loss of top talent even more costly. If a little higher raise than you originally intended increases retention, it will cost you less in the end.
· Yes, employees want a fair wage, benefits, and the opportunity for rewards, but they also want to know how their responsibilities support the company mission and overall goals. Recognize performance, and goals reached. Provide timely feedback; a thank you, whether monetary or otherwise, that comes months after the fact loses its punch.
· If you choose to incorporate bonus program, keep it open to everyone, clearly communicate specific objectives and a well-defined process for both earning “points” and how the amount of a reward will be determined. Avoid a system that is too subjective.

Alternatives:

There is more than one way to reward employees who are reliable, innovative, and focused, exhibiting a strong work ethic and completing their tasks correctly and on time. Employees who contribute both to company goals and an upbeat company culture.

Begin with words:

Begin with words of affirmation, recognition, and thank you’s –verbal and handwritten. Don’t hesitate to give public acknowledgment of exceptional work. It’s easy, low cost, and simple, but oh-so-vital to employee engagement. According to Engagement Stats by Lori McKnight (February 17, 2017):

· 69% of employees say they would work harder if they felt their efforts were better recognized.
· Praise from a leader amplifies the positive impact:
· The more recognition programs you have, the better your results. 67% of company’s who offer multiple programs discovered that when the number of programs reached four, the perceived effect on employee engagement, motivation and satisfaction grew considerably.
· Employees want feedback…the good, bad and ugly. 60% of survey respondents would like daily – or at least weekly – feedback. (The number increased to 72% for those under thirty. Even though 75% felt that feedback is valuable, only 30% receive it.

Add small, and sometimes substantial gifts to in the moment awards. From an individual award to someone who went above and beyond to an entire team, or an entire shift, giving a reward in prompt response to exceptional service is much more effective than an end-of-the-year general bonus, based on profits. Don’t forget the front desk – the face of your business – that person who sets the tone for public opinion or the behind the scenes guy/gal who keeps everything running smoothly.

Offer additional benefits:

Of course, health care is an essential and 401Ks, or other retirement options are often expected, but there are many possibilities for perks and benefits. In fact, according to 2018 Employee Benefits and Perks, Statistics posted by Brandon Carter (Feb 20, 2018); 80% of employees who were extremely satisfied with their benefits also gave high rankings to their job satisfaction, and 65% of employees who were highly satisfied with their benefits said their over-all morale was equally high. Different things matter to different employees. Some companies find success in offering options and letting each employee choose which one – or more – fit their style. Possibilities include:

· Increasing telecommuting options
· Flexible shift times. 42% of adults said they’d jump ship for a flexible work option (Yoh)
· Financial help with continued education
· Opportunities to attend conferences or participate in webinars – surveys reveal that businesses with strong learning cultures have 30-50% higher retention.
· Time off with pay to participate in charitable activities for community organizations – It not only says I care about you, it says I care about our community.
· Extra PTO
· On-site childcare, work-out facilities, cafeterias with healthy choices, etc.
· Mentoring programs – 94% of workers who participate in a mentoring program say that the opportunity demonstrates the company’s commitment to their employees.
· Host company-wide events that include their partners/families – caring about the whole person and their life beyond work makes an impact.

In the end, the principle that connects incentive programs, bonuses, and alternatives and results in success is the personal aspect. When owners, management, and leaders actively care about their employees, through recognition, gratitude, reward, and equity, employees respond with loyalty. If you want your employees to engage in their work, support the company mission, and connect to each other in a congenial culture, it’s up to you to lead the way.

If you’re looking to hire new employees but don’t know where to start, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find the right employees for your unique business needs. If you’re searching for more tips and trick on how to improve your company’s workforce, check out our hiring solutions blog.

 

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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8 Downsides to Employee Bonuses

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, July’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.9. Aside from 3.8 in May and 3.9 in the year 2,000, this is the lowest rate in nearly 50 years. In spite of those numbers, pay raises remain abysmally low.

Many companies have chosen the route of bonuses. In fact, Salary.com statistics reported in USA Today that while less than 65% of North American companies gave year-end bonuses in 2016, more than 75% did in 2017.  These bonuses come in a variety of styles, including:

· Spot bonuses – recognition for going above and beyond
· Individual incentive bonuses – a reward for meeting a goal – usually predesignated – also known as a performance-based bonus
· Profit-sharing – when a company shares a piece of overall company growth
· Referral bonuses – pay for referring a prospective candidate who hires on and stays at least the specified time
· Productivity bonuses – designed to inspire, and then award an entire team, department, manufacturing floor, etc.

At first glance, bonuses seem to be a positive, growing trend. After all, who doesn’t appreciate a generous employer who recognizes an employee’s contribution? And, there are several pros that support the bonus concept, such as the potential for:

· Happy employees
· Increased company morale
· Improved company reputation – which attracts talent

But wait, before you do the happy dance, let’s take another look. There is growing research that points to the downside of bonuses.

The Downsides:

1. Employees who are considering a job change may choose to wait until the bonus is received and then turn in his/her resignation. If a company distributes bonuses “across the board” of at least to multiple employees, a company may find themselves facing a mass exodus right after paying out a large sum of cash.
2. When bonuses are paid in groups, but at intermittent intervals, productivity may fluctuate according to the bonus. As Ruth Mayhew, an expert on HR subject matter, points out in a recent article for Bizfluent, “This up-and-down in motivation and productivity can be costly for employers.”
3. The case of unrealistic expectations: Particularly when considering year-end bonuses. Once they are given, employees tend to expect them. If a “flush” year is followed by a decrease in revenue, companies may end up with disappointed, unhappy employees, resulting in a loss of morale.
4. Adverse employee competition: While a little friendly competition can be a great productivity booster, tying bonuses to the game may create a negative culture, building antagonistic peer-to-peer interaction.
5. While dangling the bonus carrot may light the fire under some employees, others feel the pressure and backtrack. According to Gregory Hamel in a post for Chron, this can lead to an imbalance of employee input and hinder overall productivity and efficiency.
6. The reverse effect: Sometimes the promise of a hefty bonus becomes an incentive to cut corners, cheat, and cross ethical boundaries, rather than improve performance.
7. Holding back on salary and benefits in exchange for bonuses can be a turn off for potential talent. Whether an active or passive candidate, top-talent players are usually seeking to increase their salaries. If not, they are searching for flexibility, growth opportunities, etc. The promise of a potential bonus is low on their list.
8. While an employer’s bonus may be fueled by generosity, it can backfire on the employee at tax time. The IRS considers a bonus to be supplemental income and therefore, it’s taxed at a flat rate, which is usually higher than the rate on employee wages.

Bottom-line:

While a bonus program may have some benefits, including giving a boost to productivity, consider the big picture and weigh both the pros and the cons in the balance before making your final decision. In our next blog, we’ll discuss ways to avoid the negatives as well as positive alternatives.

If you’re looking to hire new employees but don’t know where to start, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find the right employees for your unique business needs. If you’re searching for more tips and trick on how to improve your company’s workforce, check out our hiring solutions blog.

 

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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The Psychology of Incentives

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Employee retention is a troublesome issue for most companies. In fact, many experts estimate that $11 billion is lost annually to employee turnover.

Additional statistics are equally alarming.

· 59% of US workers are likely to leave their jobs for new opportunities (Adobe)
· About 70% of Americans are disengaged at work (Gallup)

On the other hand, according to HR Dive, 75% of causes of employee turnover are preventable.

Incentives:

Many employers offer a performance-based incentive pay in an effort to build engagement – which lies at the root of retention – and company loyalty. Some incentive programs provide individual bonuses based on an employee’s achievements, while others offer profit-related pay, which is based on reaching goals company-wide. Various studies indicate the potential for success – especially with individual incentives, but in reality, employers must dig deeper for lasting change.

In order to build robust employee-engagement levels, companies must first understand what ‘makes people tick.’ For example, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, every person has five basic needs that must be met before he/she can grow and succeed.

1. Physiological needs – food, water, breathing, shelter, clothing.
2. Security and safety needs – physical protection, health and wellness, financial security.
3. Social needs – family and friends, social and community or religious groups, all of which bring a sense of belonging.
4. Esteem needs – appreciation, value, respect.
5. Self-actualization – knowledge of who they are and confidence that they are fully using their talents, capabilities, and reaching their potential.

Incentives then must do more than offer pay for performance. They must tap into the needs of individuals. They must offer:

· Valence: something that is of personal value to the recipient.
· Instrumentality: the opportunity to be instrumental in the success of a program; the knowledge that he/she is connected to the big picture.
· Expectancy: the confidence that he/ she is capable of the task they are assigned; the goal they must reach to receive the reward.

When taking the needs of individuals into consideration, engaging/retaining your employees involves more than performance-based pay incentives. Consider this list of essentials.

According to a Modern Survey (2014), two of the strongest engagement drivers are the belief in senior leadership – how your C-suite conducts itself is crucial – and opportunities for growth and development. From this, we can conclude that:

· A management staff who connects to employees and upholds company policies, transparency, integrity, etc. from the top down is critical.
· Offering onsite training, encouragement for continued education via flexible work times and financial assistance, opportunities to participate in webinars, technology training, etc., and a promote-from-within-first policy are extremely effective

A PWC survey of Millennials reveals that 52% of Mills value career progression and 35% appreciate the quality training and development programs. These incentives support, rather than eliminate, financial-based incentives – which appeal to 44%.

Access to digital capabilities is another hot incentive. Various surveys and studies confirm that nearly 60% of those surveyed said they switched jobs to gain digital skills and 40% said they left because their current company did not keep up with state-of-the-art technology. Workers shared that the most significant factors in accepting and then staying with a position were a company’s use of the most up to date tools (80%), innovative culture (72%) and reputation as a leader in digitization (62%).

Bottom-line:

A company’s success in attracting, hiring, and then retaining talent correlates directly to their ability to engage their employees. Incentives play an influential role in engagement, but focusing only on performance-based incentives may be more detrimental than helpful. Successful incentive programs understand their employees’ needs, providing a safe place where they can connect and belong, earn a stable living, and actively participate in the company mission in a way that brings value, utilizes their personal abilities, and encourages growth.

If you’re looking to hire new employees but don’t know where to start, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find the right employees for your unique business needs. If you’re searching for more tips and trick on how to improve your company’s workforce, check out our hiring solutions blog.

 

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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Improving Employee-Employer Communication

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As an employer, it’s your job to make sure that there’s positive employee-employer communication happening. This is crucial not only for your business but also for the well-being of your employees. Here are some ways that you can improve employee-employer communication.

Have Weekly Meetings.

One of the best ways to communicate well is to do it regularly. For some of your employees, this may involve weekly meetings. We recommend hosting your meetings on Monday mornings or Friday afternoons, so everything from the past week is fresh and ready to be discussed in preparation for the upcoming week.

Keep an Open Dialogue.

Don’t have your work be an environment in which employees think they can’t talk to you. This usually ends up being counter-productive in that they will sit with issues and not communicate until one day when they let everything out at once. Make sure to remind employees that you regularly welcome feedback, suggestions, and even complaints to help the entire office run smoothly.

Have a System to Communicate Notes.

It can be tricky to remember different notes or comments in between meetings, so make sure you implement a system in which you can remember your notes throughout the week. This could be through the use of a new technology program such as Slack, or through the use of good old-fashioned sticky notes. Whatever you do, make sure you do it well, and your communication will follow.

If you’re looking for a new employee, contact Award Staffing. We can help you find an employee who is perfect for your company culture and who will be a good fit for your fellow employees. It’s our specialty. If you’re searching for more tips and trick on how to improve your company’s workforce, check out our hiring solutions blog.

 

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 Things to Think About Before Choosing Your Hiring Partner

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Your hiring partner is a key figure in your company’s success. He/she must be trustworthy, accountable, and in agreement with the company mission and values – all in addition to having the discernment to hire right.

Ensure They Understand Your Company Culture.

If your hiring partner doesn’t understand your company culture, they are not necessarily going to be able to hire an employee who is the right fit. Before you let your hiring manager take over the interview process, make sure they understand exactly the type of culture you’re seeking regarding work hours, workplace friendships, policies on vacation time and outside gigs, etc.

Don’t Rush into It.

Don’t rush into the hiring process by placing someone an inexperienced candidate into the ring. You could end up causing more harm than good by doing this. If you are short on time and need someone to hire your next candidate, consider hiring a staffing agency as they have all the experience necessary.

Inform them of Your Values.

Whether you choose to hire a staffing agency or an internal hiring manager, make sure you have a conversation with them about the company’s values, ethics, and definition of professionalism. It’ll be much easier for them to tangibly take that into account when seeking a candidate that is a good fit.

If you’re looking to hire new staff, consider Award Staffing. We will be able to ascertain your company culture, values, and other parameters to help you find the staff you need. We can both find the best-fit hiring manager and play a role as your HR extension. Contact us today. If you’re searching for more tips and trick on how to improve your company’s workforce, check out our hiring solutions blog.

 

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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