12 Ways for Ghosting Prevention for Employers

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Ghosting – an old phenomenon in a new arena. Many employers and recruiters are dealing with that unpleasant, and sometimes costly, and frustration of a prime candidate suddenly dropping off the radar – never to be seen or heard from again.

In fact, the numbers are daunting.

• 20% – 50% of companies report applicant and workers are no-shows. (USA Today)
• The number of employees who choose to leave is almost double the number who are fired. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Eugene Hunt, Trevi Communications Inc. Principle, says that only 25% of qualified applicants make it through the process without becoming distracted, disengaged, or even disconnected.

So, how can a company avoid the growing trend – or at least reduce the statistics within their borders?
Begin with the basics. No one who expects to win a war without the knowledge of the enemies strategy, and ammunition, but the first step is always learning the rules of engagement.

1. Build an impeccable company reputation: Ensure that everyone knows you will stand behind your word – and your employees.

2. Create an attractive culture: Be the company that every candidate considers the dream position.

3. Build a robust and active social media presence: Post relevant information. Share company photos that reveal culture. Get involved in global giving and post about it. Respond to comments – including swift, thoughtful responses to the negative ones.

4. Treat candidates – and employees – the way you want to be treated: This philosophy became the “golden rule” for a reason. It works.

• Extend respect to everyone. Treat every person like . . . well, a person – rather than a necessary commodity.
• Be direct, honest, transparent, and consistent in all your communications. Go beyond the open position – build relationships.

5. Be aware of the landscape – don’t be caught unawares: In a talent-driven market, there multiple reasons for the sudden disappearance of a candidate – or an employee.

• They’re interviewing with multiple companies.
• Another company has made a better offer.
• They’re waiting to see if a better offer comes.
• They’ve accepted a counter-offer from their current employer
• Job switchers have been gaining almost 30% greater pay increases than those employees who stay. (Jay Hicks)

Ok – the basics are covered, and you understand the playing field. Where do you go from here? Be proactive. Don’t give candidates the benefit of the doubt: Assume that even the friendly, likable ‘nice guy’ with excellent references will ghost – because they will.

6. Discuss the ghosting issue upfront: If possible, get a non-ghost commitment. Sure, they may still do it, but now they outright lied and even though it doesn’t change your dilemma it certainly damages their reputation.

7. Beware of other offers: If possible, get a clear picture of how many other proposals are looming on the candidate’s horizon. In a talent-driven economy, delivering the best offer is crucial.

8. Lengthen your “short list:” Keeping a longer list of qualified candidates increases your options of a great hire should be some candidates ghost you.

9. Double book: Everyone’s been to a medical appointment where you had to wait because the doctor, dentist, etc. was double-booked. Why do they do this? They know that there will be “no-shows and they don’t want “down time” filling billable hours. Recruiters and companies alike are combatting being ghosted by extending offers to more than one candidate.

10. Set specific time frames for a candidate’s response: When you make an offer, recognize that he/she needs time to consider, but set a definite response time. For example, “When is the ideal time to reach you? Ok, I will call you Thursday between 2:00 and 5:00 for your answer.”

11. Have a mutual contact on file: In other words, have another person you can contact if he/she doesn’t show – as a second source of getting to the issue – especially if they were referred by someone else.

12. Move quickly: Once a candidate has accepted an offer, promptly bring them onboard – as in a week or less. As Kent Gregoire, CEO of call center VoiceNation, says, “If you don’t bring them in immediately, they’re still an open agent.”

Bottom-line: Ghosting happens, and it’s not likely to stop, but there are ways to lessen the blow on your company. Be the ideal company. Treat candidates/employees the way you want to be treated and take proactive steps.

At Award Staffing we have been able to mitigate the ghosting phenomenon through text message communication. We address strategic tactics for text messaging in Text Messaging Recruiting 101 and 10 Reasons why Text Recruiting Matter. 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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Text Message Recruiting 101 – Things to know

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Texting is quickly becoming a valuable recruiting tool. (Check out ten reasons for it in our previous blog “Text Recruiting Matters”), but like every aspect of recruiting talent, there are rules of engagement. Following text recruiting protocol will keep your company in the talent spotlight.

• Create a template to ensure efficiency and organization. Some examples of texting tools include TextUs, TextRecruit, Canvas, and Trumpia.
• Be aware of generations. While Millennials and GenZ “live by texting alone,” previous generations aren’t as quick to respond to the idea.
• Treat text recruiting as a business proposition – which it is – and remain professional throughout the entire process. Yes, we live in a casual world, but business is still business, so be professional in your approach.
• Refrain from texting after work hours. Surveys reveal that most candidates prefer to receive texts between 8:00 a.m. and noon.
• Customize your approach to the position.

Salaried positions:

• Use snappy, attention-getting opener for your initial text to a candidate. Introduce yourself, and market the open position. (If there is a previous connection to a potential candidate, begin your text message by acknowledging it.)
• Be personable, approachable, and sincere. People recognize the genuine – and the hype.
• Engage potential candidates, but don’t come across as a pushy salesperson.
• Clearly define the growth opportunities available with the open position. Candidates want to know how it will benefit them.
• Provide information on typical job responsibilities first, before discussing requirements.
• Share the candidate’s value – how they would play an essential role in your company mission and goals.
• Leave mobile-friendly contact information at the end of your first contact.
• Include all the above but be concise. You aren’t writing an essay. Texting is a short, sweet, and to-the-point method of communication.
• Follow-up immediately to every response. 53% of candidates trust a company who responds promptly

Hourly & Entry-level Employees:

You’re reaching previous contacts or making cold calls, hiring for hourly, entry-level positions is all about quickly connecting with mega groups of candidates. Speed and responsiveness are everything, the tools that set your employer brand apart from the competition.

• Keep it simple – from questions to instructions.
• Keep it short.
• Enable two-way communication.
• End with a specific call-to-action.
• Be mobile friendly – ensuring that it’s a simple process to respond and apply online.
• Ensure a fast response.

Moving Forward

Utilizing text messaging goes beyond the initial recruitment process. Once you have connected with a candidate – whether salaried or hourly – texting remains a valuable tool. It provides the ability to react promptly and efficiently. Reaching out to candidates in-process or onboarding, and passing on vital information as the click of a button ensures hiring success. The ability to pass on and to react to real-time information is one of the main reason for incorporating SMS into recruiting.

Interviews:

Make appointments for interviews, and then send directions, updates, and reminders to reduce “forgotten” interview appointments and ghosting. For example, when Conway, a trucking company adopted SMS, they decreased orientation absenteeism by 5 percent and save an estimated $200,000+ in annual recruiting costs.

Information:

Text messaging software enables recruiters and companies to keep candidates instantly informed of their application status and provide links to additional information.

Relationship building:

“Building relationship throughout a candidate’s application journey is the gold standard” (Smashfly). Text messaging encourages the relationship, allowing direct communication between recruiters, talent, and companies during the entire hiring process. Whether it’s pertinent information and details or personalized support texts, it’s a connection that builds relationships, substantiating success in the moment and in the future.

Summary:

In our candidate-driven, the increasingly competitive market for talent, standing out is a challenge. SMS can be a powerful promotional tool. It’s effective in improving communication, time-management, and successful hires – a win/win for everyone.

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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10 Reasons why Text Recruiting Matters

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We live in a digital world – texting has saturated our daily communications. Take a look at these statistics from Sara Pollock, ClearCompany.

• Global phone usage is expected to surpass the 5 billion mark by 2019.
• 80% of people are now using text messaging for business in some form or fashion.
• Texts, on average, have a 97% open rate.
• 64% of consumers are likely to have a positive perception of companies that offer communication via text.
• 90% of consumers prefer texting over calling and email.
• 91% of smartphone users consider content access to be very important with SMS.

It’s only logical then that texting would permeate the world of recruiting. Millennials, 35% of the workforce, and GenZ, (expected to be 25% of the workforce by 2020) are strong advocates of employer/employee connections and quick responses. Since Baby Boomers are retiring in droves, bringing texting into recruiting ensures your process accommodates this up and coming workforce. It’s a solid business strategy – pure and simple. Here are ten reasons why. Texting:

1. Allows a company to stand out from companies who haven’t implemented it into their recruiting process.
2. Enables companies to connect with talent quickly and efficiently – a faster avenue to answers and engagement.
3. Accommodates Millenials – the principal portion of today’s workforce. 76% of respondents to an OpenMarket survey consider texting to not only be more convenient but also more adaptive to their schedule.
4. Is the preferred means of communication for both Millennials and Gen Z. Using it builds their trust in a company.
5. Draws more responses than phone calls. – while many individuals ignore calls from unsolicited and unrecognized numbers, more than 90% of texts are read within three minutes of being sent.
6. Improves time-to-hire.
7. Creates a more agile experience for talent, which increases positive responses.
8. Personalizes the process because it reaches talent – including passive candidates – on their playing field in a non-obtrusive way.
9. Reaches multiple generations. After all, more than 75% of adults (in the US) have a cell phone – which is almost always within reach.
10. Ensures post-application responses, which builds a relationship with candidates.

Consider these statistics, also gleaned from Pollock’s article.

• 73% of job seekers prefer to receive targeted job opportunities via text.
• 78% of candidates who own smartphones would apply for a new job through their mobile device.
• 45% of job seekers search for jobs daily on their mobile device.
• 89% of job seekers think mobile devices play a critical role in the job-hunting process.
• 53% of candidates trust a company more when it reaches out quickly.

Attracting and engaging talent has become more and more challenging. Staying ahead of the recruiting game by employing the latest tools is crucial. One of those tools is texting, which simplifies the entire recruiting process, not only reducing cost but also increasing the speed and convenience of connections. It connects companies and candidates, keeps everyone on the same page during the process, and in general improves the candidate experience, which places texting companies ahead of the pack.

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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Successful Tactics for Multimedia Recruiting

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“Recruitment companies need to focus less on sales and more on marketing, especially using social media to build communities and CRM to connect and build relationships.”
– GREG SAVAGE

Marketing to talent through social media avenues is more than “just one way to recruit.” It’s a must for every company. We live in a talent-driven market. If you want to attract the best talent, then you better be catering to said talent, and that means becoming a multimedia specialist. Candidates expect to be the focal point. They want – make that demand – the personal touch or they’re off to another company who will meet them where they’re at – and that’s on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, – you get the picture. They care about what their friends say; they listen to social networks and reviews, they want to know a company’s brand.

Consider these statistics.

· 89% of companies plan to use social media in their recruiting
· 70% claim they’ve made successful hires via social media recruiting
· 80% say they use it to find passive talent

So, what’s the issue if companies are already thick in the social media scene. The issue isn’t “using” social media; it’s, are we using it with finesse?Successful recruiters must become cross-functional multimedia specialists.

Begin with building your company brand. Create a strong online reputation – a reputation of integrity, ethics, warmth and caring, and making a difference both globally and in your community.

· Know your industry and communicate with potential candidates via their interests.
· Connect with current and potential industry leaders.
· Be personal and authentic.
· Choose the social networks that appeal to the audience you want to attract.
· Be willing to experiment – discover which profiles will earn the highest level of engagement.
· Target your messages, share your style and define your culture, all through social media angles.
· Establish your company as a reliable authority in your industry.

As Alice Clarke says, in a post she wrote for the TimeDoctorBlog,  

“Social media give you the tools to present your business proposal in the best possible light. Thus, the first key to effective recruitment is being active online and establishing yourself as the authority in the respective field. Most companies keep the relationship with customers in mind when building their social media presence. These channels, however, can be used to accomplish a wide array of additional goals.”

Studies and surveys indicate that:

· 79% of job seekers will use social media (Glassdoor)
· 64% will research a company online, and if they can’t find information, more than half of them will move on to other job offers. (CareerBuilder)

Choose the best social networks for your industry and learn how to use them to attract the talent you need.

Multimedia Tips

LinkedIn

· Create a company profile Keep it updated. Share information about your services and link to your blog or other social media sites.
· Utilize LinkedIn’s advanced search capabilities to discover passive talent. Search LinkedIn for passive candidates. Gain a more complete picture of both passive and active candidates via capability, credentials, and skills screening.
· Participate in groups, post status updates, and utilize the question and answer portion to build relationships with experts in your industry. Being connected will often open the door to passive candidates.
· Connect with potential candidates via InMail and referrals.

Twitter

· Grow your followers. Tweet about open positions from the company’s primary consumer account. Cross-promote your Twitter account from your website, and other social networks. Follow other social media accounts within your industry and retweet pertinent info.
· Use Twitter to show your company style and culture. Don’t just tweet about your job openings, but also about company happenings.
· Be active and present. Quick responses build engagement.
· Use hashtags. It’s a great way to get more people to see your tweets, but don’t overdo – your tweets will come across as spam. Use relevant hashtags from other social networks, but also create your own.

Facebook

· Post intriguing, attention-getting job posts that clearly spell out the requisites without losing your company voice and personality.
· Post company events that establish your culture.
· Attract attention to job fairs as well.
· Post interesting industry-related articles, as well as ones that draw a warm fuzzy.
· Offer candidate and referral opportunities with rewards.
· Post live videos with current employees sharing what they like about the company.

Instagram

· Use Instagram to build trust with potential candidates by letting them see your human side and your company’s culture. Take office photos that shout teamwork, and show employees having fun.
· Advertise a position visually. Take a photo of the highlights of an open position, and when and where they can apply.
· Share links to company blog posts.
· Use hashtags – across the social media board, hashtags further your reach.
· Focus on quality – not quantity. As the undercover recruiter points out.

“Keep your posts simple and high quality, with a clear focus and connection with your brand. Users don’t want to be bombarded with dozens of poor-quality updates that take up their newsfeed and don’t really contribute any value.”

Be Mobile Friendly

· Mobile recruiting is here to stay. According to Glassdoor, 89% of job seekers say their mobile device is an essential tool for job searching, and 45% use it to search for jobs at least once a day.
· Develop a mobile-enabled application process. Keep it simple with one-click apply options and easy-to-follow links. Include an option to apply by uploading a LinkedIn profile.
· Use automated text messaging to acknowledge application received, as well as sending reminders about interviews.
· Create relevant mobile-optimized content about the company to enable potential applicants to get to know who the company is and for what it stands.

 

In Summary: Building your cross-functional multimedia skills is essential. Using social media effectively is about maximizing your reach. It is an extension of your company and reflects your brand.  To get the results you’re seeking, establish a company social media policy that is based on a team approach and creates the right culture.

· Use the social media platforms, networks, and techniques that fit your industry and attract talent accordingly.
· Focus on the candidates’ experience.
· Stay current, relevant, and post attention-grabbing content.

Multimedia is a recruiting staple – stay ahead of the game and win the talent war. Learn how our Recruiting Specialist – Amy Mayberry is being effective in Multimedia Recruiting.

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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Don’t’ Throw Away Job Fairs: Part 2 – Companies

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In Part 1 – Candidates, we discussed the benefits of job fairs for candidates, as well as mapping out a program to success. In Part II, we do the same from the company’s perspective.

Companies – Job Fair Benefits

· While job fairs are not by any means the sole or even the top recruiting angle for companies, they can still play an essential role in recruiting. Job Fairs offer companies the opportunity to:
· Meet face-to-face with multiple candidates without specific appointments.
· Meet talent they might otherwise have missed.
· Target specific talent for specific positions.
· Solidify your brand with potential candidates – this is a key opportunity to shine in your industry; to educate job seekers about your company’s brand and culture.
· Increase your level of diversity among potential candidates.
· Network with other corporations.

Companies – Job Fair Success

Gaining a high return on your job fair investment takes strategic planning. From the initial decision to follow-up every step is crucial.

Planning

· Evaluate: What are your recruitment goals? What positions are you seeking to fill? Participate in the fair that best accommodates your hiring needs; that targets the right audience for your company.
· Be proactive in your participation: Where your booth is located will have an impact on how well you do. Negotiate with the job fair
· Choose your team wisely: Choose employees not only understand the job descriptions of your open positions but also will be friendly, confident, and capable communicators who exhibit the company brand and culture.
· Market your participation: Go mobile. Post on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. Encourage your current staff to get involved in spreading the word and inviting both active and passive talent to attend.
· Prepare your questions: Have a clear understanding of the open positions and prepare your questions ahead. Consistency will help you measure candidates.

At the Fair

· Design an attractive booth: Create a space that aligns with your company culture and attracts industry candidates. Prepare recruitment brochures to send with visitors. Have a generous supply of business cards. Create a space for impromptu interviews. Set up equipment for scanning and uploading resumes.
· Get involved: Conduct a mini-seminar or give a talk at a designated time during the fair.
· Give-a-ways: Pass out merchandise gifts. Consider having a drawing for a door prize.
· Be professional: Welcome everyone who stops and treat them with respect. Remember, they are here to learn about your company as much as you are learning about them. Keep communication going both ways. Don’t present a narrow window of requirements to potential candidates.
· Find a balance: You want to talk to as many candidates as possible. You also want to gain enough information from each “interview.” Set a time frame for interviews.
· Take notes: Write notes during each interview and attach them to the candidate’s resume and business card.

Post Fair

· Contact every potential candidate immediately and coordinate the next steps. They stopped at multiple booths – be the open they remember.
· If possible, contact every candidate who talked to one of your staff and left a resume/business card, etc. Even if it’s a standard “We don’t have a place for you” letter, connecting will strengthen your brand.
· Organize an office meeting to discuss the fair. Discuss what went well and what needs to change in the future. Measure your success against your cost. Christina Pavlou, writer and researcher at Workable, suggests you ask the following questions.
· How many candidates did we source during the event?
· How many of them were qualified?
· How many did we interview for our company?
· How many did we hire?
· What was the overall time-to-hire?

While some companies may decide against the Job Fair scene, most will find that with strategic planning, careful delivery, and prompt follow-up, job fairs are beneficial and a vital part of successful recruiting.  Learn how our Recruiting Specialist – Jared Fessler is being effective at Job Fair Recruiting.

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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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.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.