Tag Archive for: Employee retention

3 Key Ways to Prioritize Employee Wellness

/in

As staffing professionals, we recognize that employee wellness is an important concept for us to recognize and invest in. It involves more than just sick days but rather caring for our employees on a level that encourages continual growth and improvement throughout the company. By investing in employee wellness, we become united as a team, fostering a culture of appreciation and inclusion. Showing that employee well-being matters helps us succeed as a whole.

Fortunately, there are three simple methods to value your staff and ensure their health and well-being. This includes creating a wellness program, developing wellness breaks, and offering health benefits. By implementing these interties, you can reduce turnover rates, improve morale and engagement, and even save costs when done correctly. Studies have shown that initiatives that focus on employees’ physical and mental health can lead to a major boost in their success. The advantages of incorporating wellness plans into regular office practice are obvious; not only does it help retain optimal performance from staff members, but it’s also proven to increase their engagement in company operations, resulting in greater efficiency across the board. We have found that investing in your employees’ well-being is truly an investment in your business’s overall future success.

Here are our 3 top ways to prioritize employee wellness:

1. Create a Wellness Program

Creating a wellness program can help build a strong, healthy culture within your organization. By addressing the physical, mental, and emotional health of your employees, you can increase workplace engagement and productivity. Begin by assessing the needs of your specific workforce so that you can tailor and customize the program to suit them. Put measures in place to evaluate employee satisfaction with the wellness initiatives regularly and make adjustments where necessary. Ultimately, creating a successful wellness program encourages healthier decisions among staff members and helps create a sustainable, productive working environment.

A comprehensive wellness program should provide employees with resources to assist in maintaining their physical and mental health. This could include offering preventive health measures such as on-site health screenings or making recommendations for healthy lifestyle habits. Offering balanced nutrition counseling can be valuable, as well as discounts at fitness centers or access to fitness classes provided by the company. Additionally, subsidizing a mental health benefit may be worthwhile if you wish your staff to be able to seek out counseling at any time. The goal of any employer is to ensure that their workforce remains strong and confident when facing the challenges of the modern professional landscape.

2. Implement Wellness Breaks

In today’s fast-paced work environment, employee health and wellness have become an increasingly important issue for employers. Employee mental health is particularly vulnerable to the stress of long hours and tight deadlines, so business professionals must prioritize employee health in their organization.

One key way to do this is by offering employees regular wellness breaks throughout the day. Wellness breaks can help promote employee mental health by allowing them to step away and gain perspective while also relieving stress levels. For example, employers can offer group puzzle activities such as crosswords, Sudoku, or jigsaw puzzles for employees to work on together. Not only do these activities help employees take their mind off of work-related stress, but they also provide an opportunity to test analytical and problem-solving skills away from work activities.

Studies have shown that employee wellness breaks increase employee productivity levels by up to 32%. Employee engagement levels also increased after taking wellness breaks, with a reported 21% improvement in employee focus and concentration. Furthermore, employee satisfaction levels were found to increase by 16% after taking regular breaks throughout the day. These findings demonstrate how employee wellness breaks can have a positive effect on employee health as well as the overall bottom line of an organization.

3. Offer Comprehensive Health Benefits

Comprehensive employee health benefits are essential to maintain employee retention. An effective employee benefits package can include paid time off, holiday pay, and health insurance coverage which all help to attract top talent to the company. However, the most important benefit of all is providing an Employee Assistance Program, which offers employees support in a range of stressful situations. This could include helping employees to find childcare, providing assistance during times of grief, offering legal options and advice, as well as managing stress. Offering comprehensive health benefits demonstrates that you are invested in the long-term well-being of your employees and will go out of your way to ensure their continued success.

Offering these health benefits to employees also sets your business apart from the competition in several ways. Most significantly, it demonstrates your commitment to valuing their wellbeing, which is a quality that job seekers are increasingly looking for when considering potential employers. Furthermore, the range of benefits offered can provide valuable assistance with everyday life and its associated challenges, as well as offer proactive support to manage stress and mental health.

Don’t forget to also communicate the benefits of your program clearly to potential and current employees. Making sure everyone is aware of the wide range of benefits you offer can go a long way in helping them feel valued. By investing in employee health, you are setting up your team for success and establishing a strong, supportive culture.

With the right mix of benefits, you can provide your employees with job satisfaction, improved overall health and wellness, and elevated longevity. Invest today and see how it can benefit your business in the future.

Why Employee Wellness is Good for Business

Ultimately, establishing and maintaining effective employee wellness initiatives is essential for businesses to stay competitive and create a high-performing work culture. When employees are supported and encouraged to take care of their physical, emotional, and mental health, it leads to increased engagement, morale, and productivity. Put simply, when employers invest in their people’s well-being, the benefits spread throughout the entire organization. From improved communication to enhanced energy levels, investing in employee wellness can yield financial returns in the form of savings related to absenteeism and retention.

Start developing these initiatives today – your team will thank you later. And if you’re looking for a purpose driven team that has made employee well-being a priority – view our services to see how we can help.

How to Tell if Employees Are “Quiet Quitting”

/in

We’ve discussed common reasons employees are quitting and how you can address these issues in order to prevent it. Issues including burnout, feeling undervalued, and lack of advancement are among the top reasons. Some solutions to this are providing open communication, clear expectations, and work-life balance in order to prevent employee turnover.

But did you know that there is a new trend involving employee retention taking the internet and business alike by storm?

This new trend is called “Quiet Quitting.” It’s a term used to describe the phenomenon of employees gradually disengaging from their work over time either because they’ve lost interest or are no longer invested in their work or the company.

To clarify, quiet quitting doesn’t necessarily mean that an employee will outright quit their job right away. But rather they’re quitting the idea of going above and beyond. In other words, they are still performing their duties but no longer subscribing to the company culture and the future of the job itself.

This can be a difficult situation for businesses to deal with because it affects business growth and retention rates as well as employee moral. Unhappy employees are more likely to disengage from their work and start looking for other opportunities. This can be costly for your business as it affects lost productivity and increases training and recruiting new employees.

Fortunately, there are 5 things you can look out for that may indicate that an employee is quiet quitting:

1. Declining Performance

If an employee’s work quality or quantity starts to decline, it may be a sign that they’re no longer invested in their job and furthermore the company. Behaviors such as making mistakes, low quality work, and not meeting goals are all indicators of this. This is especially true if the decline in productivity is accompanied by a negative change in attitude.

The first sign in declining performance is if employees are making more mistakes in their work. This may be a sign that they are no longer paying attention to their tasks, or simply don’t feel motivated to do their best. The next sign is if employees are producing subpar and low quality efforts. This also indicates a lack of interest in their job functions as they are taking longer to complete their tasks and producing less output. Consequently, key performance indicators and daily goal benchmarks are not met and productivity is lost.

If you notice these signs in declining performance, it’s important to address them with the employee as soon as possible. Start by conducting an informal meeting with the employee to discuss the situation. Make sure to focus on the employee experience by addressing what is causing the decline and how you can help. If the problem is not resolved after this meeting, you may need to take further action, such as putting the employee on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).

2. Increased Absences

If you notice your employees quality of work declining, chances are their attendance will also decline. Increased absences is a good indicator of lack of interest in their current role or the company itself.

Employees who are absent more frequently than normal are generally less invested in their job functions and the company as a whole. Examples of this includes coming in late, taking more sick days than normal, or last minute requests for time off. This can lead to a decline in employee moral as this causes conflict between colleagues. This can also lead to a decline in work quality, as employees who are disengaged are less likely to put forth their best effort. All of this can have a negative impact on the company as a whole, so it’s important to address these absences as soon as possible and work with the employee to understand the root cause of their disengagement.

3. No Longer Engaged in Their Work

If you notice that an employee seems checked out and uninterested in their work, it could be a sign that they’re quiet quitting. If the employee is always looking for shortcuts or ways to do less work, it could be a sign that they’re not motivated anymore. This type of behavior often leads to subpar work and can drag down the rest of the team. If you notice an employee engaging in this behavior, it’s important to have a conversation with them about their work ethic and expectations for quality results.

Another factor that contributes to this is if they are taking advantage of professional development or training opportunities. if they have no drive to progress, it could be a sign that they’re not invested in their future at the company. Employees who are looking to move up within a company will usually jump at the chance to develop new skills or expand their knowledge base. If your employees aren’t taking advantage of these opportunities, it may be time to have a discussion about their long-term goals.

4. Not Contributing to Team Projects

In order for a team to be successful, every member needs to contribute their fair share. If you notice that an employee is shirking their responsibilities or not pulling their weight on team projects, it could be a sign that they don’t care about the company’s success anymore. It’s important to address this because it directly impacts the team’s ability to meet its goals. If you notice this happening, it’s important to have a conversation with the employee about their commitment to the team and the company as a whole.

Also address why they are not contributing as much. It may be that they feel their contributions are not being heard or valued- so what’s the point? Team leaders can offer support in team projects by staying in communication and being available when needed, but not smothering them. Too much pressure and little flexibility will drive them away. So, in order to retain staff and promote productivity, management should encourage and value their team’s contributions.

5. Less Engaged in Company Activities

If you notice your employees are pulling away from the team, they are not likely to engage in company events outside of their daily work as well. This could be a sign that they no longer mesh with the company culture or see a future where they are at. Look out for behaviors such as skipping team-building events, avoiding socializing with co-workers, or no longer volunteering for activities.

However, there are things you can do to get them re-engaged in company activities. Managers can try a variety of methods to encourage employee participation, including making sure employees have a clear understanding of the event’s purpose and how it will benefit them. When employees see that an event is relevant and beneficial to them personally, they are more likely to participate. Another way to encourage employee involvement is by offering incentives for attendance such as snacks, gift cards or extra time off. This can be a great way to motivate employees and get them engaged in company culture. With their buy-in, they are more likely to stay with the company longer.

 

As a manager, it’s important to keep an eye on employee morale so you can catch problems early on before they become bigger issues. Look out for these warnings signs such as increased absences, subpar work ethic, blowing off team responsibilities, and lack of engagement in company activities. If you notice any of these red flags, have an honest conversation with your employees about what’s going on and see if there’s anything you can do to help them feel more satisfied in their current role. This will help to improve their outlook and the team’s as well which will get productivity back on track.

Contact us or check out our services for more workplace solutions on employee retention.

Internal Marketing: What is it and How can you integrate it?

/in

One thing we can say with pride here at Award Staffing, is that we are very intentional about our internal marketing. As a company, we work hard to have an extraordinarily good company culture, as we want all of our employees to work well together and enjoy coming to work every day.

Our own experience, as well as a number of recent studies have continuously proven that organizations with a strong and positive company culture, have higher retention rates, more productivity, and a highly thought of brand reputation.

Most companies believe that as long as they pay a decent salary, provide a nice workspace, and ensure a comfortable, drama-free environment, that it’s automatically going to result in surpassing company ethos. While this is a good start, it takes an intentionally curated internal marketing strategy to form an atmosphere of overall workplace satisfaction.

Internal Marketing is the promotion of an organization’s values, mission, and purpose to its employees. Also called Employee Marketing, the goal is to sell your employees on the company to increase brand awareness and make sure that the people you hire are the right fit and feel a great sense of workplace satisfaction.

Some of the things we at Award do for Internal Marketing are:

  • Discuss and live by our core values of: work hard, have fun, and be nice
  • Have a weekly all-call over Zoom that recognizes recent employee accomplishments and includes a game of trivia and a “dad joke”
  • Casual Fridays
  • Spotlight employees on social media
  • Fun marketing campaigns for our quarterly service project that feature each employee and their individual contributions

Depending on the products or services you provide, it’s up to each individual company to determine what type Internal Marketing tactics are on-brand, and how they will go about integrating them into their model and work culture.

Here are a few of our recommendations for creating your own Internal Marketing Strategy:

1. Host Activities

A great way to break the ice and promote team building is by having weekly or bi-weekly, pressure-free activities that all employees can participate in. They can happen on-site or offsite, as long as they take place at a time that no one is working and don’t involve employees spending their own money. A game, a contest, or an employee social are all great options. It’s crucial that once you start doing these things that they continue, as they are something nearly everyone will look forward to. Hosting activities will also make new employees feel more comfortable with the team and encourage them to get to know their colleagues.

2. Reward Employees

Although everyone appreciates verbal recognition, if you want employees to truly feel valued, try offering tangible rewards. This can look like surprising them with coffee when they reach a certain goal, presenting them with a trophy or plaque to celebrate something they did, or buying their lunch one day. Just make sure that the rewards are consistent for everyone and that each employee has the same ability to earn them despite their position or department.

3. Address Issues and Take Requests into Consideration

The companies that are known for being a great place to work are the ones who genuinely care about what their employees have to say. There is nothing more frustrating than having an issue swept under the rug or sharing a request just to have it never brought up again. Check in with the individual(s) who brought something to your attention and when a new policy, procedure, etc. is implemented, make sure that all employees hear about it in a timely manner.

If your company is in need of employees, we at Award are here to help. Contact us with your staffing needs here.

How Much Are You Investing In Your Future?

/in

When running a business, investing in the future is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make. Though it can be easy to only be looking five feet in front of you, especially if you’re a startup or are in the middle of a rebrand; industries evolve quickly. Therefore, if you want to continue to keep up with your competitors and have a consistently lucrative enterprise, staying ahead of the game will be a key contributor in doing so.

If you were to take an honest audit of all of the things you presently do to invest in your business, how much would you be able to come up with? For continued growth and success, it’s imperative that as you take your audit you consider all facets of your company. When most people hear the word invest, they automatically think of the financial aspects of a venture or establishment. While that is most definitely a major segment of your business, there are multiple ways to invest in the future of your organization. Here are some:

Research and Development

There are a few ways you can approach this…You can hire an internal employee to do research whether it’s their entire job or part of their job. Or, you can work with a consulting company that specializes in your industry to keep you updated on the latest industry trends. This well help you forecast how the market will be in the coming months or years, which will give you the opportunity to plan and make adjustments accordingly. You may just find yourself with information that surprises you or that you didn’t know was even a topic of conversation within your industry. Even though having a designated employee or company to do your research and suggest modifications will be an upfront investment, it is an expense that help your company reach its 5 and 10 year plans.

 Process Improvement

When things are working out well as they are, the easiest thing to do is keep everything the same. However, this “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it mentality” could be holding you back from making even more progress day-to-day than you already are. It may be a good idea to look into other businesses and companies within your industry to see what platforms and tools they may be using that help them keep pace. It is always intimidating to change your systems if they have been successful up until now, along with time consuming as you and your team will have to learn everything from scratch. This is why you must look at the bigger picture and be open to adapting. You will produce results quicker, therefore drive more business if you transform your processes and protocols.

Integrate New Technology

In a technology based world, this is inevitable. Yes technology is expensive, but it is also created to eliminate unnecessary work and streamline functions that need to be constantly addressed. Because it is a large investment, it’s in your best interest to be strategic about the type of technology and programs you use. Different industries use different makes and models of computers depending on if they are more creativity based or data based. In a warehouse setting, some machinery may need to be upgraded every few years, while other machines on the market haven’t changed nearly at all. Communication platforms are evolving almost daily and there are constantly new apps and programs that allow you to communicate virtually within a workspace. If you work in a fast paced environment or a place with dozens to hundreds of employees, investing in some of these platforms will take a lot of weight off of your shoulders.

Investing in Your Employees

Every year, turnover and employee mistakes cost companies thousands of dollars. This is why it is absolutely vital to ensure good employee morale, especially among your most valuable team members. There are so many factors in ensuring your employee morale stays high, including: training, appreciation, company culture, and promotion. The key to ensuring employee morale is that things have to happen on an ongoing basis. It is not enough to have a team pep talk every two months, or promote a few employees a year and call it good. You must make things like employee continuing education and appreciation a part of your model. This means setting aside funds specifically for that. As and owner or manager, ask yourself questions like:

*Is the office/site a welcoming space where people want to come to work every day?

*Do we have an employee incentive program or monthly events to show appreciation for our employees?

*What opportunities do we currently offer to make sure employees feel adequately trained and/or like they are regularly learning new skills?

*Are we promoting from within and offering room for growth and pay raises in our company?

Your answers to these questions will determine what areas you currently excel at and what areas could use some changes to make certain you are continuously investing in your people.

All of these investments are going to require both time and money, but if you are in your business for the long-haul, such improvements will catapult you forward so that your business meets the long term vision.

If you or someone you know is looking for a job, we at Award Staffing are here to help. Check out our latest job opportunities here.

 

What is the Purpose Behind your Business?

/in

These days, everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than them.  Not only are customers and clients more likely to work with a business with a mission towards change, but we are also moving towards a Millennial and Gen-Z led workforce; and they are known as the purpose driven generations.  So what does it even mean to have a purpose behind your business? It means to regularly support or take action towards a cause other than your own products or services. Whether you have been in business for several decades or are in the midst of launching right now, it is always possible to incorporate an aligned mission into your company model. Believe it or not, purpose and profit are directly correlated. Therefore, as much as it may seem like adding a mission to your model creates more work just to net less, both your business and the community will benefit if you choose to do so.

“Purpose doesn’t make decisions easy, it makes them clear.”

It’s Not What You Sell: It’s What You Stand For

                                      -Roy Spence

When CEO’s and business owners make purpose a core piece of their organization, it can act as a compass for strategy and decisions including: who to hire, who to partner with, and what type of clients to work with. When everyone in the company is clear on what the business stands for (and doesn’t stand for), collective decisions, assessing opportunities, and innovating out of problems becomes easier. This empowers employees to make decisions without feeling the need to consult their manager first as they can be confident in knowing that it aligns with the company’s core values. Additionally, when you let your purpose guide your decisions, it will help steer you away from short-term thinking and scarcity mentality to focus on the overall picture and end goal.

Having a clearly defined purpose also builds your reputation as a company. When you become known in your local market as well as on a larger scale as a company with a calling, you’ll differentiate yourself from other brands and organizations by being seen as a corporation with a larger role in society. This will increase brand loyalty and make organizations as well as individuals more likely to recommend and endorse your services.

Furthermore, there are many other reasons why it is important for your business to have a purpose. Some examples are:

-Builds public trust

-Attracts top talent

-Drives strong work ethic and optimal work culture

-Improves business performance

-Gives the satisfaction of knowing you are contributing to the common good of the environment and/or society

So what are examples of a purpose behind a company? It can be carried out in a number of ways and doesn’t have to look like that of any other organization. Some examples are:

-Donating a percentage of all profits to a cause that aligns with your company

-Hosting monthly, quarterly, or yearly events that benefit an organization of your choice

-Partnering with a local corporation to help employ those in need

-Scheduling regular staff outings to volunteer in the community

-Becoming a pay-it-forward company

If you are an established or up-and-coming brand looking to integrate a purpose into your brand, here are some steps you can take to help you determine what it will be and how you will coalesce it into your business.

STEP 1: Examine the Core Values of Your Company

You will want to make sure that when you decide how and where you want to contribute that it is parallel with what your company’s values as a whole as well as what the non-negotiables are. This will help you establish whether or not you want to partner with another organization, how much and/or how often you’re going to contribute, and the type of cause(s) you want to be affiliated with.

STEP 2: Determine what Legacy You Want to Leave Behind

What does your company want to be known for? Although it is inevitable for the economy and workforce to evolve, your purpose can (and should) remain consistent. Even though it might be enticing to switch causes every so often, keeping it the same will give you something to be recognized by. It will make the company look more genuine as being passionate about a specific cause instead of half-heartedly contributing to any cause you can get involved in.

STEP 3: Set a Goal

What type of change does your company want to facilitate? To feed or clothe a certain number of people each year? To find X number of people a job every year? To raise a certain amount of money for the non-profit of your choice every event? To volunteer a certain amount of times within a year? Setting a goal will give you the ability to map out exactly how you’re going to follow-through with achieving it and gives employees a chance to see how they fit into the plan as well as gives them something to look forward to.

STEP 4: Combine the Goal with an Action Step

Now that you know what the goal is, put all of the necessary steps to reach it in place. This means; get in contact with the organization you want to partner with, set up what day each month the donations are going to come out of the account, book the space you’re going to host your benefit events, schedule the employee volunteer outings. Once all logistics are put into place, you can focus on achieving the goal you set by taking the action steps needed to bring it to fruition.

If your company is looking to bring in new talent, Award Staffing is here to help. Be sure to check out our services page and contact us here:

 

How to Attract Millennial Employees

/in

It is no secret that millennials have been changing the workforce for several years now. Back in 2016, they became the largest fraction of the U.S. workforce, making up over one-third of the working population. It is projected that by 2025, they will account for up to 75% of the working world, which means that if you want your business to continue successfully growing and operating, bringing millennials onto your team is essential.

Although there are commonly held stereotypes surrounding this generation and their work ethic, they are also known to be good communicators, positive change makers, and the most up-to-date on current information and technology. While they may be a generation of high expectations, if they feel they are being accommodated in the workplace and valued as employees, they will go beyond their due diligence to drive results within their company.

Because there is no scarcity of jobs in today’s market, millennials have the option to be particular about where they choose to work. Therefore, attracting them to your company will be an art in and of itself. Here are some of the fundamentals millennials search for when choosing a company to work for:

 

GOOD BENEFITS

Time and time again, surveys have shown that millennials prefer good benefit packages over pay increases. Due to reaching adulthood in a time of sky-high rents, five-figure student loan debt, and the rise of digital devices, despite a decent salary, millennials do not have the reserves to purchase their own benefits or pay high deductibles when it comes to their health nor put away large sums of money for their retirement plans. When posting a job ad, it is important to highlight your company’s medical benefits as well as non-monetary benefits such as PTO and flexible scheduling.

 

 PURPOSE

For the millennial generation, a job is no longer just about a paycheck. As Gen-Y is the generation that purchases from, promotes, and works for organizations that have objectives outside of high revenue and brand visibility, it is of your benefit as a company to implement a cause you are supporting somewhere into your business model. While past generations had the mentality of “show me the money”, millennials have the mentality of “show me the purpose”, with studies showing that over 75% of them would take a pay cut if it meant working for a company that demonstrated a desire for positive change and impact. This also means that you should emphasize ethical business practices and be completely transparent about company culture when recruiting for a position.

CAREER GROWTH

From the get-go, millennials want to know that they will have a career path to follow and about how long it will take them to advance. Known by the expression, “millennials want to matter”, this generation is much more likely to envision themselves with a company long-term if their professional life feels significant. In the interview process, be sure to articulate the different potential avenues of how they could move up should they perform well and choose to stay with the company. This could look like management trainee programs and upskilling employees to take on more responsibilities as they excel and feel more comfortable in their positions.

COMPANY CULTURE

This factor plays a huge role in attracting millennials to a position or corporation. More than any other generation, this group values their work environment and the people in it. Studies show that when asked, millennials rate company culture an 8.5 out of 10 in terms of importance. This includes things such as a comfortable workspace, a sense of community, good communication, core values, and having a voice within the company. Marketing a healthy company culture will not only attract top talent that is dependable and eager to perform, it will also retain the employees you already have and result in more productivity and high employee morale.

FLEXIBILITY

Millennial or not, no matter what the industry, most employees feel that a strict 9-5 workday is outdated. In fact, over 50% of employees say they wish their company was more flexible. While it can appear that people want flexibility out of laziness and self-interest, it is actually found that it reduces workplace stress which then results in more productivity. Although not all industries are able to offer flexibility in the form of working remotely, there are several ways to be flexible, such as offering unlimited PTO, being flexible with time in and time out, having a four day work week, and having a lenient dress code. Having a number of these options will not only improve employee wellbeing, but will also enhance your reputation as an employer.

 

 

As a top 150 workplace for 6-years in a row, we know the importance of creating a great environment to attract the right talent. If you are looking for a staffing partner that can help you showcase your job openings and company culture to rising talent, reach out to our account management team today!

Days When Your Employee are Most Likely to Quit

/in ,

We spend a lot of time talking to job seekers who aren’t happy with their current work. We hear a number of factors that can cause employees to look elsewhere. They might be unhappy with their compensation package; they might believe they are deserving of a different role; or, they might be looking to relocate to another city.

Most employers are aware of these reasons but may not realize that there are actually certain dates that can prompt an employee, even a seemingly happy one, to start looking elsewhere. These dates can vary in significance, but all serve the same purpose: they can cause employees to rethink their futures.

Know these days

Essentially, there are three major days that hiring managers should be on the lookout for if they are monitoring internal happiness:

  • • Class reunions
  • • Significant birthdays (such as turning 40 or 50)
  • • Work anniversaries

These dates all prompt measurable spikes in job hunting activity. The dates make sense when you think about it. Class reunions can prompt competition and networking with old peers. Significant birthdays encourage reconsidering life paths. Work anniversaries can indicate the easily missed passage of time.

It should come as no surprise that employees re-evaluate their status at these times and start considering their options. They may begin actively searching for a new opportunity. Fortunately, there are some easy and simple steps diligent hiring managers can take to ensure that they are keeping their talented workers with their own organization for the foreseeable future.

Pay attention to your teams

First, make sure that your HR team has dates like birthdays and work anniversaries on their radar. They have easy access to this information so it should be at the tops of their minds throughout the year. Creating a shareable online calendar specific to employee birthdays and anniversaries could be a good way to get everyone on the same page.

Additionally, your HR team should have an internal recruiter on staff, or have internal recruiting be one of the responsibilities of one of your team members. Companies that employ internal recruiters who inform existing employees of new opportunities within the organization report less turnover and significant savings, thanks to fewer searches that consume time and money at rapid rates. It is always far more efficient to keep existing employees on staff rather than seek new ones.

Show your appreciation

You want to make sure that you are expressing appreciation for employee contributions on a regular basis, not just in the face of notable anniversaries. Making this more consistent will make employees feel more comprehensively valued, as will emphasizing their progress in their roles over their time spent in them. Highlighting their skills and achievements rather than how many times the calendar has turned over will make them consider their own growth rather than just “time served” at a job.

Significant milestones in a person’s life can cause introspection, and your employees are no different. However, you can make sure that they spend this time appreciating their own achievements by emphasizing their progress and paying close attention to their needs and goals.

Are you looking to find the best talent for your company? Contact Award Staffing today to learn how we can help you reach your staffing goals.

5 Ways to Meet Your Employees’ Needs

/in ,

While we help companies to meet their staffing needs, we also hear a lot from companies about how they want to retain the great employees we help them find. Retention can sometimes be trickier than recruitment. Ultimately, retention is about meeting employees’ needs. The better you can meet an employee’s needs, the more likely you are to retain that employee.

Here are the most important needs you need to meet for your employees, ranked from most necessary to most fulfilling.

Basic needs

The purpose of employment is receiving money. People like to talk about all the other rewards they gain from their careers (more on that below), but at the end of the day everyone wants a paycheck. They rely on that paycheck for shelter, food, clothing and other necessities.

How can you better meet your employees’ basic needs? Reevaluate the pay scale. Consider whether what you’re paying could reasonably support an individual – or even better, a family – living in your area. Regularly examine your benefits package and who receives it to see if you can better support their health care. Healthy, well-fed employees with secure housing will perform much better for your business and your community.

Safety needs

While many jobs pay more for riskier jobs, employees work better when they can trust that their employer’s top priority is worker safety. There are many federal, state and local conditions that employers must obey, but workplaces should create a culture that puts safety ahead of profit.

Safety can also be psychological. Employees should feel safe to voice their feedback and needs without repercussions. No employee should not feel that they are at risk of harassment because of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, disability status or any other reason.

Social needs

When you ask your employees what their favorite part of working for your company is, what’s the answer? Hopefully, they say that they love their coworkers. Social networks are hugely important in improving job satisfaction. A positive work environment creates a feeling of belonging and trust that goes beyond helping employees do their daily work; it creates a positive feeling about their employer.

Employers should encourage employees to form positive relationships not just with each other, but also with clients, vendors, and management. Team building activities help employees blow off steam and bond with each other in different ways. Any negative interactions should be handled swiftly and directly to show employees that you encourage a positive culture.

Recognition needs

Recognizing employees for their hard work is a strong motivator. People like knowing that their hard work is noticed and appreciated. A regular award or campaign to highlight your best workers shows everyone that you value employee contributions. Titles, status, and raises are an even better way to show employees that you are invested in keeping their talent at your company.

Development needs

Employees who value professional development are the best kind to have at your company. These people will grow into your middle and upper management. It’s more cost-effective to train your employees from the ground-up rather than outside hiring. It can be challenging to meet this need if you aren’t well-suited for growth, but if you can you’ll be pleased with the results.

Curious about more ways you can recruit and retain the best talent? Talk to Award Staffing. We’re here to help you with all of your staffing needs.

Ways to Improve Company Culture to Increase Employee Engagement

/in

A company’s culture directly correlates with its employee engagement, so when one is lacking, the other has hindered success. There are numerous solutions that, when implemented, cultivate a strong culture to ultimately improve overall employee engagement. It can be as simple as defining core values, providing proper training for leaders, and implementing tech-based tools. Below are a few tips to enact these factors into a company’s organizational strategy to maintain a strong and engaged workforce.

Define Your Company’s Culture and Values

Only 12% of executives believe their companies are driving and defining the ‘right culture.’ Employers need to start with their core values or, in other words, the building blocks that determine how a company operates to reach predetermined goals. Core values help construct a workforce that aligns with the overall mission and vision of an organization. Employees who connect with their work and find purpose in their daily tasks have a better chance of remaining focused and motivated toward company goals. This engagement ultimately results in higher productivity and retention. 71% of employees interviewed for a recent study stated that communicating clear expectations was the key to improving engagement. Employers need to document core values in writing, whether in a handbook or digitally, to ensure they’re digestible and easily accessible to employees at all levels as the company grows and evolves.

Implement Tech-based Solutions

Employee engagement needs constant attention, making the implementation of tool-based solutions useful when maintaining information regarding engagement-related practices. A performance management solution within a human capital management software is a lucrative tool that allows employees to track their goals and progress on an ongoing basis. Tech-based tools, like instant messaging applications or social channels for company announcements, should also be adopted within an organizational strategy to allow open communication throughout all levels of a company. Strong, efficient communication allows employees to interact with one another regularly and creates the opportunity to recognize achievements. Peer-to-peer recognition often leads to higher engagement, motivating employees to strive for continued success in their role. Implementing tools to support this creates an open, appreciative, and connected workforce, all factors that construct a strong company culture.

Offer Leadership Training

Harnessing a culture that enforces positive employee engagement lies partly within a company’s leadership structure. Leaders who encourage and model engagement set an example and demonstrate a clear understanding of company values. A recent study found that 86% of employees within organizations that promote a strong culture feel their senior leadership listens to employees, compared with 70% of employees at organizations lacking strong culture. Leaders need to keep their employees involved, with their feedback providing viable glimpses into daily operations. Conduct employee surveys to get their unfiltered feedback and translate it into action, focusing on the largest pitfalls as well as successes relating to leadership in the organization.

Employers should seek new-leader feedback on the training process, with employee engagement applying to leaders as well. If they feel overwhelmed, ill-equipped, or unmotivated in their new role, it could cause poor performance for an entire team or department. Proper training is lucrative to leaders being able to properly support culture and gear the company towards success.

Ensure long-term success

Set quarterly goals to maintain, improve, and benchmark progress in relation to culture. Benchmarking makes it easy to see pain points more efficiently and helps employers determine what needs improvement as the company evolves and changes. What new values need to be devised to match changing demands internally and externally? What is working within the company’s culture strategy that sustains positive employee engagement? What is hindering it from being sustainable? With these questions routinely answered, actions can be taken to ensure continuous improvement.

Make routine feedback a quarterly goal as well to ensure right-from-the-source information regarding engagement amongst employees. Culture needs to evolve to align with changing employee demands and goals. Ensure feedback initiatives cover all levels of the organization to get a full scope of how the company can grow forward in order to remain relevant, keep employees engaged, and stay connected with their workforce.

If your business is in need of help of improving your company culture with quality talent? Reach out to Award Staffing’s account management team today!

Beyond Incentives and Bonuses

/in

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.

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