Employee Retention - The Advance Group

Advance Staffing Solutions Can Help You Succeed in the New Year

Raza Rauf on December 31, 2015

Employers in the northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan regions – listen up! 2016 can be an outstanding year for your staffing and recruitment goals. Maybe last year wasn’t so stellar and you have discovered some skill gaps, have lost a few great employees, or are ready to expand operations now. There’s no need to go it alone. Advance Staffing Solutions has the solutions to help your organization succeed in the New Year.

Here’s a rundown of the recruitment services and support we offer at Advance Staffing Solutions:

• 24/7 live staffing support from a team of experienced and committed recruitment professionals. Your business doesn’t top at 5 pm, so why settle for anything less?
• On-demand staffing support for short term and long term needs. Got a staffing emergency or need last minute help for a special project? No problem – just get in touch!
• Let us send a staffing coordinator to work onsite to manage your temporary workforce. No more worry over how to augment your current team with temps – we can handle all the responsibility for you.
• Strategic support for your human resource functions. When you outsource to Advance Staffing Solutions, you can count on us to help you streamline your HR operations so that you get the maximum ROI.
• Human resources consulting is just a phone call away. Advance Staffing Solutions offers HR consulting and guidance on any area of your personnel department. From workforce training and optimizing skills to recruitment, retention and employee engagement support – we can handle it all.
• Candidate screening is our specialty. Advance Staffing Solutions pre-screens all candidates using a secure system and we have risk management in mind. Our process includes resume screening, interviewing, personal background checks, skills testing, reference checks, criminal check, and drug and alcohol testing. We can even coordinate your interview schedule.
• Outplacement services for departing employees are simple. Advance Staffing Solutions offers career counseling, testing, assessments, training, interview coaching, and referrals to help employees who are leaving to prepare for their next career adventure.
• Professional Employer Organization (PEO) and payroll management is a snap. We can provide payroll and benefit administration services to your company, so that the liability is shouldered by our company and not yours.
• Flexible staffing solutions include direct placement, temp to perm, and temporary assistance. Let us source and screen the perfect candidates for your company so that you can reach corporate goals this year.

Get in touch with the caring staffing professionals at Advance Staffing Solutions today for more information about these services and more.

5 Workplace Habits to Stop in Their Tracks Before 2016

Raza Rauf on December 15, 2015

If 2016 іѕ gоіng tо bе уоur year, thеn gеt ѕеrіоuѕ аbоut fixing bad career аnd workplace habits thаt аrе dragging уоu down. Yоu mіght bе reading thіѕ аnd thinking аbоut ѕоmе оf thе rеаllу annoying habits оf уоur fellow co-workers, but thе truth is, you’re рrоbаblу guilty оf ѕоmе bad habits, too.

Whаtеvеr thе case, it’s time tо break thоѕе bad habits, bесаuѕе whеthеr уоu bеlіеvе іt оr not, they’re mоѕt lіkеlу effecting уоur work. Hеrе аrе five оf thе workplace bad habits уоu muѕt stop.

1 – Stop Procrastinating: Almоѕt еvеrуоnе dоеѕ іt аt ѕоmе point, but procrastinating іѕ а habit thаt іѕ hurting bоth уоu аnd уоur co-workers. Learn tо bе mоrе proactive, еѕресіаllу оn assignments thаt impact оthеrѕ оn уоur team оr thе greater population оf уоur company. You’ll bе lеѕѕ stressed аnd ultimately mоrе successful.

2 – Stop Coming Late: Yоu nеvеr wаnt tо bе late whеn іt соmеѕ tо уоur career. Showing uр late іѕ а horrible habit thаt mаkеѕ уоu ѕееm unreliable. In interviews, meetings, conferences оr еvеn fоr уоur day-to-day schedule, уоu ѕhоuld аlwауѕ arrive оn time. In fact, aim tо show uр tо work оr meetings 5–10 minutes early. A flex window lіkе thіѕ wіll account fоr unanticipated obstacles, whіlе ѕtіll gеttіng уоu tо whеrе уоu nееd tо be on time.

3 – Stop thе Loud Calling: Thе Loud Caller іѕ аlѕо noisy аnd mаkеѕ іt extremely hard tо concentrate. Yоu аlwауѕ nееd tо bе aware оf уоur surroundings whеn making phone calls, еѕресіаllу whеn you’re іn close proximity tо уоur co-workers. Watch уоur volume аnd thе length оf уоur calls. If it’s gоіng tо lаѕt а long time, trу tаkіng thе call іn а conference room оr ѕоmеwhеrе thаt won’t bother others. If it’s nоt work related, tаkе іt outside.

4 – Stop Complaining оr whining: It doesn’t matter іf you’re upset аbоut work оr уоur personal life, уоu ѕhоuld nоt complain аbоut іt іn thе workplace. Mоѕt people don’t care, аnd уоur peers wіll start tо ѕее уоu аѕ а negative person. Cut оut thе gossip аnd uѕе work time fоr work.

5 – Stop thе Noise: There’s nоthіng worse thаn sitting nеxt tо ѕоmеоnе who’s loud аnd оthеrwіѕе obtrusive. Pen tapping, chair swiveling, foot kicking аnd excessive conversations саn drive аnуоnе crazy. Trу tо bе mоrе aware оf thе noises уоu create thrоughоut thе day, аnd you’ll avoid aggravating уоur peers.

Thеrе аrе ѕоmе оthеr bad habits іn thе workplace. Yоu knоw уоurѕеlf better, check уоurѕеlf аnd figure оut whаt уоu nееd tо dо tо break them. Bесоmіng а bеttеr co-worker аnd аn employee wіth fеwеr bad habits wіll аllоw уоu tо reach nеw heights іn уоur career аnd іn уоur professional relationships.

What To Do When You’re Suddenly Promoted to Leadership

Raza Rauf on November 30, 2015

The vast majority of people out in the workforce take a job that they hope will give them the opportunity to advance. Everyone wants to be rewarded for their hard work, and being promoted to leadership is one sure sign that you are doing something right. For some people, that promotion to a leadership role can come at a bit of a cost, as they become concerned about how to lead the people that they were on the same level as the day before. Feelings of guilt can creep in, and it can affect their overall performance. You have to remember that you are there for a good reason, and use that to make the decisions that will make everyone quickly respect you.

The first thing that you have to do is let your team know that you have been given the promotion.

There are sure to be co-workers whom you like better than others, or that you have a better relationship with, but it’s important that you deliver the message to the group at the same time. Telling one or two people and then having the news slowly spread may make it appear as though you are going to play favorites or lay your trust in just one or two people. Call a group meeting and deliver the message to everyone.

Calm the naysayers on your team.

There are going to be some team’s members that are happy for you, but there are also going to be one or two who believe that they should have had the promotion instead of you. The goal is to have everyone on your side, which means you need to take time to talk to each team member individually. Ask them straight out if you can count on their support, and if you sense any sort of reluctance, as what you can do to get them on your side. Helping these people adjust to the change will show that you are a leader who can be trusted.

You don’t want to be viewed as weak right from the start, so don’t treat employees with kid gloves just because you were given the promotion instead of them. Make it crystal clear what is expected from each individual, and then let them know that you are there to support them every step of the way. The more support that you offer, the quicker they are going to get behind you in what you are trying to accomplish in your leadership role.

Finally, encourage your employees as much as you can, but don’t immediately cave in to their requests.

Some employees will feel that they can come to you and let you know what they want because of your previous relationship. By all means, listen to their needs and concerns, but also make it clear that you simply cannot implement every new idea that crosses your desk. Take the time to listen to and consider everything that is put on the table, but only implement those that you believe will benefit the group as a whole.

Team-Building Activities to Bring Your Workforce Closer Around the Holidays

Raza Rauf on November 16, 2015

With all the cheerful spirits and excitement, the holiday season is the perfect time to bring your team together for some bonding. It can also be an opportune time to plan some team-building activities that bring the workplace closer around the holiday months. Just before you send them off for a few days with their friends and family, here are some activity ideas to try around the most wonderful season of all.

Secret Santa

One of the most popular team activities to do during the holiday months is a “Secret Santa” gift exchange. Have a team luncheon and then draw names out of a hat. Each person must buy or make three small gifts for their person and deliver them secretly to their desk or office by the last day of work before the holiday break. This is a meaningful way for people to connect with each other and get to know each other throughout the season.

Indoor Winter Olympics

It may be cold outside, but baby it’s fun in the office! Transform your cubicles and hallways and break rooms to full game areas for indoor bowling, shuffleboard, hide and seek, and more. If you are in an area that allows outside play, turn the parking lot into an obstacle course, have some basketball or volleyball games, tug of war, and relay races.

Decorate-o-rama

The holidays are a great time to celebrate diversity of cultures and holiday festivities. Encourage employees to decorate their offices in a departmental theme, and then have a contest to judge the best decorations, the funniest decorations, the weirdest and the most original ideas. Have a potluck dinner to hand out prizes to the winning teams.

Survivor Office

This is a fun role-playing game that can bring out the best in people. Make up a scenario about your office being in the middle of a disaster and no one can leave the building for the day. Give each department a list of “survival” items they need to find around the office, and activities at stations they must do for food, shelter and water. Encourage employees to problem solve and work together to survive the next eight hours.

Stay safe and have fun with the above holiday team building activities for your employees this year.

Why Resilience Is a Sought-After Job Skill

Raza Rauf on October 27, 2015

If you’ve spent a long time searching for a job, you know how important resilience is as a personality trait. Being able to hang in there and bend as things change can also help you in any career you choose. In fact, this is a trait that is often sought after by hiring companies. Learn how demonstrating resilience can support your journey towards a wonderful job and career, and how to develop this trait.

Waiting is just a part of being an adult

Being resilient is a trait that adults develop over time and experience. If you can be patient, wait for the right moment, and bounce back when things don’t go the way you expect, you are most likely a well-adjusted adult. This is a good sign. Be ready to talk about circumstances where you were able to demonstrate resilience on a job.

Resilience is a trait all leaders have

Think about some of the leaders of industry you’ve heard or read about: The one character trait they’ve all had was the ability to be resilient in the face of the impossible. Want some inspiration? Read about Richard Branson, the Founder and CEO of Virgin Airlines, or Henry Ford, the Founder of Ford Motors. They failed over and over again, but eventually they found amazing success.

Employers are looking for loyal employees

Another reason to develop and demonstrate resilience as a work trait is that employers want to hire people for the long term. They invest much in recruitment costs and efforts, therefore if they can keep an employee on board for a while, they’ve earned a nice return on this investment. Resilience shows you have what it takes to stick it out, even when things become a challenge.

Make sure you highlight and explain key examples of times when you have been resilient. And also be prepared to show this on your resume. Being resilient also means keeping up with your job search and treating it like a job, taking on temp assignments, and staying active in the business world.

Can You Afford Employee Recognition? (You Can’t Afford Not to!)

Raza Rauf on September 30, 2015

Employee recognition is such an important part of the business world today because it shows employees how much their time and effort are valued by their employer. It is such a valuable aspect of doing business that companies really cannot afford not to perform employee recognition in one form or another. You do not have to spend a ton of money to get your point across, but you definitely cannot ignore employee recognition either.

Think Outside the Box

One of the best ways to perform employee recognition is by thinking outside the box. With this method, you might have to spend a little bit more money than any other methods, but it will be well worth it. Get to know your employees inside and out so that when it comes time to reward someone, you know how to impress them. Learn who their favorite band is or favorite sports team and find a way to get the employee two tickets to a concert or game to show them how much you appreciate their hard work.

Reward Extra Time Off

Since a major discussion these days is work-life balance, why not consider rewarding extra time off for employees who have earned it? Employees don’t want to spend every waking minute sitting in the office. They want to enjoy life with family and friends as much as possible. Give an employee who performs well an extra day off or the ability to work from home at their choosing for a month.

Offer Opportunities for Growth

If you really want to show an employee how much they are valued, provide them with opportunities for growth within the company. This includes reimbursing them for a training session they attended, a conference they took part in or a seminar they visited. You can also assign them more high-profile projects to work on if their previous project work was exemplary. All of these methods will give the employee the recognition they deserve.

Day Out on the Town

Small businesses can do this more than large businesses since they have a smaller group of employees. If your team recently completed a major project or hit a milestone, consider going out as a group at the expense of the company. Go see a movie, attend a ballgame or even go shopping at the outlets together.

Employee recognition is not something to ignore. Your employees put in a ton of time each week and should be rewarded for a job well done.

Exit Interviews: Do you know why your employees are leaving?

Raza Rauf on September 24, 2015

Employees leave companies for many different reasons, but sometimes the HR team won’t be able to explain why past employees left. In some cases, employees leave for better advancement opportunities or because they are not happy with their current employer. The only way a company can know or learn why employees are leaving is by taking advantage of the exit interview, and then learning from this feedback.

Encourage Honesty

The next time you hold an exit interview, make sure you encourage honesty on the part of the employee who is leaving the company. Few employees will be brutally honesty during an exit interview, especially when leaving smaller companies, because they do not want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Try to encourage honesty as much as possible so the employee explains the exact reasons why they decided to leave.

Ask These Questions

The following questions should be asked of the employee during an exit interview:

What will you get from your new employer that you didn’t get from us?
How do you feel things went here for you?
How are your career goals being fulfilled at your new job?
Can you give us any suggestions for improvement?
Would you like to be notified of any opportunities here in the future?
Is there anything we could have done to prevent you from leaving?
In what areas did we come up short?

Reveal Undiscovered Problems

For all you know, there could be some major problems hiding at your company. The only way you can find out about these problems is via the exit interview. The questions from the previous section could help to reveal these problems, which could include issues with the culture and competition that continues to aggressively recruit your talent. An outgoing employee will be able to shed light on these issues and much more if you ask the right questions and encourage honesty.

Make Appropriate Changes

Once you conduct the exit interview, you should begin to make appropriate changes to the company. This could include improving the company’s culture, offering better benefits, increasing salaries and offering more opportunities for advancement.

Companies need to know why their employees leave for other opportunities. They also need to know if an issue at the office led to the employee searching for a new job. The exit interview is the perfect time to find out this information.

The Secret Key to Employee Development

Raza Rauf on September 15, 2015

Employee development is an important part of a business being successful, and it is also a hot topic right now. Companies are constantly looking for new ways to develop their employees into leaders, so they can promote them to management positions. Having employees who can move up the corporate ladder at the same company is a major goal of companies today. There is a secret key to employee development that can help almost any company solve this problem.

Change the Employee Performance Review

A common way to improve employee development at your company is to change the employee performance review. You do not have to change the review entirely, but it should be edited or altered in a way that the review is not just about evaluating the employee.

Even though most of a performance review involves discussing what the employee did wrong, or needs to improve upon, it also includes discussing what the employee did correctly. During the part of the evaluation where you discuss the positive aspects of the employee’s performance, be sure to talk about how they can develop within your company.

What’s In It for the Employee?

If you are considering changing the employee performance review, you must ask this question: What’s in it for the employee? Based on the job the employee has now, the track they can take within your organization, and how much experience they have, you can now determine the best method of development for the employee.

Tell employees during their review that the company is dedicated to their development and will help them develop in their career. Have a plan ready to discuss, because the employee is going to want to know what’s in it for them. The employee will want to learn something right now that they will be able to keep with them and use the rest of their career.

Find Out What the Employee Wants

Another option you have during the performance review is to find out what the employee wants. Maybe they have been thinking about career development and have an idea, but have not spoken up about it yet. If this is the case, the employee will be able to discuss their development idea with management or HR during the performance review. It is quite possible that the idea the employee has is right in line with the plan the company wants to implement.

In order to better develop your employees, think about changing the performance review to include discussions about development with each employee. Outline goals during the discussion and make sure employees know they are valued.

Where Are All the Temps Going? How to Make a Hiring Plan After Peak Season

Raza Rauf on September 8, 2015

As the busy season comes to a close, seasonal and temporary employees may be leaving to head back to college or to take other permanent jobs. This can reduce your staff dramatically, which can take a toll on the business and the employees who are left behind. How can you design a hiring plan after the peak season that supports year-round growth and new opportunities to bring on at least a portion of your temps? Here are some helpful tips to accomplish this.

1. Communicate with your temp agency in advance of your hiring goals

The sooner you can let your temporary agency know you intend to hire some of your seasonal workers on permanently, the better. This helps the temp agency screen all employees to find out if they are looking for something for now or for the long term.

2. Provide rewarding projects that challenge seasonal workers

One of the ways to identify employees who may be suitable for long-term hiring needs is to assign tasks and projects that challenge them. This often brings out the leaders in each group of temps, who may be looking for better work opportunities in the future.

3. Understand the skill and knowledge gaps you have

Your seasonal employees may possess the right skills and knowledge that you need to plan your staffing after the peak season passes by. Conduct a thorough analysis of the present skills of your team to find out where there are gaps. Then offer employment opportunities to your seasonal workers who have the right skills to close these gaps.

4. Offer to rehire seasonal workers for next year

You can plan your hiring by offering to rehire the seasonal workers who perform well and who express an interest in coming back again next year. Consider that some of your seasonal workers will be college students who will be looking for careers once they graduate. The sooner you can get them to commit to coming back, the better for your business.

5. Give seasonal workers an incentive to stay employed

If you want to hire at least a portion of your seasonal workers who have done well, you can also offer a sign-on bonus for those who accept permanent placement with your company. Try offering some employment perks too, like benefits and a new office environment to work in.

Use the above tips to help retain your best seasonal workers and boost your company growth as part of a smart recruitment plan. You can secure top seasonal and temp workers from Advance Staffing Solutions.

Your Perfect Hire is a Special Bond – How to Nurture It

Raza Rauf on August 27, 2015

It is not often that a company comes across a perfect hire, but when it does, it is important to nurture the relationship with that hire from the start. The company must build a bond, making it as strong as possible, so the employee stays with the company for the long haul. Nurturing the relationship with a perfect hire can be tricky, but it can be done.

Here, we will discuss three great ways for your company to nurture their relationship with a perfect hire.

1. Share Mutual Passions with the Employee

The old adage “opposites attract” really does not apply when a company is looking for the perfect hire. Companies rely on their employees having the same values and beliefs when it comes to business in order to succeed. When employees do not share the same views as the company, the culture and bottom line will suffer. Because of this, companies must look for employees who share like passions in order to turn them into perfect hires.

In terms of sharing like passions, two important ones are culture and the job opportunity. This can be determined during the job interview. If the candidate does not show enthusiasm for the job, they likely won’t change if hired. The same can be said for the office culture. If the candidate does not seem receptive to the company culture now, there’s a strong chance it will remain the same if hired.

2. Paint a Realistic Picture of the Company

The job interview is the first time you will present your company to a potential employee. It might make you a little nervous at first, but the more realistic a picture you paint, the more receptive the candidate will be to what you have to offer. As the interviewer, you cannot lie about the company or the job because eventually the truth will be set free. If you put on a front or lie, the candidate will likely decline your job offer and even warn others about applying in the future.

3. Seek the Whole Truth

Do your best to seek the truth when screening job candidates. This will help you down the road when cultivating relationships with any perfect hires. It is not uncommon for job seekers to tell tiny lies on their resumes or in their cover letters. You can check their honesty by looking into their social media profiles and other information found on the Internet. If none of it matches up, then you have an issue with honesty. If the candidate boasts how strong their communications skills are, and they submit a strong video resume, then you likely found a truthful candidate.

As you can see, it takes quite a bit to cultivate a relationship with a perfect hire, but the steps are well worth the positive outcome. By making this effort, your company will reap the rewards of a long and positive working relationship with your new hire and will get a good ROI from this.

Making Temporary Employees Feel Welcome in Your Workplace

Raza Rauf on August 13, 2015

Why do many temporary employees feel awkward and unwanted on the job? Temporary employees generally don’t receive the same attention that permanent hires get, because they are here one day, gone the next. Managers and employees view them as, well, temporary — so no one takes the time to welcome them to the company. Many temps arrive on their first day and get little more than a second glance from other employees.

The problem with this is that the company is losing out on the productivity and performance that a temporary employee can provide if they are made to feel welcome. Investing in an onboarding process for temps is important to the success of an organization. In fact, a temp could become your next great hire so making a positive impression on them from day-one is good for your business.

Here are some ways to make temp employees feel more welcome and valued in your workplace.

Host a temporary orientation session
Just because someone may be only working for a short period of time for your organization, it’s not OK to skimp on a formal orientation. On the first day of contract work, greet the temp at the front door, show them around the workplace, introduce them to a few key people, and then guide them to an orientation room. If you can group a few temps together, this is even better. Go over the company background, the temp assignment requirements and any special company rules and guidelines.
Assign a team mentor
For each temp employee, you should assign a more-seasoned employee who can help support this transition into working for your company. This person will be a mentor and will be training the temp on the basic tasks of the assignment for the first few days. Then the mentor will check the temp’s work, give appropriate feedback, and report the progress to the immediate supervisor. Other employees can help this process too, by providing positive feedback and praise to the temp.
Provide a welcoming work environment
The work environment has as much to do with the temporary employee’s experience. Create a welcoming area for the temp between or near other friendly employees. Give the temp a clean and clutter-free workstation. Encourage the temp to decorate their work space as they like, to give it a personal touch. Provide a comfortable chair, good lighting, and an ergonomic work surface for completing tasks. Have all technology ready to use, company office supplies handy, and a special handbook waiting on their desk to welcome them to their new job.
Offer the temp a free lunch on the first day
Temps often feel strange about eating lunch on their first day on the job, so you can lessen their worries by offering a free catered lunch to your new worker. Breaking bread with your temps can also help to make others feel welcomed and comfortable. Make it a point to help the temp feel included in any group lunches or outings from here on out, too.
Check in daily with each temporary employee
To help the temp employee to feel welcomed and supported, touch base in person or by phone at least once a day near the end of the shift. Over time, decrease this to once a week and as needed. The temporary employee will be glad to report their work, ask questions, and get help if needed. This makes them feel welcomed and part of the company objectives.

Need help onboarding temps at your workplace? Let Advance Staffing Solutions do the hard work for you, and you can reap all the benefits of top-notch temporary employees!

You’re Losing Top Talent Because…

Raza Rauf on August 7, 2015

A certain amount of employee turnover is to be expected, particularly in tough industries that chew up and spit out people on a regular basis. But, when turnover rates remain high or become unusually high; there’s a problem. As a human resource or recruitment professional engaged in the active pursuit of talent, the issue of losing top talent can become a frustrating and costly issue.

Asking yourself why you are losing top talent to the competition? Here’s some of the hidden reasons this may be happening.

Not offering the best possible compensation

The number one reason why employees leave companies, according to workforce surveys, is because they do not believe they are being paid fairly. To prevent the loss of your best talent, make sure that all job types are matched to current salary surveys for the skills, knowledge, and region they exist. Provide above-industry benefits and other perks of employment.

Did not use an onboarding process

Not having a formal onboarding process for new hires is a recipe for disaster. It sets employees up for failure, even months after they are working for your company, because they feel lost and have no clear direction. If you match employees up with more seasoned employees, after a brief onboarding week, your talent is less likely to slip through the cracks. The extra bonus is that they can be more productive sooner.

Forgot to prepare managers to do their jobs well

People often leave companies over conflicts with managers and team leaders. When this is the case, and they do not feel supported by a manager who is interested in their career success, the only alternative is to seek employment elsewhere. To prevent losing talent this way, provide career training for managers on a continual basis, and have an open-door policy for mediating any employee and management problems in a safe environment.

Neglected to provide promotional opportunities

Most working professionals want to move up the corporate ladder. If you want to keep good people, then it seems like a no-brainer to provide opportunities to be promoted into higher positions in the organization. Not doing this well? Then it’s probably in your best interest to start doing some succession planning efforts around the workplace.

The company mission statement is out of sync with the culture

Perhaps your employees are leaving because what they thought was a good match for their work style, based on your corporate culture, is really not the case? Take a good long look at what your mission statement and vision is about, then evaluate whether or not your corporate culture fits into this context. If not, it could be time to survey your employees to come up with better ways of communicating and promoting the work culture that fits the mission of your company.