5 Ways to Become a Successful Workplace Leader

HMG Success on March 24, 2017

Being a successful leader involves a combination of skills and abilities. It also requires practice and dedication. While many organizations try to champion unconventional approaches in the office, there are certain guidelines that are known to create results. So, before you throw the entire rulebook out of the window, here are some you should consider keeping.

1. Don’t Overthink the Trivial

Often, those in leadership positions find themselves stressing the minutia of life. Everything from wardrobe choices, breakfast selection, and which route to take to work requires you to make a decision. And focusing on decisions that don’t really matter may make it more difficult to focus on those that do.

Instead of wasting time and energy on issues such as those mentioned above, consider automating these parts of your life. Preselect your outfits for an entire week, so you don’t have to consider them every day. You can also stick to the same breakfast and commuting choices. By removing the inconsequential decisions from your day-to-day, you can let your brain focus on more important matters instead.

2. Don’t Fear Failure

While we would all rather succeed than fail, failure is often a great source of learning in business. Additionally, it means you are open to risk. Ultimately, personal and business growth require us to consider making changes, and that automatically comes with the risk of failure. So, before you say no because of what might go wrong, consider what can be learned if the worst does happen. Then, you might find that while the risk exists, the outcome isn’t as bad as you may think.

3. Encourage Constructive Criticism

Another path to growth is through the acceptance of constructive criticism. However, it isn’t always easy as a leader to get that kind of feedback. So, instead of just hoping those around you will contribute to these conversations, consider direct solicitations. If you approach other employees by making it clear you are looking to make sure the outcome of a project is ideal, and that you want input that could lead to positive change, you may find they are more open to providing the kind of feedback you need.

4. Ask with Confidence

If there is something you need, ask for it. Many people have this illusion in their minds that leaders never ask for assistance, but that simply isn’t the case. Sometimes, you have to approach others and simply go after the support you need, be that a helping hand, more equipment, or additional funding.

Your worst case scenario is that they’ll say no, and that means you are simply in the same position as before. But if they say yes, you have the opportunity to move forward, and that is often the biggest goal.

5. Have a Life

Being a leader doesn’t mean giving up your entire life to work. Instead, strong leaders need to prioritize having time away from work to relax and recharge. Overall, taking time for yourself will make you a more effective leader than if you allow stress to build and never provide an outlet.

If you are looking for ways to become a successful workplace leader or are searching for a new employee, The Advance Group is here is assist. Simply contact us and let us know what we can do for your company. We will be glad to help you reach your goals.

What Are the Best IT Employees Looking For?

HMG Success on February 24, 2017

A business is only as good as the people it hires. So, it’s no wonder that every company wants to find the best IT employees available. But what exactly attracts the best IT professionals to an organization? The answer may surprise you.

A Challenge

The best and the brightest IT employees want to solve challenging problems. It keeps them engaged in the workplace and gives them an opportunity to flex their creative problem-solving muscles.

One of the biggest factors that lead talented employees to look for new opportunities is boredom. While every day isn’t going to be laden with the troubles of the world, having regular opportunities to think outside the box will keep them interested long term.

However, it is important that the challenge not be solely an issue of volume. Having more work than any person can reasonably keep up with will just breed frustration. Creating a challenge isn’t about working your IT professionals to death, it about letting them use their skills in new or unconventional ways.

Flexibility

Flexible schedules are becoming more common, especially as potential employers work to lure in the best IT employees. Nontraditional hours, compressed weeks, remote worker options, or a combination of all three can help attract candidates that value work-life balance as much as their career. Flexibility is becoming a new standard in the workplace, and failing to get onboard could lead skilled employees to look for opportunities elsewhere.

Training and Education

Your most driven employees have big plans for their careers and, if you choose to be a part of that plan, you can retain top performers longer. Whether you offer traditional training options, educational incentives, mentoring and job shadowing options, or simple cross-training opportunities, giving them a chance to grow in their career will give them the incentive to stay with your organizations. Superstar workers likely don’t see their current position as the endpoint of their career, so it’s better to work with that then fight against it.

Updated Technology

You won’t keep the best IT workers if your tech isn’t up with the times. While you don’t have to embrace every new tool or technology that comes around, it is important that your current solutions are reasonably modern. Cloud-solutions, mobile technology, and updated software options are all critical to when you are looking to hire the cream of the crop. So, if your office computers still feature Windows XP or your idea of mobile technology is limited to a source of email on the go, you might find it hard to attract younger professionals in the current job market.

Competitive Compensation

Regardless of what else you have to offer, if you don’t have a competitive compensation package, you are going to miss out. Do some research and see what similar employees are being offered by your competitors and then make sure you are operating in the same ballpark. While salary isn’t the only factor in deciding whether to accept a job offer, it is always a factor.

If you are looking to hire a new IT professional for your business, The Advance Group has the industry knowledge and hiring expertise to find you ideal candidates for your needs. Contact us today and put us to work for you.

Get Your New Staff Up to Speed in 2017

HMG Success on February 17, 2017

One you’ve selected a candidate and they arrive for their first day on the job, the hard part is done, right? Nope, not even close.

Onboarding new employees properly is a key step to their ultimate success in the workplace, and it is surprisingly easy to get wrong. If you want your new staff to get up to speed as efficiently as possible, integrate these tips into your new employee onboarding process.

Avoid Quick Judgments

Think back to the last time you started a position with a new company. How long did it take you to feel confident in your daily work? A month? Six months? A year?

Some companies operate under the idea that a new employee should be completely comfortable in as little as two weeks. And, normally, that just isn’t enough time to determine an employee’s likelihood of success over the long term.

Instead of rushing to judgment regarding their capabilities, see those first few months as investments in their development, especially if the position is entry-level. Set goals regarding how their abilities should grow, and create training opportunities around meeting those goals. By creating a larger plan, it is easier to see how long it should actually take for all of your expectations to be met.

Help Them Connect to the Mission

It can be hard for new employees to see how their work fits into the larger picture. But not having that sense of larger purpose can actually be very harmful to morale.

Instead of leaving new employees floundering as they try and figure out how their work fits in, help them learn about how everything comes together. Introduce them to the people their work supports, and let them know how that work furthers the mission. It’s also useful to share success stories about the company’s work so that the end results are easier to grasp.

Recognize Achievements

As the employee begins to pick up new tasks and make progress through training plans, make sure and acknowledge their effort. By letting them know that you see their effort, you help them build confidence in their new positions and can help encourage additional development in the future.

Employees that feel acknowledge are often more productive. And that, when that is applied to an employee going through the onboarding process, can help motivate them to push through what can be a challenging time.

This also opens the door to have conversations about any challenges they are facing. Often, it is easier to discuss problem areas when you feel that your hard work is otherwise recognized, which may make them more comfortable when it comes time to ask for help.

Learn from Your Mistakes

As you work on the onboarding process, it is likely you’ll try some techniques that work while others simply don’t. Just as it takes some trial and error to learn a new job, the same can be said for creating the ideal onboarding process. So, give yourself the time it takes to work out the kinks, and you’ll end up with a system you can build on for years to come.

If you’re looking for your next new employee for 2017, The Advance Group is here to help. Contact us and speak with one of your professional recruiters about your hiring needs today.

Are Top Candidates Slipping Out of Your Grasp?

HMG Success on February 3, 2017

You’ve read through mountains of resumes and applications and left messages to schedule interviews. Sometimes, you’ve even conducted the interviews and began the second round or even made a job offer. And, then, nothing. It’s as if the candidate has just disappeared. No returned phone call, no cancellation email, just gone.

Having top candidates just dissolve into the ether leaves hiring managers with a lot of questions, especially if they thought the person could be the ideal employee. And that makes finding out what is happening even more important. While not every candidate ceases contact for the same reason, there are certain factors that increase the odds. If more candidates seem to be vanishing into thin air, here are some common reasons that may be driving their decision.

You Disappeared First

Candidates have expectations regarding communication, just as you do. If you fall short of their expectations, they may simply write off the opportunity as a wasted venture. When a person applies for a position, they often expect certain responses as the process moves forward. This includes a quick note that the application was received, updates regarding any progress, contact after interviews if they weren’t selected and more.

If your company is falling short in these areas, top candidates may lose interest in potentially working for your company. And, sometimes, that means they simply won’t respond when you do finally reach out.

Your Process is Slow

Unemployment numbers are low, but hiring processes haven’t been streamlined to compensate for the high competition for top candidates. If an applicant is truly talented, possessing the right combination of knowledge and experience, then demand for them will be high. And, if they have a particularly hard to find skill set, your competitors might be considering them too.

If your process moves too slowly, you may miss out on these candidates for numerous reasons. First, they may get an offer from another company. Once that happens, some job seekers simply remove themselves from the job market and just stop responding to other offers.

Second, some candidates see a slow process as a sign about how your company manages other internal practices. They may question the level of organization surrounding the hiring process, or how much of a priority the position actually is. Others will see it as a sign that they might not be an ideal candidate, and that your silence is a sign that you aren’t interested. Then, even if you call, the applicant may have concerns that they were chosen as a last resort.

While you can’t accelerate through all portions of the process, keeping candidates informed can help compensate for the delays. Open communication lets the applicant know that you appreciate their effort and that they are still in contention. Granted, it might not prevent them from accepting another offer, but it can give them a reason to take your call when the time comes.

If you need assistance accelerating your hiring process, the professionals at The Advance Group have the processes you need to keep things moving forward. Contact us and speak with one of our professional recruiters today to see what services we have to offer.

When is it Appropriate to Let Your Staff Work from Home?

HMG Success on January 23, 2017

Technology has made it possible for more workers to complete their job duties regardless of where they are located. And with these advances comes the ability to work from home. But the big question for many managers is simple; when is it appropriate to let your staff work from home?

The trick is if your business supports the use of mobile technology, many of your employees are already. The checking of email through smartphones or taking a company laptop home over the weekend essentially create a work-from-home concept within the workplace even if the process isn’t official.

So, if you are interested in determining a more official approach to work from home opportunities, here are some points to consider.

Assigned Job Duties

The biggest factor regarding whether working remotely should be an option for your staff involves the duties that are assigned. Some positions lend themselves well to working from anywhere. Often, these are jobs that require limited or no in-person contact with customers, and the majority of the work is performed on a computer.

Remote desktop connections, softphones, and other technological capabilities mean that an employee can essentially have full access to all of their resources even from the comfort of their own home. They can receive business phone calls without having to use a separate line and can access networked systems as long as they have an internet connection.

Collaborative or Independent

Certain positions are more collaborative in nature than others. While improvements in communication options, like IM and video conferencing, can make collaboration between remote employees easier, certain tasks are better managed with everyone in the same space. This is especially true when tools or resources are not necessarily accessible online.

Employees that work independently are often simpler to transition to a work-from-home paradigm. However, you also need to consider the amount of supervision the employee may require. Even if work is completed without the direct input of coworkers, if a high level of involvement on the part of the employee’s manager is required, a remote workplace may not be ideal. Workers that complete their tasks at an appropriate quality without a lot of supervision will likely perform similarly when working remotely.

Issues of Fairness

The option to work remotely is highly coveted by many employees. That means that providing the option selectively might lead to some internal issues of resentment or perceived favoritism if not all internal employees performing the same or similar duties are given the option. This often requires that entire workgroups be examined at the same time. And, if not everyone can be counted upon to perform well from an alternative worksite, it may be wise not to offer the option at all.

Create Firm Guidelines and Expectations

One of the biggest points of fear regarding the support of work-from-home opportunities centers on the perceived loss of control over an employee’s activities. However, these concerns can be alleviated through the creation of clearly defined policies, procedures, and expectations.

Having communication standards to keep all pertinent information flowing freely and to ensure that all key management personnel are properly informed are critical to the program’s success. Just as attendance and productivity standards are set for employees working onsite, the same approach can create a remote worker policy that defines how and when work should be done.

With strong guidelines, you can open your hiring opportunities to skilled individuals outside of your primary location. This can provide access to the new talent you may otherwise have deemed inaccessible.

If you are interested in finding new employees for remote or onsite opportunities, The Advance Group can provide you access to new candidates who have the skills you need. Contact us today and see how we can help you hire the right workers for new remote opportunities.

Is January the Right Time for a Productivity Review?

HMG Success on January 16, 2017

The holiday season has come and gone, and a new year is underway. Often, this makes it a great time to reevaluate business processes to determine new directions, and that can include productivity reviews on your employees.

While the work associated with a productivity evaluation should be ongoing, taking the time to examine how employees have been performing can position your business for a more profitable year. To help you get started on the right foot for 2017, here are some key points on how to calculate worker productivity and their value to your organization.

Understand the Metrics

Productivity seems difficult to measure outside of pure production environments. Production workers, material handlers, and QC inspectors can have their activity recorded in fairly concrete terms. But those working towards group goals, such as many information technology workers, aren’t as easy to track.

Ultimately, productivity is a comparison of input to output. Input generally refers to things like the employee’s salary and benefits, training costs, and the amount of time required to complete tasks. Output is based on the worker’s ability to complete tasks in a timely fashion, often in comparison to the rate at which coworkers doing similar work finish specific job duties.

By examining productivity in that manner, you have a better chance to find meaningful measurements regardless of the kind of work in which the employee participates.

Factor in Pay Rates

The size of an employee’s salary is a consideration in productivity reviews. You have to compare the hourly wage received to the amount of output being yielded to get a solid comparison. For example, if two employees provide the same amount of output, but one is paid twice as much as the other, then the lower paid employee is providing more value. In contrast, if the higher paid worker is producing four times the output of the lower paid employee, then that should be considered during the review.

A productivity review has less to do with attitude and more to do with metrics. And an employee’s pay rate is a vital factor in the calculations.

Don’t Forget Other Costs

Aside from pay, businesses invest in employees in multiple other ways. This can include the cost of their benefits package, any training that is required (or requested) to perform the job, and even the amount of materials waste the employee creates.

For example, if two employees that receive the same salary in a production environment produce an average of 10 pieces per hour, but one employee makes an item incorrectly once every 20 times, while the other has an error rate is one in 15, the one with the lower error rate is providing more value. Metrics such as these are just as important as any other factor when determining the value of an employee to an organization.

When Less Productive Employees Are Identified

Productivity reviews are not the only consideration regarding who makes a great employee. However, they can add valuable insight regarding the value an employee brings to the table and can serve as a point of comparison when choosing which employees should stay on the payroll.

If you need to replace a less productive employee to reach optimal output, The Advance Group is here to find the workers you need. Contact us and see if a new employee is the ticket to a better 2017 for your bottom line.

How to Hang On to Your Top Employees

HMG Success on January 9, 2017

If you talk about disruptive situations in the workplace, the unexpected departure of a talented employee is bound to be mentioned. Often, it can feel like enough of a challenge to locate top candidates for your open positions, but finding great people is only part of the battle. Once you find the right person, you need to encourage them to stay.

Sometimes, an employee leaving has nothing to do with your company. For example, they may have received an offer that was simply too go to refuse, or they might have to relocate to an area that puts their current workplace outside of a reasonable commuting distance.

However, good employees also leave because of shortcomings in the company. If exiting employees aren’t willing to provide an authentic reason regarding their decision, then it is hard to determine a course of action to prevent similar exits in the future. One of the least obvious reasons top workers leave an organization is an environment that promotes mediocrity. Truly driven employees won’t be attracted to complacency, making a swift exit the logical choice.

If you want to do everything you can to keep these top performers working with your business, consider these factors that do fall within your control.

Equal Treatment Isn’t Always Fair

Many companies work hard to treat all employees the same. Often, this is touted as a fundamental of a strong workplace, but it can actually drive away your top performers. Being treated equally even when your performance is exceptional makes these talented members of your workforce feel unappreciated. They may perceive it as a way to marginalize their efforts.

But what is the alternative to treating everyone as equals? Treating them fairly.

It is perfectly acceptable to acknowledge the contributions of top performers as long as the attention given to all employees is seen as fair. Performance-based raises are an obvious choice, but there are non-monetary rewards that can also do the job depending on what each employee values.

Individual Employee Values

Not every worker is motivated by the same rewards. For some, money talks, but others appreciate flexible scheduling options, more vacation days, or tuition assistance over a bigger paycheck. Some would even enjoy additional responsibilities or the ability to pick their own projects based on what interests them most. To ensure you are customizing your approach based on the preferences of your best employees, you must find out what they value in a workplace and act accordingly.

Career Advancement

Those with the most talent often develop a plan regarding how they see their career progressing. If you want to keep them interested in maintaining their employment, then you need to see how your company can help them reach their goals.

Skilled workers who feel they have reached a dead-end in their current job will leave for advancement opportunities that fit into their career plan. Instead of them looking outside the organization for new positions, create an internal resource that will help them get there with your organization. Mentoring, training and job shadowing can help employees see the potential that exists in your business, and filling promotional opportunities from within can also contribute to building loyalty over the long-term.

So take a moment to consider how your organization can keep your top performers engaged and optimistic about their future there, and you will likely see fewer people heading for the door.

However, if you do need to fill vacancies from outside of your business, The Advance Group can help you find top candidates that have the potential to turn into some of your greatest assets. Contact us today and see what we can do for you.

5 Traits to Look for in Stellar Maintenance Managers

HMG Success on January 2, 2017

Without proper maintenance, your business wouldn’t function properly (at least, for long). Having a skilled maintenance manager ensures that the appropriate tasks are handled in a timely manner and that the employees within the department receive the guidance and direction they need to perform to the best of their ability. But what separates a good maintenance manager from a great one?

There are certain characteristics that define great leadership. To help you find a stellar maintenance manager amongst a sea of applications, be sure to look for these five traits.

Leadership from the Frontlines

Maintenance tasks are often hands-on jobs, and a manager that is willing to get their hands dirty right alongside their team will often command more respect. Instead of finding a candidate that leads by words only, find one that leads by example. Employees are more likely to follow the requests of someone who isn’t asking them to do something they themselves would not do.

This style of leadership also helps the manager stay abreast of any issues that need addressing. This can include obstacles to their employees being able to complete their jobs, as well as internal conflicts between team members. Being involved directly with activities helps keep the manager informed and allows them to adjust their approach according to the situation at hand.

Organization and Planning

The work of a maintenance department is part reactive and part proactive. While sudden system and equipment failures must be addressed immediately, preventative maintenance activities need to be planned in advance. An effective maintenance manager can strike a balance between maintaining a schedule and adapting to urgent needs without falling behind on either. This requires significant experience in the areas of organization and planning, as well as knowledge regarding how to delegate tasks and respond to changing priorities.

Thorough Knowledge

Subject area knowledge is the foundation of a strong maintenance manager. They need to understand what it takes to complete a task, including the materials and tools needed, as well as the time. This helps them organize activities more efficiently while ensuring their expectations of their team’s work are reasonable. Without knowledge of what it takes to do these jobs, the maintenance manager will likely run into trouble fairly quickly.

Training Capacity

Being knowledgeable allows them to do the work, but it is better if they can take that a step further. Having the ability to teach and train employees successfully can be invaluable, especially when they have vast experience in the field. It can also lower costs of training new and current employees, as they can learn from the maintenance manager directly.

This also helps ensure redundancy amongst the skill sets present. If the manager is the only person who possesses certain knowledge, they can train others to create double-coverage opportunities. Then you can rest assured knowing that all tasks can be completed even when someone is unexpectedly absent.

Accountability and Recognition

The ability to accept responsibility for things that go wrong, and to hold accountable those who misstep, is a necessary leadership trait. But it is equally important to be able to recognize the efforts of those within your team and ensure proper credit is given when it is due. Failing to do either can lead to issues of respect and trust within the team which can negatively affect the function of the team.

If you are looking for a new maintenance manager to join your ranks, The Advance Group can help you in your search. Contact us today and see what the right maintenance manager can do for you.

Motivation Low Around the Holiday Season? Use These Tips for an Instant Boost!

HMG Success on December 23, 2016

The holiday season has us pulled in all different directions. Preparing for family gatherings, budgeting for holiday shopping and the general demands surrounding the season can be overwhelming by themselves. Add the stress of the year-end activities at most workplaces, and it can be hard to keep yourself motivated to accomplish everything that needs to be done.

Set Reasonable Goals

Motivation can dwindle when it feels like the work is just piling up. However, you can make all of your responsibilities seem more manageable by dividing tasks into small specific goals. Whether the activities relate to work or your personal life, split each task into subtasks that can be completed in less than half an hour. That way, instead of trying to motivate yourself for the entire project, you just have to manage the motivation for a single task.

You can make yourself a list, set appointments on your calendar or use whatever method works for you. Then focus on the small task at hand until it is complete. Once you are done, check it off of your list and move on to the next. Just repeat the process, and you’ll reach the end before you know it.

The same process can also combat decision fatigue by spacing out the major decisions that have to be made.

Manage Your Health

When the pace of the holiday season has us scrambling, it is easy to neglect your own health. Besides the plethora of sweets and other seasonal food trappings, it is easy to put off workouts and even sleep. All of this can leave you tired and worn out. Making an effort to look after your health helps keep your energy levels up. You’ll be better equipped to manage the day when you provide yourself with the proper nutrition and take the time to exercise.

Additionally, make sure relaxation is part of your schedule. Whether it is participating in a hobby, watching your favorite holiday movie or kicking back with a book and some hot apple cider, taking time for yourself will help you recharge before the next challenge.

Enjoy the Outdoors

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, affects many adults in the U.S. Symptoms are similar to those suffering from depression, including difficulty sleeping and a general sense of fatigue. The primary cause of SAD is simply a lack of sunlight. It’s dark later into the morning and earlier at night. This excess darkness can affect you in a negative way and make finding motivation more difficult.

The easiest way to combat SAD is to enjoy some time outdoors. While the cold weather may make this seem unappealing, it can actually provide significant benefits. Consider taking a brisk walk outside during your lunch break. Not only will this provide some needed outdoor time, but it also acts as a form of exercise. If you want to experience even more benefits, bring a friend along for a chat. Then you can get the social connection you need while you work towards a more motivated you.

Sometimes a change of pace is all you need to feel motivated again. Luckily, Advance Staffing Solutions is here to help. If you think a new job is a key to feeling more motivated, contact us today and see what jobs are available.

Is It Time For Your Company to Staff Up?

HMG Success on December 19, 2016

The end of the year is traditionally a time for reflection. In a business sense, companies often review budgets and create a plan for the upcoming year. This makes it an ideal time to consider your staffing needs for the future, and begin to staff up.

Recruiting is a vital part of any business strategy, but it can be challenging to decide if now is the right time to bring on new staff members. Whether your company recently added a vacancy or is considering supplementing your current team, here are some signs that now may be the right time to bring on an extra set of hands (or two!) and staff up.

Workload Issues

The biggest sign that it is time to bring on new employees is the simple inability to keep up with the current workload. Often, increasing workloads mean that business has also increased, which it an excellent development. But not being able to keep up with the new business could have repercussions.

While it is common to avoid overstaffing, if your ability to meet deadlines and complete tasks is compromised, that can have an adverse impact on business. Instead of running the risk of disappointing customers or members of management, it may just be time to invest in additional team members to manage the new pace.

Non-Emergent Tasks Take a Backseat

Sometimes you can keep up with the work that brings in the dollars, but other job duties begin to fall by the wayside. While letting non-vital tasks go during a short-term increase in business may be manageable, collecting a year’s worth of filing is a sign of a problem.

There are two ways to conquer a backlog of non-emergent tasks. One, you can hire an employee specifically to manage these tasks or to adjust the workload of others so that all members of the team can handle these duties more efficiently.

Your second option is to bring in a temporary or contract employee to manage these projects until the backlog is cleared. If the increase in business is temporary, as can be the case with seasonal businesses, a temporary employee may be just the ticket to get things back on track.

New Skill Gaps

A change in any business may make a skills gap more apparent. Whether you recently lost a team member that covered a specific subset of duties, or a change in process demands new skills to maintain an active workforce, the sudden appearance that the available skills are not enough is a sign to bring in someone new.

The longer a skills gap exists, the more operations in that area may suffer. Aside from slowing the pace of business, it can also lead to missed business opportunities as people scramble for a solution. Bringing in someone with those abilities lets you cover the gap immediately. They may also be able to cross-train co-workers, helping to prevent a similar situation in the future.

You’re Ready for New Ideas

Even the most competent team may become stagnant with time. Once everyone is familiar with the duties and has been using the same skills over the long-term, it may seem that new ideas are few and far between. Sometimes just bringing in a new set of eyes means you will have a source for ideas that current employees may not see.

When business is stable, and you have the room in your budget to bring in someone new, then they might be just the jumpstart you need to get things moving forward again.

If you think now is the right time to bring on someone new, the professionals at Advance Staffing Solutions have the knowledge you need to find the best fit for all of your permanent and temporary employment needs. Contact Advance Staffing Solutions today and let us help you staff up your workplace.

Resolve to Solve Employee Conflict Before the New Year

HMG Success on December 16, 2016

Employee conflict in the workplace can have significant damaging effects on your business. Not only can it make the environment more challenging to be in, but it can also hurt productivity, attendance, and profitability. The longer a workplace remains in a toxic state, the more difficult it is to reverse course.

By resolving to solve employee conflict issues as soon as possible, you can get your business back on track in time for the New Year. To help you take advantage of this perfect time to start anew, here are some tips to make workplace conflict a thing of the past.

Lead by Example

Your employees will not respect your position on employee conflict if you are unable to adhere to your own principles. Conflict management can be mitigated by setting a proper example of what is and is not acceptable. Don’t hold employees to standards that you are not willing to maintain yourself.

Act Early

It is easier to manage workplace conflicts when they are addressed early. The longer an issue is allowed to fester, the more entrenched it can become in your business’ culture. Over time, a problem between two people will grow to involve more employees. As word of the issue spreads, some employees will naturally choose sides, expanding the issue into other areas.

As tension mounts, you may find some of your employees choosing to leave the company instead of tolerating the situation. Many of your top talents can find work with other businesses in your industry and may exercise that ability if the workplace becomes unbearable.

Create a plan to manage conflicts as they arise. This can include mediation with supervisors or members of human resources, additional training on conflict management in the workplace, as well as disciplinary actions if necessary. Regardless of the content of the plan, it is important for it to be clearly defined and readily available to those working for your business. Maintaining a standard with clear expectations and consequences can alleviate any confusion regarding what will or won’t be tolerated.

Be Decisive

While a conflict may not resolve overnight, it is appropriate to set clear boundaries and expectations regarding employee behavior. However, you can’t solely rely on these rules if you aren’t willing to follow through with appropriate consequences should they be broken.

Create a disciplinary plan regarding how issues will be addressed if employees are not willing to work with the new program. Give them an opportunity to succeed, but also be willing to make the tough calls should someone repeatedly fail to align with the new workplace standards.

At times, the best course of action – after other corrective measures have been tried – is to release a problem employee from their position. While this may not be an appropriate first step, it can be necessary if an employee repeatedly ignores the new standards and any attempts to correct the behavior.

Again, if managed early, the damage to the rest of the business may be minimal, allowing you to bring in a new employee that promotes an ideal work environment.

If you think now is the right time to bring on someone new, the professionals at Advance Staffing Solutions have the knowledge you need to find the best fit for all of your new conflict-free workplace. Contact Advance Staffing Solutions today and see what they can do for your business.

Hidden Skills to Look For in Marketing Candidates

HMG Success on December 12, 2016

Success in marketing is driven by more than a college education and experience working in the industry. While those can be important, there are numerous other skills that are just as essential, and they are harder to identify. Being able to look beyond the resume for these hidden skills may help you separate the good candidates from the great.

Before you begin recruiting for your marketing position, here are the hidden talents you need to find to uncover the best applicant out there.

Creativity

Marketing is an art; it requires creative thinking and innovation to continuously come up with new ideas for current and future campaigns. Whether the candidate is skilled in the areas of design or concept development, being able to see the product or service in new ways that will appeal to your target demographics is a crucial skill to succeed in the position.

Writing

To create powerful campaigns, marketing employees need to be articulate. Ideal candidates will have a strong grasp of formal and informal writing choices, as well as the ability to adapt the style to the product or service that is being promoted. While writing does involve creativity, it also adheres to certain structural norms. Candidates who do not use proper punctuation or include grammar errors in their materials will not reflect the level of professionalism you may require.

Public Speaking

If you need your marketing employees to pitch ideas to other members of the business or outside customers, then public speaking skills are essential. An ideal marketing candidate will be comfortable speaking to large crowds, as well as handling questions on the fly. They need to be calm under pressure and able to manage the unexpected.

For times when a preset presentation isn’t functioning properly, you need an applicant who can engage the audience and keep them interested, even in the face of technical difficulties.

Negotiation

A surprising amount of business involves negotiations. Marketing employees may need to coordinate budgets and timelines while managing expectations regarding deliverables. When working with outside clients, all of these tasks fall back on negotiating skills.

Work with vendors and suppliers also requires a deal be made. Negotiating helps ensure your business gets the products or services it needs at the best price available. When purchasing en masse, competent negotiators can save your company a notable sum.

Technical

While some technical skills are easy to identify – such as whether a candidate is familiar with a particular program – having a solid relationship with technology in general is actually much more useful. Someone who is tech-oriented understands that changes in that sector can impact their strategies and may require them to learn something new quickly.

Remember, Twitter didn’t exist until 2006, and Facebook was founded in 2004. Both of these mechanisms provided new avenues for marketing efforts, and some companies had the vision to take advantage before others.

Stress Management

Positions in marketing are often high stress. To be successful, a candidate needs to demonstrate that they can manage the pressure effectively, even when caught off-guard. This field of work can have short deadlines, change priorities, and little innate room for error. An employee working under those conditions need to be able to adjust quickly without panicking.

If you are looking for your next marketing candidate, the professionals at Advance Staffing Solutions have the knowledge you need to help you locate the best applicants available. Contact Advance Staffing Solutions today and see what they can do for your business.