You’re Losing Top Talent Because…

HMG Success 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.

5 Sure-Fire Ways to Boost Workplace Morale

HMG Success on July 31, 2015

Low employee morale can be a big problem in many workplaces. This is because employee unhappiness stems from a variety of factors, from poor compensation and stressful work tasks to bad management. It only makes sense that when they are unhappy and disengaged from the work they do, employees tend to be less productive too – which hurts the bottom line.

How can managers help employees put that pep back in their work lives? Read on for five sure-fire ways to boost workplace morale (that really work).

Provide rewarding tasks and a comfortable environment

When the workplace is comfortable, employees are better able to perform their tasks and, thus, the mood improves. Replace stuffy meeting rooms with open collaborative spaces, great furniture, artwork, and good lighting. Assign work projects that honor the skills and abilities of your people.

Make it a pay-for-performance compensation strategy

If you want more motivated and inspired employees, then you need to provide wages and incentives that are based on performance metrics. Instead of setting pay at a certain level and expecting everyone to work hard for the same amount of money, set up bonus plans and other incentives to boost morale. Make sure performance goals are communicated, measureable, fair and attainable.

Celebrate successes at work and as a company

If a company cares about people, then they understand how much recognition can demonstrate this. When achievements and goals are met by individuals and by the entire company, make it known to everyone. Celebrate these moments as a company. Nothing raises morale more than appreciation.

Have great managers

Make sure all managers are well-trained to handle the challenges of their jobs. They must lead by example and bring out the best in their people, not the other way around. Bad managers need to be eliminated or retrained. Good managers need to be promoted.

Remember employees have lives too

Work life balance is a must in all workplaces. Too many companies expect employees to work hard all the time as if they were robots. But employees have a lot going on in their personal lives too. Give them generous paid time off, time to distress, and augment work teams with temps to handle bigger projects and seasonal peaks.

Follow the above five tips for better employee morale and greater productivity in the workplace.

When is the Right Time to Start Planning Your Hiring?

HMG Success on July 23, 2015

Running a company is incredibly difficult, and one of the most important parts of it is hiring new employees. Many companies tend to wonder when the right time is for planning the next round of hiring. The simple answer is … now! Companies need to put together their hiring plans as soon as possible in order to prepare for unexpected staffing needs. The sooner you have the plan created, the easier it will be to implement the plan when the times comes. Below, we will discuss when the right time is and how to create that plan.

Look at the Present Workforce

When you begin to put together a hiring plan, take a long look at your present workforce. There is nothing written in stone that you need to find a new employee from outside the organization. In fact, there might be some diamonds in the rough within your current workforce. Give a current employee a chance to improve their skills by promoting them to an open position that you might otherwise fill from outside the company. Invest in the job satisfaction of your current employees in order to put together a plan that helps you find future employees based on collaboration.

Develop a Plan That Meets Two Needs

Your hiring plan must meet two different needs for your company. Those two needs are staffing for the present and staffing for how you see your company growing in the future. When you have a hiring plan in place, you make it easier to deal with the risks and costs of hiring part-time, full-time, permanent, temporary or temp-to-hire employees. Your hiring plan will be able to ensure that hiring is consistent across all of the departments within the company. The plan needs to have a process for hiring in the present and in the future when you need to expand.

Perform an Analysis of Jobs at Your Company

An important part of putting together a hiring plan is to perform an analysis of the jobs at your company right now. Even though a job might open up, does it need to be filled immediately? Take a look at how it might fit into your company’s plans in the near future. How did the job fit into the company’s plans in the past? Was the job more effective in the past? Will it be more effective if it is altered in the future? Take a long, hard look at all of the jobs at your company and analyze them when putting together a hiring plan.

The definitive answer to the question posed in the title of this article is that now is the right time to start planning your hiring. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to find new talent.

Do You Know Your REAL Hiring Needs?

HMG Success on July 17, 2015

As a hiring manager, you may always be on the lookout for quality employees to add to your organization. This is especially true if you are in an industry with typically high turnover rates or difficult to fill positions. However, over-hiring can pose problems for the organization too – leading to lack of work for all employees, low productivity, and eventual layoffs due to budget problems. This is why it’s important to take the time to analyze your real hiring needs every so often.

Before you hang the “Help Wanted” sign, take the time to know your real hiring needs, with this quick checklist.

Step 1 – Develop accurate job descriptions, salaries and requirements.

Every job changes over time, which is why you need to keep up with each job’s description of responsibilities, requirements, and salary needs. Keep your job descriptions up to date by working with front line managers and observing employees on the job periodically. This will help you maintain a focus on real needs in the organization.

Step 2 – Evaluate current workforce skills and gaps.

You are hiring for skills and knowledge, not just to add more warm bodies. Identify the key skills and keep them on board, hiring replacements only if someone leaves who has these skills. As new projects arrive that demand more skills, hire for them.

Step 3 – Identify and move the most productive employees upward.

Chances are, you already have some high performing employees on your team who are ripe for some succession planning. Give them a promotion and move them into next-level positons, then focus your new hiring on replacing skills at the entry level.

Step 4 – Determine short-term and long-term hiring needs.

Taking a look at current client projects and incoming projects, it’s time to break up your hiring needs into two categories. These are staffing for short term and for long term goals. Bring in temporary contractors for short-term programs, and temp to perm employees for more long term projects.

Step 5 – Create training programs to develop team skillsets.

Determining your real hiring needs most often comes down to updates in the industry that demand top skills and knowledge of new technology. This is where training comes into place. Training can be focused on immediate project needs or on long-term goals for cross training the entire organization. Hire knowledge experts to transfer their information to your current employees whenever possible.

Step 6 – Partner with a staffing agency to maintain the candidate pipeline.

Your staffing agency can be a great source of support when it comes to hiring only for real needs. It is a more flexible option, with part time and full time employment options, short and long-term contracts, and many of the hiring costs are handled upfront by the agency. This maintains the right skills for your organization with a never-ending supply of pre-screened candidates.

If you follow the above tips, you can ensure that your company will be in better tune with actual hiring needs.

Is Your New Hire Your Next Superstar?

HMG Success on June 26, 2015

It’s every hiring manager’s dream to place someone in a new job and then, weeks later, discover that he or she has star potential. When a new hire is driven to success early on, it means that they not only make themselves look good, but your company does too. High performance candidates can be hard to spot, and they are rare indeed, but the person sitting across from you at the interviewing table could be your next superstar employee. Here’s how to find out.

Know what a superstar employee is

The definition of a superstar employee is someone who provides an above average ROI once you bring them on board. Mitchell Harper co-founder of Big Commerce defines superstars as, “someone who will generate 5x the important performance indicator of a normal person. For example, a superstar engineer will crank out 5x as much quality code as a normal engineer.” In other words, a superstar consistently outperforms other employees and rises to the top of the team quickly.

Choose the candidate qualities you want

When hiring, its critical to understand what factors will make a candidate become a future rock star employee. Make a list of the top 5 characteristics of your top performance employees, then focus on this as you read through resumes, meet with candidates, and evaluate their skills and abilities. It’s not always a certain personality type, but it’s the desire to make a difference in the industry that sets these candidates apart from others.

Use an assessment to weed out the “talkers”

One way to cut through the chatter when trying to identify your best prospects in stellar candidates is to use candidate assessment tests. People generally will say and do just about anything to get a job, including stretching the truth about their experience and skills. Give candidates a chance to prove they have what it takes to be on top.

Look for a progressive career advancement

Highly-driven candidates are concerned with career advancement and their work histories will show this. Unless they’ve been laid off in the past, you will usually see a progression of personal and career growth, including ongoing learning activities and advancing areas of responsibility. Look for candidates who have a mind and heart for business, as the entrepreneurial spirit is a sign of a superstar candidate.

If you see these characteristics in your candidate, take the time to dig deeper to see if he or she may be a good fit for your company. Need help recruiting amazing candidates? Look to the support of Advance Staffing Solutions today.

Why You Should be Recruiting More Passive Candidates

HMG Success on June 19, 2015

In the recruitment market, there is always a push for hiring the highest quality of candidates, and placing them in the jobs that are the best match. But this often poses as a huge challenge, because these great candidates are hard to find in high-demand industries. This is when recruiters turn to passive candidate recruitment methods to seek out professionals who may not be currently looking for a job right now, but whom have the right qualities for placement in an upcoming job order. Here are several reasons you should be recruiting more passive candidates for your organization.

What is it about passive candidates that is so appealing to recruiters?

You may be asking yourself, “Why would I want to put any energy out trying to recruit passive candidates, if they are already employed by someone else?” This is a valid question, but it goes much deeper than this. Passive candidates often represent the cream-of-the-crop in terms of the types of candidates you want to build a relationship with. They have several key advantages over active candidates, including:

They’ve already earned the experience and accolades that are desired by top companies, so their value is greatly elevated.
They have excellent references and backgrounds that are desired by companies, so you can leverage this for negotiating higher placement fees.
They are well connected with other leading candidates, so once you have won a passive candidate over, their colleagues will follow – making your job as a recruiter easier.

These are just a few advantages you will find when working with passive candidates. How can you start attracting and building a nice pipeline of passive candidates? Read on for some tips on finding and recruiting passive candidates.

3 ways to find and recruit passive candidates

Use these tips for finding those top passive candidates and getting them on board.

1. Use a personalized recruitment approach

Instead of sending out canned email messages that sound “salesy,” why not take a more personalized approach to meeting passive candidates? Connect with them on social networks and at local business networking events. Introduce yourself, what you do, and how you can help them reach their career goals. Then follow up in a non-threatening way, maybe over a cup of coffee.

2. Find out what passive candidates want

As early as possible, get to know what each passive candidate is looking for in terms of the next level of their career growth. Maybe they are already at the top of their game and are looking for a change? Be open and just ask them outright what they may be looking for in the next three-to-five years.

3. Offer passive candidates what they want

Now that you have an idea of what a passive candidate wants, stay in touch and offer them opportunities to get to know some of your best clients. Work out a strategy to get them a position that meets their needs with one of your companies. Go one step beyond what other recruiters are offering with a sweet compensation and career growth package they cannot resist.

5 Reasons Why Happy Employees are Better Employees

HMG Success on June 11, 2015

Is a happier workforce somehow better? Many workplace experts believe so. A recent PayScale report indicates that as many as 70 percent of American employees currently working are unhappy and unfulfilled at work. This leads to several problems, including high employee turnover rates and low productivity levels. This is costing businesses billions of dollars in lost revenues.

In this article, we will talk about the matter of employee happiness and give five reasons why a happy workforce adds up to better employees.

Reason 1. Employees produce 10 percent more work when they are happy

A University of Warwick (UK) study showed that when workers were happy and satisfied with their jobs, productivity increased by as much as 10 to 12 percent over previous levels of job performance. This means that if your workers are happy, they are more engaged and probably working harder to achieve their goals. The company ultimately benefits from this effort.

Reason 2. Happy employees tend to stick around longer than unhappy ones

As stated earlier, the PayScale report indicated that happy employees are getting to be harder to create. When employees are given the right compensation, rewarding tasks, and opportunities to shine, they are more apt to stay in there for the long haul. Loyal employees equate to greater employee retention rates and the chance to get some ROI from recruitment efforts.

Reason 3. Engaged employees create more sales revenues for the company

A Gallup poll published in a popular psychology journal indicated that employees who are happy and engaged in their jobs tend to generate more sales revenues over time for the companies they work for – as much as $300 billion in the year studied. The very perception of working for a great company creates more favorable attitudes towards promoting the company, and this includes backing up company offerings to get more sales.

Reason 4. Happy employees tend to infect the organization with more happy employees

When employees are happy and they show it at work, this tends to reflect on the corporate culture. Humans are more apt to follow their peers. A positive attitude and performance of even a single employee encourages others to feel the same way.

Reason 5. Happy employees help to bring in other happy employees through referrals

If employees are truly happy in their jobs, they are usually willing to refer their colleagues to the company. This means your company can gain access to some of the best passive candidates out there, without as much of the work that goes into sourcing them.

Take steps to find out what makes your employees happy, put effort into creating a better corporate culture, and your organization can benefit from the above perks.

Can You Spot the Signs of a Bad Hire?

HMG Success on June 5, 2015

Being responsible for making hires at your company can be stressful because of the weight of making a new hire. You need to sift through hundreds of resumes, conduct multiple interviews with at least a handful of candidates and then whittle the crop down to a final two candidates. Then, you need to make a final decision and hope the candidate you choose turns out to be a successful hire.

The sad thing here is that the hire could turn out to be a bad hire. How do you spot a bad hire? Here are some signs to note:

I Just Want a Job

One of the biggest signs of a bad hire is a candidate who just wants a job, any type of job. The candidate might convey that he or she does not care what type of job they work simply because they need a job. But, in the long run, this can turn into a major problem. The employee will become disengaged because the pay is too low or because the job tasks are too tedious. When this happens, the employee could begin to affect the office culture in a negative way.

Lack of Flexibility

When you come across a candidate who has very little flexibility, you could be running into a bad hire. Someone with a lack of flexibility will fail to adjust to suggestions made by HR or management and continue to operate using tactics they are comfortable with from earlier points in their career. A person who does not have flexibility will also be closed-minded towards new ideas, which can result in a negative impact on your culture.

Expanding from a Small Role to a Large Role

Another sign of a bad hire is when you hand the reigns of a larger role to a candidate who worked in a smaller role in the past. The candidate might have had success in a smaller role at a previous company, but it does not mean that success will translate to a larger role at your company. These candidates tend to use strategies from their smaller role that wind up not working in their larger role. The employee might become frustrated, angered or develop a poor attitude because things are not working out well.

The Prima Donna

The prima donna is a common type of bad hire in today’s professional world. This person is typically a go-getter, highly motivated and competitive in everything they do at the office. But, this can also turn into a problem if the candidate is hired for a management position. The prima donna candidate will either force subordinates to conform to their way of doing things or have them removed from the picture.
Spotting bad hires before you offer employment helps cut back on the money spent and the time wasted. If you can spot any of these in a candidate, be sure you dig deeper into the candidate before offering employment or removing the candidate from consideration.

Are You Conducting Post-Interview Reviews?

HMG Success on May 29, 2015

Companies are always looking for new ways to improve their hiring decisions because the cost of a bad hire can be astronomical. Companies also do not want to waste the time of the candidates they interview. This is why some companies have begun conducting post-interview reviews. More companies should take part in this exercise in order to improve how the interviews are handled and which candidates are hired. Learn how to conduct post-interview reviews the right way.

Include the Entire Team

One of the most important parts of conducting a post-interview review is to include the entire team. This means that every single employee who took part in the interview process should be involved in this meeting. This team should meet after each interview is conducted. So, if three different employees interviewed each candidate, they should be part of the team. If the HR head first scheduled the interview based on the resume submitted, this person should also be part of the team.

Discuss Impressions

Each person who took part in the interview process should be allowed to share their impressions of each candidate they met. The impressions discussed should be based on the notes taken by each employee who had the chance to interview candidates. Talk about any questions the candidates asked about the job or the company. Also talk about how the candidates answered the questions posed to them.

Allow Honest Discussion

When conducting such a review, you need to allow for honest discussion. This means that all employees should be honest in their opinions of candidates without worrying of repercussions from management or co-workers. If the members of this team cannot be honest, then you will not be improving your hiring process or interview process.

Rank Candidates

The post-interview review is the perfect time for your team to rank the candidates that have been interviewed to this point. Encourage each member of the team to rank each candidate he or she has interviewed from most likely to hire to least likely to hire. The ranking should be done based on the information gathered from the interview. The team members should conduct their rankings based on who they feel should be hired for the open job.

Build a List of Second Interview Candidates

Another goal of this team should be to build a list of candidates who will be contacted for a second round of interviews. It is possible that all of the candidates might be asked back for a second interview, but most likely it will be a shorter list. Even if members of your team are not going to take part in the second interview, they should still be notified of which candidates are being asked back.

Conducting post-interview reviews helps a company improve their hiring process and how the interviews are conducted. Implement these reviews today to hire the most qualified people for your open jobs.

When to Say “No” to Qualified Candidates

HMG Success on May 22, 2015

As a hiring manager, HR executive or recruiter, there comes a time when you need to say no to qualified candidates. The reasons will vary, but the situation will always be difficult because of their qualifications. Who ever thought that companies would need to turn down qualified candidates for open jobs?

The truth of the matter is that this actually happens in today’s business world. So, when does this type of situation arise – when do you know to say “no” to a candidate who is otherwise qualified?

Position Has Been Filled

One of the most common reasons why you will need to say no to qualified candidates is that the position has been filled by someone else. You might receive 50 or more resumes for your job opening and you will likely have a handful of them turn into qualified candidates. This means that one person will be chosen and three or four of them will receive disappointing news. You must have tact when informing other qualified candidates that someone else has been chosen. Be honest with them and thank them for applying.

Position Has Been Eliminated

It is quite possible that open jobs at companies could be eliminated even after a search to fill them has already begun. Reasons for eliminating the position will vary, but you should never string along candidates if you know the position is going to be cut from the payroll. Maybe the job duties have been distributed to current employees. Maybe there isn’t enough room left in the budget for the position. Or, maybe there isn’t enough work for the position to be filled right now. Whatever the reason, be sure you tell the candidates as soon as possible so they can look elsewhere for work.

Position Has Been Changed

It is also possible that the position could have changed between the time it became available and the time you began vetting potential candidates to fill it. If this is the case, you might have a couple of qualified candidates who no longer will be in the running for the job. This means you will have to say no to them. Make sure you explain that the position has been altered and that even though they were qualified previously, your company is moving in another direction.

Candidate is Overqualified

Another reason for saying no to a candidate is the fact that he or she might be overqualified for the position. Companies tend to shy away from hiring overqualified candidates due to one major issue; the candidate, once hired, could become bored with the job and begin causing issues at the workplace. This is when a company’s culture could take a major hit.
As you can see, there are a few common reasons why you might need to say “no” to a qualified candidate. Just make sure you handle the rejection with tact and professionalism so as not to create a bad image for your company. Keep the candidate in mind for future opportunities and if you can, offer them another position that’s suitable for their skills, or refer them to a staffing agency that can place them into a position sooner.

What Costs More – Overtime or Additional Help?

HMG Success on May 14, 2015

Most companies make an effort to try and control staffing costs in order to get the highest return on investment. Unfortunately, sometimes the work necessitates extending work hours of hourly employees. When this happens, the company may face higher than normal overtime costs. If your company is concerned with the rising use of overtime, you may be wondering if bringing in additional help can reduce these expenses?

The simple answer is, “Yes”. To explain further, let’s take a look at how bringing in additional help can support a more balanced staffing budget.

Determine your actual staffing needs

Before you start hiring additional people, you’ll want to understand the reasons for the increased need of workers. This demand may be temporary, seasonal, or permanent. For example, if you are in experiencing a sudden increase in the number of orders placed by customers could it be because of a new product line? Or is the surge as a result of a temporary trend or a busy season? Consider if the increased need for staff will fall back to normal levels in a few weeks or months, or if you anticipate a study increase.

Do the comparison math

Each job can and will differ, but it is possible to conduct a mathematical comparison of overtime vs. temporary staffers. To do this, choose a job type and calculate the actual annual cost of a new hire. Be sure to include the annual salary, recruitment costs, on boarding and training fees, as well as benefits for this new hire. Now compare this total with the annual cost of overtime for each hourly employee who will work 40+ hours during the peak season or project. Remember each person will provide the same tasks.

To calculate the cost of hiring a temp employee, calculate the annual cost of the new hire at the temporary services rate sans the overtime costs. Also subtract the cost of benefits and recruitment these because the agency will take care of this for you at no additional cost. Subtract the temporary employee total from the overtime employee total to get an idea of the savings. This is the savings for each temporary employee that you bring on instead of paying for overtime.

Performance factors to consider

Outside of the math, there are some other things to consider when deciding between paying overtime and hiring temps. When employees are forced to work more than 40 hours on a regular basis, this can lead to an overall drop in morale, productivity, and employee engagement. In other words, the employees that you have currently may be dealing with the stress and overwhelm of having to take on extra work all the time. Left unchecked, this can cause employee absenteeism, turnover and even more workplace injuries. When you hire temps you have fresh people on board who are willing to work hard to maintain productivity levels without risking your best people.

Give a staffing agency a call today and let them help you better manage your staffing costs through a custom temporary staffing plan.

Are You Giving Killer Customer Service to Your Candidates?

HMG Success on May 7, 2015

As the old saying goes, “The customer is always right.” Even if some of your employees or managers might not believe this, it must be practiced by everyone at your company in order to be successful. Companies that find themselves struggling to hold onto clients/customers should look at the customer service being provided. If you give killer customer service to clients/customers and job candidates, your company should be highly successful. Here’s how…

Happy Employees Lead to Happy Customers

An important thing to remember here is that happy employees lead to happy customers. Because of this notion, you need to do everything possible to make your employees happy. This includes treating them fairly at work, offering benefits and perks, rewarding employees for their hard work and much more. When you do not keep your employees happy you run the risk of them not providing strong customer service to clients.

Use Guidelines and Not Rules

Companies establish policies and rules because they might not trust their employees to do the right thing. But, when it comes to providing customer service, try to use guidelines instead of rules. Guidelines will help employees better do their jobs when it comes to dealing with customers. Guidelines allow employees the opportunity to make decisions on their own when it comes to helping customers. The worst thing an employee can do is tell a customer he or she cannot do anything for a customer because of a company rule or policy.

Treat Candidates Like Customers

You also need to treat your job candidates like customers. They are choosing your company as much as you are choosing one of them for the open job. If you do not treat them well while they are in your presence, it is likely he or she will turn down an offer of employment, remove themselves from the running or badmouth the company to friends who might apply there. Make sure you welcome candidates to your office at the front door, offer them water, show them around, give them a tour of the office, introduce them to everyone they see and much more.

Turn Customer Complaints Into Opportunities

Make it a point to turn any and all customer complaints into opportunities. These opportunities should be learning opportunities for everyone involved. Do not be the company that views customers complaints as problems. When you do this, nothing is gained from it or fixed and your company’s image will suffer. Tell your employees to look for learning opportunities in every customer complaint so they can improve their customer service skills and keep customers happy.

Go Above and Beyond for Customers and Candidates

As a company, you must do whatever possible to go above and beyond for customers and candidates. This should be done on a regular basis in order to keep both factions happy. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to make this happen either. Consider offering customers upgrades to products or services either for free or for a percentage off the price.
Providing killer customer service to clients and candidates is important in today’s competitive business world because it can mean the difference between success and a poor image.