HR & Management Tips - The Advance Group

Can You Tell if a Candidate Will be Reliable?

Raza Rauf on April 7, 2015

As a hiring manager, much of your responsibility stems from having a large hand in the success of the company and its employees. Hiring managers must perform due diligence prior to making any decisions on who to add to the payroll, which is why they must vet and screen candidates extremely thoroughly. There will be some who slip through the cracks, but the less this happens, the stronger the company will become.

One thing all hiring managers must look for is whether or not candidates will be reliable. Is there a surefire way to predict a candidate’s future success? Let’s talk about ways to evaluate reliability.

Advertise Open Jobs Wisely

It goes without saying that if you advertise open jobs on industry-specific websites, you should have no problem finding reliable candidates. If you post your job ads on random websites and in forums, however, you will likely attract a lot of undesirables to the post. You want to avoid attracting candidates who are simply seeking out any open job. This is a recipe for disaster.

Dig Deep Into Candidates’ Job History

All hiring managers should be looking into the job history of their top candidates. This helps the hiring manager know what type of worker the candidate has been in the past, which is an indicator of how they will operate in the future. Take a look at how long the candidate remained at previous jobs. Did they jump around often or did they stay for at least two years? If the answer is the latter, you should have a reliable candidate on your hands.

Choose the Right Interview Questions

Just because you bring a candidate in for an interview, it does not mean you must offer the job to them. The same can be said if you bring a candidate in for a second- or third-round of interviews. The interview is the best time to determine if the candidate will be reliable or not, but you must choose the right questions to ask. Ask the candidate where he sees himself in the next five or 10 years. Ask the candidate why they want this job. Also, have them tell you what their view is of an ideal work situation. You should be able to garner their reliability based on the answers to these questions.

Use a Staffing Agency

Another great way to tell if a candidate will be reliable is to work with a staffing agency to fill your open jobs. The staffing agency will have a pool of candidates who have already been screened and can do all of the legwork for you in the hiring process. When you work with a staffing firm, you are more likely to secure a top-notch candidate who will be reliable because of the extensive screening performed by the firm.

Determining the reliability of a candidate prior to offering employment can be difficult, but it does not have to be impossible if you follow the tips discussed here today. Contact Advance Staffing Solutions today if you have more questions on gauging employee reliability.

How to Manage a Team of Diverse (or Conflicting) Personalities

Raza Rauf on March 31, 2015

Working in management can be difficult for some, especially those who do not have experience managing a team of diverse, or conflicting, personalities. Managing a team of diverse personalities does not have to be difficult, especially since it is important to the success of the company. Here, we will provide you with a variety of tips on how to successfully manage a team of diverse or conflicting personalities.

Determine Personality Types of Employees

The first thing you need to do when successfully managing a team of diverse personalities is to determine the personality type of each employee. You must figure out which employees are thinkers and which employees are feelers. A thinking employee will make a decision based on logic, while a feeling employee will use relationships in order to make a decision on the job. The best way to determine which type of personality your employees have is to watch how they react the next time someone disagrees with them.

Set the Bar High for Expectations

The next step in learning how to manage a team of diverse or conflicting personalities is to set the bar high when it comes to expectations of employees. Some employees will become bored with their work if they know their boss has set the bar low. When you set the bar high for expectations, you will get the best out of all your employees, even those who tend not to like being managed. Do your best to use the skills they have to your advantage as a manager.

Never Take Things Personally

Do everything in your power to not take things personally at work. It is understandable that working as a manager is difficult, especially since a lot of responsibility falls on you when things go wrong. Many times, employees will have trouble accepting your leadership style and requirements at the office. Do not take this personally. Instead, accept that your employees will need time to adjust to your style and that each employee responds differently based on their background.

Understand What is Important to Others

If all else fails in trying to manage a team of diverse personalities effectively, try to understand what is important to them. Find out what your employees value the most at the office and in their personal lives. Many workers want freedom at the office, trust with management and flexibility in their schedules. Each employee will want something different, so you must learn what each member of your team wants. When you do this, it makes it much easier to manage a team of diverse personalities.

Management for Diversity can be a challenge for even some of the most experienced managers. Take the time to get to know your employees, their wants, and how they have been managed in the past. It will help you put together a strong management plan.

Nobody Likes Your Performance Review!

Raza Rauf on March 24, 2015

Whether you believe so or not, employees generally do not like the performance reviews conducted by their employers, no matter how interesting or ‘fun’ the company thinks they are. No one within a company wants to hear how they performed below expectations on an annual basis, even if they actually performed well. On the other side of the desk, many managers dread dealing with the backlash, arguments and lessened morale that are a result of these reviews.

Read on to learn some way to make performance reviews more productive and likeable.

Name Expectations Off the Bat

One of the best ways to make performance reviews more productive is to name expectations right off the bat. This means that you should tell the employee what the agenda will be for the duration of the review. Also, make sure you talk about how well things have been going. Then, move into what needs to improve in the coming year. When you begin the performance review by discussing the agenda, it shows the employee that there will not be any surprises.

Offer Specific Feedback

Make it a point to offer the employee specific feedback that can be put to good use once they return to their desk. Begin the conversation by mentioning specific work-related skills the employee is excellent at performing. This shows the employee that you have noticed how well they are performing and that their work has not gone unnoticed. Opening the discussion on such a positive note helps to lessen the blow of constructive criticism that comes later in the meeting.

Ask the Employee Questions Too

Another good way to start the performance review is to ask the employee how they are doing at work. This is perfect if you want the employee to open up and offer any areas where they are struggling. It can also help you understand or learn of any issues occurring at the office you might have been unaware of at the time.

There is Always Room for Improvement

You must understand that even your strongest employees have room for improvement. Even though they might not think so, this is a fact that you must keep in the back of your mind. You cannot coast through a performance review with a stellar employee because others will find out and begin to resent you for it. You also provide a disservice to your employee by coasting through a review without offering any constructive criticism.

Outline Future Expectations

As the performance review begins to close, be sure to outline the expectations you have for the employee in the future. Do not come up with any that will overwhelm the employee, but ones that can definitely be attained with a little bit of hard work and dedication.

The bottom line here is that no one likes the performance review at work, even if they know it is going to be a good one. Try to make the discussion as stress-free as possible by putting some of the tips above to good use.

Simple and Free Ways to Motivate Your Workforce

Raza Rauf on February 23, 2015

Let’s get motivated! You hear this phrase among a lot of work teams, but it can mean different things to different people. From an HR perspective, finding ways to motivate and inspire employees often affects the company’s ability to generate revenues. Therefore, it’s critical to find ways to incentivize the workplace so that employees are continually working at their highest capacity and staying motivated on the job.

The good news is that there are some simple and even free ways to motivate even the toughest workforce. Read on to learn more.

It goes without saying, thanks that is

Too often, employee efforts go unseen and unrecognized in the workplace. How about motivating employees by saying “thanks” for a job well done? This simple tip can help transform grumbling employees into highly engaged and happy ones. Teach your management team to offer thanks as often as possible and share this in a public way so that all employees understand their value to the company.

Make the workplace fun

Going to work daily doesn’t have to be dull or impressive. In fact, any company can change the workplace into a fun and inviting environment where employees can feel inspired. Remove cubicle jungles and replace them with open collaborate workspaces. Replace stuffy meeting rooms with open conversational areas with comfortable chairs and great lighting. Institute a more casual dress code (if possible). Take the time to celebrate achievements more and focus on the positive.

Offer performance-based incentives

Take the stress out of annual reviews that make employees nervous and instead set up progressive salary increases and incentives that are doled out year-round for employees who demonstrate a commitment to excellence. Get rid of the status quo and get your managers out on the floor observing and recognizing employees with regular bonuses, gift cards, and cash incentives based on their performance — not popularity.

Give employees the chance to learn

One of the ways to create a stronger workforce is to develop a learning program that enables everyone to boost their knowledge and skills. Make sure you have a mentoring program in place to transfer information from one generation to another. Create a variety of learning programs to inspire everyone who works for you to be their best, rewarding for participation with certificates of achievement and incremental salary increases for those who complete them.

As you begin adding these cheap and free incentives to your workplace, you will start to see a boost in employee morale, team building and better performance over time. Keep adding to these campaigns and make sure your people know how much they mean to your organization with regular celebrations and recognition efforts.

Have Two Great Candidates? How do You Decide Whom to Hire?

Raza Rauf on February 17, 2015

It happens in every hiring manager’s life: two great candidates present themselves for a single job opening. This can be quite the dilemma because it’s growing ever more difficult to find the best people for certain positions and so if two come along it’s like striking a goldmine. But, the company must make a decision and hire the best person for this particular job.

Here’s how to decide whom to hire, when presented with this type of scenario.

Review the Actual Job Needs

After you’ve conducted the interviews, go back and review the actual needs of the job itself. Are there any special skills or experience that one candidate has a little more than the other? It’s easy to hire general candidates to fill jobs, but you don’t want to hire another “warm body” in this case. Make sure you carefully weigh each candidate’s unique skills, knowledge, and past career achievements against the job you are hiring for.

Get a Second Interview Lined Up Now

If you are unsure of which candidate to hire, ask each candidate back for a second round of interviews – onsite or through your preferred staffing agency. This time, however, ask another member of the work team or a staffing manager to be present so you can get another person’s feedback on the candidates. This can help you to avoid hiring someone based on emotion or first impressions only. Base your interview on a short, fun behavioral activity following some more in-depth interview questions.

Conduct a Thorough Background Check

Things can often be revealed with conducting past employment reference checks and background screenings. Take the time to do this well, carefully asking questions that probe a little more into each candidate’s suitability for the job. Write down your notes and go over them privately to make a better decision. You also have the option to let your staffing agency handle this part of the process so you can hire the best candidate.

Test the Candidates with a Contract Project

If you are still at a conundrum after going through the above steps, then you could up the ante by offering a paid contract project, afterwards you will decide on who to hire based on the results. Try to find a project that will challenge each candidate and enable them to show off their skills, while being related to the actual job they are vying for. Work with the management team to come up with a suitable project and offer a generous payment for the project once completed.

Hire Them Both if They are Perfect for the Company

If you are still not sure which candidate to hire for the singular job, why not create another position so you can hire them both? This could be a win-win for your business, because you get two amazing candidates at once. Develop a plan for onboarding both candidates with your staffing agency. One candidate may be willing to consider a slightly different assignment that will meet your business needs so they can get a foot into your company. Be open to this option, or at least consider one for a later hire.

Bickering Co-Workers? Here’s What Employers Can Do

Raza Rauf on February 10, 2015

One of the most difficult situations a manager has to deal with occurs when there are co-workers fighting while on the job. The healthiest of workplaces can be destroyed when two or more co-workers fail to get along. Managers need to find new ways to keep the peace between co-workers and know how to resolve conflicts when they arise.

Don’t let bickering among co-workers turn into a dangerous incident of workplace violence! Use these tips to nip arguments in the bud now.

Meet with the Individuals Involved

The first step in solving the issue is to sit down and meet with the individuals involved in the disagreement as soon as possible. The longer you let the issue fester, the worse the outcome will be for the company. Have a meeting with all those involved and find out what is the root of the issue and how you all can go about solving it. If there is a supervisor who works above you, alert him or her to the problem and the fact that you are working to resolve it so your boss is not taken by surprise if the issue explodes.

Include Human Resources Right Away

Depending on the severity of the issue, you must consider involving human resources as a possible mediator. The representative from the human resources office will be unbiased since he or she works in a separate department. Other reasons to include human resources are to begin the transfer of one employee to another department, to put an employee on probation or to file a written notice for the employees involved.

Give Employees a Chance to Resolve on Their Own

In some instances, the disagreement can be so minor that the employees involved will be able to resolve the issue on their own. If this is the case, encourage the employees involved to sit down with each other and discuss their problems. Let them know that it is in the best interest of the company and the employees to resolve the issue quickly and without getting anyone else involved.

Remove Trouble Employees from Common Assignments

If all else fails, but you do not want to or cannot have employees reassigned to other departments, consider removing them from common assignments or projects. This will make it easier on all those involved who have been arguing and will hopefully return the department to a normal working environment.

Be Open with Employees

An excellent way to deal with fighting co-workers is to always be open with your employees as a manager. The more open and honest you are, the easier it will be for your employees to come to you with any problems they are having with their co-workers. This will help to nip any problems early so they do not grow into a major problem.

Dealing with fighting co-workers as a manager is a difficult process. Have a plan in place to handle such issues when they arise so you can defeat them quickly. Work with Advance Staffing solutions, a Southgate OH Recruitment firm, for ways to reduce bickering between your employees with temp staff who can take some of the pressure off existing employees, and replace those who are constant trouble.

What Candidates are Looking for in 2015

Raza Rauf on January 23, 2015

Candidates routinely change what it is they are looking for when applying for jobs. Whether it has to do with the work environment, the culture of the company, or the benefits offered, companies need to be up-to-date when it comes to the wants of job candidates. With 2015 in full gear, we will discuss the top items candidates are looking for this year from employers.

Positive Culture

The most important thing candidates want in 2015 is a positive culture. When companies have negative cultures, it makes for a difficult work environment for everyone. Employees will not get along, management will struggle with keeping employees motivated and many employees will have a high rate of callouts on their schedule. The more positive your culture, the easier it will be to attract the top candidates within your industry.

Strong Work-Life Balance

Candidates also want a strong work-life balance in 2015. This means that they will have time to finish their work at the office and then enjoy time with family and friends outside of the office. Candidates do not want to work 40 hours in an office and then go home and sit in front of their computer or take part in conference calls. They want to leave work at the office and enjoy their time off as much as possible.

Honesty from Employers

In 2015, honesty from employers will be a hot topic. Candidates want employers to be straightforward when it comes to what it is like to work at the company, what will be expected of them, and what the hiring process will be like. The more honesty from employers, the easier it will be to attract top talent within your industry.

Easy Application Process

Job seekers do not want to spend 30 minutes or more applying for jobs at your company. They want the easiest application process you can provide. They want it to take 20 minutes or less so they can move on to another job application or return to their regular daily routine. Applications with a host of questions, multiple document upload sections and open-ended responses are a thing of the past. Make the application process easy and ask all those questions during the interview sessions.

Regular Updates

Job candidates want to be updated as often as possible by employers during the job search process. If candidates have been brought in for an interview, they will want to hear from the company at least one week later to be updated on the process. Whether the candidate has been eliminated from competition or has been chosen for a second interview, they will want to know what is happening.

Companies need to use the New Year to change how they deal with candidates who are looking for a new job. Take into account the items mentioned in this post the next time you deal with job candidates.

Getting Employees Back on Track After the Holidays

Raza Rauf on January 16, 2015

Returning to work following the holiday season can be difficult for many employees out there. Reasons for this include all the decorations are gone, there is no time-off scheduled for a couple of months, the workload is heavier and there are no scheduled office parties. It can be difficult to get employees back on track following the holidays, but it can be done. We will give you some employee performance tips below.

Modify Expectations

An excellent way to get your employees back on track after the holidays is to modify expectations when it comes to workload and due dates. Avoid discussing performance issues at work in the first few weeks of January because it can overwhelm employees. Do not increase workloads early in the month as employees will need a couple of days to resume their normal workflow.

Offer an Employee Wellness Program

Another good idea is to offer an employee wellness program in the month of January. Introducing a new program in the early months of the year can help employees rebound from the stresses of the holiday season. There needs to be attainable goals in this program that employees can reach every so often so they know they are succeeding. You can also host a professional development day to help employees re-focus on the task at hand.

Make Managers More Accessible

Your company must make managers more accessible during the first two months following the holiday season. When managers are easier to talk to and are seen often around the office, it will help employees re-focus their energy and effort on their projects. When managers always have their doors shut, workers will tend to wander and slack off at their desks.

Create a To-Do List

When employees return to work following the holiday season, it is a good idea to encourage them to create a to-do list. Have them prioritize which tasks on that list are most important and should be completed first. When they have goals outlined, they are more inclined to focus on their work and not slack off after the holidays.

Do Not Multi-Task

Warn your employees against multitasking right after the holiday season. You want them to gradually get back to work and multitasking could overwhelm them. Instead, let them focus on just one project at a time until they feel they are completely focused on work.

Tell Employees to Self-Evaluate

Tell your employees to self-evaluate after each day at work following the holidays. Have them look at what they accomplished that day at work and what they were unable to accomplish. A self-evaluation by an employee can help turn their focus back to work after the holiday season.

Getting your employees back on track following the holidays is important. The sooner they return their focus to work, the better your office will operate. If you need more help getting your employees back on track, or filling in vacancies, contact the staffing experts at Advance Staffing Solutions today.

Are You Waiting for Perfect Candidates? STOP!

Raza Rauf on January 8, 2015

With the calendar rolled over to the New Year, companies have put their new budgets into play, which means that they will be adding employees when positions become available. As your company looks to hire a new employee, do not wait for the perfect candidate to come along. Instead, stop this practice and begin to look for quality candidates who have the skills and potential to perform at your required level.

Skill Set is a Great Measuring Stick

The skill set of a job candidate is a great measuring stick when looking to hire for open jobs at your company. When you hire employees based on the skills they have, you make it easier to find qualified candidates for your open jobs. Even if there is a shortage of skilled workers, your company can hire people who show potential, train them and then move them into jobs that require the skills they learned in training.

Potential is Another Factor

Potential is another trait you need to consider when hiring for open jobs at your company. Waiting for the perfect candidate will likely result in open jobs staying unfilled for quite some time. When you look at a candidate, it can be easy to see the potential they bring to the table based on their work history. If you decide to hire based on potential, you should have no problem training and then promoting these types of employees.

Focus on Training

If your company shifts its focus to training, it will help in retaining current employees. It will also help lower the turnover rate, which means jobs will need to be filled at a lower rate. A focus on training will also allow the company to fill jobs from within whenever necessary. Promoting from within is an excellent way to increase the strength of your company and its bottom line.

Determine What the Company Needs

In terms of hiring, a company needs to determine what it needs in an employee the most. The perfect candidate will likely never come along, which means you need to find an employee who meets your needs in one area the most. Whether you look for one specific skill, a specific work history or a specific leadership role he or she held in the past; all of this is important to hiring a strong worker for an open job.

Use Highly-Focused Interviews

Once your company determines what it needs in an employee, make sure the interview is highly focused. This will allow you to figure out if the candidates have what it is you are looking for in an employee. Ask a ton of questions that require answers with examples, write down answers and have follow up questions prepared. Make sure you check references, too.

Waiting to hire the perfect candidate for your open job can hurt your company when it comes to completing client work. Switch your focus to hiring an employee who meets a need and see the productivity skyrocket.

Keeping Employees Productive in a Busy Holiday Season

Raza Rauf on December 19, 2014

It can be very difficult for busy, distracted employees to remain productive during a hectic season at the office simply because they can get very distracted by all the holiday festivities, family commitments, and other aspects of their lives. Employees can also become overwhelmed to the point of running out of steam. When this happens, it is up to the company to turn things around and keep employees as productive as possible. Below, we will discuss the best methods for keeping employees productive during the busy season.

Add a Little Fun to the Office

When you make it fun to come to work, employees will remain focused and productive during the busiest season for your company. There does not need to be a pizza party each week or decorations hanging from the ceiling, but a little bit of fun never hurt anyone. Start by creating a fun committee that will be responsible for coming up with ideas to have fun at the office.

Make it a point to host group events that build relationships, offer bonding and help employees build trust in each other. Try to make sure all of your employees take part in the fun events planned and even celebrate accomplishments as a whole team — not just departmentally or in groups.

Be Flexible

Remind your employees of the company’s goals when the busy season rolls around and then be flexible when possible. For example, if your employees are submitting projects ahead of schedule, consider offering them some flexible scheduling. Let them leave early on Fridays, or come in a little later on Monday mornings. You could also provide them with a four-day workweek or even extra paid time off.

Keep Communication Open

Do your best to keep the lines of communication open with employees during the busy season. The more you communicate with employees, the likelier it is that they will be able to achieve the goals set by the company. Communication will also help with prioritizing workloads either by delegating to other departments or even outsourcing the work to another firm.

You need to be as approachable as possible so employees will be honest with you when asked about status updates on their projects. When you are not open with employees, it forces them to fall behind on projects because they might not feel comfortable seeking out your help for any issues that arise.

There is a Light at the End of the Tunnel

Always remind your employees during the busy season that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This will help them stay focused on the tasks at hand and meet their goals. When they know there is a slowdown in work coming, they will be more likely to work harder now. You should also consider bringing in temporary workers to lighten some of the workload on your full-time employees.

Want to know more about how to keep employees productive in your busiest seasons? Contact the experts at Advance Staffing Solutions today!

Don’t Ignore the Signs of Seasonal Stress in Employees

Raza Rauf on December 12, 2014

Over time, employees can easily become subject to work stress. It can happen to anyone, especially when the seasons change. Seasonal stress is nothing new and it can affect people of all ages. It is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and occurs, for the most part, at the same time each year. As the seasons change from fall to winter, those who suffer from SAD see themselves become moodier. We will discuss the signs of seasonal stress here so you can spot it in your employees before it becomes a real problem.

Common Symptoms of SAD

Some of the most common symptoms of SAD that you need to keep an eye out for in your employees include the following:

Lack of energy
Feeling of tiredness
Irritable
Sensitivity to rejection
Oversleeping
Weight gain
Changes in appetite

What Not to Do

If you suspect that some of your employees are suffering from seasonal stress while on the job, there are a couple of things that you should avoid doing. Your company should avoid all of the following:

Do not introduce new career-related expenses such as required parking passes, updates to the dress code or paying for beverages in the breakroom.
Do not make any major procedural changes.
Do not evaluate the performance of your employees only on how they finished the year. Always look back at what the employee has done for the entire year.
Do not make any major changes or decisions regarding the company’s management.

What to Do

Should any of your employees exhibit signs of seasonal stress at work, you need to do the following tasks to help the situation:

Provide employees with an isolated space where employees can be alone with their thoughts and reflect.
Think about scheduling some minor team-building activities if this is a slow time of the year for the company.
Always let your team know how much their hard work is appreciated.
Let employees pace in the hallways if they need to do so, just let people know that they should be mindful of where they are walking.

Ignorance Affects Success

Should your company decide to ignore the signs of seasonal stress in employees, do not expect much productivity or success during this season. Your employees will become lackadaisical, miss deadlines and not have enough drive to complete their work to the best of their abilities. This can cause major issues within your corporate culture and even cause some resentment amongst employees who are picking up the slack.

The bottom line here is that you can help employees suffering from seasonal stress at work. All you need to do is recognize the signs and then implement some steps that will improve their outlook during the season. Contact Advance Staffing Solutions if you want to know more about handling employee seasonal stress.

Implement Company Policies Now – Before It’s Too Late!

Raza Rauf on November 20, 2014

When an incident occurs at the office, it is too late to discuss implementing a policy to govern such a problem. All company policies need to be implemented right now, before it is too late and something happens that can affect the entire workforce and the success of the company. In this post we will discuss the best ways to implement new company policies and how to activate them immediately without confusing or overwhelming your employees.

Policy Must Solve Problem in Best Way Possible

One of the most important things you need to take into consideration when implementing a company policy is that it must solve the problem in the best way possible. This means that whatever the issue is within your office, it must be solved using this one policy. There should never be more than one policy created to solve the same issue. When this happens, the culture of your organization can take a hit because employees will be confused with the overlap of the company policies.

Policy Should be Reviewed by Multiple Teams

When implementing a new company policy, it should be reviewed by upper management, a select group of employees and the company’s legal team. All three of these groups will have different views about the policy and will be able to determine if it follows employment laws in the country. They should also review the policy and offer any changes, should they be deemed necessary.

Implementation Deadlines Must be Met

As you add new company policies to the employee handbook, it is important that implementation deadlines are always met. If you set a deadline for a new policy, do not push it back to a later date multiple times. This will only frustrate your employees and give them the sense that you are not comfortable with the policy that was created. You want to show confidence in the new policy and that you mean business when putting it into action.

Mandatory Meetings for Staff are a Must

Mandatory meetings must be held for your staff when implementing new company policies. If employees are absent from work when these meetings are held, you must provide make-up dates for meetings. Information about the new policy should be presented at the meetings and employees should be allowed to ask questions and express their concerns at the same time.

HR Must be on Same Page as Management

Another important aspect of implementing a new company policy now, before it is too late, is that the human resources department must be operating on the same page as the management team. No matter which department created the policy, everyone needs to work as a cohesive team in order to ensure success in rolling out the new policy.

Want more information on how to implement new company policies, or how to find candidates who fulfill company requirements? Contact the staffing experts at Advance Staffing Solutions today.