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

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Can You Afford Employee Recognition

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

Think Outside the Box

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

Reward Extra Time Off

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

Offer Opportunities for Growth

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

Day Out on the Town

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

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

 

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5 Sure-Fire Ways to Boost Workplace Morale

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

5 Sure-Fire Ways to Boost Workplace Morale

 

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.

 

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5 Reasons Why Happy Employees are Better Employees

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

5 Reasons Why Happy Employees are Better Employees

 

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.

 

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Simple Ways to Promote Employee Loyalty and Motivation

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

As an HR manager, it is part of your job to promote loyalty and motivation within the workplace. These are two items that are needed in order to keep employees engaged so they can be productive. If you want to prevent employees from leaving for greener pastures, then make sure that loyalty and motivation are on the top of your to-do list.

Here, we will discuss how you can promote these two aspects so employees don’t start looking for a new job.

Improve Hiring Practices

The easiest answer to promoting loyalty and motivation among employees is to improve hiring practices. This is easier said than done for most companies, because it is nearly impossible to avoid making bad hires. No matter how intricate and in-depth your screening process is, every now and then a bad candidate will slip through the cracks and wind up receiving an offer of employment. Always keep in mind that happy employees will be less likely to search for work elsewhere.

Offer Strong Benefits Package

Not every company will offer employees a strong benefits package. This is a major reason why employees are unhappy with their job and tend to find work elsewhere. Your company needs to offer a strong benefits package in order to keep employees happy and loyal to your company. The package should include health insurance, a 401(k) plan, vision, dental and other perks. Paid time off, sick days and bonuses can also be lumped into this section because they are all benefits to some extent.

Access to Ongoing Training

Companies that offer their employees different types of training will find that their employees are loyal and motivated to succeed. Employees want to learn new skills and further their careers as much as possible. Training can either be offered in the office or at an off-site location. Some companies even help their employees pay for college classes if they choose to go back to school for an advanced degree.

Reward Strong Performances

If your company is in dire need of loyalty and motivation from employees, consider rewarding strong performances. This can be done by installing a rewards program that sends out gifts to employees once per quarter, or you can pick and choose when to reward employees for a job well done. Rewards can include extra paid time off, gift cards to local businesses, tickets to sporting events or concerts and even a plaque or an assigned parking spot.

Competitive Compensation

Even though it is the most important part of keeping employees happy, we still need to mention that your company must provide employees with a competitive salary and benefits. If employees working the same jobs are being paid more at another company, you will likely need to fill those jobs quite often due to high turnover.

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It is not difficult to keep employees loyal and motivated in today’s workplace. So long as you offer workers one or more of the items discussed in this post, you should see an increase in loyalty and a drop in turnover rate.

3 Good Reasons to Turn Down a Job Offer

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

As a job seeker, it can be easy to jump at a job offer as soon as possible. After all, you’ve been applying and interviewing everywhere and it’s taking a long time to get one. However, not every job offer is lined in gold. Some may lead to disaster for your personal life and for your career.

It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of every job offer before you accept it. Why is this important? There are several reasons, and today we will talk about the three valid reasons you may want to turn down a job offer that you’ve received.

#1 – The company has a history of failing

A job offer may seem wonderful at first, until you dig a little deeper into the company itself. A huge red flag would be a company that has a history of failing in many ways. This could be a high turnover rate among employees due to no work life balance, or it could be a company that has a shoddy financial history of layoffs and being bought out by other companies. If the company has posted financial earnings and stock reports in the last quarter or two, you can review this to see how the company is performing. Take the time to review company ratings online and you may see a pattern of problems.

#2 – The money isn’t even close to being enough

If the job offer has come with a very disappointing salary attached to it, take the time to negotiate for a higher compensation now before you accept it. Failure to do so could lock you into a job that pays a lot less than you need to support yourself and your family. This will lead to resentment and financial stress. It’s possible to go online and research salaries before walking into an interview so that you can discuss this before the job offer comes. Follow your gut on this and do not accept a job offer that pays far below what you deserve. A better job that pays more is out there.

#3 – The job is another dead end road

When people get desperate for any job they often accept a job offer that does not offer much room for advancement. Don’t get caught in this trap. Find out from the recruiter what the career path looks like for this job. Get the job description in writing during an interview or when the offer is made. Let the recruiter know that you are looking for long-term career success and the opportunity to learn more in the industry. Find out how this job will enable you to grow in your career. If it looks like it will be a dead-end job, run in the other direction.

Perhaps one of the best ways to get a great job offer is to work through a staffing agency with caring representatives who will be focused on helping you land a job that is well matched to your skills and aspirations. Often times, a staffing agency can negotiate a much better job offer then if you tried to do this on your own. You can even work temporary assignments until a better job offer comes. So, never settle for a bad job offer – instead connect with Advance Staffing Solutions for career support.

Leaving Your Job? Know Your Rights!

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

It’s not uncommon for working adults to decide to switch careers or quit one job for another opportunity. Turnover is a hard fact in the working world, but it is a fact all employers have to come to terms with. The problem with an employee leaving their job, however, can stem from leaving suddenly, and without  an understanding of the repercussions they could face – on things like paychecks, benefits, project results, credentials, and other aspects of employment.

Before you leave your job, here’s what you need to know so that this can be a smooth transition.

Your Work

When you leave a job behind, you also leave behind all projects you completed while holding that position. You were in a work-for-hire role, and that means all your work is the property of the company. This also includes the relationships you developed with clients of the company during that employment. Don’t even think about stealing an idea, a process, or a client from your former employer. Also, be sure to note any non-compete agreements you may have signed as part of the terms of your employment, because you may be limited in what types of jobs you can take on for up to two years after you leave your job.

Your Benefits

When leaving a job, you are generally entitled to retain many of your employment benefits. COBRA is a law that allows you to continue your health benefits for up to 18 months following your departure from a job, however you must pay the group rate out of your own pocket. Additionally, if you were eligible and paid into a Health Savings Account, you can take this money with you when you leave a job. If you are leaving a job because of a work-related injury or illness, then you could also be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits or disability benefits.

Your Paycheck

In most cases, you will be getting a final paycheck sometime in the two weeks after you leave your position. If you owe the company any money, such as for equipment, uniforms, or paid tuition, you could end up having to write a check to the company when you leave. Be sure to settle up with the company and talk with the payroll department before you leave the job. Your final paycheck may include all final hours worked, including overtime, and remaining paid-time-off not used. If you are being laid off or fired from your job, you may also be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.

Your References

It is within your rights to ask for a professional letter of reference when leaving a job. Ask for this as soon as possible and request that it be put on company letterhead. Also, future employers have the right to check your work references and they can only ask for your dates of employment, your job title, and if you are eligible for rehire. Anything else is considered illegal when checking work references.

 

If you have questions about what your legal rights are when leaving a job on your own accord, you are welcome to speak with an employment attorney or head for your local workforce development office. For any and all help with your job search needs, contact Advance Staffing Solutions today!

 

 

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Simple and Free Ways to Motivate Your Workforce

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Simple and Free Ways to Motivate Your Workforce

 

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.

 

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4 Things to Remember When Negotiating Your Salary

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Negotiating a salary after being offered a new job (or during performance review/promotion time) can be scary for some people, especially if they have never had to do this in the past. This should be a process that is satisfying, especially since you were offered a new position at a different company or a promotion at your current employer. If you follow the advice we have in this post, you will find it easy to negotiate a salary with your new or current employer.

#1 Provide a Hard Number

When you reach the negotiation stage of a new job offer, be sure you provide the hiring manager or human resource executive with a hard number. You never want to give a range for expected salary. This allows the employer to take the lower end of the range all the time, no matter how skilled or talented you are. When you offer a salary range, you are giving the company too much leverage in the negotiation process. When you stick with the hard number, you have decent control of the negotiations. Come up with an amount you can live with, then tack on $5K more.

#2 Give Precise Numbers

During the negotiation process, make sure you provide the employer with precise numbers instead of rounding off the figure. When you tell a hiring manager precise numbers instead of rounded numbers you display confidence in yourself and that you understand what the value of the position is at the company. This shows the hiring manager that you are committed to accepting the job and that you want to make the most of your career.

#3 Employers Don’t Like Negotiating

After receiving a job offer, you are asked to come into the office to discuss the salary. You are nervous and dreading the negotiation because you do not want to make a bad impression and lose out on the position, but you also do not want to leave money on the table. Well, you should know that employers do not like negotiating either. Try to make the process more of a persuasive discussion than a battle for who can win.

#4 Remember Money Isn’t the Sole Factor

One of the most important tips in negotiating salary is that money should not always be the lone factor in the process. Employees want more than money from their employers. They also want health benefits, stock options, flexible schedules, a 401k, paid time-off and other perks. During the negotiations, you can ask the employer for telecommuting options, paid-for training, flex-time and much more. All of these can help items can help you negotiate a salary that helps you earn a living while also enjoying life.
When you use the four tips discussed in this post during salary negotiations, you will find that the process will be much easier to deal with for both you and the employer.

Advance Staffing Solutions, a great source of Detroit MI Jobs, can support your goals of being a better manager and retaining the bedt employees. Find out more by visiting our website today. 

What To Do When You’re Suddenly Promoted to Leadership

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

SuddenPromotion_11-2015

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

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

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

Calm the naysayers on your team.

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

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

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

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

 

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How to Perform Meaningful Employee Evaluations This Year

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

January_2016_evaluations

Each year, thousands of HR practitioners and managers are faced with the task of conducting annual employee evaluations. This is a task most often used to measure each employee’s effectiveness on the job, a factor that increases productivity and company revenues. But the biggest complaint about employee evaluations is that they don’t have any real meaning for employees … other than to stress them out.

How can the company conduct employee evaluations in such a way as to increase the meaning behind them so that employees can experience the positive results of their efforts and focus on real goals for the coming year? Here are some tips from Advance Staffing Solutions that may help.

Establish the “what’s in it for me?” factor for employees.

When employees understand – without a shadow of a doubt – that their efforts will produce positive outcomes for their work status, salary, and future, this makes the job of conducting evals much more meaningful. Use a system for connecting pay for performance, recognition for achieving more, and rewards for top-performing employees.

Make the evaluation fair and simple to administer.

An employee evaluation system does not have to be complex. In fact, it’s better to maintain a simple rating system of one to five for rating employees on their performance. Give the employees a chance to self-evaluate before having a meeting to go over things, then adjust ratings accordingly. This puts performance into greater perspective for employees.

Set reasonable, but challenging goals for the year.

Allow employees to set goals for improving their work performance, which will make the evaluation process go smoother. Let employees know you are there to support their goals, and they can choose whatever direction they want to go in their careers. Make goals attainable, in a certain time frame, and challenging enough so they won’t lose motivation.

Design employee development programs around skill growth.

The very purpose of employee evaluations is to identify gaps in the skills of employees and then take steps to fill those gaps with development and learning programs on the job. Make sure your company is prepared to address these gaps with a combination of onsite training programs and offsite learning opportunities.

We hope that the above tips will help make your employee evaluations smoother and more positive for your organization.

 

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Why Saying “No” To That Promotion Could Be a Good Career Move

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

February_2016_NO

 

Every employee dreams of a time when the boss comes around and offers a surprise promotion. It’s a validation of a professional’s value to the company to be offered a higher level position, with new responsibilities and challenges. Or, is it?

Before you excitedly accept a promotion, it’s time to consider how this move could potentially damage your future career goals. Here’s when saying, “No” to a promotion makes better sense.

1. The promotion has a new title, but doesn’t include a raise in salary or perks.

This is a sneaky thing when a company presents a promotion without any additional financial reward or other perks attached to it. It’s practically an insult to do this to anyone. Sure, you may be ready to take on new projects and are eager to grow in your career, but that should be worth something to the company. You may use this as an opportunity to ask for clarification on how the promotion benefits your career and earnings goals. But if any talk of money or other incentives gets shot down, gracefully decline the offer.

2. You already have an overwhelming list of projects and tasks now.

It’s unrealistic to put added pressure on yourself to perform more than you are currently if you find yourself overwhelmed, stretched thin, and ready to explode. Take the promotion in, consider it, and then talk it over to see what tasks or duties can come off your plate. If the company is unwilling to support your work-life balance, this is not the promotion you should accept.

3. The promotion negatively affects your family and lifestyle.

Very often, promotions have other things tied to them, such as a major relocation to another region or a role that demands ongoing time away from your family and your personal life. You must consider that the promotion may seem like a great idea, but what kind of impact will this have on your life and your family and friends? If you never get to see them, you will have a long lonely road ahead of you and it could potentially ruin your relationships and other goals.

These are some of the reasons to turn down a promotion at work. If you are struggling with growing in your career or have concerns about a potential change in your job, then you may want to look into a new and more rewarding job through our recruitment agency in Detroit MI. Click here to browse our open positions today!

 

 

 

Want a New Job? Read This Today!

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

New-Job-Read-This

 

Are you close to landing your dream job in Detroit Michigan? Did you know that for every job advertised, recruiters generally receive upwards of three to four hundred resumes? What this means is that the odds are already stacked against you as a candidate.

However, if you take the right steps now you can gain an advantage over other candidates and land a dream job. Here are some ways to help you get a great job in Detroit.

Start with Creating a Great Social Media Presence.

Did you know that around 90 percent of recruiters regularly turn to social media to recruit talent? Many job seekers don’t realize how important their social media profiles are. But you are smarter than that. Take advantage of your social media profiles by cleaning them up, adding a professional headshot photo, and highlighting your achievements. Network with others in the Detroit area to get in front of the best hiring companies.

Develop a Resume That Gets Noticed.

Most recruiters will spend only a couple of seconds looking over resumes. That means you have nanoseconds to make a positive first impression and stand out from other candidates. Give yourself an advantage by being creative with your resume. Try a new template. Use plenty of white space and bullet points to highlight skills and achievements. Pare your resume down to one page and use an interview to provide more details about your career history. You may also want to try several online resumes where you can also add your social media links and portfolios of your work.

Join Detroit Area Career Networks.

In addition to registering with staffing agencies in the Detroit, MI area, you will also want to become involved with all the local career and business networks you can. Take the time to attend local job fairs. Spend some time at your Detroit Works center. Volunteer in the community and learn about career opportunities this way. Stay active and visual to stand out as a top candidate in Detroit.

Apply for Multiple Jobs.

Don’t limit yourself to just one or two dream jobs in Michigan. Take the time to target specific companies that you want to work for and then apply for several jobs where you have a majority of the skills. Very often, companies will hire people with a little bit less experience but those who show potential in jobs that require more responsibility. There are also a number of management training programs available with Detroit-area employers. Be open and willing to try new things by taking on temporary assignments and entry level positions that may be different for you.

Need more help finding a job? Click here to browse our open positions, or contact us today!

 

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