Use Your Leadership Skills to Keep Employees Happier Longer

HMG Success on September 25, 2017

Your company’s leadership team plays a big role in how employees feel while on the job. Often, managers are largely responsible for the culture of a workplace and have a significant impact on morale and engagement among workers. One issue tends to be that leaders are often preoccupied with overseeing company products and services, and culture can easily fall by the wayside. Luckily, there are ways to use your leadership skills to keep your employees happier longer. Here’s what you can do to improve your workplace today.

Observe Workplace Interactions

You can’t institute cultural change without understanding the current state in your business. To help you gain a better understanding, start by paying attention to all the workplace interactions you witness. Consider how the employees treat one another during conversations. Determine whether each team member is being heard and whether those around them treat them with respect. You also want to see if workers are showing appreciation for the efforts of others and acknowledging one another’s accomplishments.

By carefully observing your workplace, you’ll gain valuable insights into the current culture. Then, if you want more information, don’t be afraid to ask your employees about how they are generally treated. Allow them to speak without defending the actions of others. This allows them to air their frustrations while you learn about issues that may need addressing.

Set Ground Rules

Now that you’ve observed how your employees interact, it’s time to intervene against anything that is harming your culture. Start small by creating some simple ground rules that provide guidance regarding what is considered acceptable behavior.

Limit yourself to five initial rules, and consider focusing them on specific activities, like meetings. List what you want workers to do instead of what you don’t want. This gives them clear instruction regarding expectations and can help create a more effective and productive environment.

Once the rules are set, make sure you adhere to them personally. Your team looks to you for an example of what is considered acceptable behavior, so make sure you are ready to live up to these expectations, as well.

Address Poor Behavior Immediately

After the ground rules have been set, you’ll need to enforce them. Your employees now understand what is expected of them, so taking action when someone breaks the rules is acceptable.

Failing to act when a worker makes a misstep allows others to question the validity of your guidelines. Instead, as soon as someone acts out of line, such as by demeaning a co-worker, put an end to it immediately. Once the situation has been stopped in its tracks, you can save any additional disciplinary action for a private meeting between yourself and the employee. The important thing is to show everyone that misaligned behaviors won’t be tolerated and that you will intervene.

If you’re currently looking for a new employee who will fit into your ideal culture, The Advance Group can help you locate top candidates in the Michigan and Ohio areas. Contact us to discuss your vacancies today.

No Confidence in Your Admin Skills? Here’s How It’s Hurting You

HMG Success on September 22, 2017

At times, even the strongest worker’s confidence falters. Maybe you were entrusted with a task that is well outside your comfort zone, or you received negative feedback you weren’t expecting. In most cases, these moments where you question your capabilities are short, and you’re able to get your mojo back and keep moving forward.

However, in some cases, a lack of confidence can be damaging to your career when it’s a long-term issue. If you spend your days feeling like an imposter or stuck in self pity, and there’s little to any reprieve, then you aren’t going to perform well in your admin job. So, if you regularly feel inadequate, here are some signs that your insecurity is a problem, how they are hurting you, and what to do about it.

Work Is Left Undone

While most people’s productivity rate ebbs and flows with time, if you aren’t getting your assigned tasks finished, your lack of confidence is doing real damage. Often, this stems from feeling unqualified for the position or that your admin skills aren’t up to par. Being paralyzed by insecurity isn’t the answer.

Often, it’s better to try and risk failure than to make no attempt at getting your work done. If you make an effort, you’ll have the opportunity to get feedback, which allows you to improve. It also increases your experience, helping you tackle the task better next time. And, in many cases, you’ll actually handle the project better than you originally anticipated, and that can help you gain more confidence in your admin skills.

You’re Just Waiting to Be Fired

A lack of confidence can do horrible things to your mindset. You may spend your time waiting for your manager to let you go, as you’re sure they’ll see you’re a fraud eventually, even though they’ve given you no indication that there’s a problem. This way of thinking makes it hard to do your job, as you’re constantly on edge and assume every conversation with your boss is going to be your last.

Typically, much of this anxiety can be relieved with a single conversation. Schedule some time with your manager and ask for feedback regarding your recent performance. This opens the door to a helpful discussion, regardless of what they have to say. If the feedback indicates problems in certain areas, you can work together to create a plan for improvement, giving you direction and an effective game plan. If it’s positive, you may feel less insecure, as you’ve heard from them directly that everything is fine.

Frantic Job Searching

When you feel out of your depth in your admin job, you may begin searching for a new opportunity. Often, this is an attempt to escape the current situation before anyone realizes your “shortcomings.” But, this typically only creates another distraction, harming your productivity and splitting your attention. It also means you aren’t spending this valuable time on improving your admin skills.

Instead of heading straight to the job boards, consider why you’re starting a search. Are you actually unhappy or just afraid of getting fired? If it’s the latter, follow the advice above and see if you can’t relieve some of your anxiety. If it’s the former, finding a new position could be the right move.

If you’re interested in securing a new job, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us today to learn about admin jobs in your area.

Increase Warehouse Safety (Without Blowing Your Budget)

HMG Success on September 18, 2017

Workplace and warehouse safety should be a priority in every warehouse. Not only is protecting your employees the ethical thing to do, but it can also result in cost savings by preventing expensive injuries on the job. But, if your budget is limited, it may be tempting to forgo certain safety measures to help improve the bottom line. While financial restrictions can be a factor, it’s vital to never put safety on the backburner, as it can easily cost you more in the long run.

Luckily, you don’t have to blow your budget to improve warehouse safety. Here are a few methods that can be implemented with ease — and without having to spend a fortune to make it happen.

Workplace Safety Training

No two warehouses are alike, so even experienced workers need to receive training to ensure they know how things operate in your place of work. Often, this starts by making sure every new employee is given a safety-oriented introduction to the environment with additional focus placed on areas relevant to their position. This gives everyone critical information about how to do their job safely and guarantees no worker misses out on the experience.

Safety Policy Enforcement

If your company is like most warehouses, you probably have a list of workplace safety policies and procedures that all workers are expected to follow. However, to ensure these policies are effective, you need to put real effort into enforcing them. Allowing safety issues to go unaddressed gives your workers mixed signals regarding workplace priorities and simultaneously increases the chances of an accident occurring. And, if those who violate policies aren’t reprimanded, you’re even implying these policies don’t actually matter.

When a safety-related incident occurs, it’s important to act quickly and decisively in accordance with policy. This shows that ignoring the requirements isn’t acceptable and demonstrates your dedication to the cause.

Provide the Right Tools and Equipment

While tool and equipment costs can add up, ensuring everyone has the things they need to do their job properly and safely is a wise investment. Employees who don’t have the right tools for the work often have to improvise, and this doesn’t always turn out well. Additionally, missing or damaged safety equipment leaves workers vulnerable. By ensuring the right items are available at all times, everyone can work more safely and productively, both of which benefit the company.

Make Smart Hiring Decisions

Warehouses are often subject to seasonal fluctuations that require new employees to be added quickly. But just taking the first applicant and throwing them in the position to get a warm body in place can be dangerous, especially if they don’t have the right experience or skills for the work. Not only are they more likely to be injured, but their inexperience could put others at risk, as well.

Instead, taking the time to select the right individual for the associated duties can keep the workplace safer, and it doesn’t cost you anything extra along the way.

If you’re looking for a cost-effective approach to hiring and warehouse safety, the recruitment specialists at The Advance Group can provide access to skilled talent quickly and efficiently. Contact us today to see how our approach can help your business succeed.

Messed Up Your Light Industrial Interview? Bounce Back with These Tips

HMG Success on September 15, 2017

Sometimes, you leave an interview knowing it didn’t go well. Maybe you stumbled on a few questions or committed a faux pas that didn’t leave a great impression. Regardless of the reason, it’s never a great feeling. Messing up during your light industrial interview isn’t the end of the world, however. There are ways to bounce back. Here are a few tips to help you get back on track.

Let Yourself (Briefly) Grieve

It’s okay to take a little time to feel bad about how things went. Instead of bottling up your feelings, allow yourself to work through the emotions. Don’t make a wide announcement about the how things went, as this can hurt your future prospects, but do consider confiding in one person whom you trust. Vent your frustrations a bit and discuss what happened during the interview. This will let you get everything out of your system, giving you the opportunity to get past it.

Move On

After you’ve taken a day to work through your emotions, it’s time to pick yourself up and start again. Treat your last interview as a learning experience and take it as an opportunity to improve during your next one.

Start by reviewing what went wrong and determine what you can do better next time. Maybe you need to dedicate more time to preparation and practice to help your answers feel more natural or do additional research regarding the interview process or your next target company.

The important thing is to manage your mindset and see your mistakes as an opportunity to grow. Every interview is a chance to learn and improve, and a bad one can teach you a lot of about what not to do and how to perform better next time.

Acknowledge Your Accomplishment

While the interview went poorly, part of the process went right. After all, you did land an interview, and that should be a point of pride. Celebrate this little victory to give yourself a boost and acknowledge that getting that far into the process is an accomplishment that deserves recognition.

Keep Applying

Now that you’ve learned a valuable lesson and gained additional experience, it’s time to work on landing your next interview. This means it’s time to start applying to open positions again to help you find your next opportunity.

Remember, there are other jobs out there, so you’ll get another chance to shine. And don’t forget that your application did help you score your last interview, so you know you can do it again.

If you want assistance with your new job search, the professional recruiters at The Advance Group can help you locate opportunities at some of the top companies in the area. Contact us today to see how our services can connect you to your next opportunity and help you get your career moving in the right direction.

Are You Ready for New Hires to Start?

HMG Success on September 11, 2017

Now that you’ve selected your new employee, it may feel as though the hard part is done. While adding a member to your team is certainly a relief, you can’t expect them to come in their first day and hit the ground running. If you don’t provide suitable guidance to new hires, they’ll often feel lost, and that doesn’t lead to great productivity. Instead, by using a thorough onboarding process, you can set them up for greater success, provide them with support, and ensure they are productive as quickly as possible.

Here are some tips to get you started on creating an effective onboarding process.

Preparation Is Key

If you want a smooth onboarding experience, you want to start planning for it before you have a candidate selected. Ideally, you should start preparing as soon as you start working to fill the position, as this ensures you have a suitable amount of time to get things in order. It takes the pressure off of the managers as they don’t have to throw something together at the last minute. Additionally, it gives them an opportunity to assess how to integrate the onboarding tasks into their current workload, ensuring they are appropriately available when the new hire comes in on their first day.

Think Big

Often, determining what the new employee needs to know within their department is relatively easy, but onboarding traditionally goes well beyond a single section. You need to consider how the position interacts with other departments, as well as what core areas should be universally reviewed. Typically, everyone needs an introduction to key personnel in human resources or tech support, so include these in the onboarding process as well.

Ask for Input

If you’re looking for a solid source of information, other recent hires can provide important feedback. They can let you know what was missing from their onboarding process, allowing you to fill in these gaps for future hires. Additionally, they can let you know what went especially well, giving you the ability to keep those steps in place unchanged.

Generally, this approach can provide powerful insights, especially in areas that many employees see as common knowledge. For example, most new hires have questions about basics, like dress codes and lunch schedules, that might not be automatically included in the onboarding process by managers who’ve been with the company for a while. By providing these details, you give new hires a chance to get their footing faster, and improve the overall process.

Manage the Pacing

While there might be a lot of information to cover, you don’t want to risk overwhelming the new employee by throwing it at them all at once. Instead, consider if there are logical divisions in the information, and see if things can be divided to make everything more manageable.

Begin by identifying what details can be provided in advance of their first day. This can include the above-mentioned dress code information as well as things like where to park and where to meet their manager on the first day.

Then, prioritize the other information based on what needs to be addressed on day one, like computer password policies and team introductions, and then schedule out accordingly.

By creating an effective onboarding process, you’re helping the new hire get started in a more efficient manner. This can make them more productive quickly and ensures they are comfortable in their new workplace.

If you’re interested in more tips about successful onboarding or are seeking candidates for a vacancy, The Advance Group can help. Contact us today to discuss your needs with a member of our skilled recruitment team.

Comparing Yourself to Your Welding Co-Workers: Does It Ever Pay Off?

HMG Success on September 8, 2017

Throughout your life, you’ve likely heard the advice to “stop comparing yourself to others.” Typically, this is good advice, as focusing on how you measure up to those around you can be a tiresome and frustrating experience.

However, there are times when comparing yourself to your welding co-workers can actually reap some benefits, as long as the examination is in the right areas. Here are a few examples of times when making the comparison can actually pay off.

When You Can Learn Something

At some point, you’ll likely have a co-worker who reaches the next level of success, possibly leaving you behind in the process. Maybe they scored that promotion or received a pay raise based on their efforts, but you didn’t receive the same. Often, this can be somewhat discouraging and may leave you wondering what did they have that you didn’t.

While this thought process can seem damaging, it can actually be helpful if you see it as an opportunity to learn. Consider the other person’s qualifications to see if there is something you’re missing. Think about how they operated in their position, including the hours they put in and their production levels. Reflect on their attitude and if they sought out new responsibilities or took on extra projects to help the company.

If you can identify some of these key differences, they can serve as a roadmap regarding what you need to improve to take the same step in your welding career. And that can be a valuable lesson.

As a Source of Inspiration

Seeing a co-worker pass you by can be frustrating. But, at the same time, it’s a clear sign as to what is possible in your career, too.

You and your team mate often have some things in common, such as a similar level of training or experience. So, their success shows you what opportunities may be just ahead for you if you make the right moves. It’s a clear sign regarding what is possible in your career, so consider seeing it as a source of inspiration. If they can do it, maybe you can too.

Comparing yourself to others is a natural, and often unavoidable, thought process. The important part is to avoid beating yourself up when someone else gets ahead. Everyone is different, and we won’t all reach the destination at the same time even if we were together at the start. By examining how you can use their success to teach you how to reach new heights in your career and considering it a source of inspiration, you can use these comparisons to your advantage, allowing you to get further than you may have otherwise imagined.

If you’re interested in taking the next step in your career by finding a new welding position, the professionals at The Advance Group can connect you with some of the leading employers in the area. Contact us today and see what welding positions may be available to you.

Want to Diversify Your Workforce? Start Doing This!

HMG Success on September 4, 2017

The idea that diversity in the workplace improves production and increases innovation isn’t new. However, many companies struggle to either attract a more diverse group of applicants or hire people from various groups. Luckily, there are techniques that can help you diversify your workforce. Here are a few you can start using today.

Provide Diversity Training

Sometimes, the company’s culture isn’t supportive of minority workers. One way to help create a friendlier environment for everyone is to provide diversity training to your employees and members of the leadership team. You can also expand the offering for hiring managers, giving them additional information about fair hiring practices and how to review candidates without bias. These extra efforts can make your business more welcoming overall, ensuring everyone is comfortable on the job.

Use a Neutral Application Process

At times, conscious and unconscious biases affect who ultimately gets interviewed and hired. One method for reducing the impact of bias is to use materials that limit the availability of information that can potentially identify a candidate’s gender, race, age, or similar factors.

For example, instead of providing hiring managers with all the details provided by the applicant, consider removing or redacting information like the person’s name or other personally identifiable information. That way, the applications are reviewed based solely on merit.

You can also create a standardized evaluation form for each position being filled. This sets the criteria in advance and creates a scoring method upon which to review candidates, providing a mechanism to limit the impact of bias.

Reach Out to Community Organizations

Cultural institutions, colleges and universities, and churches can all be a great source of candidates and may offer a more diverse population than you are otherwise reaching. Similarly, certain non-profits also work to help empower minorities and connect them with opportunities.

You can start by letting local chapters and schools know about your job openings, and then expand your search to nearby cities or through organizations that operate nationally. Simply let the group know you are looking to find skilled applicants for your positions, and see if they have avenues to get the word out in the community that you may have not otherwise explored.

Widen Your Recruitment Base

If you focus all your recruitment efforts on the local area, you are only reaching a relatively small applicant pool. This can occur when companies rely on sources like local newspaper classifieds or limited online placement based on the city in which they operate.

By expanding into the surrounding area, you can catch the attention of candidates who may live nearby, but not in your town proper. Online recruiting can be effective for reaching a larger recruitment base as well as using services offered by an experienced staffing firm operating in the area.

If you would like to widen your search, the recruitment specialists at The Advance Group can connect you with the skilled workers you need. Contact us today to see how our services can work for you.

5 Steps for Finding Your Best New Employee

HMG Success on August 28, 2017

When you’ve officially reached a point where bringing on a new employee is the right move, you want to make sure you handle everything right the first time. This helps ensure you can get the person you need quickly while making sure you aren’t stuck with a less than ideal fit or finding yourself hiring again too soon. To help you manage the task efficiently, here are five steps for finding your best new employee.

1. Clarify Your Needs

Whether you are refilling a position or starting one from scratch, you need to review the position to see exactly what competencies are required to get the job done. This involves looking at the assigned duties as well as evaluating the new employee’s team for skill gaps that need to be filled by the candidate. Once you clarify your needs, you can create a job posting that includes those high-priority items, ensuring you are speaking to the right job seekers before anyone submits an application.

2. Locate the Candidates

After crafting your vacancy announcement, you need to put it out into the world. You can begin by listing the job opening on your company website as well as relevant job boards and even local classifieds. Working with a reputable staffing firm is also a great method for connecting with qualified job seekers, so consider it when you start the recruitment process to help widen your net.

3. Handle the Interviews

Once you have a quality resume or application in your hands, it’s time to start interviewing. You’ll start by contacting candidates who most closely meet your needs and scheduling times to meet. Prior to the interview, craft some key questions you want to cover during the meeting, so you are prepared in advance.

Make sure you schedule interviews for a sufficient duration based on the complexity of the position and how much you hope to discuss. In most cases, professional-level interviews should be blocked for at least an hour, though some entry-level jobs make only require half that. When in doubt, give yourself more time instead of less. After all, the candidate you choose to pursue could be with your organization for a long time, so give yourself the opportunity to be thorough during the interview process instead of feeling rushed.

4. Manage Background and Reference Checks

Whenever you hire anyone, you should always take the time to run an appropriate background check based on the position and speak with the person’s references. While professional references are often somewhat biased, as the contacts are provided by the candidate, using probing questions can help you gain a deeper understanding of the job seeker’s capabilities, allowing you to get the most out of these calls. Make sure you give yourself time to get the information you need by handling these reference checks during a time where you won’t feel rushed.

If you want to streamline this part of the process, many staffing agencies can conduct background and reference checks on your behalf. This means you get all of the information you need, collected by professionals, without having to take the time from your busy schedule.

5. Make the Offer

As soon as you’ve identified your ideal candidate, it’s time to make an official offer. Start by speaking with them over the phone to cover the basics and send the details in a formal letter. Be prepared to negotiate with the job seeker, as this is a common practice, and then send an updated formal letter once you have found mutually agreeable terms and obtain their official acceptance.

Once that process is complete, you can begin looking forward to the onboarding process and having a great employee joining your team. If you would like to work with a skilled staffing agency to manage the process for you, the professionals at The Advance Group have the experience to handle the process right the first tie. Contact us to see how our recruitment specialists can help with your hiring needs today.

Feeling Confused at Your CAD Design Job? Here’s Why It’s Best to Tell Your Boss

HMG Success on August 25, 2017

At some point in your CAD design career, you’ll likely be faced with a project that seems to leave you baffled. It can be hard to accept that you are at a loss, and even more difficult to admit it to your boss. But failing to speak with your manager isn’t normally the best path. If you’re confused at your CAD design job, here’s why it is best to tell your boss the truth.

Your Manager May Already Know

Whether you’ve recently started a new job or have been in your position for years, your boss likely has a good grasp on what your skill set is and what tasks you have handled before. That means, they also probably know when something is new to you and may leave you feeling out of your depth.

If you find yourself drowning in your latest assignment, admitting that fact might not surprise your manager, and can actually make things easier in the long run. They can connect you with others who can help you manage the portions you find challenging, giving you a chance to learn and grow. Then, when you have to do similar work in the future, you’ll be prepared, and they know they can count on you.

You Can’t Fake It Forever

Many of heard the adage, “fake it ‘til you make it.” While this approach can be effective when you just need a little extra time to get your ducks in a row, it can’t be used as a long-term solution when your shortcomings are affecting others.

Turning in subpar or incomplete work will be noticed, especially if it is starting to become a norm. Additionally, your colleagues likely have to shoulder a heavier burden because of it. By asking your boss for help, you’re creating an opportunity to get the answers or training you need to handle your workload.

It Eliminates Excuses

By being direct with your manager, you can actually set yourself up for success. They may be able to connect you to resources, like online references, books, or courses that can help you fill in the gaps. This allows you to work your way through the problem yourself instead of relying on others to pick up the slack.

When you approach your boss, have a clear idea of what shortcomings are affecting your work. This allows you to explain what parts of the job you can confidently handle and on which you need help. Often, this direct approach is likely to yield the best results as you can specifically ask for the guidance you need in a concise manner. It can also demonstrate self-awareness as long as your assessment of your capabilities is honest and thorough.

If the job is completely over your head, then it’s also possible this isn’t the right position for you. Admitting that you need to find another option allows you to locate a job that better suits your capabilities and lets your boss find the right person for their needs too. If you’re interested in discovering a new opportunity, The Advance Group can connect you with some of the area’s leading employers. Contact us today and see what may be available to you.

Here’s What Really Stinks About Your Interview Process

HMG Success on August 21, 2017

Often, a company’s hiring process is somewhat arduous simply because that is the nature of the beast. However, there are parts that are especially frustrating for job seekers. Many of these headaches can be quickly remedied with a little effort, allowing you to improve the impression you make with all of your candidates. To help iron out these wrinkles, here are some insights regarding what really stinks about your interview process and steps you can take to eliminate them.

Being Left Out of the Loop

One of the biggest frustrations cited by most applicants is a lack of information regarding what happens after they submit a resume. It isn’t uncommon to liken hitting the submit button on an application to tossing a resume into a black hole, as most job seekers have only a limited idea of what is happening once they throw their hat in the ring.

An easy way to alleviate this headache is to provide basic email updates regarding the status of the hiring process. Let applicants know their materials have been received, if they have been eliminated from contention, or if interviews are being scheduled in the upcoming weeks. By sharing information, you ensure your top applicants are engaged throughout the process, and those that aren’t selected are quickly informed of the decision.

Not Hearing from a Person

Even some companies that provide updates do so in an impersonal fashion. Many use automated messages to let candidates know what is happening instead of reaching out to them individually. While in certain entry-level positions that bring in a lot of applications, speaking to every job seeker might not be practical.

However, once you’ve narrowed down the pool and have begun interviewing, sending a personal message is the best approach. This will almost always leave a better impression on candidates and can help your businesses reputation of truly valuing those who took the time to apply.

Ideally, interview invitations should also be personalized to help the applicant begin to forge a relationship with the company.

A lack of human connection is a big frustration for candidates, especially if they took the time to craft a meaningful cover letter and customized their resume to the position. So, consider defaulting to using a human touch whenever you communicate with applicants to ensure your interview process is as friendly as possible.

Demonstrating Personality

When a candidate takes a seat in an interview chair, it’s often hard to gauge how much of their personality should shine through. Additionally, finding the opportunity to do so isn’t always easy. A person’s personality can often impact their odds of being successful, especially in organizations that have a distinct corporate culture.

Interviewers need to learn to create openings where a job seeker can show parts of their personality, including a sense of humor. Not only does this help build trust and allow you to assess them as full human beings, but it can also serve as a test to determine if they’ll fit in and if they can make jokes in an appropriate manner.

Learning to balance the needs of the company with those of candidates during the hiring process is tricky. But, but taking some time to reach out personally, keep them updated on the status of the job, and finding methods to let them show their personalities, you can remove many of the most frustrating aspects of the job search process.

If you are looking for new employees and would like to streamline your process while adding a personal touch, the recruitment professionals at The Advance Group have the skills you need to do just that. Contact us today to see how our process can eliminate headaches and help you find the ideal candidates for your open position.

Keep an Eye Open for These Expensive Workplace Injuries

HMG Success on August 14, 2017

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, workplace injuries and illnesses cost U.S. businesses approximately $170 billion per year. These incidents also raise the rate of absenteeism, lower production, and can increase workers’ compensation and retraining costs, resulting in lower profits.

Certain workplace injuries are far more prevalent than others, and many could be avoided if the proper safety precautions were in place. To help you spot potential hazards in your company, here is an overview of what causes the most common workplace injuries and what can be done.

Handling Materials

The most common cause of injuries at work involves the handling of objects. This includes lifting, lowering and carrying items, as well as certain other actions. Injuries resulting from these activities range from strains and sprains to cuts, punctures, and contusions, and even fractures. Improper lifting and handling techniques are often responsible, as well as items being stored in an unsafe manner.

A person who is less experienced with the job is more likely to be injured than someone with experience, with a quarter of those hurt being on the job less than a year. To help lower the risk of injury, proper training is critical. This includes covering material handling techniques designed to limit the chance of being hurt, such as how to lift and lower heavy objects and when it is wise to get help or use a lifting device.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slips, trips, and falls can be responsible for a whole host of injuries, ranging from simple strains and sprains to fractures to head injuries. Even death is possible during the aftermath of a fall.

Wet floors are an obvious culprit, though foreign objects in walkways and uneven surfaces can also be responsible. To lower the risk of a slip, trip, or fall injury, it is important to keep walkways clear at all times. Make sure signs are used to mark potential hazards, like wet floors, and that uneven surfaces are repaired quickly. Non-slip rugs are also helpful if a surface is innately slippery.

When employees are working from a height, it is vital to have the proper safety gear available. Make sure the use of ladders is accompanied with proper training and that all stairs or elevated walkways have suitable guardrails.

Falling Objects

Any item stored above floor level can potentially fall and injure someone. Materials kept on shelves should be limited based on the number of approved layers, and those placed in piles need to have stack limits to help ensure the items are balanced. If debris is likely in an area, then clear signage should be in place warning of the hazard and personal protective equipment should be provided to anyone who has to cross through the area. When employees are removing items from an upper shelf, others should avoid passing through the area underneath to ensure that, if an object falls, there is no one in its path.

By taking basic precautions and requiring comprehensive safety training, many common workplace injuries can be avoided. If you would like to learn more about workplace safety or are interested in hiring a new employee, the professionals at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to discuss the needs of your company today.

Don’t Really Want the Job? Here’s What Could Happen If You Take It Anyway

HMG Success on August 11, 2017

At some point, you’ll likely be faced with a tough decision: do you take a job you don’t really want or do you try to hold out for something better? Depending on your exact circumstances, you may feel that you don’t have much of a choice but to say yes, and that can be a scary thought. However, accepting the offer isn’t necessarily going to be all bad, though there will likely be some challenges on the horizon. To help you see the bigger picture, here’s what could happen if you take a job you don’t really want.

It Can Be Discouraging

Normally, you aren’t going to be thrilled about taking a job that won’t help you further your career, or that doesn’t offer interesting opportunities to learn and grow. If you were stuck having to accept such a job, it could be very discouraging. Feeling stagnant can be incredibly frustrating in itself, and if you don’t feel a position can help you reach bigger and better things in the future, it can even leave you feeling a bit trapped. However, there are some other important points to consider.

This Job Isn’t Forever

If you have to take a job you don’t really want, it’s important to understand that this doesn’t have to be the end of the road. People change jobs fairly regularly, with one study showing an average of four positions before age 32, so this may simply be a speed bump in an otherwise smooth career.

Additionally, by sticking with it, at least for the short-term, you could be exposed to opportunities that weren’t necessarily apparent when you accepted the job. Just as it can be hard to show everything you have to give to a company in a resume and interview, not everything an employer can provide is easy to assess during that portion of the process. Try to look beyond the first impression and view the position with fresh eyes when you begin. It’s possible something better is actually in store than you originally pictured.

Look Below the Surface for Something Worthwhile

Even if the job turns out to be what you imagined, this company has something to offer that is worth exploring. Dig into training options, network with other professionals, and look for opportunities to learn new skills or hone current ones. You can also see if positions in other departments might be more appealing, and see what it would take to transition into one.

Often, if you put effort into finding some positive, you’re likely to discover something worthwhile. This can make a job you didn’t really want turn into something that can help your career.

Be Prepared to Keep Looking

Worst case, keep your resume ready. While seeking a new position quickly after accepting a new job isn’t always ideal, there isn’t anything that says you can’t do it once during your career. Just make sure any future interviewers understand you are looking to leave so quickly because the opportunity turned out to be not the right fit, and you are hoping to move forward so you and your current employer can both find better matches.

If you are looking for a new job, the recruiters at The Advance Group can help you find an ideal match. Contact us today and see how our services can assist you in your search for a job offer that really makes you want to say “yes.”