 It’s a proven fact that employees who like their boss are more likely to stay at their job than employees who do NOT like their boss. In fact, a poor manager or supervisor is often the sole reason a person leaves their position for another opportunity.
It then stands to reason that companies wanting to retain their employees should make great efforts to do so through effective management, if not extraordinary management. The fact of the matter, though, is that it doesn’t even require an extraordinary effort to convince employees to stay. What these employees want might not be considered extraordinary. However, what they want is essential to retaining them, which is certainly in the company’s best interests. With that in mind, below are four things that employees want from their boss: #1—Vision and the ability to communicate it properly Employees don’t just want a vision . . . they need a vision. The best managers do NOT keep information from their employees (this isn’t espionage, after all). Instead, they communicate the company’s vision and the role that each employee should play within it. #2—To not “run them into the ground” Okay, so we have a vision. That doesn’t mean driving employees incessantly in pursuit of it. Just because employees are willing to go above and beyond to get the job done, that’s not an open invitation to abuse their willingness to do so. The most productive employees are never the ones who are nearly burned out. #3—To say and do what they say they will say and do This is the number-one way in which to build trust in just about every relationship, and it certainly extends to the supervisor-employee relationship. Employees want honesty in their managers, of course, but it goes beyond that. They also want somebody who is reliable, dependable, and able to follow through on their commitments, both big and small. #4—To not “throw them under the bus” Top employees give freely of themselves, and more often than not, they take responsibility for their mistakes and do not attempt to blame somebody else. They expect the same type of behavior from their boss. The worst thing a manager can do is single out one of their employees and make them the scapegoat in order to make themselves look better. Great managers step in front of the bus protect their employees . . . not throw them under it. How do your company’s managers stack up against this list? Are they doing everything they can to retain their employees, especially their best ones? Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact Time Staffing today to find out more about our placement services for employers! Everybody would like to get a raise, but of course, not everybody does.
There are a lot of factors that play a role in the likelihood that a person gets a raise, including their performance and how valuable they are as an employee. (In other words, how much of a return the company is receiving for investing in them.) However, there are things that you can do to increase the chances that you do get a raise. Much of a person’s success is about timing, and securing additional compensation is no exception. Keep in mind that a “cost of living raise” is usually considered to be between 2% and 3%. If you receive a raise in that range, it means that you’re basically keeping up with the cost of living . . . and that raise really isn’t a raise at all. Especially since inflation is rising in the broader economy more than just 3%. For an increase in compensation to truly make a difference, it should be more substantial. With that in mind, before are four things you can do to increase your chances of getting a raise this year: #1—Do your homework. What does this mean, exactly? It means finding out what the industry standard is for your position and job description. If possible, find out what kind of compensation (and raise) is typical within your employer. Then use all of this information to formulate what raise would be reasonable for your particular career situation. Websites such as PayScale.com are helpful when conducting this type of research. #2—Be able to articulate what sets you apart from others. During a job search, it’s important to differentiate yourself from everybody else in the marketplace. The same approach applies to landing the type of raise you want. Remember, we’re not talking about the 2% to 3% cost of living raise, but a substantial raise that outpaces inflation. Your co-workers might receive the former, but you want the latter, so it falls upon you to first identify and then communicate what sets you apart from them and why you are deserving of a larger raise. #3—Be prepared to prove your worth to the company. Before your boss can grant you a raise, they must be able to justify that raise, not only to themselves, but also to theirboss. Articulating what sets you apart is the first step. The next step is proving your worth and backing it up with raw data. What have you done to save the company money and/or make the company money? Present those, as well. When it comes to building your case for a raise, there’s no such thing as too much evidence. #4—Ask for a raise at the right time. Obviously, you want to ask for a raise when the company is doing well financially. It would be even better if you were directly contributing to the company’s success and was a driving force behind it. That way, it will be easier to articulate what sets you apart (#2) and be able to prove your worth with supporting data (#3). Put all of the pieces together and use the four-step process listed above, and you’ll greatly increase the chances that you’ll receive a bigger raise this year! Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! By now, everybody knows that there are certain questions you can’t ask while conducting an interview. But you might be surprised at how carefully you have to measure your words while speaking with prospective candidates. Then again, you might not be, depending on how long you’ve been in the business and how much experience you’ve accumulated.
Not only is every person you interview a potential fit for your company, they also represent a potential lawsuit. Everything hinges upon what happens between the time they sit down across from you and the time they leave. Creating and maintaining a streamlined, efficient, and effective model for candidate interviews includes not being sued. Here’s a quick disclaimer—this is not a comprehensive list, and if you’re not well versed in this area, consult your Human Resources Department, your Legal Department, or your company’s legal counsel for more information. This article is meant to bring an important topic to the front of your mind and also to provide some general guidelines. The best way to stay on track during an interview is to gear your questions toward the requirements of the position. In fact, all questions should be presented within the context of those requirements. For example—and this is a big one—you shouldn’t ask how old the candidate is or what their date of birth is. Another area similar to age is height and weight. But if you ask about that, you’ll have to present information that ties the question to the requirements of the position for which they’re applying. Other than that, there are questions you should flat-out avoid, such as the following: Sex or marital status--This includes subjects like divorce, if the person has any children, how many children they have, when they plan to start a family, whether or not they’re pregnant, and if they plan to take time off work if they are pregnant. Religious affiliation--Asking them which holidays they observe is out of the question, too. You can get sued for asking the question “without asking the question.” Race or national origin--This includes asking them if they were born in the United States, what country their parents are from, if they’re a U.S. citizen, or if English is their primary language. You do have the right, however, to inquire about their citizenship status in order to make certain they are eligible to work in the U.S. Physical and/or mental disabilities--Don’t ask if they’ve ever been treated for a drug addiction or alcoholism, if they take any prescription medicine, if they’ve ever been treated by a psychiatrist or psychologist, or if they’re providing care for a family member with a disability. You can ask the applicant if they’re able to perform the tasks detailed in the job description with reasonable accommodation. Credit score or history--This has been challenged as discriminatory in the past, so it’s best not to broach the subject. Simply run a background and credit check, complying with the Fair Credit Reporting Act in the process. In other words, conduct the appropriate checks allowed by law and avoid the topic during the interview. Possible criminal history--In some states, you’re permitted to ask about criminal convictions. Find out what your state mandates. Private organizations to which they belong--Since it’s difficult to define the word “private,” it’s a safe bet not to ask about this at all, even if the candidate bring up the subject and offers information willingly. Names and addresses of relatives--Sounds obscure, but it’s true. While engaging in casual conversation toward the end of an interview is not harmful in and of itself, you should be extremely careful about how you act, react, and respond. For example, the conversation might start to gravitate toward family life and other personal issues. If that happens, squelch your inclination to probe deeper with additional questions, which is what you would do if it was a casual conversation and nothing else. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact Time Staffing today to find out more about our placement services for employers! In the current job market, there are plenty of employment opportunities and chances for career advancement. The key is to somehow uncover those opportunities and then take advantage of them.
The best way in which to accomplish this is to expand what’s called your “sphere of opportunity.” This is different than your “sphere of influence,” which refers to your ability to influence people and situations around you. Instead, your “sphere of opportunity” refers to your ability to create as many opportunities for yourself as possible. Ironically, this is often determined by the number of people you know and the number of situations with which you come into contact. This is primarily why attending industry events is one of the best things you can do when attempting to climb the career ladder. That’s because when you go to a conference or convention, you’re both meeting more people and exposing yourself to a wider variety of situations, both personally and professionally. Career advancement is not just about what you know, it’s about who you know, as well. As we’ve discussed before in this blog, engaging in continuous education is critical for those interested in the advancement of their career. Regardless of the extent of your formal education, the knowledge that you accumulate after that largely defines the scope and trajectory of your career. Networking events provide numerous opportunities for you to accumulate that knowledge, and depending upon the event, that knowledge can take many forms. It could be fieldwork, it could be formal classroom training, or it could be cooperative study. However, the manner in which the information is communicated is inconsequential. What isn’t inconsequential is the fact that industry trends and developments change every year, and failure to stay on top of them could prove to be disastrous in terms of your career. Networking plays a huge role in the growth and development of a healthy career. This is one of the most effective ways in which to expand your “sphere of opportunity.” You never know which direction a conversation with a colleague will take. You might discover a great opportunity you never knew about simply because you struck up a conversation and took the time to network. Of course, industry events are prime locations for networking. You can renew old acquaintances and also build new relationships with other people who share your interests or are also involved in your particular line of work. Here’s the interesting part of the “who you know” equation. Who you know can also positively contribute to what you know. That’s because although you can glean a great deal of knowledge from the formal training that occurs at conferences, the knowledge transfer that takes place in between and even after sessions is just as valuable, and in some cases, even more so. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! |
