 If there’s one thing that companies and employers crave right now, it’s flexibility. There’s no question that many managers and their staffs are overburdened at the moment, constantly looking for ways to accomplish more regardless of market conditions.
With this in mind, there are a variety of different situations in which a company might opt to hire an interim (or temporary) employee. Those situations include the following:
Part of the flexibility inherent in hiring an interim or temporary employee is that the company can utilize their skills and know-how for any length of time, as much—or as little—as they need to. The problem for many company officials is that they’re hesitant or fearful about hiring on an interim basis. However, when examined more closely, the pros outweigh the cons, and the benefits could be tremendous. As many fears and pitfalls as there are when it comes to hiring candidates on an interim basis, there are just as many—if not more—advantages and benefits:
Now let’s address the fears or potential pitfalls:
Flexibility and creativity are vitally important in today’s job market. Companies can’t be too rigid in their approach. Instead, they should be willing to accommodate the varying factors involved with each individual situation. No two interim positions are exactly the same, and no two interim employees are exactly the same. Attempting to apply the same rigid guidelines to all of them could be counterproductive. Besides, if the ultimate goal is to convince the employee or executive to stay for the long haul, being flexible and accommodating will go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. 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! It would be an understatement to say that the employment marketplace and job market have undergone considerable changes during the past three years.
The COVID-19 pandemic kicked off one of the most turbulent periods in the history of our nation’s workforce—and the turbulence may not be over yet. After all, the Great Resignation is still happening and the pandemic still exists, albeit in the form of weaker strains of the virus. Regardless, while there is no crystal ball that will reveal the future, there are some things about which we can be almost certain. As you will see, many of them are simply a continuation of trends that began during the past three years. And since there does not appear to be anything poised to stop them—at least at this point—they could continue unimpeded. Below are four important hiring trends that will shape 2023: #1—Remote interviewing The pandemic is most definitely behind this trend, and it’s continued almost unabated since the pandemic started. Employers are still conducting in-person interviews, but they’re quickly becoming the exception rather than the rule. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to audit your interviewing practices, starting with all of the interviews that you conducted in 2022. #2—Increased emphasis on diversity and inclusion Actually, the acronym is DEI, which stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. According to Wikipedia, DEI is “a conceptual framework that claims to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, especially in the workplace, including populations who have historically been under-represented or subject to discrimination because of their background, identity, disability, etc.” This is a trend that is NOT going away, regardless of how prevalent (or not) the COVID-19 virus becomes. #3—The need for employee retention efforts As noted above, the Great Resignation has not slowed down much, if at all, since it began nearly two years ago (despite the fact that some large technology companies have recently laid off employees). More than ever, companies must do what is necessary to adequately engage their employees, especially their top performers. Failure to do so can result in the loss of those employees—and the value that they bring to the organization. #4—The need for temporary workers. You’ve probably noticed the nearly non-stop flow of headlines proclaiming that there will be a recession in the near future, most likely in 2023. Since that’s the case, temporary workers will become an important part of employers’ workforce management plans. This is yet another reason why building a relationship with an experienced staffing firm is a strategic move heading into 2023. 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! One of the most important parts of the hiring process is knowing when to make an offer to a job candidate . . . and when to keep the process going.
While it might be tempting to keep looking once you’ve interviewed a great candidate, doing so can prove to be counterproductive. First of all, the myth of the “perfect job candidate” is just that: a myth. Such a candidate does not exist. However, great candidates do exist. The key is to be able to recognize them, so that you can make an offer of employment to them—before another company does. Below are four traits, characteristics, and attributes of a great job candidate: #1—Intrinsically motivated People who are intrinsically motivated are able to motivate themselves. Those who are extrinsically motivated need other forces to motivate them, including other people. Typically, intrinsically motivated individuals provide more value to their employers, due largely to the fact that they’re “self-starters.” They don’t always have to be told what to do and how to do it. Instead, they’re proactive about doing what is necessary to be successful. #2—Superb communicator Communication is one of the most valuable soft skills that a job candidate or an employee can possess. That’s because lack of communication of miscommunication can cause a wide variety of problems, and more problems are the last thing that an employer needs. Good communicators, on the other hand, can not only help to solve existing problems, but they can also prevent new problems from occurring. #3—Willingess to learn and improve The best job candidates and employees are those who realize they do not “know it all.” They recognize that they must engage in continuous training and education so they can improve their skill set and provide more value to their employer (and any potential new employers). In addition, candidates who are willing to learn and improve don’t need to be told by their employer to pursue continuing educated. They are often intrinsically motivated to do so. #4—Good team player and cultural fit This is an important characteristic, one that some employers unfortunately overlook. Although talent, skills, and experience are important, how the person fits into the company culture is equally critical. You want to hire somebody who will help to lift up those around them, not bring them down in any way. While the “perfect job candidate” does not exist, you can come close to perfect by finding a great candidate who meets all of the requirements and also possesses a number of intangible traits that add greatly to the amount of value they can offer to your organization. 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! There may be more Millennials in the workforce right now than the members of any other generation. However, the members of Generation Z will comprise 27% of the workforce by 2025. (Believe it or not, that’s only two years away.)
With more and more Gen Zers entering the workforce, employers will have to meet the challenges presented by the members of this generation. Specifically, they must successfully engage these candidates if they have any hope of successfully hiring them as workers. However, the members of this generation are motivated by more than just salary and benefits. (Although these are still important considerations for today’s candidates. If your company does not offer a competitive compensation package, it will be difficult to attract just about any job candidates, regardless to which generation they belong.) Below are three strategies for attracting Generation Z workers: #1—Promote your company’s core values. Core values are very important to the members of Generation Z. As such, they want to work for a company that has the same values they do. That’s why you should mention and promote your core values during the interviewing process. There was a time when employers did not have to mention their core values during the interview. However, that time has passed, especially if those same employers want to hire Gen Zers. #2—Offer schedule flexibility and positive work-life balance. The members of Generation Z want to “work to live” and not “live to work.” There are fewer workaholics among their ranks than among the previous generations, and they consider that to a positive attribute and not a negative one. Consequently, Gen Zers are not going to want to work for an organization that schedules them for excessive amounts of overtime, although they’re certainly open to working more hours occasionally when necessary. #3—Highlight your company’s commitment to diversity. Diversity and inclusion are also crucial issues for Generation Z. Consequently, they want to work for an employer that is committed to both. More importantly, they want their employer to not just talk about diversity and inclusion, but to actually do something about these issues. To put “their money where their mouth is,” so to speak. As more members of Generation Z enter the workforce and the longer that a worker shortage exists within many industries, the more challenging it will be for companies to hire the talent they need to succeed. That’s why they must implement these strategies as part of their recruiting process. 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! Finding job candidates and workers is difficult these days. Finding and hiring them in a timely fashion is even more difficult.
However, what if you could find—and hire—more of the job candidates you want as quickly as you want? More importantly, what would it mean to your company’s bottom line? Below are three keys for hiring better candidates in less time: #1—A thorough understanding of the job requirements This starts with a detailed job description, but not the description that was used to hire the previous person in the position. The job requirements have almost certainly changed to some extent since then, which means the description should fully reflect those changes. Those changes should be agreed upon and understood by everyone involved. #2—Selective (and effective) screening of job candidates A thorough understanding of the job requirements and description leads directly to a more effective screening process. That’s because not only will the hiring manager know which skills are most important during the screening, but they’ll also know which traits they would trade for a candidate who has tremendous potential to be a good fit. These candidates often don’t match the requirements 100%, but they possess other talents and abilities that could make them an ideal fit and a great employee. #3—Assessing competency (over experience) What applies to skills also applies to experience. How competent a candidate might be in executing the requirements of the position may not have as much to do with experience as it does with the other things that the candidate brings to the table. Experience is certainly important, but an over-emphasis on experience may exclude a “diamond in the rough” candidate capable of not just filling the position, but also excelling in it. When too much time is taken during the recruiting and hiring process—for whatever reason—the best job candidates can be lost. As a result, not only are lesser candidates eventually hired, but the process also takes longer, costing the company even more in terms of time, energy, and productivity. How well does your company employ the three keys listed above? Are there systems in place to ensure high levels of success in all three areas? What measurements do you use to track that success? 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! A lot has happened in the job market and the employment marketplace during the past few years, not the least of which was the start of a worldwide pandemic.
Then there was the “Great Resignation” and a flurry of hiring across just about every industry. On top of that, the National Unemployment Rate has remained close to a historically low level. And now, as we hurtle toward the end of 2022, many companies want to hire, but they can’t find the job candidates and workers for which they’re looking. (And not just the companies that seem intent on finding the “perfect candidates,” either.) So while it may seem as though there’s a talent shortage, perhaps even in YOUR industry, what’s more likely is that there’s a solution shortage. Yes, it may be a logistical fact that there are more openings than seemingly qualified job candidates, especially within certain industries. However, what organizations need are solutions to help bridge the gap. In other words, companies should be more proactive in seeking solutions to their hiring problems, specifically their inability to fill a critical position in a timely fashion. So what solutions are available to companies that find themselves in this predicament? Below are three such solutions: #1—Perfecting the recruiting and hiring process. In today’s job market, the margin for error is razor-thin when it comes to hiring. There isn’t much room for mistakes. That’s why you must analyze your hiring process and identify areas of weakness. That way, you can improve those areas, which will result in more qualified candidates at the beginning of the process. And if you have more qualified candidates at the beginning of the hiring process, then you’ll have more quality hires at the end of it. #2—Hiring candidates who display potential. Unfortunately, many companies are looking to only hire candidates who don’t need training and who can “hit the ground running.” By hiring candidates who can do the job with some training and can grow into the role, the company could fill the position more quickly and quite possibly help develop that “perfect” candidate/employee it was attempting to find as-is. #3—Using a staffing agency. An experienced and reputable staffing agency can help you find the job candidates and workers you need for your open positions. When you use a staffing agency, you can devote more time and energy to other important tasks within your company while the agency works to help you reach your hiring goals. It is true that hiring is challenging at the moment. However, instead of focusing on what you can’t control (a talent and worker shortage), focus on what you can control (solutions that will help your company to hire well, anyway). Companies that devise hiring solutions are the ones thriving in this market . . . and the ones that will continue to thrive in the future. 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! Creating a stellar company culture is no easy task. If it was, then every company and organization would have a stellar culture, and that simply is not the case.
In order to achieve this task, a company must have the “buy-in” in of its employees. The employees must believe in the organization, what it stands for, and how it conducts business. Without this “buy-in,” creating the right type of culture is more difficult, and in some cases, nearly impossible. On the other hand, when you empower employees to take ownership of their work, not only do you have a great company culture, but you also have a more productive workforce. And that’s a one-two combination that any employer would love to have! Below are five ways to empower employees for the purpose of creating a stellar company culture: #1—Listen to your team. You can’t address the concerns of your team unless you know what those concerns are, so there is a practical aspect to this step. In addition, employees want to feel as though they’re being listened to and that what they have to say matters. What they do not want is to feel dismissed or overlooked. That will not make them empowered. That will make them seek new employment. #2—Communicate often and well. It’s difficult to over-emphasize the importance of communication in the workplace, especially between an employer and its employees. Without the proper level of communication, employees will begin to feel neglected and even eventually abandoned. Then, when they don’t have the information they need, they might start assuming things that are not true. It’s human nature. #3—Understand their priorities and values. First, you must know what their priorities and values are, which goes back to #1 on our list. After all, a person’s priorities and values serve as the fuel for their empowerment. That’s because these are the things about which they’re passionate and that motivate them to succeed. #4—Show respect. Today’s workers want to know that they are respected by their employer, and this includes respected by their boss and their coworkers. When they feel respected, they’ll feel as though it’s safe enough for them to “let down their guard,” and once the do that, they’ll become more satisfied and productive. #5—Make trust a cornerstone of the company. This is the big one. An organization’s employees must trust it if the company has any hope of creating a stellar company culture. And this is a top-down endeavor whereby management must start the process by showing trust in its employees. This means no micro-managing, which causes workers to look over their shoulder all the time. That is the opposite of a trustful work environment. 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! Today’s workers and job seekers are NOT all about the money. The “Great Resignation” has been an indication of that.
What they really want is less stress. And that includes less stress in their professional life, their job, and their career. And it doesn’t matter if we’re talking about blue-collar workers or white-collar ones. Collars of all colors want less stress. With this in mind, below are five ways to reduce stress in the workplace to help retain your employees: #1—Set clear expectations. Workers often become stressed when they don’t know what is expected of them. Then they start to fear the consequences of not meeting expectations, and that kind of fear and stress can negatively impact their performance, which is exactly what you don’t want. So don’t keep them guessing. Instead, lay everything out in detail, especially in regards to their work and productivity. If they know what is expected of them, they’ll be more likely to meet those expectations. #2—Communicate consistently. Workers do not want to be “kept in the dark.” Just like they want to know what their expectations are, they want to know everything else, as well. When an employer does not communicate well with its workers, the workers are uncertain at best and confused at worst. That’s not a good combination for productivity and profitability. #3—Foster a culture of respect. Employees and workers want to feel as though they’re respected, both by their boss and upper management and also by their co-workers. People should not be yelling at each other, there should not be any disparaging remarks, and there should be absolutely no assault in the workplace of any kind. When employees feel respected, they feel safe. #4—Offer flexibility. Work-life balance is a big consideration for today’s workers and job seekers. It’s part of what drove the “Great Resignation” in the first place and is still driving it. One main facet of this is schedule flexibility. Employees have personal lives and sometimes their personal lives require a certain level of flexibility that allows them to meet their obligations at home and still perform at a high level at work. #5—Recognize and reward accomplishments. This is one of the easiest ways to reduce stress and increase retention at the same time. It could be a kind word or a pat on the back. It could be a gift card or some other tangible reward, given either individually or as part of a group. When an employee knows that they are appreciated, they’re less likely to feel stressed in the workplace. 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! There’s a right way and a wrong way to do everything—including reference checks. In this current candidates’ market, the demand for high-quality candidates is great and the margin for error is small. As a result, any mistake could result in the loss of a top candidate for your organization’s open position.
So that’s why doing things the right way is so important. Different employers conduct reference checks in different ways. Some don’t conduct any at all. On the other hand, some employers go completely in the other direction. They ask for as many references as possible and attempt to contact them all. While it’s certainly good to vet candidates in your company’s hiring process, time is a precious commodity. So if the ultimate goal is to fill the position with the best candidate possible and reference checking plays a role in reaching that goal, then what are the best practices for checking them? The first step—and perhaps the most important—is that of preparation. You must have a process by which your organization checks references. This will allow you to streamline the process and save time during it. Specifically, you should know the following information:
One of the most important aspects of reference checking is who you call about candidates you’re considering for your organization’s open position. Ideally, you want to speak with the most unbiased people possible. Yes, the candidate submitted certain references because they believe those individuals will say positive things about them. Regardless, obtaining objective information should be a top priority. Below are some of the people you may be speaking with as references:
So what’s the key to obtaining balanced information during your reference checks? Asking the right questions, of course. Below is a list of such questions:
At the end of the conversation, you can also ask if there is anybody else with whom you can speak about the candidate who might provide additional insights. This is a great way to uncover more balanced and less biased information. While this process may seem comprehensive, remember that it should be done in an efficient manner. As mentioned above, time is of the essence during the hiring process. The longer it takes to check references, the longer the process will take overall, and the longer it takes overall, the more likely that candidates will drop out of the process. It just goes to show that not only must employers do things the right way in this current market, but they must also do things the right way quickly. 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! Organizations are always on the lookout for top-performing individuals, candidates who can become new employees and drastically impact the bottom line. However, what about current employees?
Of course, you want to retain your best employees. And once you hire more good employees, you want to retain them, too. But what if you have underperforming employees in your organization? How should you deal with them? First of all, how do you spot such employees? In actuality, that is rather easy:
And this is just a starter list. It’s plenty, though, if you’re looking to identify employees who are underperforming. Now, there are basically two types of underperforming employees: those that an organization removes relatively quickly and those that stick around for a while. You might wonder about the latter scenario. Why would an organization allow an underperforming employee to remain on the payroll for an extended period of time if they’ve been underperforming for nearly the entirety of that time? There is a litany of reasons, including the following:
However, all of these reasons are past considerations. What’s important is the present (and the future). That’s why management must deal with and address underperforming employees, regardless of who they are or what they’ve done in the past. With all of this in mind, below is a three-pronged plan of attack for dealing with underperforming employees: #1—Investigate. It’s always good to gather as much information as you possibly can about the situation. Perhaps the person is enduring a tough personal setback or something else about which you do not know. Sit down with the employee and have a conversation. Ask them if there’s something they need in order to do their job better and if they’re enjoying their work. They might just come right out and tell you what’s wrong. #2—Make suggestions for improvement. Try the collaborative approach. Secure their buy-in regarding the changes that are needed. If possible, put together a plan that both of you can implement and execute. #3—Challenge the employee to improve their performance. This is where you set concrete expectations for the employee, especially if you do assemble a plan together. They need to know what is expected of them. And it should also be inferred that there will be consequences if they do not meet expectations in a timely manner. There could be any number of reasons why employees within your organization are not engaged. If there appears to be many of them, perhaps there is a problem within the organization. It could indicate a troubling trend that needs to be addressed at a deeper level. 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! |
