Author: Buyer Advertising

Ways to Promote a Spirit of Teamwork in Your Organization

Posted on by Buyer Advertising

image_017Teamwork is something that, at least on the surface, every business says they value. However, teamwork is more than a buzzword to be used in recruitment; it is a vital element of success, and Stanford Business School even believes that it can boost manufacturing productivity [1]. In any industry or field, your organization can promote a spirit of teamwork through each of the following ways.

Encourage Social Interaction

Goofing off on the company dime is generally something that is frowned upon, but many businesses actually see an increase in productivity if they allow for social interaction during office hours. Rachel Rodriguez, writing for CNN, says that a weekly happy hour, game hour or craft day can boost creativity and teamwork [2]. This may be especially true in work environments where isolation is normal, such as in computer programming or accounting.

Create a Team Structure

In large corporations, employees can often break off into individual cliques, which may cause some personnel to feel left out. In order for the whole company to benefit, it may be necessary to create a team structure, putting staff into set teams of a specific number. These teams can collaborate, share responsibilities and inspire one another. At Microsoft, teams are limited in size. Peter Drucker of Microsoft says, “Teams work best when there are few members…if a team gets much larger it becomes unwieldy [3].” This advice might encourage your business to create teams of up to 15 people, but no larger.

Encourage Free Speech

The natural power differences in a typical business leave some employees afraid to speak up against changes, increased production demands or new strategies. However, the best teams function when everyone feels like they can contribute and voice their opinions. Encouraging free speech is key in order to enjoy the results of “higher trust, increased productivity and rich creativity,” according to an article in the New York Times [4].

Businesses that foster a spirit of teamwork can see major benefits in the workplace. An organization that wants to improve teamwork might encourage free speech, create a formal team structure and encourage social interaction.

[1] https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/encouraging-teamwork-can-boost-manufacturing-productivity

[2] http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/29/living/play-at-work-irpt/

[3] http://business.time.com/2013/07/17/microsofts-new-mission-to-create-real-teamwork-not-just-teams/

[4] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/jobs/want-teamwork-encourage-free-speech.html?_r=1

The Pros and Cons of Offering Moving Expenses to Recruit Top Talent

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image_21When you’re recruiting top talent into your agency, chances are good that competitors of yours are also interested in the same candidates. According to the 48th Annual Atlas Corporate Relocation Survey released in April 2015, there has been a significant uptick among U.S. companies relocating employees since 2013 [1]. Recruiting nationally means that you need to have a competitive edge to your offer of employment.

While most candidates are looking at the hard numbers of their potential annual salary, they’re also increasingly interested in softer parts of an employment offer, such as vacation time and paid relocation expenses. Consider these pros and cons to offering relocation benefits:

Reasons to Offer Paid Moving Expenses

If you’re located in New York City and the candidate you’re trying to recruit grew up and just graduated from a university in Seattle, that person may not want to leave the area without a strong impetus to do so. Offering relocation expenses is one way to inspire such a candidate to make the leap and cross the country to join your organization. A new graduate may not have the funds to move across the nation, rent an apartment and get set up for a new job. People who live in housing markets that continue to be poor might feel as if they cannot afford to move for a new job. In this type of a situation, paying the person’s moving expenses can ease the financial burden of just starting out in a career or making a transition to a new organization. Employees who have their relocation expenses paid feel a sense of loyalty to the employer and are more likely to stay on the job for a longer period of time. This can lower your organization’s future recruiting costs.

Pitfalls of Offering Relocation Expenses

Paying for relocation expenses may seem like an empty investment, especially if you’re in an industry with high turnover, such as technology. If you’re offering a generous salary and benefits package, paying for relocation expenses may not be necessary. When your organization is recruiting many new employees, the costs of relocation expenses may be burdensome to your corporate budget.

Whether you are just starting to write a relocation policy or are re-evaluating your current policy, keep in mind that every relocation policy should answer: who is eligible for relocation benefits, what relocation benefits are offered, and what the tax implications are [2]. It’s important to evaluate your current strategy to make sure communication is clear as it’s critical for a relocating employee to understand if they’re eligible for relocation benefits, what they qualify for, and how to use them.

[1] http://www.helioshr.com/2015/08/top-5-considerations-in-writing-the-best-relocation-policy-for-your-business/

[2] http://www.urbanbound.com/blog/3-components-every-relocation-policy-should-have

Hiring Practices to Make Sure You Build Better Teams

Posted on by Buyer Advertising

Beyond the Individual: Hiring Practices for Building
Better Teamsimage_015

When a new employee comes into your organization, he or she will interact with a variety of current staff members. These daily interactions may be minimal for people who work on different projects, but employees who come together to do projects will need to get along so that work can be done efficiently and meet the goals of the project. Your hiring practices need to account for building better teams even as your staff is in flux.

What Makes a Good Team?
One consideration to keep in mind is that what works for one team may not work for another. Teams and projects are dynamic as are the people who are a part of them. When hiring individuals, consider the roles they might play on different teams within your organization. If you know that a new hire will spend 75 percent of his or her time working on a particular team, you will need to craft particular goals and ensure that personalities match during the hiring process, explains Kermit Burley, writing for the Houston Chronicle[1].

Team Players vs. Go-Getters
Team players understand that what they are doing is for the benefit of the entire organization. On the other hand, go-getters are more interested in how their efforts will pay off for themselves at some time in the future, according to Susan Heathfield’s article on About.com[2]. During the hiring process, human resources staff and managers must explain the expectations for team involvement and explain how there are benefits to both the individual and the organization to working as a part of a team. Setting clear expectations during the hiring process helps to get the newly hired staff on board with the plan.

Hiring the Right Members for Your Team
Another important part of hiring the right members for your team is making sure that employees understand the importance of teamwork in the context of the organization. Explain how the team’s project aligns with the organization’s mission, vision and goals. Explore with the candidate how his or her personal goals mesh with all of that. An employee who is committed to helping an organization be successful will be happier.

 

[1] http://smallbusiness.chron.com/build-strong-teamwork-20768.html

[2] http://humanresources.about.com/od/involvementteams/a/twelve_tip_team.htm

Refining Your Brand Mission to Improve Morale and Productivity

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image_27When your organization could use a boost in morale and productivity, one way to do so is to redefine your brand mission. Every brand should have a mission, vision and goals. While these are typically developed at the same time as the product or near its release, you can redefine them at any time. Redefining your brand mission takes a team effort, but the results are well worth it in the end.

Defining Your Brand’s Mission

According to this article, it is easier to redefine your brand’s mission once your vision and goals are clear and established [1]. Your brand’s mission is the how-to guide for advancing your goals and vision. The best time to redefine your brand’s mission is when there is only slow or halting progress toward your overall goals. Low morale and poor productivity are often symptoms of slow goal achievement. A better how-to guide can inspire your staff to get working again toward your organization’s goals.

Including the Four Key Components

Your brand’s redefined mission should be able to inspire your staff and encourage them to make positive progress toward organizational goals. The mission statement must also be reasonable and plausible as a “smart” objective. Dave Smith from Inc.com explains that there are four key components to your brand’s redefined mission statement [2]. These components include value, inspiration, plausibility and specificity. Each of these ideas should revolve around your brand’s key theme.

Creating a Clearly Redefined Brand Mission

A redefined mission statement should ideally be a single sentence that every member of your staff can learn by heart. In the best of all worlds, you company’s mission statement could double as the product’s slogan. The statement should be memorable and effective, leading back to your roots as to why you developed the brand in the first place. If you choose a short-term mission statement, redefining it will need to be a regular part of your work. This is because the improved morale and productivity will allow you to achieve the goals as stated in the mission. A long-term mission statement will need to use language that allows for organizational growth.

[1] http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/brand_innovation/amon_rappaport/how_define_%E2%80%93_align_%E2%80%93_your_brands_purpose_vision_missi

[2] http://www.inc.com/ss/5-tips-on-developing-an-effective-mission-statement

Investing in Education Opportunities for Your Employees, Is It Worth It?

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Is Investing in Education Opportunities for Employees
Worth It?image_09

While the bottom line always matters in business, investing some profits back into the quality, knowledge and skills of your staff benefits everyone involved. Even as many corporations have made cutbacks in employee perks or increased the employee share of benefits that used to be solely provided for by the organization, businesses that choose to invest in education opportunities for employees are reaping considerable rewards.

Increased Expertise
When you already have a well-trained employee who is responsible, fits in well at your organization and brings many skills and talents to the table, investing in that person is a more cost-effective endeavor than trying to recruit someone else with the particular new skill or expertise that you need. According to an article by Joseph J. Grilli, M.P.A., D.P.A. on CitizensVoice.com, a well-educated and trained workforce helps to increase a company’s profitability and boosts their chances of long-term success[1].

Types of Education Opportunities to Invest In
There is a broad array of educational opportunities that your organization can invest in for the increased knowledge of your staff and benefit of your organization. Many organizations offer tuition reimbursement so that employees can take particular classes within or outside of a degree program.

These classes would be directly related to the employee’s job. Employees could go to the local community college or university for Bachelor’s, Master’s or doctorate coursework in finance, management or other areas that would benefit your organization. Employers offering these benefits often ask employees to remain with them for a certain timeframe. Other educational opportunities can take place through independent organizations. For example, an employee doing marketing analysis could take a class in SAS or STATA statistical analysis software programming.

Employee Loyalty
The loyalty of an employee is of concern to your organization. You may be worried about whether the employee you just invested in will move on to one of your competitors. Not only does investing in continuing education and degree programs benefit employees, but it also promotes employee loyalty, according to an article by Laura Raines on AJC.com[2]. By choosing to invest in your staff, you are more likely to keep them and their expertise within your organization.

 

[1] http://citizensvoice.com/opinion/letters/continuing-education-programs-benefit-employees-and-employers-1.1410489

[2] http://www.ajc.com/news/business/companies-that-invest-in-employee-education-reap-m/nQSd4/

Is Your Hiring Process Causing You To Miss Out On Top Talent? Here Are Some Mistakes That You Should Avoid

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image_09Common Hiring Process Mistakes that Alienate Top Talent

Hiring qualified candidates to bring into your organization is a costly process in terms of time, energy and money. If your hiring process involves certain types of actions, you could actually be alienating the exact people who would benefit your company. Bringing in the wrong candidates could prove even more expensive. According to Mary Lorenz on CareerBuilder, 41 percent of corporations report that bringing aboard a bad hire cost them more than $25,000, and another 25 percent of companies said that their hiring mistakes cost them an average of $50,000 per poor candidate[1]. These tips can help your business avoid hiring mistakes that alienate top talent.

Interviewing to the Resume
A candidate’s resume is more like a statistical play by play of their past jobs and education. The interview is a part of the hiring process where you can really get a feel for whether a candidate would be a good fit for the job and for your company. Only asking questions about what is on the candidate’s resume or application is a mistake. The top talent will want to show off their skills, but you need to ask about them.

Lack of Opportunity
The top pool of candidates will want to know about opportunities for advancement within your company. Any statement suggesting that there are few chances to move up the ladder will alienate the top candidates. The best candidates want to be challenged and have opportunities for growth. Providing those opportunities within your organization benefits everyone.

Misunderstanding of a Candidate’s Skills
Talented individuals want to know how their skills will be put to use in your organization. As a hiring manager, you will need to explain how their skills will be used in both short-term and long-term projects. A lack of vision about how a candidate’s expertise fits into your organizational goals will alienate them, explains Kevin Jarvis, writing for Robert Half[2]. During the hiring process, discuss how your organization offers personal development benefits. Up to 21 percent of businesses fail to match candidate skills to job needs. This shows how your organization is committed to helping them succeed with you.

 

[1] http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2011/12/16/true-cost-of-a-bad-hire/

[2] https://www.roberthalf.com.au/blog/5-mistakes-companies-make-cost-them-top-talent

Does Your Website Work? How to Ensure You Get the Most from Mobile and Career Pages

Posted on by Buyer Advertising

image_16Does your company’s website work the way you think and hope that it does? If not, you may not be getting as much attention from prospective applicants who are qualified to work at your organization.

In today’s high-tech world, more than 77 percent of job seekers use the Internet as their primary source for finding leads and scouring open positions, explains an infographic from Beyond.com [1]. More than 84 million Americans use a smartphone to do their Internet searches, which means that your company’s recruiting and career pages need to be performing well in order to capture today’s top candidates.

Mobile Friendly

With most adults using smartphones to access the Internet, your website must be mobile friendly. Rather than having a separate mobile and traditional website, consider using a website with a responsive design. A responsively designed website is user friendly across devices and platforms. Responsively designed websites also rank well on all of the major search engines.

Social Media and Websites for Career Searches

According to a survey from Jobvite (featured on LinkHumans), more than 86 percent of job seekers use social media to find job openings [2]. This means that your organization needs to have both a great career page and an active social media account that is geared toward the type of candidates you are seeking. Your social media links should take guests to your career page or a landing page where users can enter search parameters to find current openings.

The Benefits of Responsively Designed Career Pages

If your organization is looking to hire tech-savvy individuals, a well-designed website is the first step to getting them knocking at your door. This is especially true if you are seeking new graduates who are well versed in the use of technology. Candidates who are highly comfortable with technology will use apps and text alerts to let them know when a job opening fitting their needs has been posted. Keeping your career pages optimized and up to date gets you fast results from candidates across the nation. Now is the time to make sure that your website is designed in a way that works well for all users.

[1] http://about.beyond.com/infographics/mobile-job-search-apps

[2] http://linkhumans.com/social-recruiting/jobseekers-social-media-study

How Members of the Baby Boomer Generation Can Learn Tech Speak from Millennials

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image_04As the Millennial generation enters the workplace in numbers large enough to overtake the Baby Boom generation, there can be a communications chasm between the two groups. Millennials have grown up with in-hand technology, including smartphones and tablets. The Baby Boom generation has had to actively embrace these tools, especially when it comes to using them in the workplace. Forging that communications gap can be done by getting the members of the two generations together in a variety of situations. The Baby Boomers can learn tech speak from Millennials using these three strategies.

Exploit Similarities

One way to get Baby Boomers to start using tech speak is to explore the similarities between talking about tech and talking about any other specialized field of knowledge. Every industry has its own lingo. Take advantage of the similarities by engaging Baby Boomers with Millennials in familiar situations. What used to be a “conference call” may now be referred to as “Skyping,” for example. Moving about on a website used to be called “tabbing” or “paging” but now is just “scrolling.”

Mentoring Programs

Mentoring programs are a great way to get people of different experience levels working together. A member of the Baby Boom generation can be paired with a Millennial for practice opportunities to learn about tech speak. Millennials will benefit from the increased face-to-face interactions as much of their world revolves around digital communications. These mentoring programs do not only have to be among coworkers but can also include college and even high school interns who come into your organization for short periods of time.

Teamwork

Effective engagement can also take place through teamwork. Placing members of different generations into the same working teams in your organization can help everyone to learn each other’s styles of communication. While Millennials often see communication as a way to convey bits of information, the Baby Boom generation may see communications as a way to get to know another person. These ideas can be meshed by having people interact in a variety of ways in the workplace. Seeing a project through from start to finish enhances communication.

 

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Checking Applicant Social Networking Profiles

Posted on by Buyer Advertising

image_01Hiring a new employee takes a considerable investment of your organization’s time, energy and resources. CareerBuilder’s annual social media recruitment study found that the number of employers taking to the web to research applicants has steadily risen over the past few years — from 43 percent in 2014 to 52 percent in 2015 [1].

As you investigate each applicant’s transcripts and professional references, you might have also considered checking their social networking profiles. Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are used by billions of people around the world for personal and professional reasons. Before you decide to take a look, consider the advantages and disadvantages of checking the profiles of your applicants.

Personality Type

Looking at an applicant’s profile on social media can give you an idea of the person’s personality type. If the person applied for a job where the workweek is long and he or she will be on call for nights and weekends, you may find it useful to know whether the person spends their weekends partying or participating in community events.

Professionalism

You may also want to check out a person’s profile and see what he or she has to say about current and former employers. Many jobs require a sense of confidentiality or at least a sense of respect. If the person makes accusations or generally speaks badly of their coworkers, employees or supervisors at their current job, the person could also do the same when working for your organization.

Privacy Rights

Every person has a right to privacy. When you go looking for a person’s profile that mostly deals with private or personal concerns, you could be facing a situation of legal repercussions. An applicant could reasonably argue that what they do on their own time as their leisure and personal pursuits are not within the realm of an employer’s interests.

Potential for Discrimination

Looking at an applicant’s profile and deciding not to continue pursue that person as a candidate could result in your organization facing discrimination claims. Social media profiles show plenty of personal information about a person, including their sexual orientation, gender identity, age, handicap, religion, race and ethnicity. Employers cannot use any legally protected information such as these items when making hiring decisions about a job applicant.

[1] http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2015/05/14/employers-checking-candidates-social-media/

Five Benefits of Having Walking Meetings Outside of the Office

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image_011The sit-down meeting may be a basic part of how your organization gets things done, but consider whether it really improves your organization’s productivity. The human body does some of its best thinking when moving. Researchers at Stanford University found that the creative output of people increases by an average of 60 percent when they are walking [1]. Consider these benefits of having walking meetings outside of the office.

Fewer Interruptions

During walking meetings, employees are less tempted to whip out their smartphones and catch up on the day’s news or posts from their social media feeds. Outdoor meetings also have fewer interruptions of uninvited guests walking into the meeting room. You may be able to get more done in less time by having a walking meeting.

Better Communication

Walking outside breaks down the barriers between management and employees. Your employees may be able to get their points across more succinctly and quickly than if they were sitting down across a big table from you. While outdoors, people become more relaxed and in tune with their surroundings, making it easier to say what they are thinking and feeling. Jeff Weiner, the CEO of LinkedIn, discovered that with walking meetings, the conversations are more candid—possibly because the two people aren’t making direct eye contact—with minimized distractions [2].

Improved Energy

Many office workers experience the 2:00 p.m. slump. This low-energy time of the day lends itself to poor focus and concentration. Taking your meeting outside of the office and having everyone walk around is an invigorating experience. The fresh air, sunshine and gentle breeze renew everyone’s energy and restore the ability to focus.

Healthier Bodies

Sitting for six hours per day during the workday has been found to increase cholesterol levels, blood sugar and blood pressure. Getting your staff outside and having walking meetings helps add some physical activity to their days. More active employees are healthier and may experience fewer illnesses.

New Ideas

The outdoor environment is always changing. From the leaves on the trees to the birds in the air, no two outdoor meetings will be the same. As your staff engages during walking meetings, the changing scenery may also inspire new ideas and more creative thinking. Your organization can benefit from the increased creativity and the new solutions that such creativity can bring into the workplace.

 

[1] http://www.inc.com/peter-economy/7-powerful-reasons-to-take-your-next-meeting-for-a-walk.html

[2] http://www.business.com/company-culture/walking-meetings-are-your-new-creativity-booster/