Tag: human resources

Dos and Don’ts for Developing Multi-Generational Teams

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Whether you are leading a team of 5 or 100, there is a good chance that the age range will span across several different generations. By 2014, the AARP estimates that 32 percent of the total American workplace will be older than 50 – up from just 27 percent in 2005 – but younger hires (especially those just graduating college) are still eager to begin working right away as well. The challenges of handling employees of different ages can be tricky, but these Do and Don’t tips can help.

Do: Set Ground Rules for the Workplace

One of the key ways to have an effective multi-generational team is to be clear and upfront about the rules or protocol in the workplace. Baby Boomers, for example, might be confused about why the dress code seems so casual; while millennial employees, alternatively, might find business practices done over the phone, rather than through email, as unusual. A company should establish protocol that includes dress code standards, working hours, penalties and/or rewards. If everyone is clear about the rules and guidelines, then no one will feel purposely excluded.

Don’t: Assume Anything About Your Team or Their Skills

While it’s important to know what your employees and new hires are capable of, don’t assume certain skills or traits belong to a particular individual, regardless of their age or generation they grew up in. This is especially true among Baby Boomers, which are the largest growing demographic within the workforce. Although a new manager might be incredibly effective, don’t assume that they can use Twitter to learn about workplace meetings. Be direct and straightforward, which can resolve issues much faster and with less room for error.

Do: Tailor Rewards to Your Audience

It is important to tailor rewards to your audience in order for them to remain effective. Bonuses geared towards a younger generation might not appeal to older generations. For example, offering a 25-year-old employee tickets to a social event as a reward for a job well done might go over well, but a 65-year-old employee might not appreciate the gesture.

Don’t: Separate Age Groups

According to a survey conducted by Lee Hecht Harrison, more than 60 percent of employees feel some kind of inter-generational conflict, much of which is encouraged by being separated, rather than working as a team. Many managers and recruiters believe that separating employees by generation will be easier in the long run, but that is typically a mistake. When you are able to create a multi-generational team that can function well together, you blend a range of attitudes and experiences that make an incredible asset for any company.

When done correctly, a multi-generational team is a great choice for any business. These Dos and Don’ts will make it easier to craft an effective all-ages team.

Sources:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/02/14/how-to-communicate-in-the-new-multigenerational-office/

http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/leading_a_multigenerational_workforce.pdf

http://www.trainingmag.com/content/multigenerational-workforce-communication-conundrum

Freelance vs. Full Time: A Recruitment Comparison

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Responding to the Trends

There are a number of trends in the employment and staffing worlds that impact both employers and prospective employees. Many companies are now outsourcing an increasing amount of work to freelancers and part-time workers. Likewise, many professionals now choose freelancing as a preferred lifestyle choice, not simply as a desperate alternative to a full-time position.

These trends impact the recruiting industry in several ways. The process of selecting a freelancer for a task or project is qualitatively different from seeking out a full-time employee. Many of the criteria for hiring someone to serve as an internal staff member aren’t applicable when using a freelancer. In fact, most of the popular websites for providing freelance talent don’t provide any real background information or credentials of the freelancers themselves. The most an employer can hope for is how well a freelancer has performed for clients on the website through something such as a star system.

As companies consider the advantages of these resources, such as no benefits and fewer continuing obligations, they find more positions that they are willing to trust to this form of part-time work. If a freelancer disappoints, it is vastly different and less expensive than making a bad hire.

Two very Different Tasks

Selecting a freelancer for a company is much more of a contracting process than a hiring assignment. Most of the EEO and related hiring issues, in addition to many of today’s sensitivities and HR guidelines are irrelevant to engaging or terminating a freelancer relationship. The recruiter simply has more freedom, from asking for specific referrals to not having to ensure a non-discriminatory review and selection process.

Of course, the other side of this coin is that a recruiter brings far less in the way of value-added services to the equation when selecting a freelancer rather than a full time employee. Recruiters are paid to have networks, find diamonds in the applicant pool, and to navigate all the intricacies of the hiring process. Absent that additional effort, the compensation that is involved will be significantly lower.

Cost-Effective Strategies for Motivating Employees

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Many of the most popular tips for recruiting and retaining high-quality employees revolve around expensive incentives. While big-ticket items or several paid vacation days certainly can be effective, their expense may outweigh the benefits. Keep in mind that the average cost of employee turnover is $2,000, which means that motivating and retraining an existing employee should never exceed that amount. Here are some of the most cost-effective strategies for motivating employees.

Friendly Employee Competition

Rather than offering every employee a cash or high-value incentive for meeting a specific goal, consider hosting a friendly competition among employees within a certain department or office. Making the reward something like a paid vacation day could potentially be expensive, but making the “losers” of the competition take over the duties will help spare the business from any real expenses. The key to executing this strategy successfully is to make winning the contest achievable. That means awarding a prize to one in 10 employees rather than one in 100.

Instill a Sense of Job Security by Teaching New Skills

The most motivated employees are those who believe that they have a future with their company. Instilling job security is not as simple as just saying the words, but it can still be cost-effective. The best technique is to have managers or owners go out of their way to teach employees new skills. Actively investing time in the betterment of an employee signifies appreciation and value, which in turn can motivate employees to work hard for their business.

Make an Effort to Personally Speak With Employees

Human interaction is one of the simplest ways to motivate employees. This approach may not be new, and it may not be time-effective, but it can certainly be cost-effective. Small notes of appreciation, short conversations about a specific project recently completed or a company-wide, email praising effort can go a long way in keeping employees motivated and eager to succeed.

Motivating employees doesn’t have to be an expensive ordeal involving cash rewards or large incentives. Friendly competition, personal recognition and feelings of job security all motivate just as well as costly alternatives.

The Importance of Creative Job Titles and Killer Copy

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job numbers edged up in July. Nonfarm payroll employers (goods, construction and manufacturing companies) added 162,000 jobs, which sent the unemployment rate down to 7.4 percent. Increased employment means a tighter job market, so many employers will have to work harder to find applicants. For human resources professionals looking to attract the best qualified and sharpest candidates to hire, this tighter job market calls for marketing creativity.

Bells and whistles – such as videos on your company website, or exhibits at job fairs – are acceptable ways to attract candidates, but there is a more effective way to target the hottest properties in the candidate pool. Here, the importance of creative job titles and killer copy in your marketing materials cannot be overstated.

Creative Job Titles

To catch the interest of the best candidates, creative job titles are essential. Forbes magazine recently published an article exploring this topic, and discovered that attention-getting marketing job titles expected to become more common over the next 10 years. These included Transcultural Anthropologist, Truth Engineer and Mobile Marketing Jedi. These examples might sound silly, but once the eye of a possible applicant is caught, however, the creative job title has set up killer copy.

Killer Copy

The most important concept to remember about the relationship between an employment ad’s title and its copy is that they must be integrated. If you catch the eye with Sales Terminator, but follow with a generic paragraph unrelated to the creative title, you’re likely to lose the prospect’s interest. Adding creative copy to supplement the title shows cohesiveness, and a dedication to detail that will impress the cream of the applicant crop.
For example, it’s much better to follow up on the title Sales Terminator with copy that starts like this:

“Our team of rebels is working to secure the future of a great [furniture, tile, medical equipment, etc.] company. We’re looking for a sales machine who can target opportunities with laser focus and convert prospects into customers …”
Of course, your copy will vary, but the key is to integrate your clever job title with relevant copy. This will help keep an applicant’s interest high all the way through the interview process.

Every Interview Counts: Making a Good Impression Through Recruitment

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Although most people think of an interview as a chance for potential candidates to impress hiring managers, the reality is that many interviews are actually a chance for high-quality candidates to find out whether or not a particular job appeals to them. Recruiters, hiring managers and employers need to work just as hard in order to make a great impression and recruit the best possible talent. Here are some key ways to make any interview work to your advantage.

Be as Specific About Job Duties as Possible

One of the reasons that top candidates decide against a specific position is because they don’t know what to expect. Jumping into a vague career is far more risky than one where the tasks are clearly outlined. If possible, have specifics written down or memorized, so that interviewees can better understand what their job might be like if they were to accept a position at your company.

Have Flexibility When it Comes to Benefits and Schedules

Surprisingly, many employees actually rank flexibility as more important than salary when it comes to accepting employment. Make sure that you are able to offer some kind of flexibility, and be open about it during the interviews. Parents of young children, for example, might appreciate coming in early and leaving early on certain weekdays. Other employees alternatively might prefer the option of working from home on two days each week.

Do Your Homework on the Candidate

Hiring managers would be disappointed in an interviewee who didn’t know anything about their company, but all too many know little about their candidate. Do your research prior to an interview and be able to mention specifics about the person’s job history. This will show that you are genuinely interested in them and appreciate their accomplishments.

Follow Up Immediately

After the interview ends, make sure that you make some kind of follow-up contact within 24 hours. It could be a quick call thanking them for coming in, or it could be a friendly email saying the same.

Recruiting top talent is one of the challenges of a successful business. These tips can ensure that candidates who interview with you leave feeling impressed and interested.

Top 5 Qualities of a Star Applicant’s Resume

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Hiring candidates is a long and often challenging process, but going through hundreds or even thousands of resumes at a time means that candidates can tend to blend together. In order to pinpoint the top applicants that signify a potential star and asset to a business, here are the top five things to look for on a resume.

1. Glowing References

An applicant can say just about anything they want to on a resume, but it can only be backed up by references from past employers. Having glowing references means that an individual can maintain business relationships, as well as excel in their employment position.

2. Customized Cover Letter

It is typically easy to tell when an applicant submits the same resume for 100 different jobs because there is no reference to the company or the position desired. However, star applicants will have carefully thought about this position, and they will have tailored their cover letter to include information about the business. This demonstrates passion and enthusiasm about a career at the company, but it also shows that the person pays attention to detail.

3. Lack of Career Gaps and Upward Movement

Having gaps in an applicant’s resume are not immediate red flags, but they need to be explained. The best applicants will have a steady stream of employment, few gaps and upward rather than lateral career shifts.

4. Identifiable Strengths

Someone who lists dozens of positive attributes may or may not actually have any of them, but a top candidate knows their strengths and clearly outlines them. Look for repeated concepts like teamwork, leadership, dedication or creative thinking.

5. Perfect Grammar and Spelling

Many employers don’t think that a few spelling mistakes on a resume are vital, especially when the position in question won’t require extensive written communication. However, it is about more than just communication skills. Top candidates will present well and pay attention to small details like those on a resume.

A resume is often the first time a candidate will have the chance to impress a hiring manager. These key attributes are the five things to look for when seeking out the top candidate for any position.

Keeping Quality Employees During Organizational Changes

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Organizational changes are a necessary part of any company. The needs and objectives of all businesses evolve over time, and with those changes come shifts in the number of employees needed, the types of employees needed and even the locations of said employees. When organizational changes take place, however, it can be difficult to retain the high-quality employees that are a part of your company. Many people assume that important titles and higher salaries are the biggest draw, but that is a common misconception. Money plays a factor, of course, but employees also appreciate an enjoyable work environment, flexibility in their daily schedules and a firm understanding of where they stand in the company.

Outline Their Position Clearly
The number one complaint that employees specify during and after major organizational changes is that they don’t understand where they fit in the new structure. When employees don’t see their value or their position in the structure, it can feel overwhelming. This is often when quality members of a company look elsewhere for more clearly defined roles. In order to keep employees, it is important to clearly outline their new position, as well as how it relates to others within the company.

Specify Clear Objectives and Long-Term Goals
Employees, just like all humans, want something to work towards. As soon as organizational changes are implemented, they should have specific objectives. These might be quotas for sales over the next 90 days, but they should also be long-term over the next two or even five years. This helps them feel like a more permanent part of the business.

Create Opportunities For Flexibility
One of the key ways to appease employees after an organizational change is to give them greater opportunities for schedule flexibility. It has been shown time and time again that employees who are able to work from home one or two days a week complete just as much work, but feel happier about the privilege. Flexible hours are another alternative that might work for your employees.

Keeping high-quality employees can be a struggle at all times, but it is especially challenging after organizational changes. These tips can ensure that you keep your most valued staff.

The Importance of Employee Retention in a Healthy Economy

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Human Resource metrics can reveal information that can help your organization identify the causes and patterns of employee turnover. Employee retention is again becoming a problem for employers. During recent economic trouble, employees were staying put, but now, the economic climate is improving, and employers must take a serious look at how to retain their best talent.

In November of 2011, an online survey indicated that more than 84 percent of employees wanted to find new jobs. This survey was conducted on a cross-section of 1,000 people across the United States and Canada. Another survey conducted by Mercer revealed a shocking revelation: Workers planned to search for a new job. The initial survey was done in 2005, and the numbers indicated that 23 percent of workers wanted to search for a new job. In 2010, the numbers had jumped from 23 percent to 32 percent.

Human Resource professionals must measure voluntary turnover versus involuntary turnover. In short, turnover simply means the number of employees that stay in an organization versus the number that leave the organization. The focus should primarily be on the voluntary turnover. Employers have to take a serious look at retention. Some turnover is healthy; it helps weed out the low performers and trouble makers, but how does an organization know how much is healthy?

HR professionals must benchmark the turnover in their organizations to determine what level of turnover is harmful to the business. One way to improve retention is to improve hiring practices. Hiring the right people is a significant way to improve employee retention. Bringing candidates in for a multiple-interview process can produce better hires.

HR professionals must keep an eye on those employees that are most likely to leave. This requires being in sync with the morale and engagement of top performers. Exit interviews are one important way to get feedback on why an employee is leaving the company.

Research has indicated that an exit interview done immediately after leaving the company will be more negative than one done several months later. There is more emotion involved immediately after exiting the company. Employers must look at the data of retaining top employees. Employee turnover is costly, and it impacts the bottom line of the organization.

Human Resources—Preparing for 2011

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As HR professionals, we’re looking forward to the future as new trends constantly emerge. Today, the landscape of hiring quality employees is shifting more rapidly than ever. 2011 will be no exception—expect plenty of changes that affect the way your organization recruits new talent.

According to the HR Management blog, there are 10 major changes to the way recruitment will work in 2011. Here are the highlights:

1. Rise in health care costs.
2. Focus on domestic safety and security.
3. Use of technology to communicate with employees.
4. Growing complexity of legal compliance.
5. Use of technology to perform transactional HR functions.
6. Focus on global security
7. Preparing for the next wave of retirement/labor shortage.
8. Use and development of e-learning.
9. Exporting of U.S. manufacturing jobs to developing countries.
10. Changing definition of family.

(Thanks to http://www.humanresources.hrvinet.com/hr-trends-2011/)

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