Category Archives: CNC

Achieving A Great Work-Life Balance

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Do you find yourself struggling to find a fair balance between your work and your personal life? You are far from alone. Changes to the traditional workforce following the recent recession, have resulted in employees handling more of a workload than their roles had required in the past.

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Employees who struggle to find balance between their professional and personal lives can suffer from poor work performance, stress, exhaustion, illness, and depression. Often times employees who are unhappy with the balance between their work and personal lives are likely to experience turnover in their careers. Finding a suitable balance for yourself and your employer may be easier to do than you think. Here are a few tips to get you started:

  • Have a clear understanding of your professional obligations. Make sure that you are aware of what your employer expects of you and what they consider as above and beyond. Chances are some of the added stress and responsibilities that you find yourself overwhelmed with are not expectations for someone in your role.
  • Find out what workplace flexibilities are available to you. Does your employer offer flex time? Do they allow employees to work remotely on occasion? Today’s workplace offers more flexibility than ever before. With the technology available, employers are able to allow more staff to work from home with the same capabilities and accountability as working in the office.
  • Determine if you are working as efficiently as possible. Do you find yourself working overtime regularly? Chances are there are process improvements or delegations that could significantly cut down on your need to work over. The average worker spends as much as 28% of their day working on email! Set specific times of the day to check and respond to email, allowing you to be more efficient throughout the day. Unless your role requires you to be available after hours, consider turning off your email on mobile devices during your personal time. Remaining focused on your personal activities during your off time can help you make the most of your down time.
  • Create and maintain priorities for yourself. Realize and accept that you can’t always be involved in everything. Determine work and personal life priorities and create a plan to help you accomplish those tasks before taking on additional obligations. Communicate to those around you that while you’d love to be involved in everything that’s not realistic for you right now, you are setting priorities that will allow you to dedicate yourself to certain important events or projects.

While admitting to yourself and others that you cannot do everything is difficult, the ramifications of a poor work-life balance can be far worse. Be honest with those around you about what you are available for and accept the things that you cannot handle at the moment. Remember to take time for yourself. Most positions provide  vacation or personal time off, taking the time off that you have earned is important and can allow you to return to work refreshed and refocused.

Are you a stand out professional, skilled trades person, or technical professional seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities?  Visit our job seekers section for more information!  Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

 

Managing A Poor Performing Employee

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Do you have an employee who is not performing to the standards of their position? If you don’t currently, you likely have in the past and will at some point in the future. Learning to manage, guide, and assess an employee’s performance and it’s impact on your organization can be critical. Maintaining employees who are under performing in their role will have a direct impact on employee morale, productivity, customer satisfaction and ultimately your bottom line.

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The first step to managing a poor performer is to identify who that person may be. Chances are if you haven’t heard complaints from others in their department, you will soon. Conducting regular employee performance reviews, spot checking their work, and communicating with your staff in regards to their role are great ways to ensure that you identify someone who is under performing before it becomes a major hardship. Poor performers often are distant from other team members, take longer to accomplish tasks, avoid accountability, and are not goal driven.

The next step is to determine the cause of the poor performance. Reasons for poor performance can range from situational such as those who are struggling personal life issues, health issues, or lack of focus to skills related such as training and development, under qualified for the position, or those with an overbearing workload. Take the time to communicate openly with your employee to help determine the cause for their lack of performance. Sometimes the solution may be as simple as providing additional training on a process or program. Keep in mind the longer you wait to begin communicating with the team member the less likely you are to remedy the situation.

The third step is to create an action plan. After openly discussing the performance issue with your employee and hopefully identifying some of the underlying causes, you need to communicate and employ a very clear plan of action. Provide your employee with clear and concise expectations and goals for their position and performance. Implement a plan that will help them achieve those goals that directly correlates to the cause of their poor performance. Solutions may include job shadowing another employee in the department, retraining on a specific job duty, or attending additional outside training. If the cause of the poor performance is due to non-work related factors you may allow them to use accrued personal time to address these factors or share with them any professional resources that are available through their benefits package. It is highly recommended that you document and both sign off on the proposed plan of action and schedule a time in the near future to discuss their progress.

Finally, you should review and come to a conclusion on their performance status. Meet with your team member to discuss and review what progress, if any they have made since the implementation of your action plan. If you find the employee is progressing at an acceptable rate, than you may consider setting further goals and additional review appointments to continue to monitor their progress. If you find the employee is not making improvements or their performance is regressing even further you may need to consider further options. Further options may include re-assigning the employee to another position within the organization, taking disciplinary action, or even terminating their employment.

Managing poor performers can be a difficult task but it is crucial to supporting employee morale, company productivity, client satisfaction, and providing a profitable service to your organization. You should always consult with your HR department or Labor and Employment Law adviser if you are unsure of your company policies, procedures, or rights when interacting with your staff members.

Are you a stand out professional, technical professional, driver, or skilled worker seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities?  Visit our job board  for more information!  Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

 

 

 

 

Do You Hire In New York City? New Law Prohibits The Discrimination Of The Unemployed!

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Do you hire employees in New York City? If so, a new law goes into effect tomorrow, June 11, 2013 that prohibits employers from the discrimination of unemployed applicants. Whether you hire in New York City and will be directly impacted by this or not, this trend may impact your local market in the future as hiring trends become more of a hot topic in local and state politics. So who does this new law protect?

The law defines “unemployed” or “unemployment” as “not having a job, being available for work and seeking employment”. The new law was added as a recent amendment to the New York City Administrative Code and is intended to prevent employers and employment agencies from discriminating against applicants who are or have previously been unemployed. According to the law, it is illegal for an employer or employment agency to base employment decisions including hiring, compensation, conditions or privileges of employment on an applicant’s unemployment.

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While it does prohibit employers from basing employment decisions on the applicant’s unemployed or previously unemployed status, it does protect several employer based decisions. According to the law, employers may still consider an applicant’s unemployment where there is a “substantially job related reason for doing so” and still reserve the right to inquire about the circumstances surrounding an applicant’s separation from previous employment. The new amendment also prevents employers or employment agencies from implying or stating that current employment is a requirement for a position.

The new law goes into effect on Tuesday June 11, 2013 which means immediate action should be taken for those who employ individuals in New York City. A thorough review of your hiring procedures, job advertisements, employee handbooks, and policies should be completed to ensure compliance with the new regulation. Make sure that all staff members or staffing partners who are involved in the recruiting, hiring, or marketing of positions for your organization are informed of the new regulations and are in compliance. Future regulations may arise in the near future for other locations as unemployment rates continue to gain national attention following the recession recovery.

Are you a stand out professional, technical professional, driver, or skilled worker seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities?  Visit our job board  for more information!  Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide.

In The Market For A New Executive?

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Are you in the market for a new executive? Whether you are seeking a mid-level or senior executive, now may be the time to begin your search! A recent study by BlueSteps.com, found that as many as 76 percent of senior executives were willing to make a career change immediately for the right opportunity. Beginning with the recession almost five years ago, employed candidates of almost all levels have shown less confidence in pursuing an active career search due to lack of security with a new organization. As the economy has shown it’s stability in the past two years, that is quickly changing.

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While most candidates who are employed at an executive level are far less likely to engage in an active career search, there are ways to attract this level of professional. Chances are you are not going to come across a senior executive’s resume on a job board or through your standard application system. Most executives have built their career using a diverse network and lean on that network and recruiters to help them find their next career. So how do you land a passive executive candidate? The majority of passive executive candidates can be recruited through three channels; your employment brand, networking, and hiring a professional level recruiter.

Maintaining and marketing an employment brand that speaks genuinely to your organization’s goals, priorities, and the reasons that set you apart from other employers can quickly attract talent that aligns themselves with your goals. Google was ranked by Forbes in 2013 as the “Best Company To Work For”. How do they do it? They deploy a number of strategies to publicize why someone would want to work for Google, which includes a wide variety of reasons ranging from working with the latest technology to continuing education and non-profit involvement. Their employment brand has grown so tremendously it has motivated candidates to take extreme measures such as creating websites and video interviews to get the attention of Google’s hiring team as well as become the basis for the new movie, The Internship featuring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. Looking for some great ways to promote your brand? Visit their careers page that includes videos, testimonials, and a multitude of recruitment tools that identifies their employment brand.

Building an employment brand takes time, research, and innovation. If you are looking to hire someone today and you currently haven’t spent much time investing in an employment brand, your immediate search is best tailored towards networking or partnering with a professional recruiter. Are you ready to get your network working to assist you in your search? Start by letting them know you are interested in hiring someone for an executive role. Share with them the benefits of working for your organization, your strategic goals, and what types of skills would make someone a great fit for the position. Next, motivate them to begin thinking, reaching out, and referring their professional network to you. Some great ways to encourage others to help you are offering referral bonuses, gift cards, or other forms of recognition for the person who is able to refer the right candidate to you. Most often times your professional network will be happy to help you and their peers, especially if they are armed with the information that sets a career opportunity with your organization apart from other opportunities.

Even the most heavily networked executives are often hesitant to share with their peers that they may be looking for a career change. The potential repercussions of word getting back to their employer may be reason enough for them to not offer up their interest or resume to even their most trusted colleagues. So how do you reach them? Because most executives are very familiar with delegating duties and have worked with executive recruiters to help them fill positions within their organization, they often times have a high level of respect and confidence in a recruiter representing them in a confidential career search. Executive recruiters are known for their ability to locate careers that are often times not marketed through traditional means, work interviews around the executive’s current employment schedule, and are able to provide candidates with inside information as to what career opportunities may be best for them. Most experienced professional recruiters or executive recruiters represent more passive candidates than they do candidates who are engaged in an active career search and who are posting their resumes online.

Are you a stand out professional, executive, or technical professional seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities?  Visit our job seekers section for more information!  Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide.

Is Your Staffing Partner Protecting You From Future Damages?

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As with any business partner, most companies assume that the staffing partner that they select is protecting them from future damages and charges. While during the course of employment most of the liability incurred with an employee would fall under the responsibility of the staffing firm, there are some cases in which an incorrect decision on your staffing partner’s behalf could effect you in the future.

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Recently a produce company was ordered to pay almost $500,000 in back wages and damages to temporary workers who were incorrectly compensated for their work in the past. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the firm was investigated as part of a multi-year enforcement effort.

In this instance, the produce company operating in New Jersey was requiring temporary workers to report to the production area 15 minutes before their shift was to start but they were not compensated for this time. In addition to this uncompensated for time, the employees were on occasion paid piece rate wages which were not taken into account when calculating overtime.

In this case, both the produce company and their staffing firm were considered liable for Fair Labor Standards Act violations. The produce company signed a settlement agreement that including back wages and liquidated damages, amounted to $498,604. How can you help prevent being in a similar situation?

As with any potential business partner, you should pre-screen your staffing partner. The more established and experienced the staffing agency and their staff are, the more protection and quality of service you can expect. An established staffing agency should be able to provide you with a brief bio on the team who will be servicing your account, information on their corporate support structure, references from current and previous clients in your industry, and be familiar with appropriate laws and regulations in your industry. Choosing a staffing partner who can identify possible situations like the one above, can save you large amounts of money in the long run. While it is not the staffing partner’s responsibility to stop you from violations such as those above with the Fair Labor Standards Act, an experienced staffing professional is likely to bring it to your attention that you may be in violation or that such actions could cause you future damages or harm.

Are you a stand out professional, technical professional, or skilled worker seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities?  Visit our job board  for more information!  Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

You Can't Afford NOT To Build An Employment Brand

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Whether it’s the time or the money invested that has prevented you from building an employment brand, you cannot afford to miss out any longer. A recent survey done by LinkedIn including 4,700 employers, found that employers saved as much as 50% on each new hire after creating a strong employment brand. By the time time you figure that across each new hire alone, you have quickly justified the investment!

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Who's Hiring This Summer?

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Whether you are seeking summer employment or considering a career change, the summer of 2013 is looking good for you! According to Career Builder, almost a third of U.S. employers are planning to hire summer workers this year, with an overwhelming majority considering summer workers for permanent positions! What does this mean for you?

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Work Opportunity Tax Credit Extended

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Are you looking for a great way to offset some of your expenses? Does your organization benefit from the Work Opportunity Tax Credit or WOTC? If not, now is the time to start! The WOTC was recently extended for eligible veterans and non veterans who begin work for an employer before January 1, 2014.

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How To Hire The Wrong Person Every Time

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Have you noticed a pattern in your employee turnover rates? If you are noticing a large volume of your new hires are not working out, chances are some simple changes to your hiring process could save you a lot of time, money, and resources. Not sure if your process is to blame?

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How To Hire A CDL Driver

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Does your company specialize in something other than drivers? If so, hiring a safe a qualified CDL driver can be a serious task. Due to the nature of their product line, many manufacturers, retail facilities, and warehouses employ their own driving staff. Unfortunately due to strict DOT regulations, insurance, and other factors these employers may be opening themselves up to costly and dangerous liabilities.

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