Your Employees and Social Media Engagement

July 26, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Do you think that your social media policy is preventing the unauthorized use of social media during the workday? While implementing a social media policy is a great step in the right direction, most social networkers will continue to engage during the workday regardless.

According to a recent release from the Ethics Resource Center, as many as 72% of social networkers spent a portion of their workday on social networks, with a third of those reporting their activity as not work related. With access through company computers, tablets, and their mobile devices your employees have a variety of ways to access their social networks with or without being tracked. As many as 39% of those categorized as active social networks reported remaining connected the entire day! What does this mean for your organization?

As with any distraction, social media engagement for non-work related purposes will have an effect on productivity and eventually your bottom line. For those who remain connected for larger portions of the day, the likelihood of information about their work day, clients, projects, co-workers, and other work related information is likely to surface in their posts and engagements. Posts including derogatory statements, proprietary information, and other sensitive information could cause great loss and damages to your company. So what can you do?

With 38% of social networkers reporting use of personal devices exclusively, management and vigilance are an employer’s best chance of controlling unauthorized social media engagement in the workplace. Having policies in place and enforced that clearly define the expectations for social media and the use of personal devices during the workday are a great starting point. Work with your managers and supervisors to identify signs of social media misuse such as loss of productivity, loss of engagement, sensitive information going public before formally announced, and employees glued to their mobile devices. Most often, those who are engaged in social media for non-work related purposes during the work day will show signs of poor performance or productivity over time.

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.

Hiring for Temporary and Contract Workers Is Up 21%

July 18, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are you looking to add temporary or contract workers to your staff? If so, you join an estimated 31% of employers in the United States. Hiring for temporary and contract workers saw a spike in 2012 across the U.S. and those numbers are up an additional 21% from last year.

While employer confidence continues to grow following the recession, many hiring managers are still unsure of long term projections and look to temporary and contract staff to assist during peak seasons. As many as 44% of employers plan to hire on additional full-time employees by year end in 2013, many in addition to temporary staff.

What positions are most in-demand for temporary or contract staff? According to Forbes, they include:

Team Assemblers
Office Clerks
Customer Service Representatives
HR, Training, and Labor Relations Specialists
Registered Nurses
Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants
Home Health Aides
Maintenance and Repair Workers
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
Sales Representatives
Computer Support Specialists
Computer Programmers
Accountants and Auditors
Business Operations Specialists
Electricians
Sales Representatives in Wholesale and Manufacturing

With the in-demand positions ranging from light industrial through professional roles, there are a wide range of opportunities for those seeking employment.

Whether you are seeking employment or seeking temporary or contract workers for your company, choosing the right staffing partner can make or break your experience. Be sure to partner with a staffing agency who specializes in your line of work, is currently representing both clients and candidates in searches in your line of work, and is well established.

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.

IT Job Growth Reaches Another Record High!

July 16, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are you seeking IT talent? If so, you join most of the country! IT jobs in the U.S. rose again in June to reach another record high of almost 4.5 million jobs according to TechServe Alliance.

While the growth of IT jobs has remained consistent over the past few years, it appears the end is not in sight. The growing demand for top level IT talent stems from a multitude of factors including the increased use of technology in manufacturing, the downsizing of entry level administrative positions, and the increased use of the internet for marketing, research, and development.

Employers nationwide are scrambling to fill entry level to management level information technology positions, allowing candidates to be in the driver’s seat of their career path. In order to attract the experienced IT professionals needed in today’s employment market, employers must offer a competitive salary and benefits package that may differ greatly from what they are accustomed to offering in the past.

IT professionals are leading the surge with remote or virtual employment. Naturally, the nature of their work allows more flexibility and is better suited than some other roles for working outside of the traditional workplace. As many as 65% of companies are now allowing at least some remote work, a number that appears to grow with the size of the organization.

In addition to working remotely, IT candidates appear to be attracted to sign on bonuses, technology allowances, and flexible scheduling. If you are struggling to locate IT talent, you may consider offering additional benefits or perks to attract today’s top talent or partnering with an industry experienced recruitment firm. One thing remains clear, the recruitment of IT professionals is going to only increase in difficulty in the foreseeable future.

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.

Hiring Administrative Professionals?

July 9, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are you hiring administrative professionals? Hiring managers across the country are finding difficulty in hiring administrative assistants, executive assistants, and administrative coordinators due to several factors. Are you one of them?

Employers are who facing increased difficulty in recruiting qualified administrative professionals are often finding the following factors as obstacles:

Pay rates. Have you experienced sticker shock when viewing candidates’ desired pay rates? It may be time to re-evaluate your pay ranges. Many administrative professionals have taken on additional duties with workplace shortages resulting in more qualified and skilled administrative staff than what was often available in the past. With budget cuts, staff reductions, and attrition, many employers were forced to have their administrative staff cross trained and responsible for duties that were previously covered by multiple individuals in the office. The great news is the talent available today for administrative positions is more qualified, experienced, and diverse in their skills than ever before.

Candidate drive. Are you finding a decreased level of interest in entry level positions? You’re not alone. Today’s technology has contributed to building a workforce that is less likely to be content with positions that do not offer a wide variety of duties and may experience an increased amount of down time on the job. Technology has resulted in individuals multitasking throughout their day both on and off of the job, resulting in a pool of candidates who prefer to be busy, engaged, and moving forward. As employers, we should take this opportunity to see what additional duties, functions, and responsibilities could be integrated into our more entry level positions to attract and maintain a more driven administrative workforce.

Overqualified candidates. Is there really such a thing? Not really. As long as a candidate meets the qualifications for the position and is willing to work in the pay range that your organization has established is appropriate for the workload, you should not overlook them. Experienced candidates can bring valuable insight to the position, assist with process improvement, and often require less time and resources during the training and on boarding process. Keep in mind that regardless of the amount of experience a candidate has or their previous pay scales, there is no guarantee that any employee will remain with your company for an extended period of time. Ruling out valuable talent based on your fear of them leaving you, will likely cost you more in the long run.

Often times our recruiting struggles can be offset with some assessments of what we are requiring of candidates for the position and what we as employers are willing to offer to obtain the right talent for the position. Remaining flexible and open minded about the opportunities for your clerical and administrative positions can greatly assist you in finding the right fit for your organization, often times providing more value than you had originally hoped for in the role.

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.

Your Employees Are Looking To Leave!

July 2, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Do you think your employees are happy with their current career? Think again! A recent study by University of Phoenix found that may not be the case. The continuous improvement of economic conditions and the increased career opportunities in most industries, has assisted in the increase of passive candidates. So who are these passive candidates?

78% of workers in their 20’s are interested in changing careers
64% of workers in their 30’s are interested in changing careers
54% of workers in their 40’s are interested in changing careers
51% of workers in their 50’s are interested in changing careers
26% of workers who are in their 60’s or older are interested in changing careers

With such a large majority of the workforce interested in making a career change, maintaining your strongest performers can be an uphill battle. The struggle to locate top level talent has resulted in many employers offering a multitude of incentives to locate strong performers including referral bonuses, larger relocation packages, sign on bonuses, and other perks making the decision to leave a current employer more appealing for some candidates who may be on the fence about making a career change. So what can you do to maintain your team?

The high costs attributed to employee turnover far outweigh the costs of most employee retention and appreciation programs. If your organization does not engage in an employee retention program, now is a great time to consider employing one!

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.

Maintaining A Strong Rapport With Your Staff

June 21, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

When was the last time that you connected with your team on an individual level? Do you take time outside of your usual performance review process to acknowledge and connect with them? If not, you should. Maintaining a strong rapport with your staff is a critical part to managing and advancing your team and their efforts.

A strong rapport with your staff can reveal inefficiencies in the organization, departmental processes, and help to identify issues within your staff that may result in turnover if adjustments are not made. Communicating openly and regularly with your staff also allows for the generation and implementation of new ideas, guidance opportunities, and employee recognition. Not sure where to start or how to fit it in with your other countless duties? Here are a few quick tips:

First and foremost you have to make it a priority. As with anything on your to-do list, if you don’t make it a priority chances are you won’t make time to meet with your staff. Mark it on your calendar as any other important appointment and stick to it.

Keep it simple. Sometimes informal meetings can be even more productive and revealing than a structured meeting or progress meeting. Step outside of the office to a mutually comfortable setting such as a restaurant or coffee shop and make yourself available and free from distractions such as your phone and email.

Prepare for the discussion and remain open minded. Do your homework. Be sure to acknowledge specific accomplishments your employee has achieved since your last meeting. Be open to their feedback, both positive and negative. Often times the best ideas, changes, and suggestions come from those who work in the trenches day in and day out. Remain objective and avoid becoming defensive of any constructive criticism.

Make a follow up plan. Did you discuss ideas or changes that may need to take place? Are there things that you may need to investigate further or additional tools that may be helpful to the team? Be realistic and up front with what your team member can expect from you. Give them a timeline in which you plan to consider the points of your discussion and when they will hear back from you. Create an action plan for simple executable items to get the ball rolling.

Thank them. Make sure your employee understands that you appreciate them making the time to meet with you and let them know the best times for them to reach out to you if they have things that they would like to discuss further. If your staff feels that the meeting was something done out of obligation rather than a genuine interest in their development at the organization, they’ll be less likely to engage with you in the future.

Even the best leaders and managers can experience failure if they don’t have the support and dedication of a strong team behind them. Keep in mind that every member of your staff brings an added value to your organization and deserves recognition and acknowledgement on a regular basis. For more information on employee recognition, click here.

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.

Achieving A Great Work-Life Balance

June 20, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

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.

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

June 13, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

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.

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.

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!

June 10, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

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.

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.

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?

June 6, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

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.

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.

Your Partner at Work

Category Archives: IT/Engineering

Hiring for Temporary and Contract Workers Is Up 21%

IT Job Growth Reaches Another Record High!

Hiring Administrative Professionals?

Your Employees Are Looking To Leave!

Maintaining A Strong Rapport With Your Staff

Achieving A Great Work-Life Balance

Managing A Poor Performing Employee

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

In The Market For A New Executive?