Tag Archives: Human Resources

Hiring For Small Business

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Operating a small business comes with its own share of benefits and struggles. According to a recent study by Robert Half Inc., finding skilled workers is one of small business owners greatest struggles. The recent study reports that 60% of small business owners and managers listed finding skilled workers as their company’s greatest challenge with hiring and managing staff. What makes this such a difficult struggle in small business?

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Most small businesses fall below the average job seeker’s radar. When seeking career opportunities, top talent typically is chasing career opportunities with larger organizations who have a strong employment brand in their line of work. So how does a small business owner compete? Simple. Build an employment environment that top talent wants to work for and market it.

Many small business owners do not invest a lot of money into career marketing, online job boards, and other tools that get their name in front of candidates. Here are a few great ways to gain exposure for your organization in a cost effective manner:

  • Build group and company pages on social media. Market who you are as an organization and why candidates should desire a career with your company.
  • Offer referral bonuses to your current staff. No one knows better than a current employee, the benefits of working for your organization.
  • Network. Participate with your local chamber of commerce and other business networking groups to let others know the great things happening with your company and what type of talent you are in need of.
  • Partner with a staffing firm. An established staffing firm can market your organization to their existing pool of top talent and do direct recruiting for your positions. They often have their own job board and are experts and marketing the benefits of working for one of their client companies.

Many top level talent candidates are seeking a career with increased flexibility, advancement opportunities, and room for creativity. Small businesses are usually some of the best environments for these types of workplace benefits. Embrace your flexibility as an organization and the limitless growth opportunities, it’s likely candidates will notice and want to join you!

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.

The Applicant's Investment In The Interview

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Generally speaking, most hiring managers have a good idea of what they have invested in an interview considering time and resources. Have you considered your applicant’s investment? If your recruiting efforts leave you struggling to book interviews, now may be a good time to reconsider what your applicant is being asked to commit to.

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Whether you are overbooking interviews or struggling to book them at all, take a moment to consider what an applicant has invested in the interview. With many hiring managers and recruiters targeting passive candidates or finding that many of their qualified applicants are currently employed, your applicant may be investing more than you have initially considered. Here are just a few of the investments an employed candidate may have made in order to interview with you:

  • Hourly compensation
  • Vacation or sick time
  • Time away from their current workload that they’ll likely have to make up another time
  • Jeopardized their current employment
  • Made arrangements to have others assist with their duties in their absence

Even if the applicant is a salaried employee and has been able to use paid time off to participate in the interview they have given you valuable time that they could have used for other occasions. Now consider the likelihood of them landing the position.

If you already have hesitations about their qualifications for the position, you may want to reconsider asking them to commit to the interview considering their investment in doing so. If you are struggling to attract candidates to attend an interview consider alternatives such as phone interviews, off-site interviews, after hours interviews, or video interviews to accommodate their schedules.

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.

Have You Mastered Recruiting But Not Hiring?

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If you haven’t learned the difference between recruiting and hiring, now is the time. While recruiting involves the process of locating, identifying, screening, attracting, and evaluating talent; hiring involves the conversion of candidate to employee. Unfortunately, many companies are unable to close the deal in time to convert an applicant to an employee before they are recruited away to other opportunities. How can you protect yourself from losing valuable talent?

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While the hiring process involves crucial steps and processes, building a smooth system can eliminate costly downtime and turnover. Studies have shown as many as 58% of employees who take part in a structured hiring process are more likely to be with the company three years later. Here are just a few tools that can help you build a structured hiring program!

  • Online applications
  • Strong applicant tracking system
  • A streamlined onboarding process
  • A structured training program
  • Regular performance reviews including in the new hire period

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.

Are Your Employees Job Hunting On The Clock?

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Are your employees looking to make a career move? A recent study released by Robert Half International Inc. found that as many as 48% of employees between the ages of 18 and 34 said that they are likely to conduct job-search activities at work. Even the most flexible of employers are likely not going to be excited by this statistic. What can you do to prevent your employees from seeking new opportunities, especially while on the job?

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  • Communicate regularly. Do you regularly meet with individual staff members to discuss their careers, ambitions, and frustrations? If not, you should. Many workplace issues and frustrations can be addressed in a simple meeting. You may learn of current team members that would be interested and qualified for other opportunities within the organization.
  • Recognize regularly. Regularly provide feedback to your employees on their progress, achievements, and contributions to the organization. Sometimes simple forms of recognition such as a thank you card, email, or recognition in front of the team can be the motivation your staff needs to remain engaged with the company.
  • Reward regularly. How do you motivate your staff to excel? A strong employee recognition program including awards, bonuses, gift cards, or free lunches show your employees that your organization is committed to keeping them happy and rewarding them for their efforts.

As the market remains tight for top level talent, keeping your top performers happy and engaged is critical. Click here for more information on employee retention.

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.

 

Are You Using Truck-Specific GPS?

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is continuing their efforts to help drivers reduce bridge strikes and other dangerous accidents by distributing cards to truck drivers warning of the dangers that can arise from using GPS units meant for non-commercial and smaller vehicles.

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The FMCSA has posted warnings on their site and continues to bring awareness to the dangers that come from using improper equipment. A 2009 study found that about 80% of bridge strikes in New York were a result of large vehicles using the wrong navigation devices. With simple prevention, drivers can avoid these life threatening accidents that often result in serious injuries, heavy equipment damage, costly road repairs, and long delays for other motorists. Click here for a copy of the FMCSA’s GPS Selection Guide for CMV’s.

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.

 

The Costs of Delayed Reporting of Workers' Compensation Claims!

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Does your organization make timely reporting of workers’ compensation claims a priority? Studies have demonstrated the costly effects of delayed reporting for organizations in the United States. The costs of delayed reporting will vary by employer based on the fact that each claim is different, each employee is different, and each injury may involve different circumstances. However, regardless of the nature of your business there is a direct correlation between the reporting time and the cost of the claim.

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The faster a workers’ compensation claim is received by the adjuster, the faster and more controlled the process is. The adjuster is able to conduct a thorough investigation while the facts of the claim are still readily available, before the employee and any witnesses may forget key details that are critical to the claim. Prompt reporting can also help to eliminate any delays in providing appropriate medical care and wage benefits to the injured employee.

Recent data released by Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. found:

  • Claims that close within 30 days of occurrence cost an average of $287 and about 90% of those claims will remain medical-only cases.
  • Claims that remain open 31-90 days jump to an average cost of $722.
  • Claims that remain open 181-365 days jump to an average cost of $6,875

A recent study completed by NCCI on lag time also found:

  • Week two after the date of the incident cost an average of 18% more than claims reported during the first week.
  • Weeks three and four following the date of the incident averaged a 30% increase in claims cost.
  • After four weeks the costs increased an average of 45% higher.

Making sure your staff is familiar with the importance of quickly reporting any incidents and injuries is key to controlling your costs. Any injury regardless of it’s initial significance should follow the same reporting process that should be clearly outlined in the employee handbook and regularly posted in break rooms and other common areas.

The Importance of Job Descriptions

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Does your organization maintain and regularly update their job descriptions? If not, you may want to re-consider your current process. While employers are not legally required to maintain job descriptions, there are several proven benefits and legal advantages to doing so.

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Formal, well maintained job descriptions, are one of the most effective tools to determine the essential job functions and requirements for each position within the organization. The job description should serve as the foundation for qualifying and interviewing of candidates for each role.

What should be included in the job description?

  • Job title
  • Pay range
  • Hours/shifts, overtime expectations, weekend work expectations
  • Exempt/non-exempt status
  • General responsibilities including descriptions of key tasks and their purpose
  • Qualifications including the experience, education, training, and technical skills necessary for the role
  • Additional demands including extraordinary conditions such heavy lifting, travel, prolonged standing, and exposure to extreme temperatures
  • Job duties and responsibilities including tasks that comprise a majority of the work to be done

A thorough job description can support an employer’s stance on a hiring decision, address exempt/non-exempt status under the Fair Labor Standards Act for wage and hour purposes, and provide hiring managers with a clear understanding of who may best be suited for a position. They also provide documentation of the mental, physical, and environmental factors necessary to complete the requirements of the position.

Having an employee sign an employment agreement upon hiring including a language that the employee has received a copy of the job description, has reviewed it, and understands the expectations of them in this role can assist employers in training, performance evaluations, and disciplinary manners. As with any working relationship both parties often are better protected and informed when there is a clear and concise understanding of the expectations of them.

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.

Job Postings That Work!

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Are you frustrated with the number of job postings that you’ve posted only to find you still don’t have qualified candidates? Are your monthly charges to job boards beginning to look like they need a P&L of their own? Now’s the time to fix it!

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With online job boards including millions of job postings each year, standing out among the competition is essential. The days of simply putting an ad in the newspaper resulting in stacks of resumes are gone. Today’s job postings must include several key components including:

  • SEO Value: If you aren’t familiar with SEO, you’re already behind in the game. SEO or Search Engine Optimization, refers to the content or structure of online content so that it will be prominently displayed by a search engine. Making sure that your job posting is rich in SEO value is the key to making sure that your job posting is even located by candidates. SEO value can be gained through strong and prominent keywords, exact location matches, and relevance between the content in your posting and what the job seeker is searching for. The more you have in common with their search statement, the more likely they are to find your posting.
  • Content is the key. No matter how great your SEO value is or how many candidates land on your posting, if the content in your posting doesn’t sell the position it won’t matter. The posting should include industry buzz words, specific qualifications, and enough information for a candidate to determine whether or not they are qualified for the position.
  • Is your job posting visually pleasing? According to HireRight, 75% of job seekers say the look and feel of a job posting influences their decision to apply. Make sure that your job posting visually appeals to the audience. Is it free of errors, includes important details, and is it easy to read through quickly? Most job seekers will not take the time to read a full length job description, make sure your posting includes the important details and nothing more.
  • Sell your job! Why would someone want to work for you? What sets a career with your organization apart from your competitors? This may be your only chance to sell a career with your company to the candidate, make sure you do it well! Include valuable information about your benefits, employment brand, and enough information about your organization that a candidate can see why a career opportunity with your organization is something they should be interested in.

The battle for top talent is becoming increasingly harder in most industries. Maintaining a strong employment brand, a great employee retention program, and a proactive recruiting strategy are all great ways to stay ahead of your competition in the recruiting field.

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.

Social Media and The Workplace

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The topic of social media and its effects on the workplace have likely come up in your organization. As a relatively new topic in case-law, social media and its place in the workplace is still unsettled. What can you do to protect yourself as an individual and as an organization?

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Finding A Recruiter Who Works For You!

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Whether you are seeking a new career path or are seeking to hire the newest talent for your organization, finding a recruiter who works for you, not with you will make or break your experience. A recruiter should work as your agent and should exhibit the same qualities that a sports agent provides their talent.

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Not sure how to qualify your recruiter?

Here are some simple steps to get you started.

  • Determine their qualifications. The recruiting industry has the highest turnover rate of any industry with approximately 90% turnover within the first year.  Recruiters makeup a large majority of the profiles on LinkedIn, if your recruiter does not have an active and complete profile with a large number of connections take caution.  A recruiter’s LinkedIn profile is an excellent place to pre-qualify them. Do you they specialize in your line of work? How long have they been in the industry? The longer they have been in their role the larger the network and career opportunities or top level talent they can connect you with.

 

  • Conduct a mutual interview. A proven recruiter should be confident, almost arrogant about their abilities. If they aren’t able to sell themselves how can they sell your qualifications as a candidate or sell your position and organization to the industry’s top performers? Simple, they can’t. Be perfectly clear about what your priorities are and what items would make or break the perfect match for you. Inquire as to what their network in your industry looks like and what types of similar positions they have filled in the past.

 

  • Make sure their greatest strength is listening. If the recruiter is more focused on talking than listening, they’ll likely miss important details that are crucial to making the right fit for you. Make sure they ask you great questions, take notes, and have an attention to detail. Finding the perfect match can’t be done if they don’t have the details needed to make the match.

 

  • They should be busy. Especially with the recent surge in staffing, if your recruiter is available to take your every call that may not be a good sign. The staffing industry has seen a consistent surge since the economic recovery, if your recruiter excels in their field they should be extremely busy balancing candidates and clients.  While they should be busy, they should also set clear expectations of when they are available and how best to reach them.

 As with any business partner, if you feel that you are not connecting well with your recruiter it may be time to look at other options. Often times the best way to locate a top notch recruiter is to seek referrals from others in your line of business. As many as 90% of companies have partnered with a staffing agency in the past for recruiting support, therefore it’s very likely that you know someone who has hired a recruiter in the past for recruiting services or that you know someone who has located a position through a recruiter.

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.