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All manufacturing companies experience a shortage of qualified workers from time to time, due to various challenges that can include poor staff management, lack of educational support, and high-demand for specialized skills. However, when this occurs, HR departments are put into overdrive, trying to compensate and oftentimes falling short of project needs. This is when they turn to management to come up with a solution to proactively address the staffing and development needs of the company – to prevent this kind of scenario.

At times, HR managers may be asking if the problem is due to manufacturing employee skills gaps or something within the management skills that are lacking? There are a few ways to determine this.

When There is a Skills Gap

One of the ways you can determine if the problem exists among your staff is to conduct a skills inventory to determine how well your job descriptions match up with the actual duties and skills of your employees. This will tell you if you are accurately hiring the kinds of people you need to be successful in their roles. If you see marked gaps in skill levels, it’s time to revamp your recruiting efforts.

Then you need to take the time to visit local educational centers to see if they are offering programs to prepare the coming generation of workers to meet the demands of your industry. New graduates can be a valuable source of new employees so it’s important that the schools you recruit from have the updated skill development programs you need from future candidates.

Your in-house staff have already proven to be valuable assets to your company, that is if you are taking the time to develop their skills to higher levels and promoting from within. Set up the time to find out where skills are lacking, and then either hire a trainer to come in to teach these skills, or provide employees with learning incentives to get this education on their own.

When Poor Management is to Blame

There is a common saying among HR people: “People don’t leave jobs, they leave managers”. This is certainly true in the manufacturing world, where there may be little time for managers to foster positive relationships with employees on the job. However, if there is a continual turn-over issue present in a specific department, it can mean it’s time to evaluate the people skills of that department manager.

One of the best investments any manufacturing company can make is in its management, at all levels. This means from your newest to your most seasoned managers, everyone should be continually getting trained and updated on industry topics. This includes training on tough personnel issues, like onboarding and employee development.

While a manufacturing skills gap can be caused by a little of both aspects, there are ways to manage staffing within manufacturing in a more positive way.

One is to bring on quality staff who have the right skills to do the job well. This can be accomplished by working directly with a manufacturing staffing agency, to provide pre-screened candidates suitable for all levels of manufacturing work.

The second is to give management the support needed to become better at their jobs, by offering management training and development initiatives. Back this up with incentives to cut down staff turnover and build more engaged teams.

Today, many companies are getting back into the hiring game after a little bit of an absence. Some employers believe the search for the perfect candidate will be an easy task with so many people unemployed. However, the fact that so many companies are suddenly beginning to hire again means that there is greater competition for top tier employees. Employing the right recruitment strategies can help ensure that you’ll be able to pick and choose from the cream of the crop when it comes to job seekers.

Pre-screen Potential Candidates Well

There’s no reason to waste your time or the time of candidates who do not have the required skills to get the job done. Include a rigorous “skills” test as part of the application process. This will help you hire with confidence that the candidate can do the job you need them to do while avoiding those who interview well but really lack fundamental skills that are necessary to the job. More importantly, it will save valuable time interviewing and investing in getting to know a candidate better if that candidate isn’t going to be a good fit for the position in the end.

Do Not Wait Until You Need to Hire to Start the Process

Begin the hiring process now. This will allow you plenty of time to vet potential candidates before you’re ready to commit to the actual hiring of a new employee. Many companies are waiting until the need is critical and then they are rushed and make hiring decisions they would not have made in other circumstances. It’s better to have the process in place and a few talented candidates in mind before a definite need arises in order to avoid mistakes that could be prove costly in time, training, and lost productivity.

Hire Experienced Operators

The job market is filled with people who have experience in all sorts of fields. The odds are good that there are plenty of qualified candidates for any positions you have available. The problem with hiring inexperienced candidates, while they may work for less, is that they also bring along bigger expenses and a much greater “learning curve” for the particulars of a job. If you’re hiring someone with industry experience and knowledge, there will still be a slight learning curve as they get to know your method of operation. However, it will be far less than the interruption of someone who will need complete and total on-the-job training in your industry. Most companies don’t have that kind of time on their hands to invest once they’ve reached the point of hiring someone new in today’s economy. Do you?

There are many things you can do that will improve your odds of finding the perfect fit for your company culture with the right experience to get the job done. These are just a few things you can incorporate into your hiring mindset to improve the odds that you’ll get the right person from the start.

Modern day compensation is not all about the money. While many companies are focusing on driving key professionals into their organizations, if they only focus on providing a paycheck, they could miss the best professionals in the market. While a salary needs to remain competitive, it is far from the only thing that today’s professional wants to switch jobs or to accept one offer over the other. For any employer or HR recruiter looking for a top-notch candidate, there is more to dangle as a carrot than just a high paycheck.

What Else Candidates Want

Employees value a great number of things. Just a few years ago, employer loyalty was enough. Those who had a job were not tempted to leave for another offer because they were happy with what they were doing. Now, it is easy for employees to go from one company to the next especially when the incentives to do so are better than where they are right now. How can your business be the greener grass for those employees you are after?

Take a look at some of the other values employees have a desire for in today’s workforce. If your company cannot or does not offer these, it could be missing out.

• Employees want to have the ability to make decisions. From simple ones to more complex project management decisions, employees want to be trusted enough to do their job. By empowering employees, they perform better, too.

• Employees want job security. In a company that is struggling, it will be hard to entice a key player into the ranks. Job security often translates into a company they will want to work with for a long period, too.

• All employees want respect. They want to know that you value their opinion and that their abilities matter to the company. Actions and words make a big difference in whether a company is worth working with for the long term.

• They want a challenge. Sometimes, the company that can offer the experienced executive the biggest challenge with the best reward can also be a better option than the easy job. If an employee does not feel they are using their skills in their current position, they may be willing to talk to another company who can challenge them.

• They want perks and incentives, but they want to do their job their way. Having access to MP3 players on the job or being able to incorporate a more laid-back attitude is important especially to the younger generation. A business that wants to find great employees needs to communicate with those employees about their desires.

For those businesses and HR managers looking for the best of the best in talent, remember it is more than just money that candidates want. Have confidence in the employee. Give them the freedom necessary to do their job their way. In the end, the company ends up benefiting by attracting better employees who are happy to stick around.

Salary negotiations are always tricky when hiring new staff members. As a hiring manager you do want to be fair to new employees coming in; but, you have a responsibility to the company as a whole. There is a delicate balance between what is desirable, what is acceptable, and what is fair – for all parties. Keep these things in mind as you negotiate salaries with new hires or hopefuls and see if you can enjoy a favorable experience for everyone involved.

Attempt to Find a Salary Where Everyone Wins

The bottom line is that if you bring in new staff members with a salary that’s moon and stars higher than other people with similar responsibilities in the company it will breed resentment and make for an uncomfortable work situation (not to mention quite a few other unhappy staff members). If you make an offer that’s too low you miss out on the benefit of the candidate’s potential contribution to your organization (after possibly months of careful selection).

Be Prepared for a Counter Offer

You know, better than anyone else how much you can afford to pay and how much you feel the position merits. In other words, you also know how much you’re willing to pay. Usually there is a salary range that would be acceptable. Make your offer near the lower end or middle of that range and be prepared (you should even expect) a counter offer. This gives you a little negotiating room of your own when the time comes.

Keep Your Offers Appropriate for the Location

You’re not going to bring in new talent to high-salary, high-tech areas if you’re offering low-ball salary options. It’s just not going to happen. They won’t be able to afford the parking much less rent or a house note. If you want to attract top talent then you’re going to have to come up with a salary offer that is appropriate to salary situation in the local landscape.

Present the Salary Offer as Part of a Package

Don’t give a verbal salary offer. Present the salary offer as if it is part of something bigger – a “golden” benefits package. Some benefits matter more to employees than other benefits. Benefits you may offer include: generous vacation or PTO (paid time off) packages, profit sharing, stock options, tuition reimbursement, relocation expenses, matching funds for charitable donation, health benefits, retirement benefits, on-site recreational benefits, extended holidays, etc. It could be that you have a benefit package that is attractive enough to your candidate to make him or her overlook a lower salary.

Negotiating salaries with new hires may seem like a complex situation but if you display a fair-minded and balanced approach throughout the process it will work in your favor more often than not.

In an employment market where there is a large pool of potential employees to replace you, it becomes very important for individuals to ensure they are on the same page with employers. To make sure that your job remains yours, be a team player and be a part of the company’s success. Now more than ever it is critical to do the best job you can and to always ensure you are one-step ahead of the game.

Be a Positive Professional

People like to work with others who have a positive attitude. Even if people around you are being laid off, keep your head up and keep being positive about your position. It pays to show your commitment to the company. You also need to ensure that the layoffs happening around you do not do anything to affect your performance on the job. You want your employer to see you as a solid employee.

Ensure You Are Visible

One of the easiest things for an employer to do is to cut the job of an employee that is not as important as other employees are. If you want to ensure your position remains safe, work to increase your visibility. You do not want to try to become invisible when layoffs are out there. Rather, you need to ensure that you have a great relationship with your superiors and that you are always helping the company in some way. This gives the employer the ability to think, “That Joe, he’s always working hard.” They should know you and trust you as an important asset to the team.

Work to Improve

In addition to doing the best job you can, always look for ways to improve your value. If you can do your job and do the job of someone else well, that means you are more valuable to the company. It is important to ensure you have the strongest skill set possible when it comes to doing your job. When there is a new assignment, it pays to be the one that can step forward to take it on rather than being the one that fades into the background.

Polish Up Your Job Performance

It is always a good idea to do your job properly. Don’t be late for work. Do stay late if you need to. Don’t use your work computer for non-work activities. Don’t be the reason for an argument in your office but be the solution instead. Don’t add to the expenses of a business, but find ways to reduce them. It pays to show your superiors that you know things are tough and that you are doing your best to help the company.

It is impossible to protect yourself from all job losses. However, the more important and valuable you are to a company, the more likely the company is to keep you around. Don’t be anything less than a team player who is working to benefit the company’s bottom line. Doing so could help your employer look over you when job layoffs have to happen. Keep your job safe by being a valuable employee.

A special thank you to our client, Meredith Soleau, Human Resources Director at Ed Schmidt Auto, Inc. for writing this post.

I’ll never forget the first time I called Advance Staffing Services.  I was beyond stressed.

My Lead Administrative Assistant was going to be out for a medical emergency, and we had no idea when she would be able to return to work. It was a total crisis. Visions of me answering the phone and making customer receipts danced through my head.

I needed help. Thus began the beautiful relationship between the Ed Schmidt Auto Group and Advance Staffing.

Finding help that day was easy. It was honestly easier than ordering a pizza. They delivered Jacque to our doorstep the next morning, and she was absolutely perfect. She handled the Administrative position much better than I ever could have, and she was already trained!  We ended up loving Jacque so much that we’ve found her a permanent position in our company, and she is now our employee.

I’ve really relied on Advance Staffing over the years. I call them for a variety of staffing needs.

• Temporary Assignments: They handle both short and long term temporary assignments.
• Temporary to Hire:  I can “test” and employee and decide if they would be a perfect fit before I hire them on my staff.
• Direct Hires:  They take care of my entire recruiting process.
• Professional Search:  They seek out the top talent in the industry and feed me the best. This is especially useful when you never stop recruiting for very hard to find, niche positions.

As the head of a small HR department, I’ve found there are many advantages to using a staffing agency.

Cost & Time Effective
My time is worth money.  The time it takes to recruit, hire, and train an employee is valuable.  And when I make a hiring mistake?  It’s not as if I can just send them away.  There are additional costs involved with replacing someone and leaving a position open during that time.

Advance Staffing removes cost per hire/cost of turnover concerns from the equation.  If I am not 100% satisfied with whom they’ve sent – they send me someone else.  If I need someone tomorrow – I have them on time, every time.

I no longer spend time to placing expensive help wanted advertisements, weeding through 100’s of resumes, interviewing, and waiting on background checks.  I simply call them and they deliver quality people time and time again.

It’s Flexible
I need extra help during our busiest times of the year.  The car business is cyclical, and I don’t want to be saddled with actual employees that would need to be terminated during out slower months.  So whether I need a little extra help during our annual inventory audits or extra people to assist with customers, it’s great to know I can adjust my staff size with temporary help based on business need.

Forming Relationships
Jacque is a perfect example of how long lasting relationships can be built with Advance Staffing employees.  She was able to show us her abilities, and when a position opened in our company, we were able to hire her.  She was noticed as a top performer before I ever had to place an advertisement.  A connection was made between us (the employer) and Jacque (the employee).

At the end of the day, that’s what human capital is all about.  Humans.

Employee turnover can be costly to employees and is of great concern to HR departments.  Replacing workers requires time and resources in both advertising a vacancy and interviewing candidates. There is also the cost of training new employees and the time to learn job duties. Costs in lost production from workers who leave, are another expense businesses need to consider.

There is also the sense of uncertainty of hiring someone new. How each new candidate will “fit in” and what kind of worker they will be,  can affect the workplace. There are several ways that top performing employees can be retained by increasing employee satisfaction.

1.  Encourage Career Fulfillment –  One way to ensure employee retention is to create an environment of career fulfillment. Many workers seek a balance between their work and personal lives. Employers need to develop incentives that allow this, especially for employees in high turnover jobs like customer service. Providing a flexible work schedule provides employees latitude in arranging work with outside commitments. Employers should also provide benefits such as time off and health care that meet the needs of employees.

2. Promote From Within – Employees who feel there are little chances for advancement or personal growth will seek opportunities with other employers. The best performing employees will want to be in an environment where their efforts are appreciated and recognized.  They want to be in a position that offers more than just a paycheck. Bringing people into leadership positions from outside the organization can negatively affect the morale of the best employees. Utilizing people from within promotes recognition of talent.

3. Promote Professional Development  - The best employees of any company understand the value of learning something new to apply to their careers. Organizations can provide training incentives and opportunities for their workers. A company that provides a proactive development program increases skills and abilities of employees. In house training or tuition reimbursement programs can be offered depending on needs and resources of the employer. New ideas for procedures and operations can come from these policies. A company that provides an environment of progress and dynamic thinking will encourage employees to stay.

4. Communication  - An employer that clearly identifies what is expected of employees gives workers a tangible idea of goals and objectives. The opportunity for employee feedback helps improve employee relations. Regular employee reviews and recognition give workers an idea of their performance and how the company perceives their work. Regular meetings ranging from individual units to those between employees and upper level management encourage an environment of open ideas.

5. Financial Incentives  - Companies can provide financial rewards to top employees to encourage performance and retention. This practice shows that hard work is appreciated by a company. Regular raises and programs of bonuses and commissions can help retain employees who will want to work for an employer that recognizes their efforts.

Want to keep your employees happy? Use Advance Temporary as your source for quality candidates and staffing retention support!

As our nation faces even more challenges in the job market, recruiters everywhere continue to encounter a great influx of candidates for fewer job openings than ever before – many of whom are overqualified. While this can be a difficult situation for any hiring manager to decide if taking a risk on an overqualified candidate or not, there is actually some good that can come out of this scenario.

You may not want to avoid hiring candidates who are over-qualified after all….here’s why.

Over-qualified actually means more experience. The person that is deemed over-qualified for a specific assignment may be able to bring your team more than you can imagine. Instead of having just the basic skills to do the job, the over-qualified person has gathered a nice amount of real-world work experience that can translate to better ways of doing things. Your organization can use this experience to help bring other team members up to speed faster, as well as mentoring opportunities.

Experienced candidates are dedicated to their careers. You may find this surprising, but a vast majority of seasoned job seekers are actually trying to maintain a solid career path. That’s why they are applying for work at your company because they are dedicated to furthering their careers through relevant positions. The trick to keep these more experienced employees on board is to make sure they are compensated and challenged enough in their roles.

Career-minded candidates tend to desire more stability. For candidates who place a emphasis on gaining long-term career success, your task is to make sure your company can provide somewhat of a stable experience. This means having a clear succession plan in place to give top performers somewhere to go on the corporate ladder over time. While a lower level spot may be all you can offer presently, knowing that there is more to offer will keep experienced candidates on board.

Stable employees mean more successful long-term placements. The great thing about focusing on serious candidates, even if they do seem overqualified, is that their interest lays in finding stable employment. This translates to employees who will most likely stick around for a longer period of time, than job hoppers and youthful inexperienced candidates who don’t know their status. Choose seasoned candidates for lower staff turn-overs.

Want to find highly qualified candidates to fill critical positions in your company? Check out the best source of skilled employees here at Advance Temporary!

Source: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As if dealing with the normal employee turnover and corporate layoff’s isn’t stressful enough for HR departments, here comes candidates who are just looking for the next stepping stone. We’ve all seen them – candidates who seem to be perfect for the job, act enthusiastic about the assignment and seem to be genuinely interested in working for your company. And then, just weeks or months later, they bail without warning. This is enough to make any HR professional want to scream.

So, how do you avoid “job hoppers” or “fly by night” candidates from ruining your numbers and chances of having a productive work environment? Read on to learn some tricks of the trade to avoid the pitfalls of hiring quitters.

Review Career History

The key to finding the best candidates for long-term assignments is to screen candidates carefully from the onset. This means reviewing the resume with the eye of an expert recruiter. A typical job hopper will most likely have several glaring issues, which may indicate a problem with keeping jobs. Look for short-lived assignments previous to 2006, when the economy ok a turn for the worse, because you don’t want to weed out people who have been unemployed through no fault of their own. Also, watch out for dates that overlap, or do not seem consistent with the flow of the candidate’s work progression.

Check References Thoroughly

Another way to avoid hiring a job hopper is to actually take the time to request valid job references and letters of reference. Oftentimes, candidates who don’t plan to stick around for long choose to use a “friend” as a fake reference, which misleads recruiters. Instead of taking a chance, request at least 3 employment reference letters from former employers typed on corporate letterhead, complete with phone numbers so you can call to speak with them personally – before hiring a dud.

Interview Focus on Longevity

When inviting the candidate for an interview, emphasize that the assignment is a long-term one and that the person chosen must mesh with the current team. That will set an expectation that you are not looking for someone who is planning on skipping out in a few months, but rather an integral part of the company. Ask the candidate where he or she sees themselves in five to ten years. Get an idea where the person is going career-wise, then ask how this job fits into the equation. It’s not confrontational at all to get this insight before investing time and money into a new hire.

Background and Credit Checks

There has been some controversy surrounding the use of background and credit checks, but in times like these, it’s a good way to eliminate candidates who are not sincere about staying on for the long haul. When a candidate is stable, he or she will most likely have fewer than two residences in a five-year time span, and most debts will be paid on time. While there are some exceptions to this rule, it’s very good to know whether the candidate is under financial strife and is looking for a paycheck vs. a real career. Be sure to follow Fair Credit Reporting Act guidelines when gathering personal background and credit information and by all means get written permission before proceeding.

Hire Through Staffing Agencies

One of the best ways to avoid hiring quitters is to choose to use the services of an expert staffing agency, such as Advance Temporary Services. A quality staffing company will screen all candidates and have some experience with those who are seeking long-term assignments. Staffing agencies can be excellent sources of stable employees who are looking for a great opportunity to grow a career, and they will be accountable to both you and the staffing agency for the first few months on assignment. If they flake out and quit, you’ll have access to a replacement with no time investment on your behalf.

Choose Advance Temporary Staffing for all your long-term recruitment needs.

It should come as no surprise that roughly half of all top performing employees are actively seeking new career opportunities. These A-list employees are typically those that have very high goals for their careers, and they will not be loyal to your company if something more attractive comes along. Companies that want to outperform their competitors had better take note of this trend and do something to keep their top performers, for maximum profitability. Here are some steps to ensure retention of highly motivated employees.

Regularly Evaluate and Develop Skill Sets

A good rule of thumb when trying to retain top performers is to know whom they are and recognize any rising stars among the employee roll. Doing this means regularly evaluating employee skill sets and developing those who show true potential. It can be easy to forget that there are valuable team members within the ranks of existing employees, since many are going to school for advanced degrees or participating in work training programs. Don’t make the mistake of only searching for these gems in new hires, as there are many achievers already at work in your company. Take the time to seek out these folks and do everything in your power to help them find their career path within your corporate structure.

Support Employee Mentoring

Mentoring can be a great way for you to be in more than one place at one time as an HR professional. Encouraging existing, seasoned employees to take an active role in the development of less experienced employees is a no-cost way of enhancing skill sets and employee morale. Mentors also have the added benefit of being given more responsibility, which gives them a sense of accomplishment and loyalty to the company. It’s important to match new hires up with seasoned employees early on for the best way to identify and retain top performers.

Provide Training and Career Advancement Opportunities

Top performers are not always interested in jumping ship solely over money concerns. Oftentimes, A-listers are just lacking a good challenge or career advancement on the job, therefore they seek this elsewhere. Any organization can benefit from putting in place a career advancement program for each department, so that high achievers can set goals and attain them while on the job. This serves both the employees and the company in that work will be of higher quality, there is a sense of accomplishment and top performers lead to higher levels of productivity among many team members.

Engage Top Performers for Maximum Productivity

To keep the best employees in the game, it’s a common practice to hold regular meetings and events to help them stay motivated and engaged in the success of the company. Give your A-list employees reason to come to work every day with challenges and tasks that are within their abilities. Ask employees through frequent surveys what other responsibilities, ideas and needs they have. Accept and implement new ideas whenever possible. This activity alone can provide insight into developing more educational programs that benefit all levels of employees.

Promote a Performance-Focused Environment

Every employee needs to feel inspired to do the work he or she has been tasked with. Top performers just happen to need a little more challenge in order to keep them interested. A performance based organization is the right environment for top performers. Be sure to set goals for each employee at employee evaluation time, encourage friendly competitions, and keep employees motivated for the best chance at retaining your key performers for the long term.

Need more help developing a workable employee retention program for your organization? Consult with the human resources specialists at Advance Staffing Solutions today!