Workforce Redeployment

in /by

Want to streamline your hiring process? Use ExactHire’s Full Service Hiring service and forget about hiring struggles and just get the best available candidates for your open positions delivered to you!

Layoffs have been a recurring theme in the news lately. Major organizations such as Disney, Meta, Microsoft, and Goldman Sachs are some of the most well-known organizations that are cutting staff due to concerns of a pending global recession. Layoffs are designed to cut costs and implement a more lean style of business to yield a higher profit. However it can often communicate internal instability to consumers. They might look at other product and service providers who appear more stable to complete business transactions.

Layoffs not only reduce staff, but they also reduce employee morale. They generate a sense of uncertainty as many employees wonder if they are next on the “chopping block”. If employees are tense wondering if they are going to be laid off, they will start looking at employment elsewhere. Often this is with the company’s competitors in the same niche.  Although layoffs can be unavoidable, other options worth examining exist before making the decision to eliminate jobs. To help mitigate damage to employee morale and maintain a positive perception of company stability, companies need to explore the option of workforce redeployment instead of layoffs.

Internal Mobility

Workforce redeployment, AKA “internal mobility”, is a strategic function conducted by Human Resources and leadership to shift existing employees into different roles within the same organization. This is not a new concept. Companies have been utilizing workforce redeployment for years. Particularly in the case of health issues where an employee might not be able to physically or mentally perform the duties of their current role. They are then moved into a different role within the same organization which is more feasible for success. Workforce redeployment is commonly used at times of internal reorganization to help employees maintain employment within the company. Redeployed employees do not necessarily keep the same pay, schedule and working arrangements. Those factors are based on the needs of the new role in which the employee was redeployed.

Currently, workforce redeployment is gaining more traction as a strategic function to offset unexpected situations that impact business functions. The economy will continue to ebb and flow with periods of expansion and contraction so that is a known variable. Unknown variables such as a global pandemic are difficult to anticipate. Over three years later, companies are still reeling from the effects of COVID-19’s impact on working arrangements and job adaptability. Throw in the ongoing challenge of finding qualified talent, and these three items form the perfect storm for business failure if proactive processes to retain talent are not integrated within the company’s strategic plan.

Maximizing Efficiencies

Human Resources and leadership must conduct regular reviews of an organization’s structure. To help maximize efficiencies within an organization, a company needs to evaluate current roles. Then forecast where growth and reductions are anticipated to occur. In departments where growth and value are lagging, examine the likelihood of their future impact and their timeframe of dissipating value. Before the expiration date of those departments and/or roles within that have lagging value, invest in the talented employees. Offer the ability to reskill, as needed, and move into a different role. During times of prosperity, cross train employees. Provide training on skills that are internally forecasted with a high need.

Proactively identifying where cuts are needed, but allowing time to partner with those affected employees, shows the organization’s commitment to their employees. Redeploying employees can boost employee morale and demonstrate a view of solidarity and strength to internal and external stakeholders. Employees who believe that their organization is committed to their tenure and growth are more likely to stay within the organization reducing the loss of knowledge and talent.

For those employees who are redeployed into a different role within an organization, management must take into account that there will be varying degrees of emotion. Employees will run through a gamut of nervousness, excitement, and fear. Establish regular check-ins and monitor the transition into the new role. The redeployed employee is already familiar with the company’s culture and mission, vision and values so time to productivity should be quicker. Allow the employee to openly share their needs, goals and expectations for success.

Explore ExactHire Solutions

Workforce Redeployment Challenges

Not all employees will be supportive of workforce redeployment initiatives so there will be some attrition. For those employees who willingly leave the company, keep the door open and offer a warm welcome for a potential future return. Boomerang workers are employees who leave an organization and come back later to work for the same company. Harvard Business Review reports that 20% of employees who left an organization during the pandemic have returned to a previous employer. Losing talent is hard. It is even more painful for the organization if the talent built a positive rapport with colleagues. Provide a positive departing experience for talent who is voluntarily leaving. There is a solid chance they could want to return, and they might be the talent your organization is seeking.

Due to the nature and complexity of the scope of business, not all organizations can launch a mainstream workforce redeployment plan. However, often feasible opportunities exist to shift employees into roles that are conducive to company growth. Creative efforts must be made when examining the potential jobs and employees for redeployment. Create an internal network so employees can have a better understanding of other departments’ functions. Conduct skills assessments to identify skills transferable into different roles. Use an Applicant Tracking System’s (ATS’s) internal application to collect the interest of employees interested in other company opportunities. Maintain performance and employee records in a robust onboarding platform.

Conclusion

To offset financial loss and maintain a competitive edge, include workforce redeployment initiatives in the company’s strategic plan. Companies must forge through merciless storms of talent wars, evolving technology, pandemics, inflation and supply chain issues among many other barriers that disrupt operations and threaten a company’s existence. The loss of talent and the negative publicity that results from layoffs can be a one-two punch that can impede profits and even existence. Taking initiatives, such as workforce redeployment, can mitigate those losses and help keep doors open longer. Having an agile workforce is in an investment that pays in the long run.

What Should An Offboarding Process Look Like?

in /by

Onboarding and Offboarding can be tedious and confusing, Use ExactHire’s OnboardCentric to simplify and streamline these processes

Human resources professionals continue to maintain focus on the best practices for attracting, onboarding, and retaining top talent. But your company should also have processes in place for successful offboarding as well. Offboarding best practices, especially when implemented into your offboarding process, can help HR learn valuable insights. Learn more about what strategies and procedures you should be including in your offboarding processes, along with the advantages of having a dedicated set of steps and guidelines in place when it’s time to part ways with employees.

What Is Offboarding?

Often overlooked, the offboarding of an employee refers to the process involved when transitioning a former employee out of the company. Whether the employee is resigning, retiring, or management has decided termination is the best way forward, how an employee exits your company should have a dedicated process. Those processes may differ depending on the nature of the departure. But the existence of a strategized offboarding process is essential.

Why Is Offboarding Important?

Despite your best efforts, employee turnover is just an inevitable occurrence. Ultimately, your company will want to lay in procedures to shepherd those employee transitions gracefully, positively, and smoothly. It’s the offboarding process that will offer protections to avoid common mistakes for the employee and your company.

Here are just a few offboarding process benefits to consider:

  • Prevents legal issues
  • Mitigates company risks
  • Streamlines employee exit logistics and timelines
  • Allows for the collection of insightful feedback
  • Ensures employees transition on the best terms possible

Offboarding Best Practices to Include in Your Strategy

As you sit down to create or improve your offboarding process, start with key steps. For example, develop a process for documenting the employee departure. This might include a signature on a formal resignation letter or employee termination description. Other first-step actions include scheduling an official exit interview, communicating with the remaining team members, and communicating with necessary clients. Consider creating a flow chart that includes these primary steps along with timelines and various applicable tasks determined by the nature of the departure.

Explore ExactHire Solutions

What Offboarding Should Be

When carving out the steps for your offboarding process, be mindful to only include those necessary that:

  • Improve the separation experience.
  • Collect valuable insights that benefit HR.
  • Ease any potential friction for other staff, clients, or colleagues.
  • Protect your company assets.
  • Grow or improve the company.

What Offboarding Should Never Be

As you evaluate your offboarding strategy, stick with only those steps that improve or streamline the process. An offboarding process should never be:

  • A method of criticism to the separating employee
  • A last-ditch effort to keep the employee from leaving
  • An inauthentically nice formality without purpose
  • A disrespectful or passive-aggressive confrontation
  • A high-stress conversation

Offboarding Template and Checklist

For the most effective offboarding process and mutually beneficial experiences, consider following these checklist items and template suggestions.

Fairness and Respect: Every step and offboarding process enforcement should be conducted with transparency, fairness, and respect.

Loss Prevention: Every step should also be viewed through a lens of productivity, choosing the best methods for separating the employee in a way that does not impact company or departmental productivity.

Reason for Separation: The reasons for the employee separation should be agreed upon, signed off on, and well-documented.

Communication Chain: Include a series of professional communications to fellow team members, other company staff, applicable third-party vendors, and clients about the departure.

Property and Asset Management: Make swift arrangements regarding the reclaiming of company property and access removal from any company software platforms.

Transfer of Responsibilities: Prepare and allow for a transfer of knowledge and responsibilities, from training someone else to take on the role to briefing management regarding the status of projects or accounts.

Exit Interview: Create a process whereby a neutral party can facilitate an exit interview and encourage honest responses and feedback. Sample exit interview questions might include:

  • What’s your favorite aspect of working here?
  • Who do you admire here, in your department or otherwise?
  • How would you describe your experiences with your direct supervisor?
  • How would you describe your experiences with your co-workers?
  • Did this job or role live up to your expectations?
  • What could we have done better regarding your expectations?
  • Please provide suggestions for areas of improvement.
  • What is your impression of the company’s overall culture?
  • What are we not doing that you believe we should be doing as a company?

Offboarding Made Easy with ExactHire

While your company and HR teams are always looking to improve hiring and retention strategies, don’t forget to develop an effective offboarding process. Take advantage of all the valuable insights you can gather from departing employees and implement improvements. Make adjustments and changes to streamline how you manage these engagements and protect company assets. And when you need additional guidance to change your approach to hiring, including best practices for offboarding processes, let ExactHire be your guide!

3 Changes to HR in 2023

in /by

Want to streamline your hiring process? Use ExactHire’s Full Service Hiring service and forget about hiring struggles and just get the best available candidates for your open positions delivered to you!

The role of a Human Resources Manager looks a lot different today than it did just a few years ago. The responsibilities have shifted, as have the workplace landscapes. And the future of HR is going to depend on your company’s ability to adapt and grow in these new directions. HR in 2023 calls for a new playbook. And to ensure your HR teams remain flexible with emerging trends and diligent in connecting employees to career paths with brands they love, these are the insights you need to know. These are the three ways HR is changing the most.

1. Internal HR Changes

Some of the most notable changes in human resources will take place internally. Consider examining your current HR processes, internal structure, and policies. You might spot possible areas of improvement based on these emerging HR trends and changes.

Internal Organizational Ecosystems Will Change

Organizational design structure and change management will be a priority for HR in 2023. In fact, 53% of HR managers and 45% of their staff say they’re already experiencing fatigue from all the change. Chances are, your HR teams are fatigued, as well. New digital adoptions, changing workplace dynamics, and economic stress affect employees and leaders at every level. To provide relief, many HR teams are now focusing on changing up the ecosystem and prioritizing change management to minimize employee fatigue and disruption. Too much change or uncertainty, left unchecked, will lead to high turnover and reduced productivity.

HR Budgets Will Increase

Another change that will remain evident throughout the future of HR is the budget. Most HR executives say they anticipate increases in their organizational budgets. And many say those boosts in spending will be a sizable 4% to 6%. Those increased HR budgets will mostly be dedicated to efforts related to expanding the workforce, too. Recruiting and onboarding represent the biggest budget increase, while employee compensation drives investment increases as well.

Based on current HR management surveys, the top three priorities within recruiting and retention that call for bigger budgets include:

  • Finding and recruiting applicants from broader talent pools
  • Retaining the best employees
  • Maintaining and improving company culture, morale, and engagement

2. Employee Wellness Is a Priority

Another key shift you’re going to see in the future of HR involves prioritizing employee health, wellness, and experiences. A company’s employee retention strategies are more important now than ever before. And while more traditional methods of HR involve enforcing guidelines and managing strict procedures, today’s HR professionals are looking for better ways to engage and support employees.

Explore ExactHire Solutions

Employee Experiences Matter

The employee experience matters, and today’s HR managers recognize changes are needed to improve the workplace culture. In fact, roughly 47% of HR managers say significant changes have to happen to transform the employee perspective. Employees will only remain loyal and productive to their employers if they feel there is a compelling career path before them. And if at any point they feel devalued or disposable in any way, they’ll seek employment elsewhere. HR leaders are exploring these three areas the most to introduce improvements to the employee experience:

  • Expanding health, mental health, and wellness initiatives
  • Developing healthier food and affordable menu selections
  • Creating more educational programs to support and incentivize learning, certifications, and skills improvement

Flexible and Hybrid Work Environments Are the Norm

Your HR teams are already keenly aware of the need for hybrid work flexibility wherever possible. Of course, some roles are only effective with in-person or on-the-job reporting. But those departments and staff who can be just as productive or more productive working from home will need employers to accommodate those hybrid dynamics. And when your employees are working from home, the accountability and productivity metrics will need to change, too. Your HR leaders can expect to abandon any micromanagement efforts of yesterday and adopt new ways for off-site staff to remain accountable and productive.

3. Changes in Attracting, Hiring, and Onboarding New Talent

The third massive change in human resources to consider involves a slew of new perspectives and methods relating to hiring. Today’s recruiting landscape is vastly different from years past. And if your company needs top talent to facilitate growth and scaling, you’ll have a new playbook to adopt outlining improved methods for attracting, hiring, and onboarding new employees.

Skills Carry More Value Than Degrees

Your company might need to revisit job descriptions and role prerequisites. Recent studies suggest skillsets carry more value to employers today than traditional degrees or certified education. In fact, skills-based hiring has been up more than 60% in the last year. Make sure your hiring managers are placing enough value on candidate experiences without automatically disqualifying candidates who maybe lack a four-year degree. Focusing on skills will also help you to remove salary or career barriers for some two-thirds of the working population that doesn’t have a bachelor’s degree. Other advantages include more diverse workforces, broader talent pools, and increased time to hire.

ESG Reporting Will Attract Applicants

There are increased pressures from regulatory compliance and stakeholders alike for improved environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting. More than 90% of S&P 500 businesses publish sustainability reports. Dedicating efforts to develop and maintain a healthy ESG reporting system is contributing to executive-level compensation, improving how existing employees perceive their employers, and attracting new hires.

Key Takeaways for HR in 2023

Consider these HR changes happening now and start re-evaluating your current position relating to internal HR operations, employee wellness, and recruiting talent. And if you need guidance in this new realm of HR, connect with ExactHire! We can help you navigate the emerging trends and affect change within your departments so you can grow with the future of HR in 2023 and beyond.

Social Media and Employer Brand Awareness

in /by

“Don’t use social media to impress people. Use it to impact people.”

This quote by Dave Willis, an author, accentuates the power of social media in today’s society. Companies are vying for customers to buy their products and services along with competing fervently for key talent. To establish a competitive edge in recruitment and sales, companies seek to reach a global audience through their use of social platforms. With the use of social media, individuals are connected to each other through networks, connections, followers, and friends no matter their physical location. How can a company use social media to attract key talent?

How can an organization’s message sift through the noise to resonate with its target audience? Careful and genuine communication forges the way. An employer must communicate its culture and commitment to prospective employees and customers through authentic demonstration of its employer brand. The employer brand is an indicative view of what an organization’s workplace culture is. What it believes in and support. The motivation driving employees’ willingness to work and their productivity.

Social Media Reach

Social media is a consistent tool for communication and promotion. No matter the platform, whether it be LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc. an organization must use these tools to reach their desired audience. According to an end-of-2022 study conducted by Hootsuite, a leading marketing company, there are 4.74 billion social media users…4.74 billion people across the globe with differing socioeconomic characteristics and demographics who are searching for some type of product or place to work that makes their lives better. With an audience this large, the options for staffing and selling are endless. Provided your organization can craft a message that is effectively delivered to the portion of the 4.74 billion audience that is your target audience.

Before delving into communicating employer branding via social media, here are some statistics to reiterate the potential audience volume. YouTube is still the landmark platform for viewing video content. Hootsuite reported that YouTube’s social media audience of 2.51 billion people spend approximately 23.4 hours a month watching videos. TikTok is catching up quickly with users spending approximately 22.9 hours per month on the site. The average social media user spends nearly 2.5 hours daily scrolling through content. That is a lot of time searching and scrolling.

How to Utilize Social Media

Businesses need to examine their current marketing campaigns and see how social media is currently woven into existing campaigns. If an organization’s social media use is inconsistent or non-existent, it is time to revamp promotion initiatives. After identifying the staff member(s) who will be responsible for social media promotions and analyzing available funding, identify social platforms that are the most applicable for organizational activities. Use the business version of social media platforms. Business versions often have enhanced analytics for the company’s marketing team to analyze traffic and creative initiatives. Look at the organization’s marketing budget, specifically for social media outlets. Set spending limits as designated marketers learn what type of ads are most effective. Also to which audiences company reach outs are yielding the best ROI.

Make sure that the “About Us” area in each social media platform has contact information, company website and related links for convenience to the viewer.  Include links to social media channels in any visible opportunity such as company website headers and footers, email signature lines, newsletters, intranet, applicant tracking system and even onboarding software (you want your new employees to follow, right?). Wherever possible, have a blatantly visible “Follow us on…” with all the organization’s social media outlets listed for quick subscription. According to LinkedIn, 49% of professionals follow companies on social media solely for awareness of open jobs so make sure social media is robust and offers different opportunities for viewers to engage and connect.

What Should I Post?

Design a message that authentically communicates the organization’s culture. Seek employees’ testimonials, and communicate them in video format. Get the popcorn…ok, maybe not, but individuals are increasingly captivated by quick movies on social media. Driven by TikTok, short-term reels are taking over social media because of its engaging, attention-getting info in quick snippets. Incorporate short videos for the viewer to listen to the genuine reasons why working at the company is exhilarating. Display what the culture is like each day, not just when there are celebrations for milestones achieved.

Highlight departments and employees, both remote and onsite, in a spotlight series. Have new employees share why they chose the organization; for established employees, have them share why they stayed with the company for the multitude of years. Promote the organization’s benefits and commitment to work-life balance. Post a Q/A session with senior leadership to discuss trends and positive changes in the organization. Showcase specific internal and community partnership initiatives.  Use hashtags to correlate to positive events, but create a unique hashtag that is a consistent way to reach a diverse audience and attract awareness of organizational culture. Ask clients/customers to share their perspectives about the business. Include quotes and comments supporting activism and inclusion initiatives. Communicating what is real is the key.

How to Revamp Your Social Media

For those companies who have social media pages in existence but very limited content posted, it is time to revive those platforms and bring them back to life. Companies who are utilizing social media to communicate employer brand content need to have a content calendar. This helps manage posts and effectiveness. It is a fine line between under-communicating and oversharing so ideally, one post a day can be effective. Be ready to address complaints. The more visible and active an organization’s social channels are, the more likely customers will complain on those pages.

Offer to assist unhappy customers via private messages to keep negative discord to a minimum. When posting jobs on social media, consider the demographics of each platform’s users. Older employees with a longer work history will be more likely to search for jobs on LinkedIn as compared to Snapchat.  Facebook is the favorite social platform of the 35 – 44 old demographic while Instagram is the top choice for Millenials and Gen Z users.

Companies need to examine their social media campaigns. It is not just a tool to attract new talent, but it is also a means to keep current talent engaged. Encourage existing employees to follow and contribute. Entice followers to be active participants in discussion threads to posted questions. The more activity, the more publicity. Post and promote job listings within social channels to reach existing followers, and encourage followers to share posts to expand the target audience.

Conclusion

No matter the platform, authenticity generates trust and commitment between followers and a company. As with any relationship, communication between an organization and its followers takes time, effort and nurturing. The impact is made when a company demonstrates the motivation for its existence and how camaraderie drives its culture of inclusivity and productivity. The need to impress disintegrates because the company’s bona fide enthusiasm for its culture communicated through social media resonates distinctly to viewers and overcomes any distractions and noise from its competitors.

 

Follow ExactHire: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook

March Madness – A Company’s Own Big Dance

in /by

The month of March carries a lot of weight in a calendar year. Depending on a company’s quarterly cycle, March is typically the end of the first quarter where revenue analysis is in the spotlight. Time change and the official start to Spring attempt to bring more light, literally and figuratively speaking, after the dreariness of the Winter months. March also brings an unofficial “holiday” season – college basketball’s March Madness!

 

Even if basketball is not your jam, it is hard not to get into the hype of March Madness. Hard working teams arrive with an all-or-nothing goal of winning the national championship. Small colleges compete against large, renowned basketball programs in games that yield unexpected victories. Teamwork can solidify victory in close games, as how teamwork drives business operations. Leadership is tasked to make the best decision for others when they are under pressure with limited resources and information during challenging situations which mirrors real-life business functionality. Basketball, especially in competition crunch time, reiterates that there is no “i” in “team”. Hmmmm…that also sounds like life as a Human Resources professional…

 

Top 3 ways that an HR Professional has skills like a basketball player

 

  1. Assists – HR spearheads the growth and development of employees. They help others be the best they can be.
  2. Rebounds – Not every initiative within an organization is going to succeed. HR helps departments regroup and rebuild when challenges occur.
  3. Leadership –  HR is the go-to for employee centered questions and guidance. HR professionals seek to find talent to help teammates grow professionally and even personally.

 

How to incorporate March Madness into the work culture

 

HR stars, time for the tip off to set up a slam dunk March Madness experience within your organization. Use your coaching and leadership experience to motivate your team and impact your company’s culture. Company culture makes a big impact on employee retention and the recruitment of new employees. Organizations need to embrace the madness. Instead of prohibiting the viewing of tournament games, encourage employees to discuss and view the games when appropriate for the industry. Healthcare professionals can’t watch games while with patients, but why not have the television on in the breakroom?  It is not conducive for manufacturing employees to watch games while ensuring products are safely flowing down the lines, but team leads and/or management can communicate updates along the way.

If viewing games is prohibited by an organization, odds are some employees will find a way to watch them on non-company devices so keep that in consideration when setting the tone for what is accepted prior to the start of the tournament. Instead of prohibiting March Madness, embrace it by setting a time for the group to watch part or all of a particular game together. Every organization is different so what works in one place will not work exactly the same in another. Keep in mind that the competition for talent is fierce. People want to work where it is fun so find ways to diffuse March Madness basketball into the environment. While there might be a dip in productivity over a couple weeks, think of the long term benefits of improved employee morale leading to higher retention and productivity for the long term.

 

Make March Madness fun! Remember, there are two March Madness events – men’s and women’s basketball – so focus on both events. Official disclosure by the referee:  ExactHire does not provide legal counsel so please check with your company’s legal team when crafting a March Madness competition. Grab your highlighter! Have a bracket competition that is free for any remote and onsite employee to enter. For smaller companies, consider including your employees’ families in the competition. Think of the humor if a seven year old turns out to be the best predictor of victories on the bracket!

If possible, have tiered prizes such as small gift cards, larger gift cards and company swag. Check your state laws on gambling as monetary prizes are prohibited in some states. If your organization wants to acknowledge the winner(s), consider some company swag as a prize or even a nifty certificate that the winner can proudly post in their work area. Make it an annual tradition by having a trophy that the March Madness bracket winner keeps for the year. Post a large bracket on the wall and list employees whose alma maters are competing. Make a virtual leaderboard that can be viewed by remote and onsite employees to see who is in the lead.

 

Bracket time should not create undue stress on employees who do not have interest in the competition. If employees do not want to participate, find other ways to include them. March Madness is for team building and camaraderie.  Have free, basic activities like a word search, word scramble or bingo focused on the March Madness theme that employees can complete for a chance to win a prize. A gentle reminder that not all employees are college graduates so encourage employees to wear clothing that represents their favorite team, whether or not the team is in the tournament.

 

If the budget allows, cater lunch where all employees can socialize whether they watch the televised game or not. Catering is not the only way to share a meal together. Organize a pitch-in where teammates bring their favorite food and eat while tournament games are played. Some organizations are still hesitant about pitch-ins due to COVID which is understandable so invite employees to meet together in the breakroom or at a nearby restaurant for lunch together while taking a break to watch the game.

 

March is here, and the madness has arrived. Inbound and keep control. Work together as a team without fouls or turnovers. When employees, HR and leadership play together, assists will lead to scoring productivity with a win at the buzzer!

4 Ways to Recognize and Address Employee Burnout

in /by

Employee burnout is a real phenomenon. And it’s the result of several different workplace environment contributors. As an employer today, you’re likely concerned about other similar dilemmas, including “quiet quitting” and turnover. There are steps you can be taking, however, as a business owner or HR manager, to reduce the risks of employee burnout. And these insights will also help you to identify burnout before it sets in altogether.

Understanding What Employee Burnout Really Is

Before jumping into identifying signs of employee burnout, it’s imperative that company leaders and human resources staff understand what it actually is and how it manifests. What are the signs and symptoms? Some work-related projects can lead to increased stress and exhaustion. But they don’t necessarily constitute employee burnout. These types of short-term bursts of work or projects can lead to burnout conditions. And roughly 75% of all employees have experienced burnout in these capacities.

However, in general, employee burnout describes an underlying or overarching series of contributing factors that leave employees feeling undervalued, overworked, overstressed, incapable of improvement, fatigued, or even depressed. Each individual’s experience is going to be unique, as is the worker’s threshold for making a change. But as an employer, you can spot warning signs early to then take action and recalibrate the employee experience.

Here are four ways to recognize and address employee burnout within your organization.

1. Employee Exhaustion

Start by evaluating your teams’ and their exhaustion levels. Are your front-line workers getting tired? Think back to the news reports of ER nurses and doctors during the pandemic. They were visibly and notably exhausted. If you suspect any members of your staff might be feeling the same level of tiredness with their roles, it’s a sign they’re headed for burnout.

If you suspect there is exhaustion among your ranks, you can take steps necessary to alleviate some of the stress and monotony associated with the various roles. Maybe consider augmenting the workforce or re-assigning duties wherever applicable. You can also explore changing up the workflow in a way that brings new perspectives and relief. Additionally, and especially if you suspect your teams routinely experience fatigue, introduce wellness initiatives or work-life balance policies that support time off, adequate break periods, and healthy lifestyles.

2. Disengagement & Isolation

Another indication that one or more of your employees is headed for certain burnout is a prolonged disengagement or isolation from others. If you spot an employee who used to be engaged and enthusiastic now becoming more silent or reclusive on the job, there’s likely a reason. And if left unaddressed, this isolation will lead to certain employee burnout.

To combat these instances, employers can look to team-building exercises and other engagement initiatives that encourage collaboration and support. These can be on and off-site activities. It’s also imperative that today’s organizations create and enforce a transparent communication policy that welcomes employees to HR to discuss concerns.

3. Absenteeism & Poor Productivity

Analyze the employee roster regularly to spot instances of repeated absenteeism. If you have staff members not reporting to work all of a sudden or more frequently, it could be because of employee burnout. This also leads to reduced productivity on the job. So, be mindful of those who might suddenly not be as interested in quality work performance; it could be they’re preparing to leave.

Coach your HR teams to connect with employees who might be suddenly absent more often or performing poorly when they used to be top producers. Routine and quarterly assessments and reviews can be helpful in starting conversations. And employers can also be diligent with anonymous surveys and polls to help collect sentiments and feedback.

4. Higher Sensitivity to Leadership & Feedback

The fourth sign you might have employee burnout on your hands is a behavioral shift in accepting direction and feedback. When employees are overburdened for lengths of time, they’ll be less likely to receive tasks and criticism. In fact, asking for more could exacerbate the issue even further. There could be short fuses or even instances of hostility if unaddressed.

If your organization establishes routine communication with its employees, you’ll create a flow of dialogue that helps you avoid employee burnout scenarios. Be transparent about your efforts to support your teams. Reach out and enforce guidelines of respect, health, and positivity in a way to cultivate a more responsive company culture.

Keep these insights about employee burnout in mind as you look for ways to improve your company culture and team productivity. And remember, you don’t have to do it alone. Today’s workplace dynamics are vastly different and require a different roadmap for success. Exact Hire can be your guide to leverage all the best practices for employee management, hiring, and onboarding in today’s landscape.

Does Your Company Culture Really Matter

in /by

Company culture. Such a small phrase with a big impact. According to Merriam-Webster, culture is defined as:

A: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group

B: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization

C: the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic

D: the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations

Takeaways from Definitions

Customary beliefs… Shared attitudes… Set of values… Transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations… “Culture” envisions a plethora of responsibilities, and even pressure, but more importantly, possibilities. In the work environment, company culture is the concept that can make or break a company.

If a company’s culture supports communication and establishes a sense of trust among employees and management, the culture fosters an environment of growth and productivity. The company will be an employer of choice by existing and potential employees which is essential as the competition for talent has no end. On the other hand, if a company’s culture does not support collaboration and promotes an authoritarian style of management, productivity will be stagnant, and employees will seek a company which personifies a culture of value – the value of employees and their talent. Culture is ignited or extinguished by one factor, the human factor. Light the fuse to ignite a company culture that shines brightly for all.

Let’s examine the facets of culture in more depth and how all four of those definitions relate to company culture.

 

Company Culture Definition A

In the work environment, customary beliefs are attitudes and principles that guide employees in daily performance. Ideally, these beliefs should be motivators. Employees hope that their hard work pays off financially and intrinsically. People want to do well and succeed in their role. Employee engagement drives productivity. According to Forbes, companies with a positive work culture have 72% higher employee engagement. Productivity plummets and employee morale suffers if employees are not engaged with their responsibilities and the company as a whole.

When a company’s culture promotes teamwork and inclusivity, engagement increases because people feel welcome to contribute no matter their biological or social differences. Creating an environment where people feel safe to share ideas and try new things creates a trusting relationship among employees and leadership. The “work group” evolves into a cohesive unit, ultimately a “work family”, that appreciates the unique characteristics and knowledge that everyone offers which expands ideas and knowledge.

 

Company Culture Definition B:

 

Shared attitudes start with the company’s mission, vision and values. The company’s mission, vision and values serve as the company’s compass for steering and keeping employees on the desired path to fulfillment. Management sets the foundation for establishing culture. The company’s mission, vision and values are only words if they are not demonstrated by management. Authentic company culture begins with leadership who demonstrates positive core values and holds employees accountable to foster a work environment that is conducive to communication and learning.

How people interact and work with each other and how decisions are made is what displays culture. Fewer positive interactions among employees can yield poor decisions that affect business goals. Employees are 26% more likely to leave a role if they feel there is a lack of respect between colleagues. Management must exemplify what is expected of employees to create an authentic environment reflecting the importance of the company’s goals.

 

Definition C

 

All employees have their own set of values that impact them. That is what makes everyone unique and offers a myriad of learning opportunities in society. Muting employees’ differences only festers insecurity. Embrace the value of diversity within the company, and put an emphasis on inclusion. Make sure all employees feel valued and represented. Find ways to show gratitude for their efforts. Were departmental and/or company goals achieved? Financial rewards such as bonuses are compensation tools appreciated by employees; however, not all companies have the financial resources to provide bonuses to employees so find alternate ways to show appreciation.

However, you should keep in mind that it is still important to acknowledge employees’ efforts even if the goal was not achieved because that helps keep employees motivated and willing to be a risk-taker. Celebrate successes by providing lunch to the team. Establish a policy that employees can have their birthday off. Write a thank you note to show gratitude for hard work. Praise publicly. Dedicate a specific area for photos and shout-outs to show gratitude. Because gratitude for employee practices that promote inclusion and aim for achieving company goals can be shown in various ways so find ways that reflect the company’s values.

 

Definition D

 

Keeping talented, knowledgeable employees is a goal for any organization. Turnover costs money. Transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations is a component of a company’s strategic plan by developing succession plans for leadership and identifying ways to enrich current employees’ educational development. A positive company culture retains employees. Seventy four percent of employees would leave their current organization if culture started to decline according to a Glassdoor survey. A mass exodus of talent can leave a company faltering as management tries to capture replacement talent.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) calculates that an employee’s departure can cost a company six to nine months worth of salary to find a replacement. When employees feel a connection to the company and their teammates, that creates a sense of camaraderie. If employees feel valued and recognized, attitudes are more positive, and that is contagious. Tenured employees who stay at a company for an extended period of their work life develop an extensive amount of wisdom and knowledge that can be shared with new and existing employees to keep company life strong.

Promoting qualified employees who are committed to maintaining a positive company culture demonstrates the company’s commitment to employees. Everyone benefits. The company maintains productivity by transferring knowledge from seasoned leaders to employees who want to maintain growth and prosperity, individually and for the company.

Final Analysis

Company culture matters. It sets the tone for productivity and happiness in the work environment. If culture is not at the positive level desired, start assessing the environment and evaluate what needs changing to help craft a plan to make those changes. Solicit employees’ feedback about culture through surveys to start gathering different perspectives. Evaluate the feedback and start small with changes. As employees see leadership making a bona fide effort to create a more positive company culture, excitement will develop. Humankind truly becomes human and kind.

Strategies for Remote Recruitment

in /by

From 2019 to 2022, the remote workforce has tripled according to Gallup. Remote recruiting is Human Resources’ fastest growing strategy within talent acquisition to meet the needs of an evolving work environment. Remote recruitment involves the sourcing, screening, interviewing, and hiring of employees located throughout the world. Traditional means of recruitment used to entail a multi-step process. Phone screens, in-depth phone interviews and then, one or more onsite interviews prior to extending an offer of employment. While some traditions are tried and true, traditional recruitment as described is becoming antiquated. It does not accommodate the needs of an evolving remote and hybrid work model. Companies need to make the recruitment process efficient for all types of employees. When recruiting remote employees, an organization must examine their existing recruitment plans. Then make essential adaptations to make the evaluation process efficient for everyone involved.

 

SOURCING

Review your company’s culture and online presence. Remote job seekers will search for opportunities online. The description of the company found online can affect if they apply. The remote job seeker will want to click to learn more or scroll by. Craft your company’s website with a plethora of examples of the company as a whole. Company culture, history, commitments to employees, customers and society with an emphasis on the company’s investment in remote employees. Share pictures on the company’s social media pages to generate excitement about events within the company. Be sure to include remote employees’ experiences within the content.

Include videos from leadership discussing the company’s mission, vision and values. Having an informative and engaging website will help remote job seekers develop a connection to the organization and reiterate their desire to work there. Include benefits that support remote employees such as additional education and certification opportunities, flexible time, technology benefits, etc. Reiterate that promotion can occur for both onsite and remote workers. If your organization is truly a remote friendly company, broadcast that on the company’s website so remote job seekers can quickly identify that your company encourages remote workers. Make it more than words or a nifty “remote friendly” graphic by including testimonials from remote workers about their positive experiences so job seekers can get additional perspectives from those who do work remotely.

JOB POSTINGS AND DESCRIPTIONS

Now that the organization’s culture has been addressed, take a look at the job listings that are posted on the company website and job boards. Human Resources talent acquisition personnel need to craft job descriptions that attract remote employees. Clarify if the position is 100% remote or if the position is actually hybrid with some onsite work requirements. If it is hybrid, will there be occasional travel to the company headquarters or regional office, and if so, how often? Include specific expectations of the role that apply to its remote specification. Is there a specific time window or time zone that the employee must work?  What type of home work environment and technology are required?

An organization needs to examine all channels of promotion for remote jobs. Recruit existing remote employees to scan their networks for potential talent. Promote job listings on job boards that specialize in remote work opportunities. Utilize your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) integrations with niche job boards to expand your audience.

 

SCREENING AND PRE-INTERVIEW

Upon finding potential talent, it is time to evaluate further and put the “human” in “human resources”.  Remote recruitment does not readily offer the ability to bring talent onsite for interviews so it’s time to go to the talent themselves. Schedule the interview through your Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Phone screens offer an initial opportunity to evaluate basic skills, but for remote positions, consider replacing a phone screen with a video call. This gives recruiters an additional opportunity to develop a connection and evaluate communication and nonverbal language skills. Recruiters need to develop and refine video interviewing skills prior to kickstarting a video interviewing process.

Keep your interview area free from distractions and interruptions. Make sure all equipment is working prior to the interview. Doing this prevents precious interviewing time being wasted on resolving tech issues. Technical issues can occur no matter what. So have an alternate plan to continue the interview in case technical issues cannot be resolved. In a warm, welcoming manner, be the first person to join the meeting. This way the interviewee does not increase nervousness waiting for the interviewer(s). This is not a typical video meeting. Recruiters need to gauge and evaluate nonverbal communication cues, but that can be more difficult over a screen. Take notes regarding questions about qualifications and experience, but if you are taking notes using an interview guide within your ATS, ensure that you can see the interviewee the whole time.

INTERVIEWING

Craft interview questions to include segments focusing on time management, communication skills and autonomous experiences. Formulate questions to gauge the job seeker’s ability to work independently when remote and how they communicate with others when questions or challenges arise. How do they handle stress, particularly when they cannot get up and go walk to someone for assistance? Asking open-ended questions seeking examples will help recruiters find remote talent that will fit within the organization’s remote culture. Explore assessments to evaluate job skill compatibility along with behavioral and cognitive capabilities.  Conduct written assessments to get an example of how the job seeker expresses themselves. Writing samples can include how to respond to an angry client while researching the problem, providing instructions to a teammate or a client, or whatever is relevant to the position.

When the interview concludes, ensure they know the next steps in the process and how they will be contacted. Remote recruitment can take longer than traditional recruitment processes. All job seekers appreciate updates on their status in the hiring process. However it is essential to provide additional communication with remote employees so they can stay engaged in the hiring process. Depending on the intricacies of the job opening, examine the need for additional specialty interviews such as panel interviews. Including the remote candidate in a group meeting and encouraging their participation could give another perspective on interaction and group acclimation. Positions need to be filled quickly to mitigate productivity loss. However, take enough time to host enough video interviews and group sessions. Doing this will allow you to determine if the remote candidate is the best fit for the position.

HIRING

Once an employment offer has been extended to the soon-to-be new remote teammate and they accept, engage them in an active onboarding process starting with the use of onboarding software to automate part of the process. Keep the new remote hire involved with open communication and timely notifications of what is needed from them and what they need to do as well. Partner with the company’s Information Technology department to communicate technology security policies with the new remote hire.

Work with the new hire to validate that they have the tools they need to do the role. Craft communication plans with the new hire so they can start interacting with the team. Outline expectations for task completion, and most importantly, be available as questions arise. Check in on the new remote teammate and host weekly meetings to help them get up to speed on the responsibilities of their job. Remote work environments thrive on communication so ensure the team is there to support the new remote teammate as they learn the culture and their role.

Tailoring remote recruitment to meet the needs of remote job seekers provides the organization with the means to find candidates who want and can successfully complete the duties of a remote position. Remote employees must be self-directing and have stellar communication skills along with grit to handle tasks independently but be ready to collaborate and work with teammates digitally alongside them. Remote employees offer higher productivity and increased loyalty to an organization. As an organization seeks talent to fill vacancies, remote talent can provide the skills and commitment to forge a path of heightened productivity. Forge that path together, no matter where you are.

6 Outdated Hiring Practices

in /by

How effective are your current hiring strategies? Are you attracting top-quality talent? Or are you posting and reposting with very few submissions? Today’s hiring ecosystem is different. And what used to work as recently as one year ago won’t necessarily be effective today.

 

So, as you review your hiring and onboarding metrics, look to spot trends that might point to gaps in your current hiring practices. And keep reading to see if any of these outdated hiring practices represent techniques you’re still using. More efficent hiring practices and strategies first require the identification of poor-performing processes. See what you can eliminate and reform so you can get back to hiring incredible talent for your organization.

 

According to Forbes, the “Great Resignation” brought 47.8 million Americans to the decision to leave their jobs in 2021. And that movement shifted power away from the recruiter’s desk and back to the job seeker. While some nuances continue to shift, these are the current hiring practices you should consider eliminating.

1. Hiring Based on Resumes and CVs

There was a time when the candidate’s resume was all a hiring manager needed to make a hiring decision. However, the old CV isn’t carrying as much weight anymore. A surging number of companies are even considering hiring and interviewing applicants without a resume at all. Today’s leaders realize the best-fit candidates present qualifying experiences, applicable knowledge, and soft skills, all of which are hard to quantify in a one-page resume. Sure, some roles will require certification or technical proof of experience. But if you’re still relying on the resume alone to evaluate candidates, it’s an outdated hiring practice that could be costing you brilliant employees.

2. Attracting Candidates with Salary Alone

It also used to be considered a hiring best practice to rely on salaries alone to attract top talent. In theory, you’d pay more for more qualified candidates. But today’s best and most talented applicants are looking beyond the pay before making any offer-accepting decisions. Today’s workers are choosing to work with companies that offer creative benefits that speak to work-life balance. They’re looking for positive company cultures and potential for internal growth. And if your job descriptions or interview processes don’t speak to these points, you’re missing great candidates.

3. Hiring Based on Location

With the onset of remote working dynamics, today’s companies are throwing regional or location-based hiring practices out the window. Stop insisting on “local” when you seek to attract new candidates and open up your role to nationwide pools of incredibly qualified professionals. Of course, this also means you’ll have to adopt a remote or hybrid workforce. And being flexible as a return for productivity is a highly attractive element among top talent today.

4. Posting Vague, Fluffy, or Ambiguous Job Descriptions

Another outdated hiring practice you might not realize you’re using is the generic, vague, or ambiguous job description. Over the years, certain roles evolved to “feel” like templates outlining responsibilities and benefits. Today’s candidates are looking for descriptive, transparent, and precise descriptions. And if they sense any fluff content or gray areas, they’ll move on to the next job opportunity. When crafting your job descriptions, be unique about how you capture the responsibilities and requirements. Spell out what you’re looking for in a dynamic candidate. Additionally, create transparent lists of benefits, perks, and pay ranges that apply. It’s about setting realistic expectations and attracting the candidates who want to apply, not baiting applicants.

5. Requiring Lengthy and Time-Consuming Application Processes

To leverage the most effective and current hiring practices, you’ll need to look at the time it takes to apply to your job. If there are redundant steps in the process, including requirements for applicant logins or form completion steps in addition to resume uploads, you’re likely losing interest among your candidate pools. And even worse are those companies that take too long to move forward with the next steps in the applicant process. Today’s companies are adopting AI for improved communication and innovative software that streamlines every step. Eliminate unnecessary or time-consuming steps in your application procedures and start being more effective in hiring great candidates.

6. Implementing In-Person Interviews and Outdated Tech

If your recruiting and HR teams are still requiring in-person interviews, you’re missing out on pools of incredibly talented applicants and still practicing what is now an outdated hiring practice. Look to adopt all the technology you need to connect with, engage, evaluate, interview, and onboard new hires virtually. Even for those roles you have that DO require on-site work, take the flexible interview route with options for virtual meetings and calls. Use the tech to connect, and you’ll find you have broader applicant pools with which to work.

Is your company still using some of these outdated hiring practices? More importantly, do you need help developing and executing more effective hiring practices? Let ExactHire be your guide! We have all the resources and strategies you need to change your approach to hiring, including the best practices for today’s hiring environment.