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The Unsung Benefits of Effective Employee Onboarding

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Now that you have hired the employee who you envision to be part of your team for the long-term, how do you help ensure that this newest member of your team stays for that long-term? One way to help fulfill your prophecy is through effective onboarding.

Onboarding? Yes, onboarding! There are many facets of onboarding that encompass a smooth transition for newly hired employees, and which will benefit all parties involved. A new hire wants to feel informed, connected and valued. An organization wants team members who actively contribute and who fit well within the existing work culture. Both goals can be achieved and solidified through an effective onboarding process.

The first day for new hires should be geared towards bonding with their new team, learning first-hand what the new culture is like, and building rapport. Onboarding is not just a manager’s task; it is the responsibility of all team members within the organization itself to provide accurate information in an encouraging manner. Teammates need to welcome new hires and provide a climate of support for them during the acclimation time frame.

The Time in Between – Pre-Onboarding

In the immediate days after new hires accept an offer–and definitely before their first day–you should ensure that they complete many of the “to-do list” tasks that often bombard them on Day 1. Send new hires any packets, paper or paperless, that contain items like tax forms, personal data forms, and insurance registrations. They can review, complete and submit the information to HR before arriving to work. This will help them avoid a first day solely spent on documentation, while providing them with time to become acclimated to team policies and departmental/organizational expectations.

Keeping Connected – Onboarding Technology

Onboarding technology helps an organization keep in contact with new hires during the time between their offer acceptance and their official first days on the job. A lapse in communication between new hires and their managers at this critical time can potentially cause a big disconnect, which can be detrimental to relationships that must be developed between new employees and their teammates. Onboarding technology is also the most efficient means to continue promoting your organization’s employer brand that was introduced during the recruitment phase–especially for new hires that are working remotely on a full-time or part-time status.

Setting and Meeting Expectations

New hires have a lot on their minds. Whether they are recent graduates or seasoned workforce veterans, they will have acquired notions of what a workplace should be from their previous environments. They will bring these past mindsets along with them in the back, or possibly the forefront, of their minds when starting at a new place. The norms of the environment from which new hires come can affect the way they perceive and perform their tasks and acclimate within the new culture.

Since it is inevitable that some form of internal comparison will take place in the new employees’ minds,  it is important for current team members to be cognizant of this as they interact with new hires. Having a component within the onboarding process that shares norms and expectations of your organization will give your manager and team the opportunity to communicate expectations, as well as learn more about the new hires’ past experiences.

Improving Your Onboarding Experience

Simply put, there are always additional means to improve a process whether it is part of the onboarding process or an organizational based procedure. Within each new hire’s onboarding process, solicit feedback from each person. Ensure new hires that constructive criticism will help improve the organization’s onboarding process, and reiterate that their feedback will be taken positively.

The new hire’s feedback could lead to change that could positively impact the morale of the organization along with profitability.  With feedback from a new hire, additional training and employee development opportunities could develop.  The fresh, open mind of a new hire can help stimulate others to open their minds and discard the “But We Have Always Done It This Way” mentality.

As you develop and implement your organization’s onboarding process, realize that continuous improvement of the setup, content and delivery of the onboarding process itself is an objective for which to strive.  What works today for your new hires will not necessarily work for tomorrow’s new hires since we are in the midst of rapidly changing workforce dynamics.

Resources for Building an Onboarding Process

SHRM Foundation’s Effective Practice Guidelines Series outlines the Four Cs of Onboarding which gives an organization an excellent foundation on which to customize its onboarding process.

  • Compliance – Teaching employees basic legal and policy related rules and regulations
  • Clarification – Ensuring employees understand their new jobs and job related expectations
  • Culture – Providing employees with a sense of organizational formal and informal norms
  • Connection – Creating relationships and interpersonal networks that new employees need

Creating and delivering an onboarding process which encompasses the Four Cs provides initial direction that can be adapted to the intricacies of any organization delivering the onboarding piece.

A Final Note: Enthusiasm Is Contagious

Ultimately, the quicker new hires feel connected and knowledgeable about their job duties, the quicker they will be positively contributing to the overall goals of your organization. Onboarding should not be perceived by new hires and the organization’s team as something tedious and monotonous.  Onboarding is not that at all!  Onboarding helps generate excitement for something of high value–your organization, its team and your organization’s mission and vision. Enthusiasm is contagious!  Build excitement on what you do and who helps you do it!  Your organization’s mission is a calling, and positively communicate that calling to new hires in your onboarding process.  If new hires hear that calling, let them answer.

Image credit: Speak Your Mind by Ben Grey (contact)

A Paperless Workplace Is Good Business

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Wasted time. Wasted money.  No one likes waste–the mere mention of the word evokes the feeling of regret. But across the world we do it every day. Often times, as individuals, we waste because we cannot find an alternative. But for small businesses today, much time and money is wasted by ignoring the obvious, glaring alternative of transitioning to a paperless workplace.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, paper and paperboard products accounted for roughly 69 million tons (or 27 percent) of the U.S. municipal waste stream in 2012–nearly twice the amount of the next most wasted material, food. On average, each U.S. citizen is responsible for 1.2 lbs. of paper waste per day. And while recycling efforts have helped to mitigate paper waste, the best approach to reducing waste is to avoid generating it in the first place.

Paperless Possibilities

The Information Age has ushered in new possibilities for conservation. In the vast majority of cases–especially with the broad adoption of e-signatures and cloud drives–paper documents are not necessary. Yet, too many businesses have been slow in transitioning to a paperless workplace.

Small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S. employ around 56.1 million people. Imagine if these businesses fully embraced a paperless work environment. Yes, this would sharply reduce waste by businesses, but more importantly it would influence how employees think about paper use outside the office.

Do I really need the newspaper delivered?

Do I need to receive a paper bill?

Do I have to print this off?

Where else can I save paper?

An environmentally responsible employer brand is one benefit of moving to a paperless work environment, but there are cost savings to be realized with the transition as well. Paperless solutions not only remove the need to use paper for common tasks and processes, many times they automate those same processes as well. So in addition to the savings associated with not buying paper and print cartridges, a business can return higher profits through increased process efficiency.

A Culture of Conservation

Your business can take the first step in becoming a paperless workplace by first creating a culture of conservation. Here are a few ideas on how to use less paper in your office:

  • Purchase printer and copier units that can print on both sides of a sheet of paper.
  • Set all computers and copiers to default to double-sided printing.
  • Use email instead of paper or faxes.
  • Don’t print email messages.
  • Work on drafts electronically, using “edit” and “comment” features.
  • Choose reusable cups, plates, and utensils instead of disposable paper and plastic items for your office break room.
  • Use paper towels made with post-consumer recycled material or use cloth napkins.
  • Choose reusable lunch bags or coolers.

To make the full leap to a paperless workplace,  you’ll need to explore how new technologies can further remove your reliance on paper. From communications and marketing to document storage and employee management, virtually every aspect of your business can be enhanced by investing in technology. And the best part? Many of these technologies are very affordable… and sometimes even free.

So stop wasting time and money, transform your business into a paperless workplace. You have nothing to lose–except paper…lots of expensive paper.

ExactHire provides paperless HR solutions to help small businesses achieve greater efficiency. Please contact us today to learn how you can stop wasting time and money by going paperless!

 

Perks and Quirks of Working for an SMB

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Working for a small to medium-sized business (SMB) is much different than working for a large corporation in various ways. In my personal experience, I have to admit that working for a smaller company better fits my personality. The tight-knit camaraderie and close connections we have to each other’s personal lives feels more like a family environment than the sweatshop-esque call center that I fled before starting here.

Sure, we don’t always get the same financial perks that a Fortune 500 company can offer, but we aren’t getting cheated on our paychecks either. There is a give and take in any relationship–even the employee/employer relationship.

Perks

For me, the benefits of a caring team and the perks of occasionally working from home are worth more to me than a company match on a highly-regulated 401K. I am happy to invest my earnings in other vehicles and keep the mileage low on my actual vehicle.

We also bond as a team in a manner that is much more satisfying and organic than anything I have experienced in my past careers. We enjoy the State Fair on an annual basis, reach goals to earn fun prizes, laugh and joke in the hallway, and support each other professionally.

Quirks

As in life, things are not all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes working for a smaller company can bring in the very real issue of transparency and lack of professional privacy. Whether it be the announcement of someone’s first sale, new grandchild, or the company budget – we all know the story pretty quickly. But it’s nice to know that if our co-founder is going to be out for the afternoon, we will all get a little note with a FYI. This is a unique quirk of working for a small business–nobody’s rights are being violated here. Having high-visibility is embraced by our team as just the nature of our office life.

All of these small business quirks combine to create a wonderful atmosphere that encourages each of us to do our best and support each other. In times of trial and tribulation, we come together to prevail. Most of these are professional challenges, but very recently, we had a bit of a unique situation in our local office.

Quirky Example: The Bucket Brigade

During a typical April shower in Indianapolis (think monsoon thunderstorm), on an otherwise calm Thursday afternoon in the office, we started to hear some unusually loud precipitation. At first, we weren’t sure if something was really wrong until we entered an unoccupied office and stood shocked by streams of water cascading from the ceiling at multiple points! And this was not just any office, but the office of our sister-company’s vacationing president. Electronics, documents, books, personal items, and more that were being showered with water.

The skeleton crew from our joint office quickly gathered and became the Bucket Brigade. Together we made the best out of the stressful situation by forming a make-shift clean-up crew with the common goal of salvaging the important items that had been drenched. I think most corporate offices would have called ‘the authorities’ and remained idle with the fear of being reprimanded for touching the belongings of others. But being part of a small company meant that our team members who were working remotely could instantly ramp up their efforts, while we were free to address the immediate need of clean-up. Thankfully, we were able to save all the items that had gotten wet, and we gained a fun story and team nickname too.

quirky challenge-leak while working at an SMB
quirky challenge-leak while working at an SMB
Quirky waterproofing while working at an SMB
Quirky waterproofing while working at an SMB
bucket brigade while working at an SMB
bucket brigade while working at an SMB

ExactHire specializes in providing hiring solutions for the SMB market. As a small business that seeks to leverage technology for continued growth, we understand the value and power of affordable technology backed by reliable customer support. To learn how our hiring solutions can enhance your HR operations, contact us today!

5 Steps To Assess Employer Brand For Small Biz Owners

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As a leader of a small business, you are likely familiar with the importance of brand as it relates to your business’s profitability and growth. Your consumer brand represents who you are as a business to your customers and prospective customers; this includes how you stand apart from similar businesses, and what your goals are in delivering your product or service. A bad brand is a bad business; where one goes, the other will quickly follow–most business owners understand this.

But what about your employer brand? What is this, and how does it affect the health of your business?

Your employer brand is essentially the same as your consumer brand; however, an employer brand represents who you are as a business to your employees and prospective employees. In other words, your consumer brand makes and fulfills (hopefully) a promise to individuals with the goal of gaining their continued business, and an employer brand makes and fulfills (hopefully) a promise to individuals with the goal of gaining and keeping their talent through employment.

Your Employer Brand Right Now

Though the word “brand” is sometimes cast in a negative light, building a brand is a universal practice for businesses–even if it’s not realized by the business itself. Negative connotations associated with brand likely come to mind when we confuse it with the marketing strategies and tactics used to promote the brand. So putting aside marketing strategies and tactics–logos, slogans, messaging, materials, advertisements, et al.– consider these three questions as a quick and dirty way to assess your employer brand:

(Note: These can be used to assess your consumer brand, too, with a few tweaks.)
  • What is the purpose of our business?
  • How is working at our business different than other businesses with similar purposes?
  • How do people feel about our business before, during, and after working here?

By answering these questions and, more importantly, asking your employees to answer these questions, you will have the building blocks of your employer brand. It is vital that you complete this before creating a strategy to strengthen and grow your brand. If your brand (what you are) is not in alignment with your brand marketing (what you are promising to be), then you will be misleading your job applicants and laying the groundwork for a bad brand image–that means low sales for your business, and low morale/high turnover for your employees.

5 Steps to Assess Your Employer Brand

  1. Develop a brief survey to determine the essence of your current brand using the three questions above
  2. Distribute the survey to all employees and business stakeholders in a way that allows for anonymous responses
  3. Collect and compile the responses to identify common brand perceptions
  4. Identify perceptions that are negative or threatening to your business
  5. Incorporate the assessment insights into a prioritized continual improvement plan

ExactHire provides hiring technology for small to medium-sized organizations. Our SaaS solutions include HireCentric ATS and OnboardCentric which can streamline your hiring and onboarding processes, while providing an exceptional experience for new employees. To learn more about how you can enhance your hiring process through the use of our software, contact us today!

Keepin’ a Line in the Water for Unemployed Passive Job Seekers: Part 3

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This is the final part of a three-part series on how your organization can attract and hire top talent by targeting Unemployed Passive Job Seekers as part of your overall talent recruitment strategy. Warning: The fishing references are thick.

Even if you write the most motivating, enticing job description and job seekers are excited about an opportunity with your organization, there’s no guarantee that they will take action–especially if they are the elusive Unemployed Passive Job Seekers. This doesn’t mean that they won’t return to you on their own some day, but you can increase the chances that they do by staying connected. In today’s digital world, there are countless ways to do this. Here are three effective ones:

Employee Referrals

You’re probably familiar with the good ol’ fashioned Employee Referral. It goes something like this:

  1. Management representatives decide to hire for a new position
  2. They send an email out or drop by your desk to say: “Hey, we’re hiring for a new Office Paper Coordinator. If you know anyone who’d be a good fit, let us know, or tell them to apply.”
  3. You likely forget to share the news, or you overlook a great candidate.

Obviously, you can see the flaws inherent in this ol’ fashioned method…Enter Digital Employee Referrals.

Some of the more sophisticated Applicant Tracking Systems offer a feature that greatly simplifies and enhances the process of Employee Referrals by taking the process digital. And let’s face it, even Sig Hansen of The Deadliest Catch and the rest of the Alaskan crab fleet use fishing technology these days.

Digital Employee Referrals work by providing each employee with a custom URL to the open position (For example: http://exacthire.hirecentric.com/jobs/20138-11900-Bob-The-Builder). They can create this link by visiting the organization’s career portal. Then, from that same location, they can instantly share the position to their networks via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and email. Now, when any applicant applies via an employee’s unique link, the application is automatically populated with that employee’s name as the referrer.applicant tracking system | employee referral integration

And when an employee incentive program is built around this feature, employees are further encouraged to reach out to their network. The results are impressive!

Learn the concept by checking out how ExactHire’s HireCentric ATS handles it!

Job Notifications

Many job boards provide this feature for organizations. The idea is that an interested job seeker creates a profile with the job board, and then the job board pushes out an email or text with links to new job opportunities based on criteria the job seeker sets. This is a nice feature that gets the job done, but there’s one issue: it’s “junky”.

By junky, I mean that many times these notifications only contain one or two listings among twenty that actually appeal to the job seeker, and it requires effort to parse through the murky waters and find them. You can’t afford to rely on this approach alone with an Unemployed Passive Job Seeker. You need to grab their attention.

Fortunately, some applicant tracking systems–like ExactHire’s HireCentric platform–provide job seekers the opportunity to sign up for job notifications from your specific organization. In fact, the notifications sent regarding your company’s jobs can even be filtered by job category and state, according to the job seeker’s preferences. This is important because it ensures that your passive job seekers need only filter through your jobs that are most likely to bait their interest…not ALL of your jobs. No junk here.

Social Media

As you know, Social Networking Sites have transformed the way the world communicates. Information has never traveled so fast–a good thing as it relates to facts, a bad thing, often, as it relates to opinions…but I digress. The point is, that through social media, organizations have the ability to update followers and friends in real-time. They even have the ability to interrupt…if they do the work to build trust with their followers. What do I mean?

You, as a Twitter user, can follow 5,000 businesses. You can check your feed once a day and scroll through all their updates; it’s an open relationship that doesn’t require anything from either side–an “all you care to eat” buffet. Now, let’s say that from the very beginning an organization promised you something in exchange for following them. For example:

“Connect with us on LinkedIn to be the first to learn of new job opportunities with ExactHire!”

“Follow us @goExactHire for your chance to win 1 of 52 prizes that we’ll be rewarding to our most active followers each week this year.”

“Like the Exacthire page and earn the chance to receive exclusive promo codes for the purchase of your favorite beer.”

With a simple promise–it doesn’t have to be beer discounts–an organization can increase their chances of earning a crucial thing: followers who enable notifications for your account. This means that the followers value your content so much, that they want to be interrupted by it. This is the holy grail for social media marketing, and it can be nicely leveraged for recruiting through the use of an applicant tracking system, as well.

Imagine the unemployed passive job seeker who’s having lunch when a notification flashes on her phone via Twitter:

“Can’t Miss #JobOpp. Family Friendly Company Offers Flex Hrs. Benefits. Part or Full Time. Students, New Grads, Unemployed–All should apply btly.exacthire”

You’ve interrupted and intrigued her. She’s back on the hook. Now reel ‘er in!

Heading Back To Port

Competition for top talent is fierce. Everyday there are countless organizations looking to land the big catch. As hiring professionals, we must be willing to go to new places and try new techniques to hire top talent. This includes: going after individuals who are not actively seeking a job; leveraging technology to cultivate interest in your organization; and staying connected with job seekers who express interest in your organization.

By expanding your view of where talent exists, and then using creative tactics to go get them, you will outsmart your competition and position yourself to land the big catch–along with all the rewards that come with that. And that’s no fish tale!

Read More ExactHire Blogs

…for helpful, relevant, and occasionally witty takes on HR trends and topics.

 

How to Lure Unemployed Passive Job Seekers: Part 2

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This is the second part of a three-part series on how your organization can attract and hire top talent by targeting Unemployed Passive Job Seekers as part of your overall talent recruitment strategy. Warning: There are still a lot of fishing references.

Setting Sail For New Waters

Imagine a passive job seeker–employed or unemployed–who one day, on a whim, visits a job aggregator like Indeed. He might search for a certain type of position, or one in a particular industry, or one with a particular salary range. Perhaps he discovers some exciting results. Maybe he clicks on one and begins reading about a particular company’s work culture and gets excited. He might think “Wow! This sounds like an awesome place to work!”

But the timing is not right, any number of different factors may steer him off course: he is still enrolled in school; he is committed to a few short-term projects; he is not physically able to meet the job requirements at that time; he’s unsure about childcare arrangements. What happens to this opportunity? Does it close when the browser is closed? Does that excitement die with the job seeker as he returns to “passive job seeker mode”?

It doesn’t have to.

An organization can continue to interact with once-interested job seekers–even passive job seekers–by providing these individuals with a way to stay connected, and then making sure to use hiring software to proactively communicate with them. Organizations can also get creative with their job descriptions to increase the likelihood that these passive job seekers are motivated to act immediately and apply for an open position that excites them–right when they see it.

Get ’em While They’re On The Hook

Try tweaking your job descriptions so that job seekers are motivated to apply right then and there. This might be as simple as using your applicant tracking system to allow individuals to begin the application on the same page as the job description, or offering job seekers the chance to apply with Indeed or LinkedIn. Fishermen call this setting the hook.

Don’t let them think they’ll be wasting their time if they apply. If you wish to actively source Unemployed Passive Job Seekers for certain positions, then job descriptions should be written in a way that is not only inclusive of applicants with diverse experience, but that provides those applicants with confidence that they are qualified for the job.

Put yourself in the unemployed passive job seekers’ shoes and tell them what they need to hear. Let’s revisit their motivations mentioned in part one of this series as a guide:

They hold a part-time job.

Perhaps the position can be “part-time to full-time” for the “right candidate”. Or emphasize benefits for full-time employees. How it meets the job seeker’s needs: One can keep both jobs or go full-time and gain benefits–he/she has options worth exploring.

They do small contract jobs/projects.

Again stress the benefits of a full-time position. Depending on the type of position, it may make sense to include language such as “weekly/bi-weekly pay checks”, “consistent hours”, “flexible work schedule”. How it meets the job seeker’s needs: A job seeker that works on a project basis may face inconsistent work or unpredictable pay. She may also want to keep a few projects alongside full-time work, so mentioning flexible hours keeps that option open.

They are stay-at-home parents.

As with the others, you really need to stress benefits–especially family health care and flex-spending accounts for childcare. “Flexible work schedule” or “work from home” are also terms that might encourage a stay-at-home parent to consider working full-time. Of course, salary will also be important if the cost of childcare threatens to exceed earnings. How it meets the job seeker’s needs: The cost of childcare is a big item for families considering dual employment, as is time with children and time needed to maintain a household in general. Yes, a parent could earn enough to cover childcare expenses, but if he misses out on attending after-school activities or ends up spending all his free time on household chores, maybe a full-time job isn’t the right choice. You need to address those needs–offer attractive wages and flexible hours.

They have specialized experience in an industry that is not hiring/growing.

This individual has looked and looked, but her job is just not out there. Again, get creative with your job description. If your position is for an oil rig mechanic, but you’ve had great luck hiring former airline mechanics, then write a job description with a heading like: Need Experienced Airline Mechanics For Growing Industry. How it meets the job seeker’s needs: Some individuals have a decade of experience, a flawless attendance record, and glowing recommendations, but they’re trained for a job in an industry that is not growing. You need to open their eyes to new opportunities that require their unique skill set and experience.

They are in school or training.

For these job seekers, post far ahead of your anticipated start-date. Offer part-time to full-time transitions or internships. Tuition reimbursement is a great incentive too. Just be sure to specifically target your message to individuals who have returned to school too–not just your 20 year-old college student. How it meets the job seeker’s needs: Whether the job seeker is in her early twenties with minimal work experience or is an experienced worker seeking to re-train or make a career change, it’s important to provide comfortable, attractive transitions for students. Their investment in education will be an investment in your organization.

They are discouraged.

 Job descriptions or career pages that tell the story of current employees–their path to success at your organization– can encourage the discouraged and light a path for the job seeker to follow. But reaching these individuals is difficult, so it’s especially important to use social media as a channel to promote your open positions to these job seekers. Imagine the out-of-work teacher who wistfully explores #ClassroomInnovations, when suddenly an exciting job opportunity drops into her feed and encourages her to act. How it meets the job seeker’s needs: This is probably the most difficult passive job seeker to attract. One has tried and tried, and now he or she has become disillusioned with even the idea of searching for, let alone finding, the right job. You have to interrupt this person with your exciting opportunity, and this is best done via social media.

They are ill or disabled.

Post your open positions early and, of course, include the start date. Specifically message to the ill or disabled, reassuring them that this opportunity will be available and applying now does not necessarily mean working now. Or, if it is an immediate opening, mention that assistive technology is available to help disabled individuals do their jobs. Offer flexible hours or begin with part-time, transitioning to full-time. Top talent is top talent, regardless of whether they’ve been on the sideline for a bit. How it meets the job seeker’s needs: Those who are genuinely ill or disabled may find it hard to focus on a job search when they are focused on getting healthy. But if you have flexibility in your start date, and are in a position to offer part-time hours initially, attracting these individuals can be fulfilling in more ways than one.

 

Hopefully these tips spark some creative ideas of your own. The key is to put yourself in the job seekers’ shoes and write with their motivations and needs in mind. And as with any type of communication: the more personal, the better.

But…what if they still don’t bite?


Check back next Wednesday to learn how you can land the big catch by keeping a line in the water and trying out a few new fishing holes.

Read More ExactHire Blogs

…for helpful, relevant, and occasionally witty takes on HR trends and topics.

 

Landing The Elusive, Unemployed Passive Job Seeker: Part 1

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This is the first part of a three-part blog series on how your organization can attract and hire top talent by targeting Unemployed Passive Job Seekers as part of your overall talent recruitment strategy. Warning: There are a lot of fishing references.

The Deadliest Catch is a documentary series on The Discovery Channel. The show chronicles the lives of fishermen in the treacherous Bering Sea. They are on the hunt for one of the most coveted seafoods in the world–the Alaskan King Crab. The work is perilous, but the rewards for a big catch are impressive.

Finding and hiring top talent to fill your organization’s open positions is not a deadly job, but the rewards for catching the right candidate can be every bit as impressive. To make that happen, human resources departments need a talented crew, the right equipment, and–most importantly–a captain who knows where to fish.

And sometimes the biggest catch can be made in places you least expect.

A Check of The Weather Before We Set Sail

Earlier this month the U.S. Department of Labor released its latest jobs report. It indicated that the unemployment rate had risen by .1% to 5.7%. This was widely celebrated as a good thing. Why is an increase in the unemployment rate a good thing?

To answer that, we need to first look at the definition of the unemployment rate according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

 

Unemployment Rate: The number of unemployed (people who are jobless, actively seeking work, and available to take a job) as a percentage of the labor force (the sum of the employed and unemployed).

 

Nice. So this means that if you are unemployed, but not looking for a job, then you are not factored into the unemployment rate; therefore, an increase in the unemployment rate can mean one of two things:

  1. More people have lost their job AND they are currently looking for a new one
  2. More people–who were unemployed and not looking for a job– are still unemployed, BUT they are now looking for a job.

The experts are cheering because they believe #2 describes the nation’s current unemployment situation. So the weather seems to be improving, and the fish are ready to bite. But what if there was a way to catch these fish even before they were ready?

It’s possible. But to do that, we have to leave the safety and comfort of our job board shores, chart a course for new waters, and go fishing for an exotic species of job seeker.

Employed Passive Job Seekers

A Common Species

Individuals who have a job, but who are open to other job opportunities, are commonly referred to as Passive Job Seekers. These individuals may keep an updated resume on LinkedIn or maintain an active job board profile on Glassdoor. They are prepared to leave their current company if a better opportunity comes along, but they are not heavily motivated to go look for that opportunity.

Think of these as healthy fish that just aren’t hungry. They’re a protected species too, so let’s leave them alone. Poaching isn’t nice. We’re fishermen, not pirates. Well, not today at least…not until we have to fly the skull and crossbones in search of our next unicorn.

Unemployed Passive Job Seekers

An Exotic Species

Now for the sake of this discussion, let’s label another set of individuals as Passive Job Seekers. Let’s include individuals who do not have a full-time job and are not actively looking for one, but who are open to full-time job opportunities. These individuals are similar to Employed Passive Job Seekers in terms of their motivation to actively search for a job opportunity; however, they are facing conditions that preclude them from holding a full-time job. These are the Unemployed (or Underemployed in some cases) Passive Job Seekers.

Let’s think of these as healthy fish that aren’t looking for food because the waters are too turbulent. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re not hungry. It’s just that the waters are all muddied up and they’re not going to bite unless you catch their eye with a flashy lure–your employment brand.

Identify An Unemployed Passive Job Seeker

Skilled fishermen know every detail about the fish they seek. They know where the big catch will be and what motivates them to bite. A skilled recruiter must be the same way when it comes to sourcing candidates for jobs.

Here are several reasons why Unemployed Passive Job Seekers cannot actively look for a full-time job:

  • They hold a part-time job
  • They do small contract jobs/projects
  • They are stay-at-home parents
  • They have specialized experience in an industry that is not hiring/growing
  • They are in school for further training
  • They are ill or disabled
  • They are discouraged

As you can see, none of these reasons is “just plain lazy” or “unemployable”–though that may be the case in some instances. The thing is, many talented workers are “unemployed and not looking” for good reason, or for reasons outside of their control; and while they may not be looking for a job right now, they could be interested in a position with a shiny organization that catches their eye.

Start Your Fishing Trip

If your organization is looking to hire additional employees–especially in an industry that has not been hiring for a while–targeting Unemployed Passive Job Seekers is a great way to increase your pool of quality applicants and land the big catch.

Now that you’ve identified this exotic species of job seeker, you’ll need tips on how to lure them in. Check back next Wednesday to learn how!

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…for helpful, relevant, and occasionally witty takes on HR trends and topics.

 

12 Quirky Ways to Build Company Culture

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One of the most powerful employee woo-ing tactics a company can use is maintaining a unique and rewarding organizational culture. Everyone loves a good story, and as brands compete to stand out from the landslide of content that is posted everyday, traditional storytelling has once again become one of the more effective techniques for converting prospects into customers and engaging job seekers to apply for jobs.

This blog celebrates twelve nontraditional ideas for championing company culture…which is such a huge part of a company’s story.

1 – Make it easy and fun for employees to share the culture story

HubSpot does this especially well. I had the opportunity to hear Co-Founder, Dharmesh Shah, speak about HubSpot’s culture and their wildly successful Culture Code presentation at Element Three’s Go Inbound Marketing Conference last summer. What a fantastic way to celebrate why employees love their company…while at the same time creating a powerful marketing message to earn more business and attract more top talent.

 

2 – Have a coloring contest

But not just any coloring contest…one in which jerky unicorns are celebrated. Hey, SNL’s bathtub Simon has got nothing on mystical creatures gone fiendish. ExactHire employees recently rolled up our sleeves and peeled the paper back on our crayons. Special thanks to “Unicorns are Jerks” coloring book author Theo Nicole Lorenz for bringing new flavor to our competitive coloring competition! Below you can find a few entries from those of us cool enough to participate:

 

 

3 – Get outdoors and do something active

 

The extent to which you experience the great outdoors will of course be dependent on the needs of your staff…but just changing your scenery and breathing some fresh air can do wonders. Set up a grill in the parking lot or take it to the next level and plan a group zip-lining adventure! Our team took to the treetops last fall after achieving an internal quarterly goal. We’re all smiling in this picture…which was taken before we stepped off the ledge into the woodsy abyss. Everything was perfect in the end, though, thanks to the adventure provided by GoApe.

4 – Pose for a unique holiday card

Fall is my favorite season of the year. I love the crisp weather, the colorful leaves, everything pumpkin-flavored, and of course, our annual ExactHire Thanksgiving card to clients. We like to get a jump on celebrating the holiday season around here, while at the same time remind our customers that we may be small, but we are mighty when it comes to personalized service from a core group of people.

 

ExactHire Thanksgiving Card 2012
ExactHire Thanksgiving Card 2012
ExactHire Thanksgiving Card 2013
ExactHire Thanksgiving Card 2013
ExactHire Thanksgiving Card 2014
ExactHire Thanksgiving Card 2014

 

5 – Have “show and tell” day or a talent show

While you may get to know your workers pretty well after months or even years of working together, do you know their passion for various hobbies? Plan an event where staff members may optionally participate by demonstrating their craft or sharing their creations with the team. Talents could include photography, scrapbooking, woodworking, cake decorating, brewing craft beer or making wine, food preservation, making jewelry, flower arranging and quilting, for example.

6 – Group exercise

It’s no secret that wellness initiatives have increased in the workplace as organizations fight to control health insurance costs and maintain current employee benefits. If your building has a gym on site, then grab a buddy and burn some calories. No gym? Bring a pilates DVD from home and designate an empty conference room as a group exercise spot at lunch on certain days. Just make sure to check on any policies that need to be put in place first, and research potential liabilities with your business insurance provider. Have participants sign releases, as well.

7 – Embrace themed lunches and dress up days

Having a potluck isn’t so quirky or unique. However, not every company puts the effort into planning themed culinary events….complete with suggested coordinating attire. One of our favorite lunches at ExactHire featured Tex-Mex dishes and Western wear outfits. Giddyup! Of course Halloween always gives us an excuse to don a costume, as well. And if food prep isn’t your forte, keep it simple and plan an office Spirit Week! Yes, just like high school…college sweatshirt day, farmer day…but maybe not backwards clothes day (we do have some limits, of course). At ExactHire we chose to relive the glory days last year by bringing in our letter jackets, senior portraits and yearbooks.

 

Western Wear ExactHire Lunch
Western Wear ExactHire Lunch
Wicked Witch Legs
Wicked Witch Legs
Letter Jackets Group
Letter Jackets Group

 

8 – Follow the action of big events together

Tourney Brackets | ExactHireWhile we certainly don’t stream basketball games from our laptops to the overhead projector in the conference room year round, we do watch the NCAA tournament over a lengthy lunch during a couple of days in March (if any of us care about the teams playing, that is). In addition to dressing up in our favorite team gear (I told you we were into themes, didn’t I?), employees are invited to optionally complete a bracket just for fun. If basketball is a cultural mismatch for your company, consider other spirited competitions such as the World Cup, the Oscar nominations, NASCAR races and the Olympics.

9 – Holiday decorations

Somewhat unconventional holiday decorations are even better. Make sure that however you celebrate the season, it includes representation from all of your employees’ beliefs and preferences. This past December someone in our office got a little stir crazy one afternoon and found some older, eclectic decorations in the hallway closet. Here you can enjoy a collage of some of the displays…

ExactHire Holiday Decorations

10 – Go to war, but in an altruistic way

If you happen to have any children in school, you likely already know all about “penny wars.” Do your combat the harmless way by arming yourself with loose change to deposit in jars according to which company department you prefer to see as victor. Award some amazing prize (such as an extra PTO day, a coveted parking space or some highly desirable swag) to the winning department members. Then, donate all the proceeds to your company’s favorite non-profit organization or charity.

11 – Head to the fair to hang together

Depending on your office location, a local fair may not always be practical. Maybe you go to a circus or festival instead. My co-workers and I always look forward to the annual office outing to the Indiana State Fair. Where else can you climb on tractors, watch professional log rollers, admire crocheted afghans and eat at least eight different fried items on a stick together? And, don’t forget to get group photos together in front of various landmarks year after year!

 

State Fair Pig Shot | ExactHire
State Fair Pig Shot | ExactHire
State Fair Milk Cow Shot
State Fair Milk Cow Shot

12 – Develop your own internal system of communication

Sometimes you hear about twin toddlers developing their own twin language to communicate to one another. Similarly, the cool thing about company culture is developing your own fun set of traditions and communication methods that are unique to your organization. We like to welcome new employees by sharing some of our own common communication quirks:

  • A great deal of professional candor and friendly banter that embraces all of our behavioral traits (we live and breathe our employee assessment scores everyday)
  • New dry erase wall clings popping up with messages all the time
  • Exaggerated hand gestures (yes, I’m guilty of air typing with monster arms)
  • Singing your thoughts on a topic

Don’t be afraid to try some unconventional approaches to build company culture. Sometimes the wackiest ideas are the most successful.

 

Company Culture Ebook Download | ExactHire

Holiday Team-Building – 3 Twists

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Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Years Day. Each of these holidays is unique. The first is primarily celebrated in the U.S.–though similar holidays are found around the world. The second began as a Christian holiday, but is now celebrated by people of many faiths. The last one is pretty universal, assuming you follow the gregorian calendar (my favorite calendar by the way).

So for workers across the world, this series of holidays–and others in between–presents the  perfect opportunity to take a break. But time away from the office doesn’t mean that team-building must cease. On the contrary, now is the perfect time to strengthen bonds between co-workers!

Team-Building, Nicely Wrapped

The Gift Exchange

Gift exchanges can go one of two ways. Co-workers are ecstatic at receiving just what they wanted for under $30, or they are disappointed by a less than useful/exciting/thoughtful gift. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

Try this variation on the exchange: ask each co-worker to purchase a gift under a certain value that will be placed into a silent auction. Place all these gifts on a large table with a bid sheet and provide each person with “auction dollars” for bidding. These dollars could also be earned/won through another activity like holiday bingo or office trivia.

Caution: Always carefully consider whether re-gifting is a good plan. If it wasn’t good enough for you, make sure you’re not just paying forward that disappointment.

Sweet Team-Building

The Holiday Party

This year, bring the party into the office. A good ‘ol fashion pitch-in lunch on a workday ensures that everyone can participate. Our company plans several of these throughout the year, but for the “Holiday Potluck” we include an optional “Sweet Treat Exchange” as well. Some socializing, a full belly, and a variety of take-home sweets makes for a fantastic team-building day.

Caution: If it’s an after-work party, be careful with holiday cocktails: one too many cups of eggnog could lead to a not-so-happy New Year.

Team-Building to Make a Difference

The Charitable Donation

“‘Tis better to give, than to receive.” Directing dollars away from gift buying and parties, and instead, investing it in a local charity is a powerful way to impact the community. This also underlines the “reason for the season”.

For an even more effective approach, your team can focus on working with one charity throughout the year. Pair the holiday donation with a service day that occurs earlier in the year. This makes for a richer experience and a greater impact than just a one-off donation.

Caution: Be sure that this activity is optional, anonymous, and provides co-workers with an opportunity to vote on the receiving charity. Not all charities will be in alignment with the beliefs and values of all team members.

 

Providing opportunities for social interaction and team-building among co-workers strengthens company culture. A strong culture is also enhanced by hiring people who fit the job and the company. ExactHire provides hiring technology that helps to ensure job fit and supports a strong company culture. Learn more by contacting us today!

 

Image credit: Red Snowflake Gift Tag by tengrrl (contact)

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