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Data Privacy and Employee Surveillance

in Workforce Management/by Nancy Meyer, SHRM-CP

Remote work presents a litany of challenges for an organization. One of those being how the organization handles data privacy. Another is the unique challenges of remote hiring. To circumvent these issues utilize ExactHire’s Full Service Hiring service. We will send out job advertisements, source candidates, interview candidates, and finally present to you the final best options for the position for you to make your hiring decision.

Data Privacy

Privacy is a concept that is hard to find and fleeting to define in our evolving world. The average employee will spend over 90,000 hours at work over their lifetime. We are constantly connected through devices. People’s professional and personal lives blend in many roles. Particularly for salary employees who often respond to work needs at all hours of the day. The pandemic rapidly shifted many employees to fully remote or hybrid roles where work has been successfully completed outside the company workspace.

Many remote and hybrid employees are enjoying their new office environment in the comforts of their home or while traveling. With the dramatic shift in work environments, that has led to some companies developing heightened concerns about their employees’ actions and efficiency. Companies are in the midst of conundrum on how to validate that employees, both onsite and remote, are ethical and using work time to perform work specific tasks while recognizing that employees are humans who have to balance work with personal life and seek work autonomy.

Reasons For Monitoring Data

Companies express that they have bona fide reasons to monitor onsite and remote employees. Many jobs require the use of social media platforms. However managers want to know that their employees are performing their tasks and not scrolling social media for non-work related reasons. They want to know that employees are not sharing confidential information with unauthorized people. Also, concerns of workplace harassment and violence fuel managers’ concern to identify potentially volatile situations. Content from data monitoring can also be used in legal proceedings. The argument exists that employee surveillance is a way to mitigate risk. It can, but potentially at a cost.

How to Monitor Employee Data

Employee surveillance can occur in a multitude of ways. The most commonly known example is video recording within the public spaces of the work environment. Laws exist to prevent the use of cameras in private places, such as restrooms and locker rooms. State laws vary to the definition of locations and scope of camera use. With the increase of remote work, monitoring software can be downloaded onto electronic devices to monitor employees’ activities on their laptops and phones. Device GPS features can identify where an employee is located as well.

Reasons For and Against Data Privacy

While employee surveillance can potentially mitigate risk and loss of productivity and profit, it can also be a catalyst for a loss of productivity and profit. Employees have bona fide reasons to dislike employee surveillance. Keystroke and website monitoring software will track employees’ actions within their devices. Time management software can calculate active and idle time, but what defines active and idle? Maybe that employee who is listed as “idle” is having a phone conversation with a customer or coworker. That person could be reviewing a book or other non-electronic resource for a work task.

Many employees feel that they are not trusted to do the tasks of the role in which they were hired when monitoring controls are implemented. If employees complete a task too quickly, then they can be questioned about what they do in their downtime. If they take too long to complete a task, the employees’ abilities could be questioned. It is inevitable for an employee at any level not to have a need to address a personal matter during the day. Will that employee be penalized if they take a moment to order a birthday gift online or schedule an appointment? The possibility exists especially if a company does not have a clearly defined policy itemizing expectations and purposes of employee data monitoring.

Federal Laws for Monitoring Data

Before crafting or amending a company policy on employee data privacy and surveillance, it is important to be aware of federal and state legislation regarding these concepts. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA) is a federal law that specifically addresses monitoring of electronic communications in the workplace. Within this legislation, the “business purpose exception” allows employers to monitor oral and electronic communications provided the company can validate a legitimate business purpose for doing so.

This legislation establishes minimum restrictions. Keep in mind that states can create more restrictive legislation. So if your organization hires in different states or countries, it is essential to know the established laws for those areas. Unionized companies in particular must be cognizant that workplace recording typically is agreed upon in collective bargaining discussions before monitoring is implemented. If monitoring occurs without being approved by union stewards, the company could face repercussions. ExactHire does not provide legal counsel. So consult with your company’s legal team regarding data privacy and employment surveillance policies or plans for your organization.

Honesty in the Workplace

Honesty is the best policy. So is having a data privacy and employee surveillance policy which is communicated and understood by all employees. Companies need to be forthcoming with their employees so employees understand what information is being collected and why. Employers need to create a data privacy and employee surveillance policy for employees that outlines key items. These include what is being monitored and when, what is prohibited use, what will happen if violations occur, how will employees’ data be used and stored for starting points.

Include company specific needs in the policy also. Solicit feedback from management and employees to understand differing perspectives. Once a policy is created internally, the company’s legal team should examine the content. Ensure it adheres to all federal, state, and applicable international laws. All employees should be informed about the data privacy and employee surveillance policy in a consistent way and educated on the company’s expectations and repercussions as outlined in the policy. Employees should be given ample opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification of the final policy before signing. Whether the policy is electronically or physically signed, ensure the policy is housed securely in the employee’s file within the company’s onboarding platform.

Conclusion

Transparency is important. Companies need to be forthcoming with employees that they are being monitored and for what purpose. Clearly explaining what data is being collected and how it will be used by the company. This is essential in maintaining trust between employees and management. If an employee feels as if their performance and/or integrity are being questioned or challenged by the people who trust them to do their role, that employee is going to start exploring other professional opportunities. Some turnover will inevitably occur as data monitoring increases within a company. However, a company cannot afford to lose key talent by projecting a “Big Brother” constantly over-the-shoulder persona. It is hard to move forward if talent is consistently looking over their shoulders.

Upskilling and Reskilling Strategies

in Workforce Management/by Nancy Meyer, SHRM-CP

Upskilling and reskilling strategies help promote from within, but what about growing companies that need more talent? Check out ExactHire ATS or our Full Service Hiring solution to improve your hiring as soon as today!

Companies are healing from nearly four years of a global pandemic that brought turmoil, uncertainty, and financial hardships. Supply chain issues have improved in certain sectors, but high interest rates and increasing costs of supplies, compounded with ongoing talent acquisition challenges, still lead to challenging times for companies and Human Resources departments.

Retaining talent can be a challenge, especially when companies evolve internally to maintain or leverage a competitive stance against their company counterparts. For companies to combat the shift from the “maturity” stage into the “decline” stage in the product lifecycle process, foresight and adaptability are essential to survival. HR leaders need to proactively look ahead to anticipated trends and prepare for unanticipated changes in the organization.

This can start with reviewing a the driving force behind the company’s future – its talent. Upskilling and reskilling employees will craft a competitive edge in an ever-changing global market.

An Evolving Workspace

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), major changes are anticipated in the workplace, not only for large scale businesses, but small and medium businesses as well. In general, the WEF estimates that by 2025, 50% of all employees will need reskilling due to new technology. Think back to five years ago…how many leaders were planning, much less talking, about prepping for a global pandemic and record numbers of employees who resigned from their roles? Not enough. Change is inevitable, and it is crucial that HR departments and company leadership support its internal talent as change continuously cycles.

As company products and service offerings evolve, internal disruptions will occur. Current employees who have extensive skills and cultural knowledge will need additional support. Instead of eliminating expiring and outdated positions resulting in a loss of skilled talent and cultural fit, companies can realign productive existing employees by molding them into evolving roles with proper support and guidance. Companies cannot afford to lose talent to their competitors. As roles and tasks change within an organization, companies must do what they can to maintain a competitive advantage. This is where upskilling and reskilling are essential.

Upskilling and Reskilling

Although the premise of skill-changing occurs with both upskilling and reskilling, they are not the same concepts. Upskilling is providing the opportunity for employees to learn new skills for their roles when taking on additional responsibilities. Upskilling might or might not be the result of a promotion. Often, it can result from a promotion; however, upskilling can result from the elimination of another position where the duties of that discontinued role are divided between existing employees who maintain their same roles.

Reskilling is providing the opportunity for employees to learn new skills in order to perform a different job. These newly acquired skills are typically outside of the worker’s existing skill sets. Often, reskilling occurs when manual tasks become automated. Reskilling has a tendency to be a cost-saver; providing supplemental training on new skills saves the company money compared to the time and cost to recruit, screen, hire and onboard a new person.

Both upskilling and reskilling are essential in today’s work culture, especially as technology tools develop at quick rates. Learning opportunities through upskilling and reskilling are a time and financial investment with high returns. Here are ways for HR and company leaders to integrate upskilling and reskilling in their culture:

Create a Career Pathing Plan

Managers and employees need to communicate with each other to identify employees’ strengths and areas for growth. This will allow them to work together to craft a long-range career plan. Managers need to ask probing questions to employees to determine short-term and long-term employee goals and communicate how those goals co-exist with the direction of the company and global market. Employees need to share their career goals and performance vision with managers to see where their goals align with the company’s needs and where modifications must occur. Create a learning plan for employees, and track your employees’ progress within the company’s onboarding platform. OnboardCentric offers the ability to link training videos and learning material. Employee assessments are another way to assess skills. Use employee assessment results to chart a course of future progression for employees to help them increase their contribution to the success of the company.

Connect with Education Providers

Training needs to be relevant and convenient for employees who are already methodically balancing work and life requirements. Identify different methods of training and offer alternative options to employees. Some employees prefer face-to-face instruction while others prefer to go at their own pace via online resources. Training delivery needs to be incorporated during the workday for hourly and salary employees. This promotes a work-life balance and to adhere to company and legal pay and related guidelines. Many universities bring technical, soft skills and hard skill training onsite to the company as an alternative to traditional credit-based coursework at a learning institution.

Keep in mind, not all training must lead to an academic degree; certain roles might require a particular licensure or certification while some employees can benefit from brief learning modules. Reputable online platforms such as Khan Academy, Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer convenient learning tools. Khan Academy, while geared more towards K-12 education, offers free programming learning modules focused on CSS, HTML, SQL, JavaScript and Python. Also, for native and immigrant workers who need additional support in language and math, resources of the sort can help with refining and attaining core skills to bridge existing gaps.

Develop a Mentorship Program

Upskilling and reskilling does not necessarily have to occur through formal coursework or training sessions. It can occur in the transfer of knowledge from one employee to another. Seasoned employees possessing specific skill sets and cultural knowledge offer a wealth of knowledge that can be lost with retirement or company departure. Transferring knowledge through a mentorship program yields a myriad of benefits.

A mentor and the mentee can develop a strong bond where questions and answers are confidently asked and answered without the fear of ridicule or looking ignorant in front of peers. A mentor shares their wisdom about what works and what does not work which keeps knowledge retained within the organization. A mentee can ask questions to the mentor about processes and procedures that could lead to positive change because the mentee brings new perceptions and approaches about existing tasks and goals. From any angle, a mentorship program is a catalyst in upskilling and reskilling employees.

Incentivize Upskilling and Reskilling

Although money is a highly desired incentive by many people, money is not the only incentive that is rewarding. When seeking to incentive upskilling and reskilling, find out what is important to employees. Added job security and/or promotions can be incentives. As employees upskill or reskill, companies can provide monetary rewards through bonuses and pay increases. Tangible rewards such as company swag and gift cards are popular options. No matter the type of incentive offered to employees, it is crucial for company leadership to publicly acknowledge employees’ successes and efforts. Employees want to know their hard work and additional efforts are known to others and especially appreciated. Ultimately, an incentive is an appreciation tool so find what motivates employees and use those motivators as incentives.

Upskilling and reskilling employees shows a bona fide commitment to employees by the organization. Employees feel valued and possess a sense of belonging. They appreciate knowing their talents and skills are appreciated in addition to knowing that companies value employees’ contributions. By creating a positive employee morale, it helps establish a positive work culture leading to higher employee satisfaction and retention rates. Employees who have the ability to learn new skills on the job tend to stay with the organization longer. Upskilling and reskilling is an investment in employees that will produce a positive return for companies.

The Future of Workforce Management

in Workforce Management/by Harlan Schafir

Introduction

Workforce Management can be a tricky and tedious activity for some companies. An ATS can help greatly by organizing and streamlining your application and hiring process. If you are looking for a best-in-class ATS, then check out ExactHire ATS and schedule a demo today!

In the ever-evolving landscape of the corporate world, HR data analytics and predictive modeling have emerged as pivotal tools in shaping the future of workforce management. As we venture further into 2024, the reliance on data-driven decision-making has become more pronounced, revolutionizing the way human resources departments operate. This blog post delves into the significance of these technologies and how they are transforming HR practices.

The Emergence of HR Data Analytics in Workforce Management

HR data analytics involves the systematic analysis of data sets related to employee performance, recruitment, retention, and more. It’s a practice that has gradually evolved from traditional, intuitive decision-making to a more evidence-based approach. By leveraging data, HR professionals can uncover invaluable insights into employee behaviors, trends, and patterns, leading to more informed and strategic decision-making.

Predictive Modeling for Workforce Management

Predictive modeling takes this a step further. It uses statistical techniques and machine learning algorithms to forecast future HR-related outcomes based on historical data. This predictive approach is particularly effective in areas like talent acquisition, employee turnover, and performance management. By predicting future trends and behaviors, organizations can proactively address potential challenges, thereby enhancing efficiency and productivity.

Transforming Recruitment and Talent Acquisition

One of the most significant impacts of HR data analytics and predictive modeling is seen in the realm of recruitment. By analyzing past recruitment data and market trends, HR teams can identify the qualities of top-performing employees. This insight enables them to refine their hiring processes, target the right candidates, and reduce the time and cost associated with talent acquisition.

Moreover, predictive models can forecast future staffing needs, helping organizations to anticipate and plan for hiring surges or talent shortages. This forward-thinking approach ensures that businesses are always prepared with the right workforce to meet their evolving needs.

Enhancing Employee Retention Strategies

Employee turnover is a costly and disruptive challenge for many organizations. Data analytics provides HR teams with the tools to identify patterns and predictors of employee turnover. By understanding the factors that contribute to employee dissatisfaction, HR can develop targeted retention strategies, such as enhanced career development opportunities or improved work-life balance initiatives.

Predictive modeling takes this a step further by identifying which employees are at risk of leaving the company. This allows HR professionals to proactively engage with these employees, address their concerns, and improve retention rates.

Optimizing Performance Management

Performance management is another area where HR data Analytics and predictive modeling are making significant strides. By analyzing performance data, HR can identify the drivers of high performance and ensure that these are replicated across the organization. Predictive models can also be used to forecast future performance based on various factors, such as training programs, team dynamics, and managerial effectiveness. This too aids in workforce management by allowing for more accurate goals for employees.

This data-driven approach enables organizations to tailor their training and development programs more effectively, ensuring that employees receive the support they need to succeed.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

Despite the numerous benefits, the implementation of HR data analytics and predictive modeling is not without challenges. One of the primary concerns is the ethical use of employee data. Organizations must ensure that data collection and analysis are done transparently and in compliance with data privacy regulations.

Additionally, there’s the challenge of ensuring data quality and accuracy. Inaccurate data can lead to flawed insights and decisions, which could be detrimental to an organization’s HR strategy.

Conclusion

As we look towards the future, it’s clear that HR data analytics and predictive modeling will continue to play a critical role in workforce management. These tools not only enhance decision-making and efficiency but also support a more proactive and strategic HR function. However, it’s essential for organizations to navigate the challenges responsibly, ensuring ethical practices and data accuracy.

In an era where data is king, those who harness its power within the HR domain are set to lead the way in building more dynamic, responsive, and successful organizations. As HR continues to evolve, so too will the tools and technologies at its disposal, promising an exciting future for the field of human resource management.

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

The Comprehensive Guide to Job Postings

in Hiring Process/by Randi Renee Doerr, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

In the search to hire talent to fill an organization’s vacant roles, Human Resources and leadership need to partner together to develop a strategic plan. In that plan, emphasize the importance of crafting appealing job postings. Also apply deliberate attention to the quality and content of those postings. A job posting is meant to capture the attention of the job seeker and entice the person to apply to the vacant position. This can be challenging for a variety of reasons. The most prominent being a job seeker scrolls through a myriad of openings trying to determine which job posting(s) is the right one for them to apply.

A job seeker’s goals are fairly standard. They want to find a role that meets their compensation, work-life balance and skills needs. If key information is omitted, or a message is incorrectly communicated, prospective talent might not even apply for that role. Or any that the company offers in the future for that matter. Companies cannot afford to miss out on valuable talent so keep these essential items discussed below in the forefront when creating job postings.

Utilizing Your ATS

Imagine yourself as a job seeker. There are dozens of job boards that have thousands of job postings to sift through so use the company’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to post to the most relevant and niche job boards for the role. What will trigger frustration for a job seeker? Job posts that share minimal information about the role, pay and benefits which does not give them direction as to whether the role will be fulfilling to them. What will catch the job seeker’s attention to motivate them to read through the whole job posting?

Casual language mixed with formal speech can be a fine line when balancing mundane info with captivating content. Ultimately, job post writers need to focus on what will convince the job seeker to submit an application for the role by personifying themselves as a prospective job seeker. Keeping those ideas in mind while writing the job description, and in particular thinking like a job seeker, will make an impact in writing job descriptions that are relevant to the job seeker population.

Accurate Job Postings

Most job descriptions that do not catch the interest of job seekers have content that is lacking something. One of the biggest faux pas of a poorly written job post is that it does not accurately or clearly describe the role of the position. Avoid jargon and buzz phrases that fluff the job post but do not provide clarity. Put yourself back into the role of job seeker – do not assume that the job seeker knows exactly what the role entails because you, the job description writer, know. Human Resources and management can fall victim to the familiarity challenge.

Job description writers are ingrained in the work culture and have heightened understanding of the role and the culture. This makes it challenging to write for those who have zero familiarity with the company and its culture, and specifically the vacant role. It is helpful to those who write the job description to solicit feedback from other employees. This ensures that the content gives an understanding of what the role entails for those without inside company knowledge. Include the details of the role so the job seeker understands the daily, monthly and annual goals for excellent performance.

Job posts can often include subtle and not-so-subtle language components that deter groups of people from applying. Make sure job posts use gender neutral language. Men can be preschool teachers, and women can be engineering managers, but often those roles are innately perceived as fulfilled by a specific gender. Gender Decoder can be a useful resource to scan for unconscious bias towards groups. Individuals with disabilities are capable of employment but are often underrecruited. The ADA offers a handy resource to guide language so job posts are inclusive for individuals with disabilities. Ensure that individuals of all ages are encouraged to apply. Thoroughly check job posts to ensure that a few undesirable and non-inclusive words do not repel a large number of prospective applicants.

Engaging Job Postings

While a job description should be factual of the role and include basic facets of information, the post needs to be engaging and reflective of the company culture. A job seeker is looking for a place to belong while doing the job. This is recruiting. Recruit prospective job seekers by sharing about the company’s purpose and culture. Why does the company do what they do? How do they focus on their employees and customers? What makes the company so special that the job seeker must apply? If those questions are not answered within the job post, the higher the chance of prospects skipping over the post.

A job posting is an advertisement for a vacancy within an organization. It is meant to be a persuasive piece to entice job seekers to apply to it. Careful attention must be given to making the job posting attractive. Time is of the essence for Human Resources. Although it might take more time to write a thoroughly inclusive job post free of bias which includes a plethora of relevant details about the role. The time it takes to write in such detail will be worth it to attract additional qualified candidates.

Carefully written job posts will lead to more hires. These hires have higher employee satisfaction due to the lack of “surprises” when they are actually doing the job in the culture they thought they applied to. Happier employees lead to increased retention. Taking more time to write a detailed and comprehensive job post can save money and time. New employees who feel their role matches what they applied for are less likely to leave. This decreases the need to hire for that same role again in the near future.

Conclusion

If your organization is unsure of how to create engaging job posts that attract candidates and lead to happy hires, contact ExactHire to discuss Full Service Hiring. Let our team of SHRM certified professionals write job posts that are engaging and inclusive. Those posts will then be promoted on nationally known job boards to reach a multitude of job seekers. As applications are submitted, our team will screen the applicants in accordance with your preferences for the role, conduct initial phone interviews, and then hand off qualified candidates to you for a final review and hiring decision!

Exit Interviews

in Workforce Management/by Nancy Meyer, SHRM-CP

It is never easy when talent leaves an organization voluntarily or even involuntarily. It takes time, money and lots of effort to replace the departed employee. Reallocating the departed employee’s tasks to other workers is also a hard task. Understanding why an employee leaves is an essential part of effective leadership. As turnover increases, the morale of the employees decreases within the organization. If a company can find out the reasons why employees are leaving, that provides valuable information that can be used to change the strategic design of employee relations within the company.

One instrumental way to collect this information is to conduct an exit interview with departing employees. While it might be too late to retain departing employees who were an asset to the company, the departing employee might share overlooked perspectives that can help the company retain other employees who are on the brink of leaving. Leadership needs to cast aside avoidance of employee candor. Host exit interviews with departing employees with the goal that acquiring potentially brutal commentary can help reduce the likelihood of hearing more of that candor in the future.

What is an exit interview?

An exit interview is a conversation between the departing employee and key leadership. Key leadership often includes Human Resources personnel or another designated neutral leader. If the departing employee’s manager participates in the exit interview, it could lead to the employee withholding key details about why they are leaving in fear of confrontation. The purpose of an exit interview is to understand why an employee is voluntarily leaving in order to reduce future turnover.

An ideal time frame for this interview is within the last two weeks of the departing employee’s last day of employment or around the midpoint between the employee’s departure announcement and their official last day. Ideally, having the exit interview as a face-to-face conversation is preferred. However, as more employees are remote and/or housed in different locations that might be geographically challenging to meet, online meeting tools can be used. The important item is to conduct an exit interview before the employee leaves.

How to conduct an exit interview:

Be consistent. All voluntarily departing employees, hourly and salary, long-term and short-term, should have an exit interview, including seasonal employees. Confidentiality is crucial to getting applicable information that can be used to make positive change within an organization. However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in certain situations such as turnover in a small company. Or if the departing employee indicates that criminal action (ex. harassment, theft, etc.) has been observed. When exit interviews allude to potential criminal activity within an organization, it is essential to get the company’s legal team involved for guidance. ExactHire does not provide legal counsel so check with your company’s legal team regarding specific items to include within exit interviews.

Consider having a list of standard questions that are asked to each departing employee. Other questions can be included that are pertinent to the role, department and employee. Take notes, but maintain focus on the departing employee’s thoughts. Exit interviewers must be skilled in active listening. Active listening is the concept of being fully engaged with the other person in a conversation. The goal is not listening to respond; it is listening to understand. Time is of the essence so the exit interviewer should ask the most crucial questions in which feedback is desired.

Exit Interview Questions

To collect information on certain items like policies, training, etc., consider supplementing the exit interview with a link to a survey where the departing employee can include additional feedback and ratings. Create a questionnaire for distribution as needed, and store data in your company’s onboarding platform. In the personal exit interview, here are ten questions that can be asked to the departing employee to prompt the departing employee to share relevant information:

What made you start looking for a new opportunity?
What solidified your decision to accept your new role?
What could have influenced your decision to stay with our company?
Would you recommend others to work for our company? Why? Why not?
What recommendations do you have for our company to improve?
What are your thoughts about the direction of your department? Company?
How could your manager have supported you better? Supported the department better?
What are your least favorite parts about working here? Most favorite parts?
Did you previously share any of your concerns and challenges discussed today with management and/or HR? If yes, what was their response?
What concerns or comments would you like to share?

Attitude

In the exit interview, be gracious and listen to what the departing employee says, even if it is not what is desired to hear. Empathy is a must. The employee is leaving voluntarily because their needs were not met. An exit interview gives the employee a chance to share their thoughts on why the decision to leave was made. Candidly, it can give the departing employee peace of mind that they shared a piece of their mind. The employee will be feeling a gamut of emotions: sadness or happiness they are leaving, frustration or excitement about the pending change, along with fear and uncertainty of what is next with the current and future company.

The exit interviewer(s) need to understand why, and be cognizant that in the departing employee’s eyes, the company did not fully meet their needs and not take offense at that. Do not burn the bridge in how you respond to the departing employee. That departing employee could become a boomerang employee and rejoin the company’s workforce again in the future.

Conclusion

Ultimately the purpose of an exit interview is for the company to acquire information about how to improve and to strengthen the relationship between the departing employee and the company. Showing genuine concern for the comments shared and appreciation for the time spent at the organization will hopefully leave the departing employee with a strengthened positive perception of the company. Word-of-mouth can help or hinder recruitment for an organization. No company wants to be perceived as a stressful and horrible place to work. Take the knowledge obtained from exit interviews to ensure that past, present and future employees observe a company committed to the success of their most valuable asset – people.

Last Minute Seasonal Hiring

in Hiring Process/by Nancy Meyer, SHRM-CP

‘Tis the season for seasonal hiring! Seasonal hiring recruitment should start in late August or early September for the holiday season. However, it is not too late to find talent if you notice that staffing needs are increasing now within your organization. Want a quick fix to streamline your seasonal hiring efforts?
ExactHire Full Service Hiring can jump start the process within a week!

Retail, warehouse/logistics, and food service are the best known industries to utilize seasonal employees. Those industries are faced with an influx of additional sales, events, and distribution around holidays. In December 2021, US department stores had sales of $17.1 billion dollars (around 13% of total revenue for 2021), according to the United States Census Bureau.

The seasonal need for additional help in small, medium and large businesses cannot be ignored. Businesses need the additional support to not only meet the demand, but to deliver stellar customer service that will leave customers wanting more after the holiday season.

Here are some tips to help fulfill seasonal hiring needs.

Seasonal Recruitment

Recruiting for seasonal talent takes a slightly different twist. Seasonal hiring is fiercely competitive so check to see what competitors are offering and surpass those offerings if the budget allows. Consider the following:

When writing the job listing, clearly state that the role is temporary but distinguish that pay is competitive.
Make sure that job requirements for the seasonal role are realistic. There is no need to require a college degree for specific roles such as delivery or retail associate.
Particularly for seasonal full-time employees, consider what benefit options can be afforded to those workers.
Employees can be loyal customers too. If there is an end of the season bonus or employee discounts, state that.
Specify the specific times for each shift. If there is an expectation of employees to work overtime, include that in the requirements. Some people can work only weekends while some can only work during the day or night.
Reach out to schools and universities. High school and college students can help fill weekend shifts.
Stay-at-home parents can help fulfill staffing needs during the school day while their children are in school.
Do not ignore retired job seekers who would like extra money in the pursuit of additional socialization opportunities.

Raise Awareness

Get the word out that your organization is hiring. While posting job ads on your organization’s website, social media, and nationally known job boards is common, here are some less common (and often more effective) ways to promote your opening:

Ask current employees for referrals, and find a way to reward them for hired referrals.
Find niche job boards focused on jobs within your company’s industry.
Save valuable time and money by automating job postings to multiple job boards. Use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to automatically post job listings to job boards, allowing you to avoid having to manually enter and monitor a listing on each and every job site.

Seasonal Employee Onboarding

After finding seasonal talent that will help your company thrive, extend an offer to new employees and quickly start the onboarding process. You can automate and speed up parts of the onboarding process with the use of employee onboarding software. Here are a few examples of the items that onboarding software can help with:

Collect essential employee eligibility verification documents efficiently.
Collect employee contact information.
Provision employees with needed work clothing and equipment.

But onboarding is not just collecting documents and completing forms; it is welcoming and acclimating new employees. Make them feel welcome and an essential part of the team even though their tenure is limited. Be sure to:

Provide essential training in a timely manner.
Solicit their questions and concerns and provide direction to them.
Response to their needs, and check in with them regularly to make sure they are learning and applying their skills.

Although some seasonal employees go into the role knowing it is not permanent, nothing is certain. It is not uncommon for a seasonal employee who was hired for a temporary role to become the next permanent employee within that organization. This makes it all the more important to provide an efficient and enjoyable onboarding experience.

Seasonal Offboarding

As with any employee departure, departing employees can share their perspectives with others. Negative word-of-mouth can impact future recruitment and sales. Here are a few tips:

Be gracious when the employee’s term is up.
Thank them for their willingness to be a part of the team.
Identify which seasonal employees are interested in working at your company for the long-term.
Communicate with the seasonal talent that you would like to work with again.

Consider the value of seasonal talent beyond the season. This is talent that the organization has already seen in action, so invite them to apply when a “right-fit” permanent job opening exists. An added bonus of transitioning a seasonal employee into a full-time role is that the learning curve for the new role is greatly reduced.

Conclusion

Seasonal employees are a valuable asset to an organization. Hiring seasonal workers reduces overall payroll costs when compared to hiring permanent workers. But more than that, they provide support for full-time and part-time permanent employees which can help reduce stress levels for full-time employee permanent employees and increase company morale.

In addition to providing essential support, seasonal employees offer new perspectives that can be shared with existing employees and management to enhance viability in the consumer market.

If you need assistance with seasonal hiring needs, now or later, reach out to ExactHire to learn more about Full Service Hiring. Let our team of SHRM certified strategists write, promote and screen applicants to help you fulfill your hiring needs.

Unleashing the Power of HR Analytics

in /by Harlan Schafir

HR analytics is crucial to company success. ExactHire ATS makes tracking your recruiting and hiring analytics a breeze. For more information on ExactHire ATS or any other ExactHire product talk with a member of our team!

In today’s business world, making data-driven decisions is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity. Human Resources (HR) is no exception to this trend. HR Analytics is a field that combines data analysis, technology, and HR practices. It has emerged as a pivotal aspect of strategic HR management. In this blog, we will delve into how HR Analytics can transform your company’s human resources function. It can make it more efficient, effective, and aligned with your business objectives.

Understanding HR Analytics:

At its core, HR Analytics involves collecting and analyzing HR data to make better-informed decisions. It encompasses a range of metrics, including employee performance, turnover, hiring processes, and employee engagement. By leveraging this data, HR professionals can gain insights, identify trends, and make predictions. Helping to optimize HR strategies and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

HR Analytics Benefits to Recruiting

Enhancing Recruitment and Talent Acquisition: One of the most critical functions of HR is recruiting and acquiring top talent. HR Analytics can revolutionize this process by enabling data-driven decision-making. By analyzing past hiring data, companies can identify the most effective recruitment channels, understand the characteristics of top-performing employees, and predict candidate success. This not only streamlines the hiring process but also ensures a higher quality of hires, contributing to the organization’s long-term success.

HR Analytics Benefits to Company

Boosting Employee Performance and Productivity: HR Analytics plays a vital role in understanding and boosting employee performance. By tracking various performance metrics, HR professionals can identify areas of improvement, recognize high performers, and ensure that the workforce is aligned with the company’s goals. This data-driven approach promotes a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, driving overall productivity and efficiency.

Improving Employee Engagement and Satisfaction: Employee engagement is closely linked to productivity, retention, and company culture. HR Analytics allows companies to measure engagement levels, understand the factors that influence engagement, and identify areas for improvement. By taking a proactive approach to employee engagement, organizations can create a positive work environment, reduce turnover, and enhance employee satisfaction.

Optimizing Compensation and Benefits: Compensation and benefits are crucial elements of employee retention and satisfaction. With HR Analytics, companies can analyze market trends, assess the competitiveness of their compensation packages, and ensure equity across the organization. This data-driven approach helps in attracting and retaining top talent while ensuring a fair and transparent compensation system.

Enhancing Learning and Development: Investing in employee development is essential for long-term success. HR Analytics enables organizations to assess the effectiveness of their training programs, identify skill gaps, and tailor development initiatives to meet the evolving needs of the workforce. This ensures that employees are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge, contributing to the company’s competitiveness and innovation.

Benefits to Culture

Predicting and Reducing Employee Turnover: Employee turnover is a costly and disruptive challenge for organizations. HR Analytics provides valuable insights into the reasons behind employee attrition. Helping HR professionals identify at-risk employees and develop strategies to retain them. By understanding the factors that contribute to turnover, companies can take proactive measures to improve retention and maintain a stable and experienced workforce.

Fostering a Data-Driven Culture: The implementation of HR Analytics is not just about the tools and technologies; it’s about fostering a data-driven culture within the organization. By embedding analytics into HR processes, companies can ensure that decisions are based on facts rather than intuition. This creates a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement, positioning the organization for success in the dynamic business landscape.

Conclusion

HR Analytics is a powerful tool that can transform the HR function, driving efficiency, effectiveness, and alignment with business objectives. By leveraging data, HR professionals can make informed decisions. They can also optimize HR strategies, and contribute to the overall success of the organization. Whether it’s enhancing recruitment, boosting employee performance, improving engagement, or reducing turnover, HR Analytics provides the insights needed to navigate the complexities of today’s business world. As companies continue to embrace this data-driven approach, the potential for HR Analytics to drive positive change and create a competitive advantage is limitless. Embrace HR Analytics, and watch your company soar to new heights.

Can Your Company Benefit from Text Recruiting?

in Hiring Process/by Harlan Schafir

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In the fast-paced world of recruitment, staying ahead of the curve is crucial. Traditional recruitment strategies can often feel antiquated and slow, especially when attempting to reach the younger, tech-savvy generation. This is where text recruiting comes into play. As the name suggests, text recruiting involves using SMS or messaging platforms to engage with potential candidates. But is it right for your company? Let’s dive deep to find out.

The Evolution of Text Recruiting

Text recruiting isn’t entirely new, but its adoption rate has soared in recent years. The proliferation of mobile devices means that the vast majority of people now have a smartphone within arm’s reach almost 24/7. This omnipresence of mobile devices provides recruiters with a golden opportunity to communicate with potential candidates instantly.

Why Text Recruiting?

Instantaneous Communication: Text messages have an incredibly high open rate, often as much as 98%. Moreover, most text messages are read within minutes of receipt. This speed and efficiency can be a game-changer in the recruitment world where the early bird often gets the worm.
Increased Engagement: Because texting is a personal mode of communication, candidates may feel more comfortable and engaged in the conversation. This engagement can lead to richer conversations and a better understanding of the candidate.
Versatility: Text recruiting isn’t just about sending a job description. It’s a versatile tool that can be used for scheduling interviews, sending reminders, providing updates, and even onboarding.
Reaching the Modern Candidate: Gen Z and younger Millennials, who are now making up a substantial portion of the workforce, are digital natives. They’ve grown up with texting as a primary mode of communication. For many of them, texting feels more natural than email or phone calls.

The Potential Challenges

Like any tool, text recruiting has its challenges:

Privacy Concerns: Texting can feel invasive to some. Companies must ensure that they have the candidate’s explicit permission before starting a text-based conversation. It’s essential to be respectful of boundaries.
Miscommunication: Texting lacks the nuances of voice or face-to-face communication. It’s easy for messages to be misinterpreted, so clarity is paramount.
Keeping Professionalism: Texts are often informal, but recruiters should maintain a level of professionalism. This includes avoiding slang, ensuring correct grammar, and being respectful of the candidate’s time.

How Can Your Company Benefit?

Speed Up the Recruitment Process: Given the immediacy of texting, the hiring process can be expedited. Instant communications can reduce the time between initial contact and the interview, giving your company a competitive edge.
Better Candidate Experience: A smooth, efficient recruitment process can enhance the candidate’s experience, leaving a positive impression of your company, even if they don’t land the job.
Cost-Efficiency: Texts are typically cheaper than phone calls, especially if recruiting internationally. Over time, the savings can add up.
Broader Reach: While not everyone checks their email frequently or answers unknown phone calls, most people read their text messages. This broad reach can ensure that your message is seen by the maximum number of potential candidates.

Key Takeaways

The world of recruitment is evolving, and text recruiting has emerged as a powerful tool in this landscape. For companies willing to embrace this change, the benefits can be substantial. Faster communication, increased engagement, and a more modern approach can give your company the edge in the competitive hiring marketplace.

However, it’s vital to approach text recruiting with a strategy in mind. Respect the candidate’s privacy, maintain professionalism, and use clear communication to ensure the best outcomes. If leveraged correctly, text recruiting can be a game-changer for your company.

In conclusion, while text recruiting might not replace traditional recruitment methods entirely, it certainly offers a complementary approach that can lead to improved results. As the workforce demographics shift and technology continues to advance, staying updated with such trends isn’t just beneficial – it’s essential. So, is it time for your company to tap into the power of text recruiting?

8 Ways You Can Improve Your Hiring Experience

in Hiring Process/by Randi Renee Doerr, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Your company’s ability to grow and scale is tied to your ability to attract, onboard, and retain top talent. And your hiring experience matters. As you carve out goals and objectives for the remainder of this year and prepare for a growth path in 2024, consider analyzing your current hiring process. Then, tap into these insights and methods for improving your hiring experience and results.

Recognize Why a Great Hiring Experience Is Important

Hiring these days is challenging. Competition is fierce as the most talented individuals seek out the best companies. And your methods for attracting them have to stand out from the rest. A recent IBM report suggested that those candidates who have a positive hiring experience are 38% more likely to accept the job offer.

It’s the experience, including the application process, the communications, and the interviewing methods, that make the difference. The better your hiring teams are at executing a positive candidate experience, the better your results will be. And it starts with prioritizing the experience and redefining your official hiring process.

Application Process

Look for ways to streamline your application process. Consider crafting more transparent job descriptions to eliminate wrong-fit candidates. Be precise in your application about requesting information that isn’t already present on the resume. And make every effort to make it a seamless digital experience to complete and submit your company application.

Resume Screening

Drill down on your current process for screening resumes. Look at what your hiring managers are placing the most value on with each candidate. And verify that those metrics are still valid in your current state of operations. Use this list of factors as inspiration for exploring ways to streamline and improve your applicant screening values.

Job Experience
Educational Experience
Soft and Hard Skills
Formatting and Applicant Submission Direction

It’s also suggested that you adopt a coordinated rating or scoring system for resumes received. And a great applicant tracking system (ATS) can be instrumental in sifting through resumes fairly.

Candidate Communications

Another way to improve your hiring experience is to adopt methods for more efficient candidate communication. Applicants who are constantly informed about their status and your process will have a better experience. For example, share when the application is received, considerations are in progress, and candidate shortlists are created.

And your process should include a thorough method for the what, when, and how you communicate.

Map out your applicant communication touchpoints.
Be transparent about communicating process timelines.
Share regular updates about the candidate’s status.
Ensure you’re answering all the candidates’ questions.
Personalize your communications to each applicant.
Use email, text, and phone calls for communications.
Always ask for applicant feedback.

In-Person Interviews

One of the most frustrating aspects of the hiring experience for candidates is the interview phase. Whether you’re conducting your company’s interviews in person or virtually, take time to analyze how effective and positive your interviewing processes are. Consider these improvements and suggestions to make this step more impactful for you and your applicants.

Involve more than one interviewer during the interview process.
Keep your interviewing process to a two-week turnaround time or less.
Get team leaders involved in the interviewing process for better on-the-job insights.
Make sure your interview questions are providing value to the evaluation process.
Provide candidates with opportunities to ask questions.
Communicate the next steps and timelines honestly.
Ask for feedback and areas of improvement.

Reference and Background Checks

Streamline your candidate hiring experience by cutting down on the time it takes to properly vet them. This includes any additional steps in your hiring procedure relating to skills testing, employee assessments, reference calling, and background checks. When these elements take too long to execute, applicants begin to feel interview fatigue. Don’t eliminate these necessities, though. Instead, consider these insights for making these steps more efficient and less time-consuming:

Choose the best-fit screening providers.
Leverage every available opportunity for online execution.
Create deadlines for completing these tasks.
Communicate the results as the tasks are completed.

Bonus Tips for Enhancing Your Hiring Experience

Explore these additional methods for improving your hiring experience and bottom-line onboarding results. These represent unique layers and touchpoints that can significantly boost the positive aspects of your current hiring processes.

Better Company Culture
Employer Branding
More Transparency
Mobile-Friendly Apps
Shortened Applications
Creating Unique Experiences
Write Better Job Descriptions
Communicate Using Social Media

Trust ExactHire

Today’s hiring landscape is different, presenting new challenges for hiring managers and companies looking to attract and retain top talent. However, exploring ways to improve your candidate hiring experience can have incredible benefits and hiring ROI. Consider these insights for evaluating and improving your hiring experience. And when you need more guidance with ATS, assessment testing, onboarding procedures, and hiring solutions, trust the expert team of HR and recruiting professionals here at ExactHire. Let’s connect and start improving your candidate experiences and streamline your hiring efforts!