Author Archives: Sheri Lash

Dealing with a sudden understaffing can be troublesome. When a company is faced with a shortage, the business is forced to deal with production backlogs and revenue loss. Traditional staffing solutions may no longer provide the necessary experienced candidates.

Contingency staffing agencies, also known as temporary placement agencies, offer the solution. They work to find experienced contract workers on short notice to get businesses back on track without delay. Their recruitment process is incredibly efficient.

Because of a booming gig economy and rising labor shortages, many employers have begun hiring independent workers for short-term engagement. This is, after all, more profitable for companies than offering permanent employment. As a result, skilled manufacturing workers can decide to become contingent employees to open themselves up to more job opportunities.

A Bigger Pool of Candidates

The traditional recruitment process can take weeks or even months. Most of the time, employers have to limit themselves to looking at the local labor pool. Especially in recent years, this has proven to be a large limitation. Finding the one employee who is perfect for the job seems almost impossible thanks to the labor shortages.

A contingency staffing agency does not face the same limitations. They source their workers from all over the country. Finding an experienced candidate for any and all open positions, therefore, takes a very short amount of time.

A Smaller Pile of Paperwork

Every new hire means a lot of work. The paperwork can be frustrating and confusing, and the process is always time-consuming. Taking on a new employee ties up the schedules for a lot of people. By using a contingent staffing agency, this paperwork can be avoided.

The contingent staffing agency can take care of multiple arrangements. They can help with the recruitment process, health insurance, temporary housing, and travel. Many agencies even offer background checks and drug testing, and others can take care of the on-boarding process or provide on-site management to the provided contingent staff.

By going through a high-quality contingency staffing agency, employers keep their employees’ schedules free for their own work.

Decrease Costs and Downtime

One of the main sticking points that make employers hesitate about using a usual staffing agency is that most of them require an upfront fee. This seems daunting because the fee is paid whether or not the employer decides to hire the candidate the agency finds. These agencies can seem to be a possible waste, especially if their search is not successful.

However, contingency staffing agencies only charge after employers have decided to bring a candidate on-board. If a contingency staffing agency fails in its search, employers do not have to pay. This means contingency staffing agencies get on the hiring process right away and are especially motivated to provide employers with excellent candidates.

Making the Best Choices

Employers should be sure to screen potential contingency staffing agencies to make sure that they choose one with the necessary resources. Since different contingency staffing agencies offer different services, companies should review what each one offers and how well it fits with their needs prior to choosing one.

In the current economy, talent acquisition can be tricky, and many positions can remain open for a long time. Fortunately, the job market has managed to adapt to these challenging circumstances. Whether an employer needs to fill in small gaps or staff multiple facilities, contingency staffing agencies are able to source hundreds of workers on-demand and across the US. Using a contingency staffing agency ensures employers that they will never have to deal with understaffing and the accompanying dops and productivity and revenue.

A recent poll we conducted showed that 46% of companies have “ghosted” candidates: ceasing all communication without any apparent warning or justification, and maybe going so far as to avoid any attempts by the candidate to re-establish communication. This frequently happens when a candidate has not been offered the position. You might not want to have to deliver the bad news, or you might not know how to properly say it.

It is important, though, for companies to give feedback to all candidates, regardless of their suitability for the position. Shifting from ghosting to giving feedback offers many benefits, not only for the candidates but for the company itself.

Internal benefits of feedback

Companies should shift from ghosting to offering feedback for multiple reasons. First, many BIPOC candidates may be first-generation professionals. By failing to offer constructive feedback, companies are upholding and perpetuating exclusionary systems.

Second, feedback will strengthen the hiring process. A structured system for gathering and delivering feedback gives your company a systemic way to sort through thoughts about candidates. All parties in the hiring chain can share their thoughts and be heard.

Third, a systemic feedback process will help your company identify hiring weaknesses. For example, if you find that you are continually giving feedback on candidates’ lack of experience, this may indicate that the job ad does not make the requirements clear enough.

HR teams might currently skip giving feedback because of third party outsourcing, time and capacity, or a fear of being sued. However, ghosting candidates can actually hurt companies in the long run.

External benefits of feedback

There are many long-term benefits of offering candidate feedback. One is employer PR: word of mouth and personal recommendations are some of the most effective marketing tools for an employer’s brand. Candidates who know their efforts will not be ignored will be more likely to engage and apply.

Feedback also provides an example of common courtesy. Candidates spend a lot of time preparing their application documents as well as rehearsing for interviews, along with any other tests your company may require candidates to complete. It is important to recognize this time and effort.

Candidate experience should also be considered. Nearly 4 in 5 candidates say a strong experience indicates how a company values its people. 83% of candidates say that a negative candidate experience has changed their mind about a company. A company’s reputation does not exist in a bubble, and satisfied past candidates will pass their experience along to potential future applicants.

Finally, offering constructive feedback during the hiring process will benefit your pipeline. Candidates who receive concrete feedback are more likely to return when they have acquired the skills mentioned, thereby helping your company secure a tailor-made future employee.

Examples of constructive feedback

Feedback should be specific, not general, even in the positive. Rather than “You showed a lot of initiative,” point out exactly what the candidate did that caught your attention: “We really liked how you looked up our annual report and talked about our Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.” When offering advice on how to improve, it can help to imagine the candidate taking your advice and then returning once it has been followed. What, specifically, would you like to see in the future?

Always lead with positive feedback. The interviewee is looking for constructive criticism, yes, but this does not mean a list of shortcomings. Show the candidate where they are already succeeding so they know what not to change and what has already made a good impression.

Avoid opinions or feelings when giving feedback. An emotional connection with a candidate can negatively influence your hiring practices. Biased hiring opinions can invite legal action.

Be as transparent as possible. Be as truthful as you can without disclosing any proprietary or incriminating information.

Focus on what can be changed. Stay clear of feedback that touches on personal factors. Focus instead on behaviors, such as “You should have arrived on time for the interview or called ahead to let us know you’d be a few minutes late.” Again, keep in mind the difference you would like to see if this candidate followed your advice and then returned for another interview in the future.

Avoid comments in writing. Speaking to a rejected interview by phone can be a better way to communicate feedback. It reinforces the personal touch. Actually speaking to the candidate can also help you to remember to frame your comments positively and offer specifics.

Companies that establish these feedback practices will strengthen their hiring process, internal processes, and external reputation. It is time to stop “ghosting” less-than-ideal candidates and implement constructive feedback.

October is Human Resources Awareness Month in the state of Texas. This annual awareness campaign is held to highlight the strategic role HR professionals play in today’s workforce. HR employees are critical to businesses since they work with both employees and employers.

The governor’s annual proclamation pays tribute to the significant contributions HR makes toward continued economic and business success. The governor also acknowledges HR’s vital role in maximizing Texas employers’ greatest asset: its workforce. HR professionals are committed to their partnership with both workers and employers, from recruiting new talent to compliance with labor laws to educating Texans about health and safety to providing ethics training, and more.

Society for Human Resources Management

Texas has more than 100,000 HR professionals, and over 19,000 of them are involved with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Worldwide there are more than 300,000 members of SHRM who benefit from compliance resources, HR news, building connections, getting advice from senior HR employees, and having access to templates and samples for policies, forms, and presentations. SHRM also offers certification, acknowledging the importance of a well-trained and highly-certified HR department.

In Texas, the SHRM has 34 HR chapters and 33 student HR chapters. The Mid-Tex Human Resource Management Association has monthly luncheons to provide continuing education for HR Professionals. It provides a great networking opportunity for local business leaders and HR staff and provides helpful information on dealing with some of the biggest challenges that companies face regarding employee relations, benefits, and HR law, among other things.

Beyond the HR Office

The SHRM offers job listings, events, connections, and resources both to help HR professionals and future HR professionals, as well as to educate employers and other employees about the important work done by HR professionals. Frequently employees have a negative opinion of HR and only interact with HR professionals during conflict or policy issues, creating a false impression of HR’s responsibilities and duties. While employers might have a better idea of the function of HR, employees do not often have the same understanding. Events like Human Resources Awareness Month are times when employers should not only uplift their HR employees, but educate other employees about the role of HR within the company.

Although HR employees are essential year-round, having specific times dedicated to clarifying their work and importance helps make sure that all other employees are aware of what they do. It cannot be assumed that employees know what HR does on a day-to-day basis, or how they fit into the workings of the company. Human Resources Awareness Month is a reminder for employers to hold events, trainings, and appreciation gatherings to celebrate their HR employees and educate all employees on what HR does for them.

These events are also times during which HR employees can educate other employees on aspects of policy or payroll that employees might not be aware of, or might not be utilizing to their full potential. By encouraging employees and HR to interact outside of conflict or in less rigid of an environment, employers can break down internal barriers and show their appreciation for the hard-working HR office.

Saturday, September 26, 2020, is Human Resource Professional Day. What is your company doing to acknowledge the hard work, and celebrate the dedication, of your HR professionals?

A company’s HR department is vital and essential to keeping the business running and successful. HR personnel, though, might not always get enough credit for what they do. Human Resource Professional Day is a holiday dedicated to changing the perspective people have of HR and educating others on why HR is valuable for business.

What it takes to work in HR

Working in HR means implementing policies as well as advising on and developing plans relating to how staff are used, and how they operate within a business. The role of HR is to make sure the company has the proper balance of workers when it comes to experience and skill. HR is also responsible for arranging development and training opportunities to make sure their colleagues can achieve their corporate aims and improve performance.

HR departments have to cover a large number of activities that address topics like working practices, pay, negotiation with work-related external agencies, diversity and equality, and conditions of employment. To do this, HR professionals are expected to have a wide range of skills. The people who work in your company’s HR department need to have the potential to cope with a leadership role, be able to negotiate and influence effectively so that personnel policies are implemented, and have good organizational skills, management skills, and business awareness.

On top of all this, working in human resources demands someone who has: a willingness and curiosity to challenge organizational culture where needed; approachability and integrity; and interpersonal skills so that effective working relationships can be formed with people at all levels. Being involved in HR is not easy, and many other employees may not understand all of the work involved in the position.

How to celebrate your HR Professionals

There are a number of things companies can do to celebrate Human Resources Professional day. One important aspect is educating your company about the HR department and the tasks they do. This could include attending an HR seminar and encouraging all of your employees to do the same, whether they work in HR or not. A lot of people are shocked to discover just how much work HR professionals do. Attending a seminar will help you get a better understanding of and appreciation for your own HR professionals.

Take some time to thank your HR professional staff by giving them a gift or treating them to a nice meal. Share the holiday on social media using #HumanResourceProfessionalDay. Spread the word about what this day is all about and publicly thank those in HR who make the tough decisions for your business.

You can also use Human Resource Professional Day to inspire others to take on jobs in human resources. Simply spreading the word about this job role and the opportunities that are available can help inspire people to look into career changes or to step up when vacancies occur.

The most important part of celebrating Human Resource Professional Day is publicly acknowledging the concrete hard work that your own HR personnel contributes to your business. HR can have a bad reputation, so the best thing you can do is clarify what HR actually does and how essential it is to your business as a whole.

National Payroll Week is a national awareness campaign held annually during the week of Labor Day. In the United States, it is hosted by the American Payroll Association. Founded in 1996, National Payroll Week celebrates the partnership between America’s employees, the payroll professionals who pay them, and the critical government programs and agencies that our payroll system funds, including social security, Medicare, fair labor standards, and child support.

This special week celebrates the economic, cultural, and social achievements of employees across America and the significance of “an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.” Throughout the history of the campaign, the NPW message has been shared in leading print, digital, television, and radio outlets. These include USA Today, The New York Times Magazine, Yahoo! Finance, and many more.

The official slogan of National Payroll Week is “America works because we’re working for America.” The American Payroll Association’s 152 chapters work to teach workers and teens about paychecks and paycheck-related benefits, focusing on helping employees better manage their paychecks to put more money in their pockets each payday.

National Payroll Week has two goals: to recognize the efforts of payroll industry professionals and to educate workers about their paychecks, the payroll withholding system, and payroll-related benefits. Payroll has a significant impact on our economy. Through the payroll withholding system, the money that’s collected from wage-earners’ paychecks funds essential programs such as social security and Medicare, which keeps America “working.” Together through the payroll withholding system, payroll professionals collect, contribute, and report 70% of the U.S. Treasury’s annual revenue.

National Payroll Week and Your Company

National Payroll Week is the perfect time to celebrate and recognize the value of your payroll professionals and thank them for ensuring payroll runs like a well-oiled machine. It’s a good time to acknowledge the work done by your payroll team and to make them feel appreciated.

This can be something on the smaller side, like decorating your payroll pros’ desks or doing a desk drop with a treat and thank you note, or a larger celebratory event with food: a kick-off breakfast, catered company lunch, or maybe even an ice cream truck. Remember to recognize both the department and the individuals who work within it. A little public appreciation can go a long way to acknowledging how important both the work and the people are to you and your company.

This is also an opportunity to educate and train your employees about what the payroll team does. This could mean creating the space to allow employees to ask your payroll pros their most pressing questions or could take the form of information and tools about financial fitness.

The idea behind recognizing your payroll professionals is not just to make your professionals happy during “their” week. All employees should understand the effort needed and the importance of what the payroll team does for your organization.

National Payroll Week is a great time for you to share your appreciation of payroll processors and what they do for your company and your employees to drive growth and success on a daily basis.

When business owners are going through difficult or uncertain times, it can be tempting to focus on revenue generation or innovation. This can seem like the best way to bring more money in. However, these are also times when business owners need to think more concretely about protecting themselves and their businesses from scammers and fraud.

Business fraud occurs when others, either as a group or an individual, commit a crime against a business that benefits these others financially. Increasingly these groups have become sophisticated enough that their fraudulent activity can look like regular business activity, so it can be difficult to catch.

One of the biggest challenges is how business fraud can come from so many sources: customers, suppliers, employees, third parties … the list is almost endless. The fraud itself can take the form of fake transactions or returns, counterfeit money, payroll fraud, identity theft, and false employee compensation claims.

It can seem overwhelming, but there are steps businesses can take to reduce their risk of falling victim to fraud.

1. The Importance of Employees

During the hiring process, make sure that all potential new team members sign permission for background checks and credit checks. These are especially important when a potential new hire will be handling company funds or sensitive data. Aside from background checks, a quick look through the potential employees’ social media accounts can also help give a sense of whether they are suited to your business or if there are any potential red flags.

Employees should always be properly trained in-house on what to look out for in the fight against fraud. This should include information on how to confidentially report any suspicious activity. It is up to the company to foster a climate where any team member feels safe about raising concerns.

Further, no single employee should be able to conduct work without the oversight of another employee. There should be independent checks by other employees in order to reduce the likelihood of fraud and to increase the chances of detection. This is important even in low fraud risk environments since employees will be more diligent if they know that someone else will be checking their work.

2. Fraud Reduction and Internal Systems

It is important to have adequate security software and processes to reduce the risk of cyberattacks. This also means controlling who has access to systems within your business in order to minimize the number of people who can access sensitive data.

Financial processes should also have multiple checkpoints. No one person should be controlling or signing off on financial workflows. Business owners should consider spot checks to ensure that reported information is accurate, whether this means doing it themselves or assigning the responsibility to trusted leaders on a rotating basis.

All internal controls should be clear to all employees. These can take the form of a specific sign-off process for financial information, spot-checks on information and data, or restricting access to sensitive information. If employees are involved in the controls, then they are more likely to take ownership of the process rather than see it as an intrusion.

3. External Considerations

When contracting or looking for new suppliers or partners, do similar checks. Carefully consider the people who will be connected to your company in all ways and not just those who are company employees. If a person or company has a hand in how your own company will be perceived by customers, make sure to do due diligence before engaging with them.

Businesses can also benefit from having fraud insurance. However, these policies are not an alternative to internal control processes. If considering fraud insurance, make sure to read the fine print in order to be sure that your company aligns with expectations so that the insurance will be able to help you should fraud occur.

Many businesses also seek a payment solutions provider in order to protect themselves against payment fraud. These companies should be carefully selected to ensure that they offer the proper payment solutions for your company and that they have the full backing of a well-known bank. Choosing a reputable payment solutions provider can take a lot of initial research, but the benefits can be many.

Businesses do not need to simply hope that they will not experience fraud. By carefully selecting and training employees, as well as monitoring internal processes and external interactions, they can protect themselves against the possibility of business fraud.