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Why companies should shift practices from “Ghosting” to giving feedback

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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.

Human Resource Awareness Month in Texas

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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.

Celebrating Human Resource Professional Day

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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.

The Unexpected Effects of Trump’s Eviction Ban

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An order published in the Federal Register on September 4 outlines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new temporary eviction memorandum. The memorandum protects U.S. renters from losing their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. It applies to all rental units nationwide until Dec. 31 and goes into effect immediately.

A previous federal eviction moratorium created by the CARES Act ended in late July and only applied to federally-funded housing. The new moratorium applies to any state in which there is not already a more protective ban in effect. Renters will be eligible for the moratorium’s protection if they received a stimulus check through the CARES Act.

The order includes a declaration for renters to sign and give their landlord. Senior Trump administration officials said the form would be made available on the CDC’s website. Renters must indicate on the declaration that they cannot afford to pay their rent in full and that, if evicted, they would become homeless or be forced to move into congregate housing. Renters also must be able to prove that they made an effort to receive government assistance and that they could not afford rent.

However, the moratorium does not absolve renters of paying the rent. That money is still due to landlords … eventually.

What this means for landlords

The sweeping order effectively requires landlords to subsidize distressed tenants’ housing through the end of the year or face criminal penalties and hefty fines. This affects the country’s 8 million independent landlords — most of whom lease a unit here or there on a property they own, without the financial backing of professional management companies.

More than 22 million rental units, a little over half the rental housing in the country, are in single-family buildings with between one and four units. Most of those buildings have a mortgage, meaning the property owners themselves still need to make their own monthly payments. Because of this new order, they will not be receiving their usual income from which to make these payments.

Most of the units are owned by mom-and-pop landlords, many of whom invested in property to save for retirement. Now they’re dealing with a dramatic drop in income, facing the prospect of either trying to sell their property or going into debt to meet financial obligations including, mortgage and insurance payments; property taxes; utilities; and maintenance costs.

If enough landlords can no longer make those payments, it would threaten everything from the school budgets funded by property taxes to the stability of the $11 trillion U.S. mortgage market itself. Tenants already owe some $25 billion in back rent and Moody’s Analytics estimates that they will owe nearly $70 billion by the end of the year.

Once landlords have paid expenses associated with the property, they keep on average just 9 cents of every dollar paid in rent as profit, according to a National Apartment Association analysis. A July survey by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate professionals revealed that one in four small landlords said they had already borrowed to make ends meet. An August Avail survey of small landlords found that 35 percent were dipping into savings to cover operating costs.

Where to go from here

Housing advocates and industry groups have come together on the push for rental aid money, which would prevent tenants from being hit with massive back rent bills at the end of the crisis while preserving income for landlords. But few are optimistic about the state of negotiations on a new relief package, and they worry that the CDC order will be extended.

The long-term effects of this eviction ban remain to be seen, but short-term consequences have already been brought to light.

National Payroll Week

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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.

Business Fraud: 3 Concrete Steps to Prevent Business Fraud

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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.

The Memorandum on Deferring Payroll Tax Obligations in Light of the Ongoing COVID-19 Disaster

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On August 8, 2020, President Trump issued a memorandum directed toward providing “further temporary relief … to support working Americans” by enabling the deferral of employee Social Security taxes for specific individuals.

Specifically, the “Memorandum on Deferring Payroll Tax Obligations in Light of the Ongoing COVID-19 Disaster” directs the Secretary of the U. S. Department of the Treasury to defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of the employee component of Social Security on wages paid during the period of September 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

This deferral is to be made available only to employees whose biweekly compensation is “generally … less than $4,000, calculated on a pre-tax basis.” The equivalent in other payroll frequencies is $2,000 weekly; $4,333.33 semi-monthly; and $8,666.66 monthly. Any amounts deferred in accordance with this memorandum will not be subject to either penalties or interest.

Further Clarification is Needed

The IRS may also need to clarify whether employers would be expected to adjust the deferral as employees fluctuate above and below the limit.

Another question is whether the deferral applies strictly to wage income. For example, employees may be eligible for the deferral based on wages, but they may have significant non-wage income, which could disqualify them from the deferral.

The Secretary of the Treasury is instructed to issue guidance to implement the memorandum and to “explore avenues, including legislation, to eliminate the obligation” for taxpayers to repay the deferred taxes.

Additional guidance is still required from the Secretary of the Treasury and/or the IRS on how to implement the deferral.

Possible Employee Concerns

The memorandum does not include any deferral of the employee portion of Medicare tax or federal income tax.

Employees may be concerned that they may have to repay the deferred tax amounts, though there is no clarity on when (if ever) such a repayment would be required.

Employer Concerns

Currently, it remains unclear if employers may be subject to penalties for failing to withhold the employee component of Social Security taxes. During an employment tax audit, employers are obligated to pay any unpaid taxes to the IRS.

If implemented, the relief provided in the memorandum would be in addition to that given under Section 2302 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which made allowances for the deferral of the employer portion of Social Security taxes.

The IRS will need to advise employers if there will be reporting requirements associated with the deferral. Employers may need to separately report qualified Social Security wages paid during the deferral period on the Form W-2 and Form 941, and possibly other information.

Employers will need to pay attention to updates concerning the rights and responsibilities put forth by this memorandum as more information and guidelines become available.

The WARN Act Basics: Notifications, Circumstances, and Employer Penalties

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The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act helps ensure advance notice in cases of plant closings and mass layoffs. It was passed in 1988 to provide workers with sufficient time to prepare for the transition between the jobs they currently hold and new jobs. This might include retraining opportunities before they lose their current jobs or the providing of information about where new jobs may be found.

It is important for employers to understand their obligations under WARN, especially in relation to decisions being made in 2020.

WARN Notification Requirements

The WARN Act requires employers to provide written notice at least 60 calendar days in advance of covered plant closings and mass layoffs. Covered plant closings include employment loss at a single site during any 30-day period of more than 50 employees. Mass layoffs do not result from a plant closing but also result in employment loss at a single site for at least 50-499 employees if they represent at least 33% of the total active workforce, or 500 or more employees.

A WARN notice is required when a business with 100 or more full-time employees is laying off at least 50 people at a single site of employment; or if a business employs 100 or more workers who work at least a combined 4,000 hours per week, and is a private for-profit business, a private non-profit organization, or quasi-public entity separately organized from regular government.

Circumstances That Can Trigger WARN

WARN can be triggered under multiple situations. If an employer closes a facility or discontinues an operating unit permanently or temporary, when this act affects at least 50 employees, WARN is triggered.

If an employer lays off 500 or more employers at a single site of employment during a 30-day period, or lays off 50-499 workers and these layoffs constitute 33% of the employer’s total active workforce at the single site of employment, WARN is triggered.

If an employer announces a temporary layoff of less than 6 months that meets either of these criteria and then extends the layoff for more than 6 months, WARN is triggered. If the extension occurs for reasons that were not reasonably foreseeable at the time the layoff was originally announced, notice need only be given when the need for the extension becomes known. Any other case is treated as if notice was required for the original layoff.

If an employer reduces the hours of work for 50 or more workers by 50% or more for each month in any 6-month period, WARN is triggered.

It is important to notice that a plant closing or mass layoff need not be permanent in order to trigger WARN.

Penalties for Violating WARN

An employer who violates WARN is liable to each affected employee for an amount equal to back pay and benefits for the period of violation, up to 60 days. An employer who fails to provide notice as required to a unit of local government is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $500 for each day of violation.

WARN is enforced through the U.S. District Courts. Workers, their representatives, and units of local government may bring individual or class action suits against employers believed to be in violation of the Act.

It is important for employers to keep up with their responsibilities and requirements as outlined in the WARN Act during the Coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Labor has more information regarding employers’ responsibilities toward their workers and employees’ rights.

The FCRA, Disclosures & Authorizations and Background Checks

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Employers seeking background checks on potential or current employees need to be aware of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and its implications for both them and their employees. The FCRA protects the rights of employees and employment candidates during the background check process when completed by a third-party investigator.

There has been an increase in lawsuits against employees for failing to comply with provisions in the FCRA. Employers should make sure that they are complying with the FCRA during every step of the process, especially disclosure and authorization.

Disclosure Before Ordering a Background Check

Among other things, the FCRA requires employers to provide the applicant with a “clear and conspicuous disclosure” that such a background check, also known as a consumer report, may be obtained for employment purposes. This disclosure must be “in a document that consists solely of the disclosure.” There are only a few permissible additions to this document, mainly consisting of the individual’s signed authorization.

This disclosure must include such information as the background check agency’s name, address, and telephone number; a description of the nature and scope of the background check reports to be ordered, and it should meet all other requirements specified by applicable state or local law.

Issues of Disclosure

The FCRA dictates that the disclosure from a background check must also “stand alone.” This means that it should not be combined with, or even stapled to, an application or other document. The disclosure cannot contain any extraneous information. The most common extraneous information inserted into background checks is a release of liability.

The extraneous language in background check disclosure notifications has itself been the source of many new lawsuits.

While the FCRA is federal law, individual states may have additional requirements for background check disclosures. Employers should check with employment law attorneys in order to assure compliance with any state-required disclosures.

Issues of Authorization

Employers must also obtain authorization, either in writing or by electronic means, from the applicant prior to obtaining the background check report. This authorization form must have wording that is exclusive to the sole purpose of the company’s intent to perform a background check. It cannot be combined with a liability waiver, “at will” language, state law disclosure, or any other language. It must also contain the definition of “consumer report” and state specifically what types of information will be collected about the applicant.

The authorization form also cannot include a question, including a check box, asking about the applicant’s criminal history. This question has also been deemed to fall under “extraneous” information and is not permitted by the FCRA. Such questions may also violate state or local law.

Companies that also use investigative consumer reports are required to provide an additional disclosure specifically about the investigative consumer report. This must be separate from the original disclosure form. Companies should also be sure to check with employment lawyers in order to ensure that they include any state-specific disclosures.

Protection for Companies and Employees

The growing number of lawsuits centered around employers’ failure to comply with the FCRA means employers should be careful during the hiring process to follow all federal, state, and local regulations. Accurate disclosure and authorization are parts of the process and employers should be sure not to gloss over them with improper authorization forms or illegal disclosure.

Working with a third-party service for background checks is a way for a company to show that the hiring process is not biased. Following FCRA disclosure and authorization practices helps protects the rights of potential employees while also ensuring that companies do not leave themselves open to lawsuits.

Hiring Engaged Employees: An Investment

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Hiring Engaged Employees: An Investment

The pressure is on during the hiring process to single out the best future employee. Your company wants to be sure that any new employees are skilled enough to complete the required tasks, but whether or not someone will be a good fit for your company and current employees goes beyond the resume.

Many companies think to offer skills tests or employ background checks in order to assure themselves that potential hires are indeed capable of doing the work required. Aptitude testing, especially for engagement, is another key step toward choosing your company’s best fit and investing in future growth.

More Than Just Employee Satisfaction

Employee engagement is a measurement of how passionately employees feel about their jobs. The more passionate an employee is, the more committed they will be to your organization and the more effort they will put into their work. High employee engagement increases worker output and the quality of that output, while also extending the length of time an employee will remain at the job, decreasing worker turnover.

Employee engagement is not synonymous with employee satisfaction. Employee satisfaction measures how content employees are without addressing questions of motivation, involvement, or emotional commitment. An employee might be satisfied doing minimal work and collecting a paycheck, and increasing employee satisfaction will not necessarily lead to increased performance.

Engaged employees, however, are far more likely to be top performers. They will embrace change, search out ways to continually improve, and challenge the status quo in ways that will push your company forward. Engaged employees also expect all others to be just as invested, increasing workplace accountability and encouraging others to also increase their engagement.

The Value of Employee Engagement

True employee engagement goes beyond once-a-month teambuilding exercises and truly drives performance. Engaged employees are able to understand their tasks within the frame of the entire company, knowing exactly how they fit and how their role supports the bigger picture. Engaged workforces outperform their competition, boasting higher earnings and quicker recoveries after setbacks.

Employee engagement is a key indicator for growth and innovation. In a world where the mobile professional has become more common, employee engagement can help companies retain top talent. Companies concerned with investing in employee engagement are more likely not just to retain their top employees, but also to attract new talent and continue to grow.

Since employee engagement is so important to the longevity and success of a company, how can employers screen for engagement during the hiring process in order to help choose the most successful candidate?

Integrity/Aptitude Testing

Many companies now include aptitude testing as part of the hiring process in order to bolster the candidates’ documents, interviews, and background checks. There are a wide variety of aptitude tests available, with different focuses and different formats, so you should be sure to choose the test that is the best fit for your company. Consult with your background screening company to explain your specific needs.

Aptitude tests are the best predictor of work performance, above and beyond an applicant’s past experience or interview ability. Since employee engagement is such a strong predictor of a company’s success and retention, it makes sense to use an aptitude test to determine the engagement of potential employees in order to hire the best fit. An engaged employee increases the value and resilience of a company, making an aptitude test a solid investment in the company’s future.