Category Archives: Employer Tips

High Job Openings Continue to Persist After Great Resignation

The Great Resignation has become something of a hot topic within the news cycle. In case you haven’t heard of it, the phenomenon refers to the high number of people quitting their jobs in search of higher pay, greater managerial treatment, more flexible schedules, and better benefits. According to CNBC, last November saw a quit level high of 4.51 million people, which is roughly 3% of the overall workforce. Industries such as transportation, hospitality, and utilities saw the highest levels.

Results From Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey

Recently, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey shared more recent numbers from this past February, which showed a slight decrease in quits since November: 4.35 million people. Still, it was higher than January’s numbers, which was around 4.25 million people. The industries with the highest quit rates this time around included education and health services. Despite the lower numbers, there are still a record 5 million more job openings than available workers. This translates to 1.8 jobs for every person unemployed.

Signature Source President and CEO Jean T. Strickland sees all of this happening in real time but feels hopeful. She said:

“We are seeing in the global mobility industry a significant number of job openings, some from the “great resignation” but many are due to our clients who are the preferred providers in the industry expanding their businesses with new account signings, new service offerings and global expansion. We have the privilege of representing the organizations who have a healthy and employee/customer centric culture which enables us to truly “Make a Difference” for candidates who are looking to work for the best of the best in the industry.”

The same survey found that hires increased by 263,000 in February, while layoffs and discharges hovered around 1.39 million. The Great Resignation has driven inflation higher, which in turn has pushed the federal government to start raising interest rates. It’s unclear what the next few months will hold for the job market, but more information is likely to come out soon.

The May job opening and labor turnover survey will be released in July 2022. We’ll be here to keep everyone up to date on the findings and how you can prepare for that as a company.

Part of the Great Resignation stems from a lack of satisfaction in a person’s current job. At Signature Source, we pride ourselves on pairing job seekers to their perfect company. We offer resume writing, interview guides, and other industry tips. Check out our website to learn more.

Returning To The Office: What To Think About

returning to the office

People getting vaccinated and the more things open up, employers are faced with a new dilemma: getting employees returning to the office. Unless you were an essential work place, it’s likely that most companies had their employees working from home. This leaves many wondering how the transition back to the office will work.

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of Society for Human Resource Management, said:

“Many employers have found telework during COVID to be successful for their organizations [but] people managers have seen a decline in the productivity gains experienced at the outset of the pandemic, citing employees’ need for the psychosocial elements of work. Savvy employers have found safe means for engaging in return-to-worksite with a focus on building better people manager mechanisms and resources for employee wellness.”

This isn’t to say that there won’t be any remote work being done. Working from home is likely to remain for many companies. This is especially so for departments like customer service and IT. For the rest, there needs to be a clear and organized strategy for transitioning back to the office. Ashley Cuttino, an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Greenville, South Carolina, said the number one thing that employers should communicate is the safety of their employees and how the workplace will address this as people come back into the office. There are a few things to keep in mind when addressing the return-to-work strategy.

Key Issues to Consider for Return to Work Strategies:

Business Productivity

Companies can argue that having employees return to work increases productivity and allows managers to check in and assess employee well-being and project progress. As Taylor had mentioned before, some companies have seen a decrease in productivity. Some believe that being in the office actually increases one’s productivity thanks to relationships with co-workers and collaborating in-person.

Employees’ Well-Being

While there are definitely employees that like working from home, others have been feeling isolated and miss the camaraderie that can be found in the office. Even with all the technology that helps people connect, being around people in real life can not be substituted. According to a survey of more than 500 people, the company Seyfarth at Work found that a majority of people miss in-person workplace conversations, followed by the daily structure of reporting to a worksite. Also noted were lunches and happy hours with co-workers and reduced interruptions by kids.

In addition, Diane Welch, an attorney with McDonald Carano in Las Vegas, said:

“[Employees like] the convenience of [being at the worksite] with easy access to technology, equipment and supplies, which facilitates working faster and results in a better work product.”

Scheduling Challenges

If your employees have school-age children, then scheduling can get sticky. One benefit of working from home is that parents can work around their kid’s schedules; when they have to juggle their own work schedule and a school schedule, then it gets hard.

CDC Recommendations

Lastly, all companies should be following CDC recommendations for bringing back in-person businesses and interactions. They constantly update their guidelines and they can easily answer questions regarding seating arrangements, or how to help employees keep six feet of distance, or what to do about masks indoors.

Thinking of these four different points will be vital to making the return-to-the-office strategy that much easier and smoother. Ask yourself how your company is going to address these issues. What can you do to address some of these issues? Signature Source is your resource for recruiting the most highly desirable talent and work as your consultant for organizational development solutions. We can help with some of these return-to-the-office issues. Check out our website for more information.

Signature Source is of course always here to assist with any consultation you may need! Feel free to learn more about our consulting services here: Signature Source Consulting Services

Pros And Cons Of Remote Work Arrangements

pros and cons of working from home

When the pandemic hit, companies had to scramble to come up with a remote way of working for their employees. Each company had to weigh the pros and cons of remote work. Nearly a year and a half later, many places have implemented a permanent work from home strategy (e.g. Facebook, Twitter). Other employers are trying to work out a more hybrid model.

According to a Gartner survey, about 70% of employees want to have some form of remote work. It’s likely that there will continue to be less office time all things considered. Whether you want to continue to stay at home or you’re itching to go back to a physical office, remote work is here to stay.

Pros Of Remote Work

Saves Time And Money

Without the time and costs of commuting, employees can lessen their stress. It also allows them to save money that would otherwise go to gas or public transportation. In addition, companies save money because they aren’t paying rent or energy costs for an office space.

Increased Work Productivity

Many people have found that they are more productive at home because there are no office distractions. A home is a place where you feel comfortable and it’s set up the way you want, so you feel less stressed about things.

Flexible Schedules

At home, remote workers have been able to add more flexibility to their schedules. There’s been an increase in meeting attendance because employees don’t have to think about travel or commute schedules, plus there’s the added benefit of taking some time for yourself without a colleague popping in.

Work/Family Life Balance

While some people complain that working with children at home is hard, studies have found that it’s actually easier to balance family needs when you’re at home. You’re there to care for your child rather than scrambling to get back home.

Decreased Hierarchical Work Models

With remote work, more equality in work is also encouraged. There’s no specific seating order at a meeting table and nobody feels like someone has more power since everyone is communicating through video.

Cons Of Remote Work

Lack Of Communication Trust

It can be hard to build trust between colleagues when you’re constantly communicating virtually. Tsedal Neeley, the author of Remote Work Revolution, said:

“Unlike in person, where the ideal time you spend with your coworkers inevitably leads to serendipitous discoveries about one another, in the remote format you have to make a point of sharing your personal side.”

Harder To Collaborate

Many people who have been working remotely for a while now know how easy it is for things to get lost in translation through email, Slack, etc. Of course, there are tools that can be utilized, but these have a learning curve and will take some time to get used to. It’s important for the team or organization to make sure that these tools work for employees.

Missed Office Interactions

One of the obvious downsides to remote work is in-person interaction. Many leaders have said they “manage by wandering around,” and interacting with colleagues can boost employee happiness and overall well-being.

Decreased Customer Service

While not all jobs require meeting customers in person, some do see an increase in better customer relationships. For example, retail settings pretty much depend on interacting with customers, and without that, customers may be left feeling unsatisfied.

The pros and cons of remote work are all something that companies should be considering. As more people ask for work-from-home options or companies consider hybrid options, it’s important to make sure that the transition and communication with your employees are clear. Signature Source is your resource for recruiting the most highly desirable talent and work as your consultant for organizational development solutions. We can help with some of these remote work questions and concerns. Check out our website for more information. Besides helping with remote work arrangements we also have experience with resume creation, analysis of job descriptions, compensation evaluation, and more!

Navigating the New Digital Divide

Navigating the new digital divide

It’s no surprise that the pandemic has changed the way people live their lives. From grocery shopping to traveling to socializing, 2020 and 2021 has seen a lot of changes, most dramatically in the job sector. The majority of people are working from home and it seems to have created a bit of a digital divide between employers and employee expectations.

This digital divide is mainly focused on employee experience, which is defined as “the journey each employee takes with a company, including everything from company culture to the work environment to day-to-day technology.” According to a Gallagher survey, employers are working to enhance employee experience, specifically the areas of “employee mental health and wellbeing (70%), diversity, equity, and inclusion (55%), and ‘new ways of working’ (52%).” Given that the pandemic has created a growing number of remote employees, more companies have been using technology and data to address employee needs in a more targeted way.

In a recent article from Korn Ferry, it was found that

older executives liked remote work so much that they’re thinking about delaying retirement. Granted, the pandemic still brings its own stresses, but according to Kevin Cashman (Global Leader CEO and Executive Development at Korn Ferry), they’re worth working through compared to the stresses that come with having to go into the office.

It’s surprising since a recent Oracle study showed that stress levels are higher for executives versus all employees (85% for top bosses compared to 77% of employees). Cashman says that these executives figure “If I’m still showing value and getting a good paycheck, why not [stay]?” Because of the rapid shift to a remote work environment, employers now have the added stress of making sure their employees have the right technology and communication channels (e.g. mobile messaging apps, Zoom, etc.).

Christian Hasenoehrl (Korn Ferry Senior Client Partner and the firm’s Global Account Leader for the Consumer and Industrial sectors) says many company boards and leaders want to reshape their core team of executives, paving the way for a more diverse, high-potential leadership. Currently, millennials are the largest workforce group, with women and minorities leading the charge.

Hasenoehrl says that companies’ digital transformation has been accelerated, so boards are offering more enhanced voluntary retirement packages and other incentives to get older executives off the company payroll and make way for younger tech-saavy talent. However, this isn’t to say that age plays a role in determining success of remote work. When looking back on the Gallagher survey, it was found that organizations and the majority of their employees were both feeling overwhelmed with digital options across the board.

So what can be done about bridging this digital divide, no matter employee’s age or work experience? According to Worldwide ERC, “employers can bridge the digital divide and improve upon internal communication in the remote environment by first defining what digital employee experience means for the organization to enable leaders to take more cohesive actions.” Since leaders tend to be older, it might make sense to talk through an overall digital employee experience and organizational communication. What specific communication needs to be done about aligning digital platforms with communication goals? What needs to be done to ensure flexibility and compatibility across the company? Does your workforce and leadership need to be assessed again? Figuring out the answers to these questions can improve overall digital employee experience and organizational communication, and solidify your organization’s success going forward.

We’ve been in the Global Mobility Recruiting industry for over 15 years, we’d love to learn more about you and your company. Let’s schedule a short chat by contacting us here: https://signature-source.com/contact/

Virtual Onboarding Tips For Employers

Virtual Onboarding

As a company, you’re going to hire people and one of the most important steps in the hiring process is onboarding. Onboarding is the process by which companies get new employees started working as efficiently as possible in the shortest timeframe. Having a strong onboarding strategy (in-person or virtually) shortly after hiring someone is essential to making sure new employees feel confident and knowledgeable in their new workplace. Given the fact that virtual onboarding is the go-to now, the onboarding process can be a bit trickier. Luckily, we have some tips from professionals who have personally helped employees navigate the virtual onboarding experience:

BEFORE THE NEW HIRE STARTS

The time before a new hire’s start date is vitally important to making sure the onboarding process goes smoothly.

Communicate with your new hire a week before their start date about what the onboarding plan will entail and the things they can expect to learn. Any important paperwork that needs to be filled out should be sent to them and any equipment they’ll need should be ordered e.g. work laptops, computer camera
Make sure the new hire knows how to contact the HR department. Have the HR team get in touch and introduce themselves, letting them know they are there to answer any questions or concerns
Keep new hires in the loop by sending press releases when they come out and any departmental meeting notes so that they are aware of what’s going on before starting

WHEN THE NEW HIRE HAS STARTED WORKING

The first day and first week are a time to make sure your new hire is feeling comfortable in their role and are having a smooth transition.

If possible, have a new hire orientation. These can include discussions on company culture, how the company is structured, and going over benefits
If your team is able to give the new hire a mentor or a “buddy,” that can help alleviate some of the stress of navigating a new company and provide someone who can answer any questions the new hire may have. Encourage new hires to shadow people in other key departments to get a sense of how everyone works together.
Send a list of activities and projects to be worked on for the first day and for the rest of the week. They should also introduce the new hire to their team. One nice thing to do is to have a virtual lunch, where you have a meal delivered to the new hire’s place and the team can eat “together” and get to know each other
Don’t overwhelm your new hire with new projects and unfamiliar systems and processes during the first week. Leave some time for them to absorb a couple of new things per week.

FOLLOWING UP WITH THE NEW HIRE

Once your new hire has been working for a few months, it’s still beneficial to follow up with them and get a sense of how they’re feeling at the company.

Sending out satisfaction surveys every three months, six months, and yearly can provide a more accurate view of how the company is doing overall in regards to new hires