Signature Source Blog

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!

More than 15 Years of Innovative Global Mobility Recruiting Solutions!

Global Mobility Personnel

Signature Source is proud to celebrate more than15 years of assisting companies and job seekers. We’ve been honored to work with candidate recruiting and consulting needs. We serve the global mobility and relocation industry working hard to ensure we pair the right talent with the right job and company.

OUR CLIENTS

Our clients trust us because we “walk the walk”: each member of our Signature Source Global Executive Recruiters is made up of people who have had careers in the relocation industry, adding up to over 60 years of insight and experience. We sympathize with the unique nature of the industry because we have held, managed, and/or partnered with many of the positions we fill.

Signature Source has supported the talent management and recruiting process for over 45 leading global mobility organizations and for good reason: with a proprietary talent database of more than 7,000 candidates, our expertise has created a stronger foundation for both clients and candidates for the past 15 years.

OUR CANDIDATES

Our candidates believe in us because Signature Source professionals focus on four very important values:

Respect
Trust
Confidentiality
Customer service

We pride ourselves on taking the time to listen to candidates’ career aspirations, provide honest recommendations, and guide them through the interview and offer process.

Our Executive Recruiters at Signature Source have had long-standing relationships with people in the mobility and relocation industry, which means candidates can trust us to help them in the best way we can. We also make sure we take the utmost care and protection when it comes to clients’ resume/CV submissions. We take discretion in the hiring process seriously and in doing so, we are committed to the highest level of respect for our candidates as well as our clients.

Customer satisfaction is essential to what we do. Signature Source Global Executive Recruiters would like to thank our clients and candidates that have trusted us for the last 15 years. From accounting to human resources to marketing, we’ve learned from all of you and appreciate our relationships as we enter into 2021.

We would love to learn more about your business – let’s start a conversation by contacting us here: Contact Signature Source

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

How To Ace Your Video Interview

It’s no surprise that COVID-19 has affected all aspects of our lives. In an article from The New York Times, it’s noted that nearly 14 million people are receiving unemployment benefits, meaning that a large percentage of people are probably looking for a job.

Given that most companies probably will not be doing in-person interviews, the rise of the video interview has gained traction. While most people have had experience with video calls thanks to Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts, participating in a video interview is a different kind of experience.

Read on for some tips on how to ace your next video interview:

Setting and Location Matter

When you’re setting up for your video interview, you should think about the location. If you’re going to be in your room, make sure you clean up and don’t have anything that could potentially be embarrassing in view. Try to avoid rooms that have a lot of glass and do not sit facing a window as this can cause echoing.

If you are going to be in a shared area, it would be helpful to let others in your household know that you will be in a video interview and shouldn’t be bothered. In addition, any pets that may act as a distraction should be put in another room or blocked off area. Better yet, if you have a clothes closet that you can sit in, it will act as a natural soundproof space.

Be Mindful of Your Camera

Camera placement is something that should also be considered very carefully. You want the lens of your camera to be at eye level for the best and most flattering angle.

The camera should also be about four to six feet away and should capture your shoulders and head only. Your background should be a plain, solid color (no crazy patterns). Some companies might ask you to use one of their branded backgrounds for the interview, so if that is the case, go ahead and use that.

Dress the Part

No matter which company you are interviewing for, always dress professionally. Employers will want to see how you will dress for the position you are applying for. Your video appearance will portray how you feel about their company and new position.

You might be running errands in your sweats, but for a job interview, you want to impress your interviewer. This shows that you respect the company and the interviewer, who is taking time out of their busy day to talk to you.

Be Engaged and Focused

Even though the interview is being conducted over video, act as though you are sitting across from the person in real life. Make sure you are making eye contact (by looking directly at the camera lens) and smiling. A helpful tip is to put sticky notes on either side of your camera lens, so you know where to look when talking and listening.