If you have noticed that you seem to be losing candidates during your hiring process, it might be that they are being snagged by other companies while your rounds of interviews drag on. Eliminating unnecessary tasks and combining steps will create a quicker, more efficient system. Consider streamlining your hiring process to be considerate of your candidates’ valuable time, as well as to save your own time and money.

• Define your mandatory level of experience. Knowing what level you absolutely must have is an excellent way of weeding out candidates who will not meet this need, and will also likely indicate something to potential candidates about the level and expectations of the position. However, be open-minded.  Keeping crucial jobs open too long could adversely impact performance of current staff.
• Know your position’s core competencies. These are the skills that are imperative for a candidate to possess in order to be capable of performing the tasks well. These should be listed in your advertisements and given to your recruiter.
• Work with a recruiting firm. These professionals are experts in your field, and can help you shorten the hiring process by finding qualified candidates quickly. And prevent you from wasting your valuable time reviewing and weeding out unqualified candidates.
• Create a hiring strategy. Use data from employee surveys, exit interviews and other sources to determine how to create a high level of job satisfaction among your team and put a plan in place to eliminate large increases in your hiring needs. Use this information to make hires that will excel in that environment.
• Implement competency and personality tests. Assessments such as these are proven to be highly effective at targeting desirable employees. In fact, many companies find that oftentimes, employees who do not work out are the ones who were not the ideal match based on assessments that were used, but who were hired anyways. These tests can be most easily administered via a computer system where the data is processed automatically and instantaneously, saving both money and time.
• Be familiar with your own process. Be aware of who must sign off on employee hiring so that you can do everything in your power to expedite the hiring process for candidates you are sure of. Regardless of how much you like someone, if it takes too long to close the deal on your end, you may end up starting from scratch.
• Limit the number of interview rounds to three. This will save your own company valuable time and money, and will also be respectful of your candidates’ time; this is especially important to candidates who are already employed.

Streamlining your hiring process can save you a bundle in time and money, and can also eliminate the loss of prime candidates during an excessively lengthy process. Contact CompliStaff today to begin implementing these strategies to streamline your hiring process. We can help you create a strategic hiring plan that can save you money and increase employee retention!

Exit interviews often elicit uneasy feelings on behalf of both exiting employee as well as employer. However, if you can reframe the exit interview in a more positive and productive light, everyone can experience an opportunity for growth. Using these tips when conducting your next exit interview may help you gain a useful new perspective on the position in question – and the overall morale at the company.

Ask the right questions. Figure out what you want know about your employee’s experience, and consider objective and appropriate ways to ask questions to gather that information.

Listen for the answers.  Ask clarifying questions; do not interpret for the employee so that the information gathered is accurate and therefore useful. For instance, if an employee states, “The hours were unmanageable,” there is a subtle, but important, difference in the amount of hours versus the scheduling of those hours.

Invite negative feedback. If employees feel comfortable speaking their minds, they will provide you with a much more candid insight into their work experience. Do not interrupt and try to avoid defending against negative feedback.  Instead, listen and take notes.  Ask probing questions, when possible.  Remember, you can always separate out the useful information later!

Keep current in the climate of your company culture. Exit interviews are an excellent way to keep your finger on the pulse of the company culture as your employees see it. If you received feedback that the culture is hostile or otherwise offensive, it may be in your best interest to follow up, and make changes, if necessary.

Update keywords in your candidate search. Using what your departing employees can tell you about fulfilling job duties can help you keep the wording in your job descriptions fresh. For instance, an employee might say she disliked working in groups; update your ideal candidate description to include “enjoys working in teams.”

Pick up on patterns. Consider involving a staffing firm or recruiter in your analysis. You may notice a pattern of employee departure in certain roles, times of the year, or after a specific amount of time with the company. These professionals can help come up with a strategic hiring plan that can increase employee retention–and decrease exit interviews!

Exit interviews do not have to be the uncomfortable chore they seem to be. If you can use them as a tool for continued growth and progress, exit interviews can be of great benefit. Contact CompliStaff today to begin a proactive hiring strategy that can help you grow your business!

Company executives, supervisors, and managers often get so wrapped up in the day-to-day tasks that they sometimes overlook how their employees want to be treated. Treating employees properly will help keep them happy, establish loyalty and increase job satisfaction.  Satisfied employees are more likely to stay with a company long term. Engaging your employees and listen to their needs to learn valuable clues about how they want to be treated. Every employee and company will have unique elements that need to be accounted for.  We’ve compiled a list of ways you can better treat your employees:

Respect, courtesy, and trust. Everyone wants to know that their contribution is valued and that they are trusted to do their job.  Try to give your employees the same level of respect you would expect.

Appreciation. When someone does an exceptional job, tell them so. Oftentimes, employees feel as though only their failures are recognized, so begin to praise them about their successes.  Be sure to include compliments in the same conversation where you are pointing out shortcomings.

Provide perks and a pleasant work environment. Employees spend more time in the office than they do at home with their families or friends. Make the office environment a place that your employees want to work in. Offer them perks such as occasional meals, memberships to health clubs, a day to work from home or even just a $5 or $10 gift card to their favorite coffee shop.

Compatibility with co-workers. By the same token, employees spend more time with their co-workers than with their families as well. Foster a great team environment to allow for individuals to get along without petty drama.

Engaged Managers. These types of environmental factors can be made or broken by the engagement of the management team.  Be sure managers at every level of the enterprise are properly trained to foster job satisfaction and loyalty.

Provide training or assistance. A person who can contribute to your organization should have access to continuing education. Provide employees the opportunity to attend seminars or workshops.  Even consider mentors to help put individuals to the next level. Providing opportunities to grow individually will help make employees loyal to the organization.

Clearly defined goals. Most importantly, you must provide each contributor to the team clearly defined goals for their success. This will help them see how their contribution provides for the overall success of the company and enable them to understand what is expected of them.

Treating your employees well will not only keep them satisfied and loyal, but will foster the type of environment that will attract new talent. Always be on the lookout for creative ways to engage your team and foster success.

Contact the professional recruiters at CompliStaff for more information about how we can help you with your hiring process.

The leadership of a company is the guiding light for the organization – the ones responsible for spearheading change and empowering employees. Traditional leadership values remain important, but in today’s economy, finding innovative ways to be the best leader for your company is crucial. Here are several things you can to do be an innovative leader and keep your organization ahead of the curve.

Failure is not the end, and sometimes it can be a new beginning.  Leaders are often apprehensive to change.  But because change is inevitable, it is better to embrace it. Many leaders tell you that failure and change are the most important ingredients for success. By understanding how to overcome failure, you will learn essential tools to keep your team competitive and successful.  Planning for change will keep you ahead of the curve.

Reach out to organizational leaders in your community. Other business leaders have wisdom and knowledge to share, so collaborate and learn from them. Organize leadership networking events to understand the ways other leaders have built their organizations and see how you might be able to apply those things to your business.

Innovation comes easier when you have many minds working together.  Collaborate with your team, and encourage them to make suggestions in exchange for recognition. Be truly open minded.  Listen to them and try to embrace their concepts to improvise and shape the future of the organization. This will keep your team excited, engaged and more eager to embrace change.

When you try something new, you must understand that it might not work exactly the way you pictured it. Be accountable for mistakes that happen on your watch. Determine what parts of the plan did not work the way they were intended to and fix those problems. Then try again. “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

Above anything else, be humble about your success. Know that no one creates empires on their own; they need to have a good team and good mentors. They need to have good infrastructure and good procedures. You are not the total of your success; you are the seed of it. Credit those who help you along the way and you will be seen as an excellent leader.

Looking to work with an executive recruiting firm that values great leadership skills? CompliStaff offers professional recruiting services and employment consultation to a wide variety of clients and job seekers.

Attracting and retaining the best and brightest talent is a priority for small and large companies alike.  While employees still desire favorable compensation and traditional benefits, extreme value is placed on work-life balance and nontraditional benefits.  Today’s employees are looking for companies that offer the best “package.”  And it does not have to be entirely monetary.  Employees are looking for a business willing to think creatively and offer benefits that their competitors will not.

Offering nontraditional benefits will not only help you retain top talent, but will also attract new candidates to your organization. These perks, many inexpensive, will improve employee morale throughout the workplace.

• Wellness or health club discounts or memberships. Perks like this will make it easier for employees to embrace a healthy life style, which can also potentially decrease expensive health insurance claims. Partner with a local gym to find out how you can offer these to your employees.
• Flex days or Work From Home days. Having a flexible work schedule can often lead to improved employee morale and productivity. You can offer flex days where perhaps they can earn time off by working four 10-hour days per week. Or you may be able to offer days where they can work from home. Develop a structure for these benefits that will allow for employees to feel successful and productive.
• Appreciation brunches or lunches. A little appreciation goes a long way. Bring a catered breakfast or lunch in from time to time to reward your employees for the work they have done. Make this a special event and allow people to step away from their desks for their lunch hour and interact with members of the office staff that perhaps they don’t deal with on a daily basis.
• Daycare. If you are able to offer in-house daycare, this can be a huge draw for working parents. When you provide an option for employees to place their children in daycare on premise, you create a culture of more productive employees. There will be fewer problems with absenteeism. Studies have shown that the investment in daycare programs saves a company money long term preventing problems with turnover.
• Gift cards.  A small and inexpensive token of appreciation, gifts cards help recognize employees’ successes and efforts.  For minimal cost, maybe $5, $10, $25 or $50, you can make a big difference in your employees’ work experience.
• Sponsor or subsidize continuing education. Continuing education can only enhance your workplace over time. Encourage your employees to attend seminars or classes that will assist them in their day-to-day work functions. Provide ways for your employees to select training and development courses that they find interesting, and encourage them to attend. There may even be options for webinars which will allow the employee to stay in the office while they participate.  Consider tuition reimbursement for college or graduate degrees.

There are many other ways you can improve your company’s traditional and nontraditional benefits.  Remember, it’s always important to have benefits that are competitive with those your competitors are offering.  Consider putting together a team to develop inexpensive perks that employees will appreciate.  By offering a work experience with perks that are structured around value, flexibility and appreciation, you will surely attract great employees and make your employees feel like they are part of a winning team.

Creative ways to improve your employee morale can be developed at any time. CompliStaff specializes in superb management and professional recruiting and can work with your company to develop strategies for hiring the best people.

Many managers believe the only way to make sure employees complete tasks timely and properly is to keep close watch on progress throughout the project.  However, micromanagement is often detrimental to the growth of employees and overall success of a team.  There are many ways to keep employees on track without stifling creativity, innovation or new ideas.  As a manager, it is important to strike a balance between being hands-on while giving your team autonomy to complete tasks.  Here are some ways you can be in tune with your business without hindering the opportunity for new ideas or processes:

1. Have weekly meetings. Rather than tracking work streams on a daily bases, plan weekly meetings to check in with progress and assign new tasks. Between meetings, trust that the team will accomplish what is necessary. If they do not, this may be dealt with at the next meeting to help employees stay on schedule.
2. Utilize technology. There is a lot of available software that can help manage your office and projects. Rather than relying on yourself to track or complete every task, set up these systems to create reminders and updates on requirements.
3. Be specific. Explain what the deliverables and deadlines are, as this will clearly define what the project phases and end goals are. This is extremely helpful in managing your employees’ expectations, and your own. Then allow your employees to accomplish their tasks and present them at the established time.
4. Big Picture. Be as transparent as possible with your team. Share your business goals and exciting news or feedback with your employees. This will impart confidence in your team and motivate them to continue to further innovate and outshine their own performance marks.
5. Team goals. Establish your goals as a team so everyone is invested in the success of the project. Allow team members to utilize their specific talents to make the product flourish. The more you involve your team in the decision-making process, the more engaged they will be.
6. Be fun. Even if you’re under a tight deadline, keep the mood positive. If you want to be sure your employees meet deadlines or stay on task, offer fun rewards to help break up their day and encourage them to enjoy the work they are doing.
7. Create templates. By creating company-wide templates, you ensure that all work is presented in precisely the format that you prefer. You will not need to follow each employee and reformat their work to suit your preferences.
8. Results-Oriented Workplace. There is a movement among corporations to focus on results-oriented work rather than time-oriented work. It is a good idea to focus on quality, rather than time spent on the project. Allowing employees to manage their own time on the job has proven to be successful. Establish a time frame for presenting results, then allow the employees to work at their own pace.

Are you looking for a recruiting firm that can help streamline your business processes? Contact CompliStaff to see what we have to offer.