Staffing

Looking for a few good candidates…

March 23, 2011

You…yes YOU! We have been looking everywhere for you! We know all about you so you might as well come and join our team of qualified, dependable, hard working candidates.

The news is out – the economy is continuing to recover and staffing firms are a bellweather for what is going on in the market so our business is really starting to look up. What does that mean to you? We are the perfect solution to your job search. All you need to have is a decent resume, a strong skillset, dependablility and good work ethic. We can help you take that killer combination to the next level. As hiring trends improve and Indianapolis job openings increase, it is time to take control of your next career move and we can help!

Not sure if you know this, but That’s Good HR is a great company to work with. Of course, this is our blog and I work here so I have to say that, but I have proof from impartial judges. We received recognition as one of the "Best in Staffing" for our dedication to quality service delivery. What does this mean? Read my post on this award to find out. In a nutshell, we take good care of our clients and our candidates, some come on…join us!

Here is how easy it really is:

Take a look at our job board
Find a position that matches your skills and experience
Apply
Even better – find a friend that works for us already and have them refer you, we LOVE referrals so much that we pay for them!

Our requirements are clear and simple. Skilled, capable people who are dependable, flexible and hard working. Accounting and Finance, Administrative Support, Receptionists and Customer Service Reps skill sets are among the most needed. Come and see us soon!

Staffing

Managing Indianapolis Staffing During Winter Weather

February 4, 2011

Indianapolis Staffing Companies have had an exceptionally challenging time of managing staff and workload this winter due to the “predictably unpredictable” Central Indiana winter weather. We have all been witness to this recently, that is for sure!

This winter’s multiple snowfalls and recent ice storms have made Human Resource jobs all the more challenging in determining if employees need to come into the office or if employees should be sent home as conditions worsen.

With today’s technology, it is more possible to allow employees to work remotely and be completely connected but in the case of many Central Indiana Jobs, company policies are not a one-size-fits-all approach and may even differ from department to department.

There are many types of Central Indiana Jobs that can generally be done from home such as some Management Positions, Executive Headhunters, HR jobs and Accounting Finance jobs while Administrative jobs usually need to be done at the company site.

It is important to determine the workload and employee roles before the chaos of bad weather hits! Speaking from (very recent) experience, there is nothing more counter-productive than attempting to manage multitudes of employees calling in late or off and fielding questions as to how this time applies on top of accomplishing the normal daily tasks.

Winter weather can wreak havoc on a company’s productivity not to mention the individual productivity for employees. This is why it is vital to have policies communicated out in advance for getting work done during inclement weather.

Staffing

Honesty and Integrity in Staffing

November 15, 2010

November 20th, 2010 is a very special day for me. It is the day I reach 10 yrs in staffing and I have to tell you that I love it more today than I did the first day I started. 10 years ago, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into and I was very nervous. You see, I had a less than positive experience with an Indianapolis Recruiter so I was hesitant to get into the business.

Here is what happened: I was placed by a recruiter into my first job straight out of Purdue University as a Management/Finance graduate. After working for 2 ½ yrs at Monon Corporation in Monon Indiana, I was ready to move back to Indianapolis. I reached out to the Recruiter that placed me at Monon and asked him if he could help me find a position in my hometown. He told me that he would and the next thing I knew, he actually had the audacity to contact the Controller (my boss) and informed him of my desire to move home. Imagine my shock when my boss confronted me! I would have understood if the Recruiter told me that he couldn’t represent me because my employer had paid a fee to hire me and he wouldn’t be able to pull me from a company that paid a fee to hire me. I am a reasonable person so a discussion about the ethics of the situation would have made sense to me. For this recruiter go directly to my boss and share what I felt was personal and confidential information, however, felt like a complete betrayal of confidentiality.

When I look back, I see that this mentality was consistent across most do in staffing agencies – the client pays the fee, so the loyalty is to the client. I did end up finding a position in Indianapolis through a different Recruiter at a different Indianapolis Staffing Agency. The position they found for me was a temp to hire. While I hated leaving a permanent position for a temp to hire, I felt comfortable with my skills and knew I would get my foot in the door and make a good name for myself. I did just that and my last position with that company was as an HR Supervisor. In this role, I had many agencies calling me wanting to meet with me and earn my business. I was always very respectful to them and always returned their calls because that is the way I was raised. Although I wasn’t authorized to use any agencies, you never know when that could change. One of the companies that called on me was a small local Indianapolis staffing firm. That firm is no longer in business but one of their employees in Business Development asked me if I would consider working for them as an Indianapolis Accounting Recruiter. My first response? Absolutely not!!! Recruiters just want to make money off of your head! I have no desire!!

Fast forward 10 years… Why did I change my mind and join the ranks in staffing? I decided that I would raise the bar. I decided that just because some Recruiters may make you feel like they are just trying to make money off of your head, I wanted to be different. I wanted to come into the business and run it ethically with honesty and integrity. Also, I wanted to be different in that I would work just as hard for the candidate as I would for the hiring manager, regardless of who is paying the fee. I can say that for my 10 years in staffing, I have been blessed to align myself with a company that supports that mentality. I do what is right for both the client and the candidate. I never have to compromise myself to make a placement. I get that support from the ownership down.

What has kept me in staffing for 10 years? I love every aspect of filling Indianapolis openings with Indianapolis’ top talent. I love it from the beginning to the end. I love when a candidate comes in to register with me and steps into my office with a broken wing. I love patching up their wing and patting them on the shoulder and telling them that it will be alright. I love presenting opportunities to them and helping them prepare for the interview. I love hearing the excitement in their voice after that first interview. I love hearing that same excitement from the hiring manager after they have met the candidate and they feel like it is going to be such a great match. And the BEST part? The best part is talking to the candidate 2-3 years later and hearing that they still love their job. The perfect outcome? The candidate that I placed has been promoted and is now a decision maker for hiring! It is the relationships that are built with the candidates and hiring managers that make this job so fulfilling for me. I can do the job every day working for a small local firm like THAT’S GOOD HR and never compromise my integrity and I have the Recruiter who “did me wrong” in 1995 to thank for my inspiration. I am looking forward to the next 10 years in staffing!!

About TGHR

National Staffing Week and the art of “Thank you!”

September 16, 2010

This is a "repost" of a blog that was published last year at this time. It is that time of year again and we want to extend our extreme gratitude to all of our employees -this one is for you!

The dictionary definition of the word grateful is: "warmly and deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received. Thankful"

My definition of the word grateful follows:

Not sure if you knew about the recent week of appreciation devoted to our staffing employees, deemed "National Staffing Employee Week" for the Staffing Industry. At That’s Good HR in Indianapolis we dedicated the week to recognizing all of our temporary and contract employees that work very hard for us and more specifically, fill all kinds of Indianapolis job openings for our clients. Our temporary employees specialize in accounting, finance, HR, administrative, clerical, customer service and medical positions in Central Indiana.

Looking back on the week, it was probably one of the best investments in both time and money that we have made this year. Saying "thank you" to those without whom we would not be here today, is so important. It also goes to show that at the end of the day, everyone likes to be appreciated and noticed as a contributor every now and then.

Throughout the week we have received emails and thank you’s. That’s right, people are saying "thank you" for saying "thank you"…how great is that?! Here is an example of a thank you we received….

"WOW! What a great surprise! Can’t thank you all enough for the bag full of goodies. All things that I can use and especially like the idea that they will sit on my desk and remind me of the wonderful company that employs me!! And the candy was great, too!! That I didn’t need, but can I tell you it’s gone already?!

Seriously, it’s a pleasure to know and work with such pleasant, thoughtful and professional people."

In this industry, there is sometimes the perception that staffing companies work only for the client company because they ultimately pay the bill and that we do not care as much about our candidates. I am sure there have been instances in our industry where that has been the case and it is unfortunate. My belief is that we could have more job orders than we know what to do with but if we do not have good employees to place in the positions our company ultimately would not be successful.

Our lifeblood in the staffing industry is placing quality people in the right jobs at the right time, but the most important part of that equation is the "people" part and it is important that we treat our "people" with the respect that they deserve as loyal and hard working extensions of our company. I am sure that I have fallen short on that in the past but after last week’s reminder of how important our temporary employees and contractors are to That’s Good HR, I will not be forgetting again anytime soon.

So, in case you did not hear us say it last week, let me be clear when I say to you, our employees…THANK YOU!!!!

HR Insights

What Does Health Care Reform Mean for Employers & Employees?

September 3, 2010

Whether you are for it or against it, Health Care Reform is here. As a Human Resources Manager for an Indianapolis staffing company, the details of this bill have me scratching my head. This leaves many Indianapolis staffing companies and Benefits Managers and those in Executive jobs and Finance jobs in Indianapolis trying to sort it all out.

It also has those employees working in Federal Government Contract jobs in Indianapolis, those in Indianapolis part time jobs, those in administrative jobs in Indianapolis, executive jobs or six figure jobs in Indianapolis and many employees working in central Indiana jobs wondering how this affects them.

If you Google Health Care Reform, you will find yourself with more questions than answers.

Outlined below are the basics of the Health Care Bill, which I found on Personal Money.com. I have found this helpful in sorting out the basics of the bill

2010

There are 3 major changes for this year. First, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny coverage to children with pre-existing illnesses. Second, children would be able to stay on their parent’s insurance until they are twenty-six and third, Medicare recipients who fall into a specific coverage gap will get a $250 rebate.

Other changes for 2010 include individuals who have not had health insurance for 6 months will receive a subsidy to enroll in high-risk insurance pools run by the states. All new insurance plans sold must exempt preventative care and screenings from deductibles and small businesses with fewer than 25 employees would receive up to a 35 percent tax credit for providing health insurance to their employees.

2011

In 2011, the new health care bill will make changes focused mostly on preparing for later updates. The new health care bill will set up a long-term care insurance program. Individuals who pay premiums into this system for at least five years will become eligible to receive support with daily living assistance.

The senior citizens that fall into the

2012-13

No major changes will occur in health care in the year 2012 under the new health care bill. In 2013, many of the new taxes and fees that will pay for the new health care bill will go into effect. This will provide funding for the 2014 fiscal year updates to the health care system.

These taxes will include new Medicare taxes on individuals who earn more than $200,000 a year. The wage tax, dividends and interest tax, and a small tax on medical devices will also be implemented. In 2013, the new health care bill will also implement a test system in Medicare in which payments are made based on the quality, rather than quantity of health care services. Health insurers will also be barred from charging different premiums to customers based on gender.

2014

In 2014, the majority of Americans will gain benefits from the new health care bill. Exchanges will be created so individuals without employer-provided health care or small business can shop for health care coverage

In addition to providing subsidies and guaranteed coverage for most citizens, the new health care bill will also require that most people have health insurance. There will be a fine for not carrying insurance of some sort. An independent Medicare board will also be created to help curb Medicare costs if the costs rise more quickly than inflation.

"medicare donut hole" – a coverage gap – will get a 50 percent discount on some drugs. In 2011, a new fee on drug makers will also be implemented to help pay for the upcoming changes. The fine on withdrawing funds from a Health Savings Account for non-medical expenses will increase by 5 to 10 percent. Employers will also need to start including the cost of health care on employee’s W-2 forms.– and insurance companies will be barred from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions. Medicare will also expand to cover all Americans with income up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ( about $27,000 per year for a family of 4). Small businesses will also receive a tax credit to help them provide coverage to their employees. The insurance industry will also be required to pay an annual fee to help pay for the exchanges that will cover all citizens that cannot otherwise receive insurance.

2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

In 2015, the new health care bill will simply continue the new coverage, taxes and fees that are created in previous years. In 2016, the penalty for individuals who do not purchase health insurance will rise to a $695 minimum. In 2017, businesses that have more than 100 employees will be allowed to participate in the state insurance exchanges, if the state government allows it. In 2018, an excise tax will be imposed on so-called "Cadillac plans" that generally provide more than $27,500 worth of coverage for a family.

There are many changes coming up in the years ahead but it’s important for Indianapolis Staffing companies and all Central Indiana employers to start proactively planning for these now!

Staffing

Is it Time to Change the Way We Hire?

June 17, 2010

I was having a discussion with a fellow recruiter yesterday and at the tail end of our conversation, we started talking about some of the hiring trends and challenges that we are facing with clients regarding the candidate selection process. We have both noticed that more and more employers are turning away resumes from people who are currently not working. He brought a very disturbing article to my attention from the Huffington Post about a few company’s philosophies around hiring people who are currently without a job. The article sites a few examples of job ads that specifically ask people who are currently unemployed NOT apply to their positions!

Let’s step back and think about this. The latest unemployment rate, as of May 2010, is 9.3%. That’s roughly 15 million people currently without employment and this only accounts for those actively looking for work, not that actual number of people out of work. As of April 30^th, 2010, there are 3.1 million open jobs. For companies who are unwilling to look at people who are currently unemployed to fill these positions, it’s going to be even more challenging to fill that open seat, which means more money lost due to inactivity and lost productivity.

Why would a company not want to receive resumes from those who are unemployed? I’ll play the devil’s advocate and repeat a few of the reasons that I’ve been given by hiring managers over the years. “Companies only downsize poor performers”, “Unemployed people don’t have good skills, otherwise they would be employed”, “Unemployed people typically have a negative attitude”. The reality is, yes, sometimes those who are downsized or let go are poor performers. If you’re fortunate enough to have a great recruiter working with you, he/she should be able to dig into the background of these candidates to find out the truth behind why they are unemployed. And yes, maybe you’ll get a handful of resumes from unemployed people who don’t match the skills that you are looking for. Something tells me that you’re going to get a handful of resumes from employed people who don’t have the skill set you’re looking for, either.

The bottom line is, there are people out there who have lost their job through no fault of their own. Companies are downsizing, closing, off-shoring…doing whatever they can to cut costs in an economy that has been severely struggling for the past several years. If you are a recruiter or hiring manager, before you discard a resume due to current unemployment, take a second and really look at the resume. If the person has the skills you are looking for, give them a chance. We all need to work together to lower our unemployment numbers, and it starts with each of us making a conscious decision to do our part. If you end up hiring the wrong person at the end of the day it is because something is wrong with your vetting process and I am guessing very little to do with the employment status of the qualified candidates you review. What do you think?

Staffing

Legal “Ease” for the Staffing Professional

February 9, 2010

There is nothing more daunting as an Indianapolis staffing company than keeping up on all of the updates, changes, obligations, nuances and complications around employment law. Being in the staffing industry requires you to become an expert not only about hiring trends and Indianapolis job openings, but also on employment law. Now, for some this can be quite burdensome as the technicalities alone can kill you. However, for some of us "geeks", it can offer an ongoing source of new information that presents itself as a puzzle to be worked out.

There are a number of resources thrown our way on a daily basis about this topic and you can literally drive yourself crazy just keeping up with all of it. I prefer to focus on a few key information sources and I have found that I pretty much get what I need (or what I can digest) to keep me informed but not dangerous.

I have found that the resources I use offer insightful information in an interesting and sometimes provocative manner – this keeps what can be a very dry subject interesting. Sometimes, this information comes from unexpected sources that you might follow for a variety of information. For example, as an avid listener to National Public Radio, I heard this very interesting interview while driving to work the other morning. It addresses questions such as "Did you know you could be fired for not removing a political sticker from your car — or even having a beer after work?" Good stuff – I learned something that morning without even trying.

Another resource I enjoy following is Mark Toth from Manpower (yes, as an Indianapolis staffing company I DID just give credit to a competitor), but really, you cannot help but appreciate the refreshing, and very funny delivery of a not so exciting topic that Mark offers. He also makes the complicated very simple and couple that with his intimate knowledge of our industry and employment law, I always learn something new. Recently, Mark posted a story called "19 Million Reasons to Follow the Law" where he tells us that "One of the best ways to stay out of court is to (1) keep tabs on what the EEOC is suing employers for and then (2) don’t do those things." See, keeping it simple even when $19 million is at stake. Good stuff.

I am currently studying to re-certify for my CSP (Certified Staffing Professional) designation through the American Staffing Association and this requires some focused reading time as I work back through he Employment Law Handbook. Now, while a little dry and complicated I have to admit that it has been extremely helpful for me to be "forced" to go back and review the legal fundamentals as they effect our industry. The ASA is also a great resource for legal updates and information. As a corporate member, we have found the direct access to key guidance and advice for our industry to be comforting and valuable.

As a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and a board member of our local chapter (IndySHRM) I feel like I have a great network of knowledgeable HR professionals and resources right at my fingertips. This too is very comforting as the rules seem to be always changing and as Mark Toth says above, watch what others are getting sued for and don’t do it. The SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) certification I received through this organization has prepared me with the legal fundamentals I need, but it also requires me to keep up my certification credits by participating in ongoing education.

While there are many, many additional resources at our fingertips on this topic, these are the main resources that I stay on top of to manage the inflow of information – helps avoid information overload. At That’s Good HR, we incorporate this expertise into every placement we make to ensure that we are protecting ourselves as well as our clients because I don’t know about you, but we do not have an extra $19 million to spend on employment law mistakes.

Staffing

To Review or not to Review….that is the question

February 3, 2010

Here at That’s Good HR, Inc., an Indianapolis staffing company, we have just completed our celebration of surviving 2009 and with this comes the time of year when performance reviews are conducted for each staff member within the temporary division.

As the person who writes the reviews each year, I must say it is not one of my favorite tasks. Let’s be honest, I absolutely dread it. I get the strength to sit down and get them done through my realization of how important it is. My employees really look forward to getting some solid feedback about their performance over the past year, even though this always makes people a little nervous too. Given that I am simply the writer of the review, not the recipient of said feedback, I often lose sight of the importance. It is such a daunting task to recall good and bad events within the last year and then write about them in a constructive manner. After I complete reviews, I reread them and cannot help but feel I have not done the process justice, but to the person with whom you are conducting the review, there is a true appreciation for the insights.

I realized this year how important reviews were because of the reactions of my employees and at the same time I ran across this management article titled: "Performance Appraisal – A Managerial Responsibility". The following information really hit home with me:

"If done properly, performance appraisal is a very effective tool to improve performance and productivity and for developing employees. It helps individuals to do better, raises self-esteem and motivation. Above all it strengthens the management/subordinate relationship and fosters commitment. Performance evaluation is not a process to be avoided; rather it should be implemented in all organizations and promoted as a key management activity. The benefits to be realized from a proper evaluation system far outweigh the time and effort required to develop, implement and maintain the process."

Another resource I found, titled "Understanding the Importance of Employee Performance Reviews", helped to put into perspective the importance around constructive feedback.

“A company’s strength lies in how secure an employee feels about his job. Remember, it’s a performance review, not a criticism session. The primary objective is to evaluate how an employee can add more value to the company. An employee should feel motivated after a performance review session. A positive attitude makes all the difference!”

While there are so many excuses you can come up with NOT to conduct an employee performance review, the reasons to take the time to do them far outweigh the excuses. The benefits you can get from providing solid, constructive and if possible POSITIVE feedback to your team cannot be overstated. Don’t just take my word for it, there are LOTS of great resources, studies, tools and articles out there to support this effort.

For those of you on the receiving end of the performance review, do not worry, I have some advice for you as well. Who better to help you prepare for a performance review than the professionals from "The Office". If nothing else, it will keep you smiling.

Staffing

Fitness in the Workplace

October 29, 2009

As I was pondering about what to write today I thought I would change it up a bit from the normal Indianapolis Staffing information or hiring trends that I typically discuss.

I just got out of our weekly Pilates class that we host on site at That’s Good HR, Inc. and it inspired me to talk about "Fitness in the Workplace". Back in June, I made the decision to do something different for my employees. It has been a very trying year for the economy and staffing industry in general and for That’s Good HR as well. There are more demands put on the people who still are fortunate to have jobs because corporations have cut to the bone but the workload is just as heavy and existing employees are absorbing the work.

We are lucky to have Amy Peddycord, owner of Invoke Studio, come in every Tuesday at 12:00 for a "lunch hour" pilates mat class. It has been such a great investment and I could not have anticipated the ROI. We all look forward to the class each Tuesday as both a body and a team building experience. I am sure some people dread it from time to time as most do with intense physical exercise, but it has been a great bonding experience and everyone shows up if they are available. We also have a couple of employees who have lost a few inches through investing in the pilates which is a great feeling.

I would encourage any business owner or manager to look into some type of fitness program for their employees and support it because it has great rewards. I read an article that highlights "10 Reasons to Encourage Fitness in the Workplace." It has been interesting to see how the immediate effect might appear to be improved physical strength, but that translates to renewed energy on the job and stronger internal relationships as we support each other through our participation and mutual physical and mental growth. So, next time the Indianapolis job market or the current hiring trends get you down, roll out the mat, grab a buddy and focus on your core!

Staffing

Staffing your Sales Team

October 14, 2009

Recently, I traveled up to Kohler, Wisconsin for a much needed "Fall Getaway". I was in the car for 5 hours, which gave me ample time to catch up on my industry specific readings. I read an article in the magazine "SI Review" titled "Staffing your Sales Team" and I read it from the perspective of particular hiring trends for staffing your sales team within the Indianapolis staffing industry. I have been in the Indianapolis staffing industry for almost 16 years and during that time, I have gone back and forth about what type of individual to hire to sell That’s Good HR, Inc.’s services. In my opinion, there are typically 3 types of backgrounds to look at:

Background 1: Someone who has general industry experience- they have sold for the staffing industry previously and you just have to teach them about your niche
Background 2: Someone who has sales experience but in another industry and you have to teach them about the staffing industry
Background 3: Someone who has worked within the discipline that we sell and you teach them sales (i.e. an ex. accountant)

And the answer is….. actually, it depends. There is no single model for a successful sales force. Now, I don’t feel so bad that I have always been wishy washy through the years as to what I was looking for. The reality is I have hired people which each of the above backgrounds and I have had successes and failures with all of them in the organizations that I have worked for.

I am so glad that I stumbled onto this article and read it because it made some great points that I absolutely agree with and it provided some clarity around those hiring decisions. No longer will I be always chasing after the answer to the perfect background and there isn’t one.

Here are a couple of great highlights from this article that I would like to share with you:

Each Staffing firm has its own unique culture, it’s critical to make sure the person’s work style will mesh well with your system
It is very difficult to teach an old dog new tricks, to change them to do business your way

And my favorite of all, as it speaks directly to our industry:

Not all sales experience is transferable. The staffing and recruiting industry is the hardest form of selling on the planet. It sells the only product or service on the market that can say no. That makes it unlike and more complicated than any other form of selling

Happy Sales Hiring!