Berks & Beyond Blog

Last week Berks & Beyond introduced you to the concept of V.U.C.A. – a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous operating environment which has become the “new normal” in business today.

To truly thrive under such conditions, you need to develop “agile models” that prepare your workforce for major disruptive events.  These business models must also include the processes and systems that can actually shift and handle any unpredicted upcoming event at a moment’s notice.

Staffing and recruiting services, like those offered by Berks & Beyond Employment Services, can help you meet the challenges of today’s unpredictable business environment.  We help Central and Southern Pennsylvania employers like you successfully manage volatility with:

• Contingent labor.  By using temporary and contract employees as a significant part of your workforce, you increase your capability to meet sudden upturns, downturns and new skill needs.  The flexibility contingent labor provides helps you operate cost-efficiently, while still maintaining the ability to capitalize on new business opportunities.
• Project-oriented, senior level trainers.  Staffing and recruiting firms can provide quick access to specialized experts who can train your staff to effectively manage change.  You can use these professionals to carry out scenario training and simulations to make your core staff more comfortable and confident when they encounter complex situations that are full of uncertainty and ambiguity.  Using contract professionals in a case like this provides two benefits.  First, your core managers won’t be distracted from their primary responsibilities to design and conduct training.  Additionally, once the training is complete, so are your extra personnel expenses.
• Rapid talent acquisition.  We can work with you to develop detailed position specifications, before hiring needs arise.  When the time comes, our knowledge of your requirements and deep talent pool will provide quicker access to top candidates who are ready to perform for your business.
• Outsourcing.  Outsourcing services can help you effectively meet sudden needs, large increases in business and overflow work – without the need to continually hire and then lay-off workers.

The one constant in today’s business world?  Rapid change.  Thankfully, Berks & Beyond is prepared to help you manage the “new normal” of today’s V.U.C.A. environment.

Have you ever heard of V.U.C.A.?

Well, many are not yet familiar with the term.  But unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last five years, you’ve felt V.U.C.A.’s impact on our business and economic conditions.  In a recent ERE.net article, Dr. John Sullivan explores the concept of V.U.C.A., as well as the effect it’s had on today’s recruiting and workforce management.

If you are one of the many strategic leaders frustrated with your inability to manage the rate of change in today’s talent management environment, you should spend a few minutes learning about V.U.C.A.  This term is an acronym for an environment that is dominated by:

• Volatility – where things change rapidly but not predictably;
• Uncertainty – where the past is not an accurate predictor of the future (and therefore preparing for “what’s around the corner” is extremely difficult;
• Complexity – where countless causes and mitigating factors complicate problems;
• Ambiguity – where the causes (i.e., who, what, where, when, how and why) behind events are often unclear.

The concept of managing under chaos is not new.  Throughout history, we’ve had numerous periods of social, economic and political upheaval which have created highly unstable business conditions.  But while these periods of uncertainty eventually resolved themselves, most business, economic and political leaders have realized that today’s V.U.C.A. environment is now a permanent condition.

According to Sullivan, talent managers, HR and recruiting professionals must develop new ways to survive in a V.U.C.A. environment.  Traditional models of talent acquisition and management simply cannot work, because they are not versatile enough to accommodate the rapid and unpredictable changes in business.

To truly thrive, you need to develop “agile models” that prepare your workforce for major disruptive events by providing a wider range of options/solutions.  Additionally, these models must also include the processes and systems that can actually shift and handle any unpredicted upcoming event “just-in-time.”  Bottom line, you must be prepared to handle unforeseen workforce events and conditions that literally nobody thought of in advance.

Check the Berks & Beyond blog next Tuesday to learn how our staffing services for Central and Southern Pennsylvania employers can help you thrive in a V.U.C.A. environment.

What do doctors, hiring managers and referees have in common?

They’re all guilty of implicit bias.

Implicit bias is a form of prejudice that occurs when someone consciously rejects stereotypes and discrimination, but also holds unconscious negative associations in his mind.  Implicit bias does not mean that an individual is hiding his racial prejudices – he literally does not know that he has them.

While the measuring of unconscious biases might seem inconsequential on the surface, it takes on new meaning when we see bias’ impact in the real world.  Studies show that doctors are more likely to prescribe life-saving care to whites, that managers are more likely to hire and promote members of their own in-group and that referees in basketball might be more likely to subtly favor players with whom they share a racial identity.

These biases are incredibly difficult to control, because they form so early in life.  Social scientists believe children begin to acquire prejudices and stereotypes as toddlers.  Children as young as age three learn terms of racial prejudice without really understanding their significance.  They form attachments to their own groups and develop negative attitudes about other racial or ethnic groups.  Over time, most children acquire a full set of biases that become the foundation of stereotypes, prejudice and, ultimately, discrimination.

Also known as hidden or unconscious bias, implicit bias has become a hot topic of study for psychologists at Harvard, the University of Virginia and the University of Washington.  Researchers at these institutions have created Implicit Association Tests, or IATs, to measure the prevalence and degree of unconscious bias.

IAT research is relevant for HR and other hiring managers, because of its application to the hiring process.  While interviewers may believe that they’re impartial, unconscious biases may affect their attitudes toward candidates of other races – and ultimately their hiring decisions.

How do you manage these potential hiring biases if you’re not sure they even exist?  Knowledge is power.  Take the Implicit Association Test,  part of the Project Implicit Harvard research study.  Scores are not a definitive assessment of your implicit thoughts or feelings, but should provide opportunities for self-reflection.

Ensure great Hires with Berks & Beyond

Direct placement services like Berks & Beyond have the resources and expertise to quickly and cost-effectively deliver candidates with skills, experience and behavioral traits to succeed in your organization.  We use professionally trained interviewers, skills-specific testing, thorough background checks and satisfaction guarantees to ensure the success of your next hire.

The summer season is approaching, and you know what that means.  Throughout Central and Southern Pennsylvania, a multitude of college students will be looking for internships.

An internship program can create a win-win scenario for both employer and job seeker, but only if implemented properly.  So consider these pros and cons before “taking the plunge”:

Pros:

• Get work done.  Interns provide additional manpower for short-term support.  Extra hands help increase productivity and free core employees to complete creative, strategic or other projects you may struggle to complete.
• Internship programs are year-round recruiting tools.  By continually bringing in new talent, you create an ongoing pipeline of potential employees.
• Internships allow you to essentially “test-drive” a potential employee.  You can assess how he performs on the job, and how he fits into your corporate culture, before extending an offer for employment.
• Bring in fresh perspective.  New people bring with them novel perspectives, fresh ideas, specialized strengths and up-to-date skill sets.  You can use these to augment your direct workforce and help you uncover new solutions to company challenges.

Cons:

• Planning and properly administering an internship program is time-consuming.  If you do not have the resources to adequately orient and manage interns, your program will not wind up benefiting anyone.
• Unpaid internships are not without their risks.  Recently, state and federal regulators have been debating whether or not unpaid internships are legal.  Notably, high-profile media outlets have been targeted by class-action lawsuits brought by interns who claim they are actually employees.  Claimants allege that by misclassifying workers as interns, employers denied them “the benefits that the law affords to employees, including unemployment, workers’ compensation insurance, Social Security contributions, and, most crucially, the right to earn a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work.”

Not interested in the legal exposure associated with interns?  Temporary and contract employees are a great alternative.  They deliver all of the advantages listed above, without the risks.

If you want to increase productivity, free your workforce to focus on more strategic priorities, or bring fresh perspective to your organizational challenges, Berks & Beyond’s temporary and contract staffing services for Central and Southern Pennsylvania employers may be just what you need.  Contact us today to learn more.

Have you ever imagined what it’s like to be a temporary worker?

Think about it for a minute.  With each new assignment, a contingent worker has to: find his way to and around a new work location; learn how to use new computer systems, tools, machinery or other equipment; fit into an entirely unique corporate culture.  Oh, and while he does all this, he also has to be instantly productive in his new position.

If it sounds a little daunting, that’s because it is.  A contingent worker faces a fresh set of challenges with each new assignment.  Although he’s used to managing the change inherent in his role, an effective onboarding process for temporaries can help smooth his transition into your organization.

Your staffing service should take a leading role in onboarding contingent workers.  As their employer of record, Berks & Beyond makes sure that all our employees’ paperwork (such as E-Verify, employment documentation, background checks, etc.) is in line and provides them with thorough descriptions of their assignment responsibilities.  For high volume staffing users, we can even develop customized orientation materials to ensure our employees are properly introduced to your company and their positions.

You can help ensure your contingent workers are productive, safe and efficient by helping to onboard them, too.  In her Staffing Industry Analysts blog, Subadhra Sriram recommends the following tips to help you orient and assimilate temporary and contract workers:

• Have contingent workers complete online forms before their assignments start.  Instead of spending valuable time filling out paperwork when they arrive, our employees can immediately begin working for you.
• Provide us with clear and detailed job descriptions, as well as performance expectations.  Sharing this information before the assignment starts helps ensure all parties are on the same page – and are working toward the same goals.
• Give your temporary and contract workers the support they need.  Make sure they know to whom they report and who can answer their questions.  Have all the materials they will need to perform their work available and set up.
• Establish a collegial working environment.  Before a temporary arrives, tell your direct staff about his role and how they can welcome/support him.  Once he’s there, take a few minutes to properly introduce the temporary to his co-workers, show him where the break room and restrooms are, etc.

These steps may sound small, but they will truly make a big difference to your contingent workers.  Treat them with care and they’ll return the favor.

When asked, the vast majority of managers will tell you that they do not enjoy firing employees.

Who can blame them?  The process of taking away another person’s livelihood is typically uncomfortable, stressful and just plain unpleasant.  Still, it has to be done.

As one of the “necessary evils” of successful management, terminating an employee should be executed directly and professionally.   Use these tips to make the process more tolerable, while protecting your company:

Do prepare.  Before firing him, sit down with your employee to convey your unhappiness with his work.  Try to give that person 30 days to improve his performance before letting him go.  Keep a file detailing your conversations.  This will: demonstrate your due diligence; help to lessen the surprise factor during the actual termination; give you a record of verbal and written feedback that demonstrates use of a performance plan and a warning system.

Don’t act in the “heat of the moment.”  If you fire someone out of frustration, fear or anger, you’re setting yourself up for a lawsuit.  Instead, take a step back and conduct a thorough investigation, obtaining information from all parties involved.  If your only option is to terminate an employee, get advice first from a human resources professional or employment lawyer.  These experts can help ensure you abide by state and federal laws, as well as your company’s unique employment policies.

Do get your ducks in a row.  Simplify the employee’s transition by handling termination logistics before calling the employee in.  Create a clear plan for the employee to return company property, clean out his desk/office and consult with HR on pay/benefits to expedite the separation.

Don’t hold the termination meeting in your office.  If the employee gets too upset, he might not want to leave your office, putting you both in an awkward position.  Instead, pick a neutral site.  A conference or meeting room is best for holding your termination meeting.

Do get down to business.  Skip the small talk.  Don’t bother trying to warm the mood or to pretend it’s an ordinary exchange – you’re only delaying the inevitable.  Save the platitudes and limit the meeting to 10 minutes or less.

Don’t lose your cool.  Keep it pleasant, but not too friendly.  Let the employee down as easily as you can without being unprofessional.  Remember, you are not this person’s comforter – he can go home to his spouse, friends or family for the support he needs.  Above all else, never lose your temper.  If you become hostile, it’s more likely the employee will file a lawsuit or grievance.

Do show empathy.  Try to put yourself in the employee’s shoes and understand what he’s going through.  Be patient when you talk to him and keep your cool if he becomes angry, upset or frustrated.  Offer whatever resources your company provides to ease the employee’s transition.

Do act decisively.  Make sure that both your tone and wording are resolute.  Giving an employee “wiggle room” or false hope will only encourage him to try and argue to save his job.  If you find yourself getting dragged into a pointless discussion, take charge by saying something like, “I’ll be glad to talk about this as long as you like, but you should know that nothing we discuss will change the decision.”

Do speak honestly.  If you’re downsizing, leave performance out of the picture.  But if performance is the issue, don’t try to hide behind an excuse to make the conversation easier for you.  You’ll be doing the employee a disservice and opening your business to potential problems – especially if you later hire someone to fill the vacant slot.  Be direct about your reason for termination, even if it’s difficult for one or both of you.

One of the benefits of Berks & Beyond’s temporary staff is never having to fire them!  As their employer of record, we take care of replacing and/or reassigning workers.  Contact Berks & Beyond today to find out more about our staffing and recruiting services for Central and Southern Pennsylvania employers.

“Life is 10% what happens to you
and 90% how you react to it.”

–Charles R. Swindoll

A positive attitude is critical to success in both your personal and professional lives.  But unfortunately, as things go wrong throughout your day, it’s easy to let negative thoughts overtake the positive ones.

While you often can’t control what happens to you each day, you can control how you view these events and respond to them.  These suggestions will help you maintain a healthy attitude and respond constructively – even on those difficult days:

1. Surround yourself with positive messages.  Read a positive book.  It doesn’t necessarily have to be a motivational “self-help” book, just one with an uplifting theme.  If you don’t have the time to read as often as you’d like, try a podcast or audio book.  These allow you to hear positive messages while you clean your house, exercise or commute.
2. Wake up a little earlier.  Beginning your day feeling harried and rushed can start things off on the wrong note.  So give yourself an extra 15 minutes in the morning to get a head start on the day.  You can spend the time as you like – reading, meditating, getting a few things done around the house – without interruption.  Those extra minutes will help you feel more relaxed and focused, instead of feeling like you’re playing “beat the clock.”
3. Realize that not everything will go as you planned.  It’s great to have a plan for your day, but it’s also important to be flexible when things don’t go according to that plan.  Nothing in life is absolutely perfect.  To maintain a positive attitude, accept the notion that you’ll face obstacles (some large, some small) almost every day.  Be willing to adapt your plan when things go wrong and move back toward what’s most important to you.
4. Spend time with positive people.  Charles Swindoll also said, “I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let’s face it, friends make life a lot more fun.“  Friends do make life more fun – especially when they’re upbeat.  Think about it.  The people around you impact how you view yourself, your circumstances and life in general.  So surround yourself with positive people and you’ll be more positive, too.
5. Get some exercise.  Spring is finally here – why not get outside and take a walk?  The fresh air, sunlight and exercise can do wonders to relieve stress and lift your mood.  Exercise is also a powerful antidote to anxiety and depression.  Even when you don’t have time for a 30-minute workout, find small ways to add in a little exercise.  Take the stairs, take a 10-minute walk at lunch or even do sit-ups during commercial breaks while you’re watching TV.  Every minute you spend moving your body is a minute spent bolstering your attitude.
6. Do something nice for someone else.  Like exercise, altruism also naturally releases endorphins (your brain’s “feel good” chemicals).  So find a small way to brighten someone’s day.  The kindness you show will come back to you twofold.
7. Make leisure time a priority.  Do things for the simple reason that it feels good to do them.  Have lunch with a friend, go to a funny movie, listen to your favorite music or spend time pursuing a hobby.  Doing something fun is not indulgent – it’s an emotional and mental health necessity!

At Berks & Beyond, we’re thankful to have a team of inspiring and upbeat employees with positive, can-do attitudes.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with a friend and spread a little positivity today!

At Berks & Beyond, we’ve always been a little different – but that’s why our clients like us!

Our approach to staffing is unique.  Here are just a few of the ways being different can benefit your company:

• We start at the finish.  Rather than focusing on “filling orders,” we first seek to understand what our clients want to accomplish.  Then, we help them determine the smartest ways to achieve their goals.
• We’re not (just) about speed.  Sure, we can fill last-minute staffing needs.  We pride ourselves, however, on taking the time to carefully match people and job opportunities.  We want to get it right the first time, rather than just refer someone fast.
• We won’t refer anyone until we understand your business.  We’re unique, and we know that our clients are, too.  That’s why we begin every client engagement with a tour of the workplace.  By taking the time up front to accurately evaluate our clients’ needs, we can ensure we consistently refer the best candidates.
• We’re tough, but fair, in how we assess people.  By asking LOTS of questions, conducting skills tests, and checking backgrounds and references, we get a much deeper understanding of the people we represent.  That’s why we’re always confident that the people we refer will be a great fit.
• We’re strict (okay, a little obsessive) about following up.  We know that our service only begins when we place someone.  We check in with clients to find out if every employee is meeting their needs and satisfying their expectations.  And if they’re not, we want to make things right as soon as possible.
• We’re not some bureaucratic or gigantic firm bound to policy.  We work here.  We live here.  We’re committed to providing great service to the people of Berks, Lehigh, Montgomery, Dauphin and York Counties and their surrounding communities.

Over the years, we’ve been called a lot of things (thankfully, most of them are nice!).  We’ve been called a partner, a friend, and once in awhile even a lifesaver.  But what we’ve never been called is ordinary.  We must be doing something right, because we’ve grown to become one of the largest staffing companies in Central and Southern Pennsylvania.

What can Berks & Beyond do for you?  If you need top talent in Berks, York, Dauphin, Montgomery or Lehigh County, give us a call!  We’d be happy to show you how “different” can be good for your business.

Has the pendulum swung too far?

In a recent HBR article entitled “The Case for Executive Assistants,” author Melba J. Duncan defends the true value an administrative assistant can deliver.  She argues that the average company has actually gone too far in cutting back on administrative help, and that – beyond merely writing business letters and scheduling meetings – a skilled executive assistant can:

• boost productivity and free you to focus on your top priorities;
• assist in on-boarding new managers;
• provide reverse mentoring;
• and act as the air traffic controller of an office, particularly for managers who travel frequently.

But in recent years, businesses across Central and Southern Pennsylvania have been under tremendous pressure to cut costs and reduce head count.  E-mail, mobile devices and other new technologies have also made managers and executives more self-sufficient than ever.  So how do you justify the true value administrative staff can provide?

In addition to reading the HBR article, you should find ways to maximize the effectiveness of assistants.  Remember, not every manager (particularly younger managers, who’ve grown up with technology that’s increased their self-sufficiency) knows how to make good use of an executive or administrative assistant.  These tips can help:

• Develop a checklist of responsibilities. Consider tasks that could be shifted from higher level employees and add in new tasks that are important, but not currently being carried out.  If several people are sharing the resources of your new assistant, be sure to clearly establish how he should allocate work time, to whom he should report, etc.
• Properly introduce and orient your assistant. Let your colleagues know that your assistant speaks and acts for you (or your work team/department).
• Don’t be afraid to delegate. If you hire intelligently, you should trust your assistant to figure out how to do the things you need accomplished.
• Have your assistant attend important meetings.  This will facilitate his understanding of the issues facing your staff or department and help him to be viewed as an important contributor.
• Offer training. Technology and managerial training may help your assistant fill his changing role effectively – while making him a more valuable team member.
• Keep the lines of communication open. Make it easy for your assistant stay in touch with you, and let him know your preferred methods of communication.  When delegating and giving instructions, be sure they are clear and precise.  And since communication is a two-way street, listen to your assistant.  Because he plays such a central role, he may be privy to vital information that you don’t readily have access to.
• Show him your appreciation for a job well done. Your assistant’s job is to help you be more successful in yours.  Don’t forget to thank him when he’s made your job easier or helped you look good.

Find the Ideal Administrative or Executive Assistant with Berks & Beyond

Surprisingly, hiring the ideal executive assistant can actually be more difficult than filling other management jobs.  So why do it on your own?  Berks & Beyond Employment Services can make your search quicker, easier and more cost-effective.  Contact us today, and we’ll help you find the perfect administrative or executive assistant.

No matter how large or small your business is, running it profitably still begins with the same simple equation:

Revenue – Expense = Profit

As I’ve said before, staffing is an important part of this equation!  Today I’d like to focus on the “Expense” side – particularly, the ways you can use Berks & Beyond’s services to reduce your long-term expenses.  Our staffing services can:

1. Reduce overtime expenses.  When your business surges, use temporary employees to handle the extra volume – instead of paying overtime.  Why?  You won’t pay benefits, overtime rates or payroll administration for the hours our temporaries work.  As a result, contingent staff can provide the extra man hours you need, while reducing labor expenses and preventing direct employee burnout.
2. Lower your cost-per-hire.  We’re hiring experts – and we leverage technology and economies of scale to provide a cost-effective alternative to recruiting and hiring on your own.  Our direct placement services eliminate the expense and time associated with advertising, screening résumés, interviewing, testing and checking references.  We can shorten your time-to-hire, minimize the disruption to your business and ultimately lower your average cost-per-hire.
3. Minimize legal exposure.  Employment-related lawsuits are messy, time-consuming and extremely expensive.  Berks & Beyond helps protect you from potential lawsuits by ensuring that non-discriminatory hiring practices are followed.  Furthermore, we assume the financial and legal obligations for payroll, statutory taxes and all government reporting.
4. Eliminate overstaffing.  If your workloads have predictable ups and downs, planned staffing can help you convert fixed expenses to variable.  We can work with you to minimize your direct staff to the level needed to sustain your core volume of work, and then proactively bring in supplemental help only when it’s needed.  Used properly, planned staffing can decrease your need for lay-offs as well as unemployment claims.
5. Limit benefits expense.  On average, benefits typically add 30 to 35 percent on top of payroll costs.  By using temporary employees to add short-term capacity, you can eliminate these expenses.  As their employer of record, we are responsible for offering and paying for temporary employees’ benefits.

Follow this link for more ways that staffing can improve your profitability.

Berks & Beyond Employment Services – Driving Profits for Pennsylvania Employers

Need to aggressively manage staffing expenses?  Looking for new ways to increase productivity?  Have a great business idea, but lack the human resources to turn it into a reality?  Contact Berks & Beyond today.  We have the knowledge, business expertise and highly skilled candidates you need to get work done and become more profitable.