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.

School is winding down and the weather is heating up.  It’s hard to believe, but summer’s just around the corner!

If you’re looking for a job in Carlisle, Harrisburg, Allentown, Reading, Pottstown or York – or anywhere else in Central or Southern Pennsylvania – it’s time to contact Berks & Beyond.

During the summer, many employers scramble to fill vacancies, complete special projects and staff for their busy season.  They rely on our temporary and contract staffing services to help them accomplish these goals.

So whether you want to:

• earn money during the summer months;
• obtain flexible employment that fits your schedule;
• build your résumé and learn new skills;
• or get your foot in the door with Pennsylvania’s leading employers;

Berks & Beyond has opportunities that fit your schedule, desired environment and salary requirements.  In most cases, employers plan their summer staffing needs in advance – now is the time to register with us!

Applying is quick and simple.  The best way to send us your résumé is to select a job from our listings, or you can contact a recruiter online (if you are not applying for a specific position).  Either way, please know that our services are provided to you at no cost.  New opportunities arrive daily, so check our Pennsylvania job listings frequently.

If you’re interested in something more than a “summer gig,” temporary work is also a great way to find direct employment.  According to the American Staffing Association:

• 88% of staffing employees say that temporary or contract work made them more employable.
• 77% of staffing employees say it’s a good way to obtain a permanent job.
• 80% of staffing clients say staffing firms offer a good way to find people who can become permanent employees.

So whether you need a short-term assignment, or are searching for a more permanent work arrangement, Berks & Beyond can provide the perfect opportunity for you.

Q:  What are behavioral interview questions?

A:  Behavioral questions are designed to reveal more than just skills or experience.  They operate on the premise that understanding past behavior is the best way to predict future success.  Questions may be casually inserted into a typical interview, or you may be formally required to answer a set list.

Behavioral interview questions will require you to describe situations from your past, as well as your feelings and observations about them.  Depending upon your answers, the interviewer may have follow-up probing questions.  The interviewer will look for evidence of desired behavioral traits in your responses, to assess your proficiency in certain job-related areas.

Q:  What are some examples of behavioral interview questions?

A:  Unlike standard questions, which are designed to gain more information about your skills and experience, behavioral questions focus on revealing behavioral traits.  Here are a few examples:

“What is the most creative idea you’ve implemented to solve a problem?”

“Can you describe a time when you tried to persuade another person to do something that he was not very willing to do?”

“What is the most difficult project you’ve worked on – and how did it help you develop professionally?”

Q:  How can I perform well in a behavioral interview?

A:  As with all interview questions, preparing for behavioral questions is essential to success.  While you cannot predict the specific questions you will be asked, you can use these tips to ace your next behavioral interview – no matter what type of job you’re seeking:

• Learn about the company.  Do your homework before the interview to learn about the company, its core values and the available position.  Use the job description to determine the most essential behaviors needed to succeed in the position, then research potential behavioral interview questions that are associated with these traits.
• Create your behavioral interview arsenal.  Create a list of key accomplishments that exemplify the traits necessary to succeed in the available position.  If you lack work experience, draw upon your school experiences (challenging courses/tests, group projects, research papers, etc.).  Select experiences that reflect well on you, even if the outcome of the situation itself was not favorable.  With a bit of work, you can develop a repertoire of a small number of workplace experiences that you can use to answer a wide range of behavioral questions.
• Flesh out each experience.  Make sure each of your examples has a beginning, middle and end.  Experts recommend using the STAR technique to communicate your ideas logically and concisely:  the beginning should describe a Situation you were in or the Task you needed to accomplish; the middle should recount the Action that you took; the end should review the measurable Results you achieved.
• Practice with a friend.  Behavioral interviews can be grueling.  Boost your confidence by rehearsing your workplace stories ahead of time with a friend or relative.  Aim for vivid, concise answers that are one to three minutes long.

Looking for more interview help?  Searching for jobs in Harrisburg, Allentown, Reading, Pottstown, York or Carlisle?  Berks & Beyond is here to help.  As one of Southern Pennsylvania’s largest staffing companies, we can help you take the next step in your career.

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.

Ever feel like your staffing needs are a moving target?

The truth is, effective staffing is often challenging because your needs change so frequently.  For any number of reasons (workload fluctuations, local market conditions, the economy, available labor, etc.), a staffing approach that worked for you a year ago may not be as effective today.

This doesn’t mean you’re out of luck; it just means that you may need to re-examine your staffing strategy.  So start 2012 off right.  Consider these staffing best practices which have proven effective for corporate human resources executives across the country, courtesy of workforce.com:

• Make sure the staffing partner has an adequate balance sheet. Given the relatively low barriers to entry, it is too common to see staffing companies struggle financially.
• Be sure the staffing partner has sufficient size and financial resources to manage the contract. Sourcing 100 or more contract workers on an ongoing basis requires a very different type of staffing organization than providing two or three temps at a time.
• Visit the local office of the staffing company as part of the due-diligence process, especially for large projects, to make sure the operation meets expectations.
• Give your staffing partner feedback on all candidates that you review to help refine the recruiting strategy, and make it easier to find the best candidates.
• Be open-minded about “teachable” candidates, especially for hard-to-fill skill sets. Candidates who are a strong cultural fit and possess transferable skills are likely to succeed and thrive with some training and support.
• Provide enough training, rewards and feedback to keep temps engaged and motivated. One employer notes that small rewards—a free lunch for good performance, for example—go a long way toward winning the loyalty of temps.
• Beware of unfair negative stereotypes about the quality of temp workers. Temps can be—and often are—as qualified as full-time employees, and their skills can be equally useful.

Berks & Beyond – Your Best Staffing Strategy for 2012 and Beyond

With over a decade of experience, Berks & Beyond has grown to become one of Southern Pennsylvania’s largest, and most well established, staffing companies.  You can rest assured we are a stable, successful partner you can trust with your all your workforce management needs – no matter how large or small.

Call us to schedule a 2012 workforce consultation.  Together, we can identify your upcoming needs and develop a proactive, cost-effective staffing strategy that will deliver real bottom-line results.

The countdown is just around the corner.

As we head into 2012, many of us will vow to make the new year better by changing something about ourselves.  Unfortunately, most of us will not follow through.

Before you make your 2012 New Year’s resolutions, take a look at this list of the Top 10 Most Commonly Broken New Year’s Resolutions, courtesy of Time.com:

1. Lose Weight and Get Fit.  After a season of cookies, candies and holiday parties, it’s only natural to want to shed a few extra pounds and get into better shape.  But research shows that by February, 60% of gym memberships go unused.
2. Quit Smoking.  E-cigarettes, nicotine patches and chewing gum are all designed to help newly motivated smokers kick the habit.  But after just six months, only an estimated 15% of quitters are still cigarette-free.
3. Learn Something New.  If you’re thinking of taking up a musical instrument or learning to cook French cuisine, know that you’ll face an uphill battle.  Resolving to learn something new is exciting, but it’s also hard work.
4. Eat Healthier and Diet.  Many dieters are full of resolve on January 2nd.  Unfortunately, they force themselves into restricting diets they can’t possible keep.  Try using some common-sense moderation, instead, and you’re much more likely to succeed.
5. Get Out of Debt and Save Money.  After the budget-unfriendly month of December, many consumers try to halt their spending and manage their debt more effectively.  Rather than announcing sweeping changes and setting unattainable goals, however, financial planners advise making specific budget-friendly rules (like packing lunch, shopping for cheaper insurance/lower credit card interest rates, etc.) to improve your financial situation.
6. Spend More Time with Family.  The beginning of the year is an ideal time to reconnect with family whom you’ve not seen in awhile.  But work pressures, physical distance, strained relationships and even messy divorces make this resolution particularly hard to keep.
7. Travel to New Places.  The new year awakens within many of us a desire to travel.  The financial realities of the Great Recession, the headache of planning and the difficulty of finding help to tend to your home and pets can quickly put this desire to rest.
8. Be Less Stressed.  While it’s not a bad idea – less stress can make you healthier and happier – stressing less is likely to be the very first resolution you’ll break.  Case in point?  Just thinking about tackling any resolution will raise your stress level!
9. Volunteer.  This year, you may resolve to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate than you.  While this is certainly a noble gesture, even the most compassionate among us can fall back on commitments.  Finding time to give to a worthy cause is often harder than finding money.
10. Drink Less.  After a seemingly endless barrage of parties filled with beer, wine, champagne and cocktails, it’s not surprising that many of us vow to drink less.  But after a few days or week, why do we start drinking again?  The Greco-Roman ancients may have said it best when they proclaimed “In vino veritas” (in wine, there is truth).

From all of us at Berks & Beyond, have a safe, happy, healthy and successful New Year!

While retention is a hot buzzword these days, you can’t talk about retention without talking about turnover. Do you realize how much it’s costing you? Turnover costs most companies thousands if not millions of dollars a year – but most employers don’t realize it!

Companies routinely record and report costs such as wages and benefits, workman’s compensation insurance, utilities, materials and space, yet most companies have no system in place to track and report the cost of employee turnover.

How to Estimate Turnover Costs

• SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, once estimated that it costs $3,500.00 to replace one $8.00 per hour employee when all costs — recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training, reduced productivity, etc., were considered. But SHRM’s estimate was the lowest of 17 nationally respected companies who calculate this cost!

• Other sources estimate that turnover costs you 30-50% of the annual salary of entry-level employees, 150% of middle level employees, and up to 400% for specialized, high level employees.

• Do a quick calculation: Think of a job in your organization that has experienced high turnover, maybe supervisors. Estimate their annual average pay and the number of supervisors you lose annually. If their average annual pay is $40,000, multiply this by .125% (125% of their annual pay). The result? It costs $50,000 to replace just one supervisor. If you lose ten supervisors a year, you’re spending $500,000 in replacement costs just for supervisors. And that’s the bottom line cost. The top line cost? If the company’s profit margin is 10%, then it costs $5,000,000 in revenues to replace these ten supervisors.

Do These Numbers Seem Unbelievable?

Actual turnover costs are usually much higher than we think they are.

If you want to find out exactly how much turnover is costing your organization, find an online employee turnover calculator. Just remember that only tangible costs can be calculated on these sites. Intangible costs are just as real and sometimes much greater than quantifiable costs, but they are difficult if not impossible to measure.

Why Don’t More Companies See This as a Costly Problem?

Many companies don’t realize the true cost of turnover, which costs companies in both expertise and dollars, because they have never examined it. Here are five possible reasons:

1. No process is in place to tabulate the costs of turnover.

2. If they are measured, those costs are not reported to top management.

3. Employers think it’s an inescapable cost of doing business — but it’s not!

4. Everyone thinks it’s an HR problem, but it’s really a strategic issue requiring top management and HR’s combined attention and actions.

5. Costs are underestimated, so they don’t cause concern.

How Can You Measure Turnover Costs in Your Organization?

A comprehensive program measures the following costs:

• · Separation costs
• · Replacement costs
• · Training costs
• · Vacancy costs

Separation costs include:

• costs incurred for exit interviews
• administrative functions related to termination
• separation/severance pay
• any increase in unemployment compensation.

Replacement costs include the cost of:

• attracting applicants
• entrance interviews
• testing
• preemployment administrative expenses
• acquisition and dissemination of information.

Training costs include both formal and informal training costs. Vacancy costs include the net cost incurred due to increased overtime or temporary employees needed to complete the tasks of the vacant position.

How can you reduce turnover?

When turnover costs are unacceptably high, do an assessment. Find out who is leaving and why. Exit interviews can help you gain information. Then develop a retention program based on your findings.

You can always contact Berks & Beyond to find out how we can help lessen your turnover costs!

The holidays are a time to celebrate, give thanks and enjoy both family and friends.

Unfortunately, the holidays can also make you want to tear your hair out by the roots.

The reality is, most of us are over-scheduled, over-worked and overwhelmed.  And while this season is meant to instill feelings of love and cheer, the increased expectations and financial strain of the holidays can overshadow the joy we should be experiencing.

This year, make a commitment to handling stress – before it handles you.  Use these tips to proactively identify and manage your stress levels during the holidays, and hopefully enjoy yourself a little bit more.

Identify the Causes

Stress increases during the holidays for any number of reasons.  Here are some of its prime culprits:

• Excess. During the holidays, we tend to eat, drink and spend too much.  Parties, gift-giving, stores filled with sales, decadent desserts and cocktails – they all tempt us to overindulge and then leave us with lasting consequences (e.g., debt, weight gain, headaches and worse).
• Extended visits. While spending time with family during the holidays can be a wonderful thing, it can also cause an overdose of togetherness.  Everyone needs his space during stressful times, and extended visits can leave you with little or no time to decompress and recharge.
• Social isolation. On the other side of the spectrum, loneliness can be just as much of a problem.  For those who don’t have family to visit, the holidays can exacerbate feelings of isolation.

Keep it Manageable

One of the only good things about holiday stress is that you can plan ahead to manage it – before it becomes overwhelming.  Use these common-sense tips to keep your stress at a healthy level this season:

• Realize that you can’t do it all. You are not a super hero and nobody should expect you to be.  Take the pressure off of yourself and avoid the trap of setting unrealistic expectations this season.
• Evaluate your priorities. What are the most important things to you and your family during the holidays – spending time with family?  Sharing a special meal?  Shopping together?  Giving gifts?  Sending cards?  Decide which activities and traditions offer the most positive impact, and then eliminate the extraneous ones.  If you focus on a few favorite pursuits and really enjoy them, you won’t miss the rest.
• Exercise regularly. Nothing provides immediate, reliable relief from anxiety like a good workout.  You don’t have to run a marathon to feel the benefits of exercise, but you do have to engage in it regularly.  Whether you lift weights, walk, bike, use the Wii or take classes like yoga or kickboxing, make exercise a priority this season.  In addition to relieving stress and boosting your mood, it will also help you keep those extra pounds at bay during a time when you’ll be taking in more calories.
• Set a schedule. Put your plans on paper (or into your scheduling app) to see how realistic they truly are.  Be sure to allow time and flexibility for additional shopping trips, driving, exercise, unexpected visits and good old-fashioned “down time.”  If your planner looks too full, you probably need to re-examine your priorities.
• Plan for togetherness and alone time. When dealing with difficult relatives, it’s okay to set limits on what you are willing to do.  On the other hand, if you anticipate loneliness, it’s smart to invite a group of friends to your home.  The key in both cases is to plan ahead, so you have both the togetherness and space you need.
• Eat smart. During the holidays, we’re bombarded with a parade of delicious food, tempting treats and a seemingly endless supply of cocktails.  If you want to look and feel your best this holiday season, plan ahead.  Be aware of your triggers for overindulging, keep healthy foods in your refrigerator as much as possible and practice moderation.
• Make balance a priority. For most of us, work doesn’t stop during the holidays.  Use these suggestions to maintain a healthy work/life balance through this season – and all year long.

From all of us at Berks & Beyond, we wish you a happy, healthy and stress-free holiday season!

If you use temporary or short-term employees this time of year, then you know how vital they are to your workforce.  From line workers and administrative assistants, to managers and IT professionals, contingent staff can help keep your business humming during its busiest times.

Given the vital role they play, how can you keep them motivated and working for you? True, you don’t have to go out of your way to make short-term or temporary staff feel valued; however, doing so may help you improve the results you get from them.  Just like your direct staff, motivated temporary employees can:

• improve customer service levels;
• reduce turnover;
• improve quality and attention to detail;
• control labor costs.

Simply put, rewarding your contingent staff makes good business sense.  So how do you show each temporary that he’s a valued part of your organization?  Use this quick list of tips:

Create a formal job description. Doing so sends the message that the employee and the work he does are important.

Orient and introduce. When a new short-term worker shows up, introduce him to the people with whom he’ll be working.  Give him a formal tour of your location, pointing out the lunchroom, restroom, etc.  Do what you can to make him feel like a part of your team.

Treat him with respect. Introduce the worker to his colleagues by giving his full name.  Explain to everyone involved the role he will play.  This presents your temporary in a much more respectable light to his new co-workers – and presents you as a professional in the temporary employee’s eyes.

Provide a challenging environment. Encourage contingent workers to beat the performance or quality standards set for your direct staff.  Take the time to learn about each temporary worker’s skill set – you may uncover additional capabilities that could benefit your company.  Finally, challenge each short-term worker to use his talents to their fullest potential.  This increases the likelihood that he’ll stay working for you.

Keep him in the loop. Without sharing proprietary information, include your temporary as a recipient of memos, company announcements, etc.  When appropriate, invite him to company meetings and share information regarding your organization’s goals and challenges.  The more involved he feels, the more invested in your success he’ll be.

Consider a cash completion incentive. If you have no plans to hire a contingent worker onto your own payroll, consider offering a completion bonus.  A cash incentive can be very helpful in keeping a highly skilled individual working on a long-term project to its completion.

Need short-term, project-based or temporary staff?

If your company is located in Central or Southern Pennsylvania, give Berks & Beyond a call.  We can provide immediate access to thoroughly screened and highly trained administrative, light industrial, engineering, HR and management personnel who are ready to perform for you.