2 Tips to Improve Your Business Processes and Maximize Your Return

Is your budget for coming year just pages of wishful thinking? In many cases, it is. Businesses that are underperforming often believe by planning for bigger profits or greater revenues they are ensuring a better outcome. But a budget alone has no impact on what will happen in the next year within your organization.

Here is what often happens:

Upper management, with the assistance of lower-level managers, sets goals for the year and includes them in the annual budget, expecting their managers will take the actions to achieve the projected results. Unfortunately, that rarely happens. Instead, those managers go back into their departments and continue to do their jobs as they always have.

Without an action plan to help deliver tangible results, nothing will change, and the figures in the budget will not be accurate. Here are suggestions for creating a budget that defines the needed actions with which every employee can identify.

Put the emphasis on action instead of accuracy

Despite your company’s best efforts, your budget can never be more than an educated guess. This makes the term “accurate budget” a contradiction. A budget can be accurate only if everyone in your organization does what is expected of them. But until someone defines what is expected, it likely won’t happen.

That’s why a budget consisting only of revenue and expenses does not show the whole picture. Each budgeted line item should be accompanied by the specific action or actions necessary to make the projections a reality. For instance, if your budget is predicated on 5 percent growth in revenue, there needs to be an accompanying line that explains how many more clients or customers it will take, including the advertising and events that will draw them in, to achieve the growth. Once you have included specifics for your organization, your budget becomes actionable and will be accurate.

Recognize what drives your company’s performance

Your employees need to understand and act upon those things which will produce future financial results. By including these performance drivers in the budget, your workers will have something concrete and actionable from which to work. Having sales or events that reach more potential customers, improving the sales process, changing products or pricing and finding ways to satisfy and retain customers are all examples of drivers that can be budgeted for each of your departments.

Your budget should include those tangible goals that directly influence an increase in revenue and profit while reducing expenses. The goals that are associated with performance drivers give your organization a visible marker from which you can measure your performance against your goals.

Is finding the best talent one of your goals?

Convincing today’s top candidates your company is their best choice is more critical than ever. A culture of fun, fitness, and altruism will go a long way to setting you apart. Stride Staffing’s goal is to build stronger connections between employers and individuals by doing staffing differently. Really. Contact us today  and request a consultation.

Keep Your Night Shift Happy and Safe

It’s not easy to be at work during those hours when all of the elements are in place for a good night’s sleep. It’s no wonder night shift work is riskier than day shift—statistically about 30 percent more. And not surprisingly, it’s about 5 percent less productive. Fatigue, feelings of isolation and other factors can contribute to safety and production issues.

So, why do businesses insist on employing people to work in the middle of the night? Many industries need a night shift to function effectively. Think about hospital workers, law enforcement and all of those businesses with automated machinery that must be attended to around the clock. Over 18 percent of all industries engage a night shift. And while companies can do little to change their workers’ body clocks, they can take steps to enhance safety, improve morale and increase productivity.

The hazards of night shift:

  • This is the biggest safety factor on the night shift. Night shift workers must cope with the natural fatigue caused by the circadian rhythm. Bodies slow down at night, which means alertness and metabolism are at a low point during critical working hours. Those operating sophisticated (and dangerous) machinery are at high risk for injury.
  • There is almost no natural light on the night shift. Without it, there is a condition—Seasonal Affective Disorder—which carries with it the side effect of being tired. Another issue with darkness is improper lighting which can create several safety issues.
  • With fewer workers in the plant, monitoring them can be challenging. Workers can be spread over a large area with some even working alone.

Help for the late night workers:

  • Give them a break. Studies have shown when critical care nurses were allowed to nap during their breaks, they reported less fatigue and a noticeable increase in alertness. According to OSHA, research also indicates that shorter, more frequent breaks can reduce the risks of accidents.
  • Shine a light on them. Good lighting and proper ventilation help shift workers adjust to their changing sleep patterns. It also helps create a safer work environment.
  • Show them you care. If senior executives visit the night shift regularly, they can personally make company announcements, answer questions and offer encouragement. When an employee has met a significant goal or reached a milestone, the executive can present them with a gift at this time. Consider giving night employees the option of attending your company’s evening parties and other work-related evening events.

Taking these actions can mitigate the feelings of isolation many on the night shift experience, and they will contribute to the safety and happiness of these valuable workers.

Find the best talent for all shifts

Convincing today’s top candidates your company is their best choice is more critical than ever. A culture of encouragement, positive work environment and appreciation of a job well done will go a long way to setting you apart.  Stride Staffing’s goal is to build stronger connections between employers and individuals by doing staffing differently. Really. Contact us today  an request a consultation.

How a BBQ Can Save Your Business

Low morale in your company will prevent optimum productivity. How could it be otherwise? If good morale signifies your employees’ ability to work toward a common goal, the lack of it might sound the warning your company is in trouble.

When morale is high in the workplace, everyone collaborates, shows up every day (and on time!), is productive and expresses satisfaction with their job. When you realize what’s at stake, take steps to improve the spirit of your workers and reap the benefits of a shop or office filled with happy employees.

But what can you do to improve morale? Here are a few simple steps you can take in that direction.

Socialize around food

Food brings people together. Schedule a regular dinner or happy hour to bring your employees together in a stress-free environment. Your workers will look forward to the camaraderie, and if it’s a dinner, you could occasionally invite family members to attend.

Another idea: Potluck meals at your monthly meetings. It will spice up your boring assemblies and give your people something to anticipate. In warm weather, you can move them outside and include a BBQ. Your employees will love it, and morale will improve.

Work out together

Healthy employees tend to be happier and more productive. Start out with company-wide fitness challenges. Form a company running club, complete with T-shirts and hats, and start entering 5K runs. Or organize weekend bike rides. Maybe you could enter company teams in a basketball or softball league. For those who can’t compete, schedule evening and weekend nature walks or trips to sporting events. The idea is to get every employee, no matter their fitness level, involved in an activity with other workers.

Volunteer as a company

Anyone who has ever volunteered knows the feeling you get from helping others. Creating teams of volunteers from your business will give your employees the satisfying feeling that comes from doing good. Your workers get to see another side of the people with whom they work as they become connected with their community.

If you have a corporate philanthropy, you could form a partnership with a nonprofit organization that aligns with it. Any volunteer activity is bound to raise morale and it doesn’t cost anything.

Find employees who want to be part of your company’s culture

Convincing today’s top candidates your company is their best choice is more critical than ever. A culture of fun, fitness, and altruism will go a long way to setting you apart. Stride Staffing’s goal is to build stronger connections between employers and individuals by doing staffing differently. Really. Contact us today  an request a consultation.

April Showers (Better Training) Bring May Flowers (A Better Business)

It’s a sobering and costly statistic for any business. About 33 percent of employees exit their companies—voluntarily or involuntarily—before they have completed their first year. And 22 percent of those are gone within the first six weeks.

It’s estimated that losing employees in that first year can cost your company two to three times their salary, and that doesn’t include the toll it takes on morale, your business requirements, and the lost opportunity to have fresh talent on your team.

What’s the answer? A good onboarding training system, along with continuing education, can help any organization get their newest workers up to speed and increase their levels of retention. Here are tips to help you train and retain more successfully.

Teach them early and thoroughly

Training starts immediately—maybe sooner. Before they clock in for their first day of work, new employees should know your company’s goals and values. Your mission statement should also be part of their pre-employment training. Helping them understand and develop respect for your company culture is a vital part of the onboarding process.

From day one, show your new employees they are in an environment that focuses on learning. Make sure they have easy access to training materials and resources. And let them know the chains of communication are always open at all levels.

Add value with cross-training

Help your employees (and your business) by cross-training them in several areas of the company. Workers with multiple skill sets can move effortlessly among the departments of your workplace and provide your managers with options when workers in one area become overburdened. Cross-trained employees tend to be more engaged in their jobs because of the variety of tasks they perform each week.

Set training goals and reward success

Is your training program working? It’s hard to know unless you’ve set goals—for each individual, department and throughout the company—that can gauge its success. Set your training goals for these three areas and you’ll have a useful tool for measuring what is and isn’t working.

It’s also helpful to show your workers you are concerned about them by rewarding their growth. Developing a system of recognition will give them an incentive to learn. The rewards can be anything you choose—as long as they are standardized throughout the company—and could even have monetary value.

Are you looking for employees that will add value to your team?

Finding good employees and properly training them is key to your company’s future. Convincing today’s top candidates your company is their best choice is more critical than ever. A culture that includes onboard training and ongoing education will go a long way to setting you apart. Stride Staffing’s goal is to build stronger connections between employers and individuals by doing staffing differently. Really. Contact us today  or request a consultation.

 

Your Employees Know You Value Them When…

If they are to find happiness at work, employees need to be paid fairly, have safe working conditions and feel engaged with the company and their co-workers. But what motivates most workers is having a good relationship with their supervisor. For any manager, the secret to having a productive department is showing respect to everyone on the team, no matter what their experience or skill set.

Leaders who understand it’s critical to make their workplace one where people want to work begin by showing gratitude to their workers. Communicating words of praise and thanks goes a long way toward creating loyalty, job satisfaction and cohesion throughout the organization. With that goes an increase in productivity and profits.

Your employees will know you value them when…

You say “thank you”

It takes little effort to make a significant impact on a worker. Showing gratitude with a simple thank you gives your employees the feeling they are an appreciated member of the team. And you don’t have to wait until the end of a project to do it. Every time you notice one of your workers putting in a much-needed effort, a tap on the shoulder and a quick thanks will be meaningful and motivational.

You show confidence in them

If you have an important or difficult project ahead, let your people know you believe they have the right stuff to complete the project on time and to do it well. Showing that kind of faith in your team can boost morale significantly. Your people might lose their confidence along the way, so be sure to reinforce them with encouragement whenever they begin to doubt themselves.

 You ask them for their opinion

You might be the manager, but you don’t know everything. Sometimes the workers on the floor are your best source for information. Ask them what they think. You could find the solution to a problem and at the same time, show them you value their opinions.

 You offer to help

You can distinguish yourself as a leader when you are willing to pitch in and help with a problem or a fast-approaching deadline. You will help by taking some pressure off them, and you will build your relationship with the team by getting your hands dirty.

 You acknowledge their ideas

If you’re in a meeting with your employees and someone comes up with a good idea, make sure to tell them it’s good. It will boost morale and encourage others to contribute ideas. Managers who acknowledge the ideas of their workers tend to create a positive and open environment.

Add the best talent to your team

Convincing today’s top candidates that your company is their best choice is more critical than ever. A culture where you show you value your employees will go a long way to setting you apart. Stride Staffing’s goal is to build stronger connections between employers and individuals by doing staffing differently. Really. Contact us today  an request a consultation.

The Dual Role of Human Resources

Human resources today has two distinct functions: help their companies improve their bottom line and meet the needs of the individuals in their businesses. The top H.R. professionals see themselves as business partners who specialize in H.R.

Ideally, they will have attained the necessary business experience within the company before moving into human resources. H.R. managers who can communicate comfortably with business leaders can have a substantial impact on the company’s profitability and the well-being of the workers.

Here are some areas in which H.R. can help meet the needs of employer and employee.

 Define Their Organization’s Purpose

Many companies can’t articulate why they exist. This happens despite evidence that corporate purpose is one of the most powerful tools for affecting growth in all areas of the enterprise. In businesses that struggle to define their purpose, employees tend to believe that the principal reason they work there is for a paycheck.

H.R. can help establish a definition of the organization’s purpose, and then help employees understand how their job aligns with the company’s purpose. Aligning employees with a purpose reduces turnover and costs while increasing productivity and profits.

Communicate your company’s purpose to all candidates

After you have defined and communicated the company’s purpose throughout the organization, use it to ensure you are attracting the kind of candidates who will fit into your culture. You can look for common responses that run parallel with the job requirements and the company’s purpose. Here are some questions you can ask to evaluate their responses:

  • If money were not an issue, what would you do with your life?
  • What motivates you to get out of bed each morning?
  • How do you want to be remembered after you’re gone?
  • What fascinated you as a child?

Make employee strengths your focal point

Try to understand what your candidates and staff do best, and put them in roles where they can use their strengths as much as possible. They should be in a position to use those strengths 80 percent of the time. Then, help them develop their strengths and work around their weaknesses. Strengths usually develop into outstanding performance.

Put the Odds in Your Favor

Convincing today’s top candidates that your company is their best choice is more critical than ever. You are just one of many organizations looking to bring them on board, so you must make sure that your firm stands out from the crowded field. A clearly defined company purpose, initiated by H.R., will go a long way to setting you apart. Stride Staffing’s goal is to build stronger connections between employers and individuals by doing staffing differently. Really. Contact us today to learn more.

Spreading the Love: 3 Reasons to Recognize Top Workers

All of your top employees appreciate being acknowledged for the efforts they have given and the results that have benefitted your company. And it is vital that you do recognize these high performers, even if it’s something as simple as a pat on the back or a kind word in front of everyone else in the office.

It’s important to show appreciation regularly to motivate and encourage employees. It can improve their confidence and self-worth, and it can increase productivity throughout the workplace.

Recognizing employees who are deserving can set a positive tone for the department or office. Workers who know that they will get a word of encouragement or a grateful gesture for doing a good job are more at ease and productive than those who only know that a kick in the pants awaits their next mistake.

Praise and recognition don’t take much time or effort from a business, but they yield tremendous benefits to both the worker and the company. Here are just three.

1. You create engagement and a sense of ownership

When an employee is recognized for doing good work, it is an encouragement to continue to give the same or higher level of performance. Workers begin to feel engaged, which leads to a sense of belonging and ownership in the company. Engaged employees are happier and more productive. And when employees feel that they belong, the mood of the shop or office improves.

2. It leads to a better bottom line

It’s simple. When you praise or acknowledge your employees’ performance, it directly affects your business’s overall results. It works like this: Your employee does something that deserves recognition, and you want to see it repeated. You reward or thank the employee for doing something special, and the worker keeps doing it to receive more recognition. It might sound disingenuous, but it’s not. It’s praising what should be praised, and it’s good for the worker and the bottom line.

3. Loyalty increases and you will keep the best talent

When your employees receive acknowledgment for their efforts, they tend to be more loyal towards you and their work. The more your staff feels valued and encouraged, the more likely they are to remain with you. And retaining skilled workers is a challenge that you could overcome with a few kind words or a celebration of an employee’s achievements whenever they are deserved.

Find the best talent

Convincing today’s top candidates that your company is their best choice is more critical than ever. A culture of encouragement, a positive work environment, and appreciation of a job well done will go a long way to setting you apart. If you are looking to add great folks to your team contact Stride Staffing to learn more or request a consultation today!

How to Tackle Absenteeism

It’s a rare employee who never misses a day of work. Inevitably, something comes up—illness, injury, sick kids, or personal business—that requires a worker to be away from the job. Occasional missed days are understandable, and their impact on your business is minimal.

When missing work becomes habitual, however, it can’t be ignored. Intentional absence from work affects productivity and hurts the employees who are asked to pick up the slack. Because missed work days profoundly affect finances, morale, and other factors, it makes good business sense to employ strategies to scrutinize, reduce and respond to absenteeism.

Leading causes of absenteeism

Workers miss time for many reasons, some are legitimate, and others are questionable. Some of the more common causes include:

  • Illness: The most commonly reported reason for being absent, illnesses during cold and flu season always cause a spike in absenteeism.
  • Injuries: Back problems are a common cause of missed work.
  • Bullying: No, it doesn’t always stop when you leave school. Harassment from co-workers and bosses leads to workers staying at home.
  • Stress: People avoid going to work when they are burned out from heavy workloads or stress outside of work.
  • Depression: The National Institute of Mental Health reports that depression is the leading cause of absenteeism.

This list is far from being all-inclusive, but it indicates that absenteeism is a complex issue that can’t be resolved with a simple solution.

The high cost of absenteeism

Unscheduled absenteeism costs approximately $3,600 per year for each hourly worker and $2,650 each year for salaried employees. This adds up to $84 billion for wages paid to absent workers, replacement workers, and the administrative costs for managing absenteeism.

These staggering figures show why employers can’t afford to disregard the problem of absenteeism. Here are a few thoughts.

What companies can do to overcome the problem

Absenteeism is a challenge. There are legitimate reasons for missing work. Companies must be aware that sick workers can spread their illnesses to other workers or even to customers. On the other hand, missing work for no good reason can be expensive in many ways.

Some businesses are using paid sick leaves, in which each employee receives a specified number of days per year to use during an illness. Proponents of sick days point to the economic advantages of not having a sick employee spreading a disease throughout a plant or office. Opponents argue that the policy will end up costing businesses more money and encourage workers to use their days for reasons other than illness.

Other companies have chosen to use incentives for showing up—time off for those who have no unexcused absences within a given period, for instance. A more proactive approach is instituting policies that respond to workers’ health concerns such as their physical and psychological health, economic worries, and work-life balance. These programs and policies are based on the belief that healthy and happy employees are more likely to show up for work every day.

How can we help you?

Finding great employees is more important than ever. Let us help you. Stride Staffing is committed to teaming with great companies and candidates.  Contact us to learn more or request a consultation today!