Reasons Why a Healthy Work Environment is the Perfect Employee Perk

A healthy work environment is a win for everyone. You already know the benefits for your company — i.e., higher levels of retention, reduced absenteeism, a more engaged workforce — but it’s also a great employee perk.

As a leading temp agency in Las Vegas, we know how important a positive work environment is to top talent, and we want you to understand why it holds so much value.

3 Ways Employees Benefit From a Healthy Work Environment

Greater Job Satisfaction

Even if the job itself is great, a negative work environment can take an employee’s sense of fulfillment away. It’s hard for people to enjoy the responsibilities associated with their job when they feel animosity towards the company.

Increased Desire to Succeed

Engaged employees want to do great work. They believe in the mission of the organization and are driven to push their own boundaries to contribute as much as possible. This level of motivation inspires people to reach for the stars to achieve career goals that surpass their most ambitious dreams.

Being supported by a team of colleagues they truly care about feels amazing. No one wants to let a manager or teammates they respect down, so they come into work each day and have fun giving 110% effort.

Improved Overall Well-Being

A toxic work environment is mentally and physically draining. Spending at least eight hours per day in an unhealthy situation impacts all elements of an employee’s life. Even if they’re not putting in extra hours, work will invade their personal time, because it’s hard to truly separate from a terrible situation that impacts much of their day.

Stress is a part of every work environment, but it’s much easier to manage in a healthy setting. Employees feel comfortable asking for help when needed, instead of making themselves sick with anxiety.

Get the Best Person for the Job

Part of making your work environment a healthy one is hiring employees who perfectly mesh with your company culture. PrideStaff Las Vegas understands the importance of fit, so allow us to steer your search for a dynamic new team member. Let’s discuss a partnership today!

How to Let Your Staff Know You Value Them

As the saying goes, “your people are your most important asset.” But if you don’t tell them you value them, then you’re going to lose the best ones quickly. How do you go about showing your appreciation? With these tips:

Say “thank you.”

It sounds deceptively simple. Yet, as one of the leading staffing services in Tempe, PrideStaff knows just the simple act of saying “thank you” will go a long way in showing your appreciation to your staff.

It’s easy to assume that your employees know you value them. But if you never tell them so, then chances are, they don’t. So go out of your way to regularly thank employees in a timely manner. It’s both meaningful and motivational for them.

Ask their opinion.

Nothing says “I value you” quite like asking for your team’s opinion. While you certainly can’t get them involved with every decision, do ask when it’s appropriate and particularly when the decision involves them, or when they can offer you valuable insight. When employees feel like their voices matter, they’re more likely to stay loyal.

Get to know them.

That doesn’t mean you have to be best friends with your employees. In fact, you shouldn’t be. But it does mean getting to know them on a personal basis, including what motivates and interests them. You’ll not only better be able to manage and motivate them, but also develop a deeper, more meaningful relationship with your as a result.

Show your confidence in them.

It’s important that your employees feel like you have confidence in them. If, however, you’re constantly hovering or redoing their work – not due to quality, but simply because you want it done your own way – then that will simply undermine your relationship with them. That’s why it’s important to give your people the freedom to make some of their own decisions, and let them know you believe in them.

Reward them.

Whether through an actual financial incentive – like a bonus – or with a promotion, rewarding your top performers will not only make them feel appreciated but will help you retain them, as well.

When it comes to your company, high turnover can have serious financial repercussions, not to mention lower morale and productivity. But by following the tips above – and striving to show your appreciation to employees – they’ll be more likely to stay with you for the long haul and work harder in the process.

Need help finding loyal, hard-working people for your team?

Call the experts at PrideStaff. As one of the leading staffing services in Tempe, we can provide you with access to talented individuals for a wide variety of roles. From recruiting and screening to interviewing and negotiating, we can also help you with every aspect of hiring, start to finish. Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

Have You Embraced Social Recruiting?

Social recruiting is no longer a novelty or a fad. Fifty-nine percent of employees in one recent study said that a company’s social media presence was a significant factor in why they chose their workplace. It’s time to acknowledge that social recruiting is a key requirement for your talent management strategy.

Step Up Your Game

Social media can be intimidating, especially as yesterday’s hot new platform may seem obsolete tomorrow. But here are some tips to lead you down the path to social media recruiting success:

• Start with LinkedIn. If you don’t already have a company page, drop everything and start one. Now! Regardless of how long your business has been on LinkedIn, optimize your page so you make it stand out from the competition. Begin with the text. LinkedIn uses your text to help people find you – and Google uses it to decide where you will rank in its search results. Write a strong, concise main message. Google only shows the first 154 characters. Use the remaining characters for a more expansive description. Be sure to complete the “Company Specialties” section.
• Create custom images. On social media, content with images is 650 percent more likely to be viewed. One way to accomplish this is by going to Snappa and clicking on “Design a Graphic Now.” You can use Snappa templates or take it a step further by clicking “Create from Scratch.”
• Show the fun side of your company culture. Use the same hashtags on Instagram as you do on Twitter when posting jobs. On Facebook, use audience insights to ensure your posts reach the right demographics.
• Get to know Periscope. It allows you to set up a live video stream from your phone anywhere you can connect, and gives others access to that stream. You can use Q&A sessions to share your culture with candidates by broadcasting a stream of your company environment. Simply download Periscope on your phone. (It must be paired with Twitter.) Then, promote your stream a few days ahead of time so people can prepare for it.
• Timing is everything. The times you post to social media can have a significant effect on how many people see your content. Create and stick to a schedule. You may want to consider an app such as Buffer to be sure you’re sharing the right messages at the right times. Watch and learn. Over time, you’ll spot patterns of when people tend to click on your posts.

Start With Your Best Ambassadors

Your current employees are in a prime position to share your company culture on social media. Create and implement a policy, so they know the parameters and don’t have to worry about doing something wrong in the process of promoting your brand. Make sure they use the company hashtags you have created. Follow them with your company accounts, sharing helpful content.

As you stay abreast of social media recruiting and other state-of-the-art talent management tactics, partner with PrideStaff Modesto to help ensure your continued success. Contact us today, so we can custom design a strategy for your success.

The Secret to Reducing Your Stress and Anxiety…to Start Getting More Done, NOW.

Having a lot on your plate can easily lead to stress and anxiety, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you feel like you never really accomplish anything, because you’re buried under a pile of work, it’s time to make a change.

At PrideStaff Las Vegas — one of the top staffing agencies in Las Vegas — we know a thing or two about balancing a busy workload. Good time management is the secret to success. You don’t need more hours in the day, you just need to optimize the way you’re spending it.

4 Ways to Better Manage Your Time

Schedule Your Tasks

Time flies when you’re caught up on an assignment. Allot a certain amount of time for each task, to make sure you don’t inadvertently spend too long on one particular item. When you sit down at your desk each morning, write down everything you need to accomplish for the day and how long it will take you to complete each task. Pace yourself by keeping an eye on the clock, and when time is up, move on to the next assignment.

Eliminate Distractions

It’s hard to work when you’re constantly interrupted by phone calls, email notifications and co-workers. Avoid this by turning the ringer off on your phone, disabling email notifications and politely asking colleagues who stop by your desk to come back later. Take it a step further by blocking off time on your calendar, so no one tries to schedule a meeting during your uninterrupted work period.

Push Back on Unnecessary Meetings

Some meetings are productive and very necessary, but many are a waste of time. Carefully examine every meeting request that appears in your inbox to determine if you really need to be there. If you have no idea why you were invited, don’t be afraid to reach out to the organizer for further investigation. It’s okay to decline an invitation if you know it’s a waste of your time.

Know When to Say No

Being a pushover won’t get you very far in life. It’s no wonder you’re always feeling stressed and anxious if you constantly agree to do work that shouldn’t be coming across your desk in the first place. If the same co-worker keeps asking you to cover for them or help out on projects not in your wheelhouse, take a stand and say no.

Find a Job That Fulfills You

Knowing where to look for your dream job can be a challenge, so allow PrideStaff Las Vegas to guide your search. We’ll help you find a temporary, temp-to-hire or direct hire position with one of Clark County’s top employers. Contact us today to get started!

How to Use Strategic Differentiation to Your Advantage

In any business, you want to keep your competitive edge. Most companies use the concept of operational effectiveness, the idea of performing tasks better than their competition. However, Michael Porter, management expert at the Harvard Business School, makes the case for strategic differentiation, doing the same thing as your rival but in a different way they cannot easily duplicate.

• The downside of operational effectiveness.

A store such as Walmart has cornered the market on operational effectiveness: They offer similar products and a similar experience to its buyers as a Target or a K-Mart, but in many ways they outdo the competition. However, that “sameness” means that eventually, the competition will eventually figure out your strategy, work out the bugs and kinks that hold it back, copy it, and surpass it, which is called the “fast-follower” problem. Google managed this by studying Yahoo! and others, and then creating a better product.

• Strategic differentiation works better for competition.

If you want to separate yourself from the pack, you need to differentiate yourself from them, not simply use the same methods and do it a little better. Instead, you have to take those activities and give them a tweak that a competitor cannot easily duplicate. Take technology: If a company uses it in such a way to create an approach that is different enough to defend itself against replication, you’ve created a competitive edge for yourself. In other words, it can’t be easily reproduced with generic equivalents. You can then leverage that technology to foster strategic positioning.

• Consider the benefits.

You want your product to stand out. Strategic differentiation allows you to create a value for it that customers recognize and move toward. You can also differentiate in ways other than price, such as quality or some other stand-out feature. This, in turn, promotes brand loyalty. For example, Bounty(r) towels may cost more than others but have proved themselves more absorbent. And best of all, strategic differentiation means there’s no substitute.

If you want to do the best for your company, utilize strategic differentiation. If you want that in terms of your employees, find your next hire with PrideStaff.

Ask These Questions to Impress the Hiring Manager in an Interview

When the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?,” it’s more than just a polite end to the interview. This is your opportunity to a) get clarification on any details that are important for you to know and b) impress the hiring manager with your insightful questions.

So how can you balance both – and shine?

Here’s a look at 6 questions you should always ask your next potential boss:

How is success measured in this position?

This will give you a sense of the milestones and goals you’ll be expected to achieve if you get the job. Not only that, but you’ll also have a clearer picture as to whether the objectives and expectations of the role are reasonable and achievable for you.

Can you give me a few examples of the top priorities or tasks you’d like handled in the first six months on the job?

A hiring manager may give you a big picture overview of the position. But with this question, you’re asking them to dig into the nitty gritty details – so you can better assess whether the role is right for you.

From your perspective, what part of this job is most challenging?

During an interview, a hiring manager will focus on the many positives of the position. But when it comes to making an educated decision about a job offer, you need to know the good, the bad and the ugly. This question can help you uncover any difficulties you might face, so you’re not blindsided once on the job.

How does the team communicate?

The answer to this question can give you a good indication of what to expect when it comes to meetings, phone calls, and emails. How does the hiring manager like to communicate? Are there regular weekly status meetings, or daily ones? Do they expect you to give an update on project work each week? Do they prefer you to call, email, text, or connect in person with questions or concerns? It’s important to know what the communication process is like to ensure you’re comfortable with it.

What’s the story behind this position?

In other words, is it a new position, or did someone leave or get promoted? If the position is a new one, why is there suddenly a need for it? If it’s not a new one, what key traits did the last employee in it have that made them successful? Asking these kinds of questions can help you gain a better sense of where your talents are most needed and where you can best contribute in the role.

How would you describe the company’s culture?

Beyond learning about the position, it’s also vital that you dig deeper into the company culture so you can assess whether it’s a good fit for you. If it’s a laid back, casual culture – and you’re used to and like a corporate environment – then you might be able to do the job, but will you be happy in it? You need to ask yourself these kinds of questions as you’re evaluating the opportunity.

Get more help landing your next job in Phoenix, Tempe or beyond.

As one of most trusted employment agencies in Phoenix, PrideStaff can help you find your next great job. We’ll get to know your career interests, background and goals so we can match you with the right opportunities. From start to finish, we’ve got you covered. Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

Is Your Online Presence Helping or Hurting Your Job Search?

Increasingly, recruiters and HR managers are going online to evaluate potential job candidates. According to recent research, 93 percent of hiring decision makers use or plan to use social media to support their efforts. Eighty-three percent of HR pros believe the recruitment process will become more reliant on digital content in the years ahead, and 61 percent say negative content helps them to rule out candidates, as they deem them inappropriate or unprofessional as a result.

Common Mistakes

How do you shoot yourself in the foot on social media as you search for your next job? Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

• Posting risqué pictures: 60 percent of recruiters said this is grounds for eliminating someone from the short list for hiring. (Remember: screen any photos of you that might be out there, not just those you post. The same goes for all content!)
• Writing negative comments: This is a deal-breaker according to 71 percent of those surveyed.
• Sharing controversial opinions: 30 percent of hiring managers cited this faux pas on the part of potential candidates.
• Using inappropriate language: This is a professional death knell in the eyes of 65 percent of HR pros.

Make Social Media Work for You

Optimize the benefits of social media on your job search. Here are some tips for loading online content in your favor:

• Keep your pages clean and neutral. Even though social media is designed for expressing yourself, you don’t way to sway an employer or recruiter on whether or not you’d be a good cultural fit. Keep political and other potentially controversial views non-existent. Review your status updates and other content regularly. At the very least, adjust your privacy settings to safe levels.
• Google yourself. As noted by Dan Schawbel, author of Me 2.0, “Your first impression isn’t a firm handshake. It’s a Google search.” If you’re nowhere to be found in search engines, employers may question whether you’ve kept up with the latest trends, developments and technology in your field. If necessary, start building your impressive online reputation. A good way to get started is by blogging about your industry. This helps you position yourself as engaged and informed – qualities that recruiters are always looking for. By the same token, Googling yourself is another way to eliminate negative content.
• Create a personal website. Forty percent of HR pros surveyed said they would be more inclined to select a candidate who took this step.

Leveraging social media is an excellent way to brand yourself as a professional, knowledgeable and personable candidate. If you need additional tips to boost your branding strategy, as well as access to top area jobs, read our related posts or contact the PrideStaff Modesto team today.

Recruiting 101: 6 Quick Tips You Need to Know

As one of Phoenix’s top recruiting firms, PrideStaff knows that finding and hiring good people sounds easy enough. But when you’ve been searching for six months and had your last two top-picks accept other offers, you’ve probably come to realize the reality of the situation:

Hiring is hard work.

However, there are some steps you can take to make the process a little easier. Here’s a look at 6 of them:

#1: Refresh job postings.

Don’t continually post the same job ads year after year. Instead, if you’re regularly filling similar positions, refresh your postings. That means every time you’re gearing up to hire, take the time to review them and make sure they’re as accurate as possible. You can even split test job postings to see which ones – and which wording and messaging – are most effective. That way, you’ll have a much better chance at recruiting the talented people you need.

#2: Always be recruiting.

When it comes to recruiting, don’t ramp up efforts only when you have an empty seat to fill. Instead, it’s important to invest regular time in networking and connecting with potential candidates. When you do need to hire, you’ll then have a candidate network built and ready to tap for possible new employees.

#3: Take a multi-faceted approach.

Don’t just post your job on your website or a major job board and call it a day. Instead, take a more multi-faceted approach to recruiting. Ask for referrals from your internal team. Post the job to niche sites in your field. And take the time to cultivate a following on social media where you can promote your job opportunities.

#4: Be a candidate-friendly company.

Don’t focus on your needs only during the hiring process. Spend some time thinking about why a candidate would want to work for you – and then communicate those messages in job postings, interviews and throughout the hiring process. What unique perks or opportunities can you offer them? What does your existing staff like most about working at the company? And what sets you apart from other similar organizations?

#5: Test and check.

Don’t just take a candidate’s word for it when it comes to their skills and experience. Conduct skills testing, or assign a small project that will help you assess a candidate’s abilities.

In addition, don’t ever skip the reference checking process. Get at least three professional references – two of which should be past managers – and call them to discuss the candidate.

#6: Keep connected.

Even if you don’t hire a particular candidate, but think they could be an asset to the company in the future or in a different role, make sure you stay connected with them. Send them an invitation on LinkedIn, follow up with them via email every so often, and reach out to them should a job open up they’d be a good fit for.

Don’t have the time or resources to focus on recruiting? Not finding the talented people you need to fill your openings?

Call PrideStaff. As one of Phoenix’s top recruiting firms, we can provide you with access to skilled and dependable individuals for a wide variety of roles. From recruiting and screening to interviewing and negotiating, we can also help you with every aspect of hiring, start to finish. Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

Avoid These 6 Interviewing Mistakes

The cost of a hiring mistake can be staggering – both financially and in terms of its impact on morale and productivity. And while every step in your hiring process is important, the rubber really meets the road during candidate interviews. This is where you get to know prospective hires and narrow down the field in preparation for your final hiring decision.

How can you avoid interviewing mistakes that might leave you dazed and wondering what went wrong a few months down the road? Because that’s not something you want to experience …

Dodge These Pitfalls

Being adequately prepared, remaining objective, listening and selling your company are among the critical steps to a successful interview. Avoid:

• Lack of preparation. Know exactly what you’re looking for, and learn as much as possible about the candidate in advance of an interview. Thoroughly review the job description, as well as a person’s resume and application. Prepare a list of questions and anticipate possible responses. Your goal is to conduct a well-structured interview, not rely solely on your gut feelings.
• This may include confirmation bias, where you’ve already decided in your head and heart that the candidate is right for the job and as a result, you use the interview as a means to validate this idea. Or, there may be a “halo effect,” whereby you are completely awed by a single strength, such as a candidate’s exceptional Excel skills. Your appreciation of this excellence may overshadow key areas where an individual is lacking, such as teamwork or interpersonal strengths.
• Affect heuristic. This is another form of bias, which stems from something you share in common with a candidate. Perhaps you went to the same high school or live close to one another and work out at the same gym. These factors can sometimes cloud your judgment. It may help to have more than one interviewer for additional perspective.
• Failure to actively listen. Follow the 80/20 rule, whereby the candidate does 80 percent of the talking during an interview. Steer the conversation by paraphrasing and reflecting on their responses. Use pauses to your advantage; moments of silence can be especially useful if a person seems evasive or appears to be holding back information.
• Falling short in selling your company. An interview is not only about your assessment of a prospective employee. It’s also about them taking a critical look at your company to see if they want to work there. Top talent has choices. Don’t get too carried away, but make every word count in your favor.
• Looking for perfection. It doesn’t exist. If you eliminate people because they don’t have every single trait you desire, you may lose out on great candidates. Remember: Many skills can be developed on the job. Hire for potential, drive and passion. The rest will follow.

PrideStaff Modesto can help identify your unique staffing needs and develop a customized recruiting strategy for ongoing hiring success. Read our related posts or contact us today for more information.

4 Things to Include in Your LinkedIn Profile but Not on Your Resume

A number of companies allow you to simply transfer the information from your LinkedIn page to an online resume, which certainly makes it easier, right? But the two shouldn’t necessarily mirror each other. Considering the fact that most resumes get about seven seconds of perusal, you have a certain formula to follow in order to get all basics covered. But your LinkedIn profile allows you to do much more.

1. The big picture.

You don’t have room in your resume to list the details of your professional experiences. On LinkedIn, add them all – and give any interesting tidbits of background that bring you as an employee to more vivid life. Use it to captivate your audience and toot your own horn – just remember not to share any proprietary details that reveal sensitive information or anything too personal. No bullet points needed if you don’t want them.

2. Avoid tailoring.

You know how you adjust your resume depending on what position or company you send it to? No need to do that here. Consider a general profile but also think about your personal brand here – consider your audience. You want to attract those searching for someone with your background and skills but also bear in mind that incognito searches will find you, too. So don’t make your profile too narrow – cast a wide net while keeping some structure. Have some items on there that will appeal to that broad audience. Think about posting regular updates to articles and links that will spread your brand as well.

3. Back up your claims.

This doesn’t mean putting everything on a flash drive “just in case”; it refers to including testimonials from co-workers and former employers who can attest to the fact that your idea helped quarterly earnings go up 5 percent last spring. Writing up your accomplishments is one thing, but having someone else refer to them as well takes you that extra mile.

4. Make it conversational.

Obviously you want to keep things professional, but, again, think of this as your brand: Nobody wants to read a profile that comes off as robotic or generic, nor does that make you stand out in a positive way. Take time to talk about why you love doing your job, not merely the particulars of it. Make yourself human by adding in a personal philosophy, praise for teams you’ve worked with, explanation of how you got into your current career.

Let your LinkedIn profile literally do that: Let it act as the link of Professional You to anyone who comes across it; give it your voice. To find the next job to add to that profile, visit PrideStaff.