What is the Best Way to Recruit Top Employees?

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has made 2020 a tough year for the Las Vegas economy. This has led to sky-high unemployment rates, so there’s a lot of competition for jobs available in Las Vegas right now.

On the surface, this might seem like hiring will be easier, but that’s probably not the case. If anything, it will likely make successfully recruiting the right employees like finding a needle in a haystack. Consequently, this is why working with a staffing firm is the best way to find top talent.  Here’s a look at what you have to gain by delegating your hiring to a local recruiter.

Four Ways a Staffing Firm Can Improve Your Hiring

Connect With Passive Talent

The employees you want to hire might not be actively seeking new opportunities right now. They probably won’t see your job posting on their own, but your recruiter can easily get it in front of them.

Staffing professionals work hard to maintain talent pools filled with passive candidates who would only consider making a move for a really enticing opportunity. When you partner with them, you gain access to these people who wouldn’t typically be in your reach.

Find a Strong Cultural Fit

Hiring the right person for the job is hard work. It’s easy to assume you’ve found the right fit if a candidate seems like perfect skills match, but there’s much more to it than that. Recruiters know the only truly successful hires are those that serve as an all-around fit. Therefore, they’ll ask questions and look for subtle personality traits that will help them determine the person’s fit for your company culture.

Fill Open Positions Faster

Hiring is a very time-consuming task, but you already have a lot on your plate. This can make the candidate selection process drag on much longer than intended. In the meantime, you risk losing top talent to other employers — along with expensive overtime costs and low morale due to burnout from existing employees working overtime.

When you work with a recruiter, they make filling your open position their top priority. This means you’ll be able to get the right person in place in no time at all.

Get More Flexibility

Building the right team isn’t always as simple as posting an open position and making a direct hire. Sometimes you might only need to fill a role temporarily or prefer to ease into it on a temp-to-hire basis. When you work with a recruiter, they’ll help you create a hiring plan that best works for your team, allowing you to get all the flexibility you need.

Find the Best Person for the Job

Ready to hire? PrideStaff Las Vegas is here to connect you with top talent who can’t wait to join your team. Contact us today to discuss a partnership!

Thoughtful Ways to Show Your Staff Appreciation This Holiday Season

2020 has been a particularly challenging year, so this holiday season, it’s more important than ever to keep your team’s morale up. Taking the time and effort to express your gratitude to your employees can help them realize their hard work truly matters and is valued. Check out these thoughtful ways to show your staff appreciation this holiday season:  

Write a Personal Note   

One of the main causes of low morale among employees is a lack of acknowledgement from leadership, especially on an individual level. Take the time to write personal notes to each of your employees and thank them for their specific contributions. Try to be as detailed as possible to really make them feel noticed and special.   

Provide Public Recognition   

A thoughtful way to show your appreciation to your team this holiday season is to provide public recognition. Whether it’s a quick speech in a company meeting, a video you put together, or even just a group email – expressing in a public setting (especially in front of higher-level leadership) how thankful you are for your team can validate their hard work.  

Give Them More Time Off  

If it’s feasible, the gift of free time will undoubtedly be very well-received by your team as a way to thank them for all that they do. Consider offering extra paid time off or letting employees pick a day to leave early so they can relax and enjoy some holiday time at home off the clock.   

Treat Them to a Meal   

During the hectic holiday season, having a meal they didn’t have to plan or pay for can be a very welcome gift. Show your gratitude by bringing in a catered meal for those working in the office. If you have remote working employees, you could arrange for delivery or provide a gift card that could be used for them to treat themselves to a meal.   

Contact Us Today

Attract qualified candidates for your available positions by working with experienced staffing firm PrideStaff Akron. Our recruiting experts will evaluate candidates to match you with the prospects that fit your needs. Contact us to learn more about our services.   

How to Help Build Up Your Employees’ Confidence

Confident people are self-motivated, have strong self-esteem, and are willing to take risks. But even the most confident individuals are only human: they will occasionally falter, especially during times of change or crisis. As a leader, you have to be ready to build confidence among all your team members consistently.

Boosting employee confidence also helps boost company profitability – as confident people are better equipped to tackle creative problem-solving and provide high levels of customer service.

Give your employees the confidence they need to succeed, so they can realize their career and life aspirations and grow with your organization at the same time.

There is no “I” in team.

You’ve heard the adage, “the customer comes first.” It’s true – but keep in mind that your employees are your most important customers, so take care of them, and they’ll take care of the rest.

• Get to know your employees as people. Talk to them about their personal lives, priorities, and concerns that may be holding them back. By discussing deeper issues, you help people achieve a mindset shift that makes them less hesitant and more creative and innovative.

It’s personal.

You can’t take care of someone’s needs unless you know exactly what they are. Depending on the individual employee, they may be searching for autonomy, money, flexibility, career growth, a social mission, or leadership opportunities.

• Create a culture of two-way communication. This is the first step in empowering people to be their best selves. Listen actively to what people have to say. Respond at the right time and in the right way.
• If an employee makes a suggestion or suggests an improvement, don’t leave things hanging. Act upon this feedback, whether it means pursuing or implementing their idea or offering constructive information on why it’s not feasible. Keep those communication lines open.

Show your appreciation.

A lack of recognition or appreciation can be a death knell for confidence. Managers should consistently express thanks for jobs well done.

• Build confidence – and celebrate wins – in increments. Step by step, encourage, and enable people to stretch, succeed, and grow.
• Create small victories. Big stretch goals can be intimidating. Help employees break large tasks into smaller, more manageable “bite-sized” pieces. Then recognize each mini-goal reached along the way, and make a big splash when an entire project comes to a successful completion.
• Timing is everything. Get in the habit of complimenting outstanding performance as soon as you become aware of it. Consider implementing a “caught you in the act” recognition program, whereby employees are given incentive awards on the spot.

The workforce development experts at PrideStaff Modesto can partner with you to create a winning strategy for building confidence, morale, loyalty, and productivity within your team. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Stay Healthy with National Handwashing Awareness Week

Did you know the first week in December is National Handwashing Awareness Week?

And, with COVID cases spiking around the country, keeping our hands clean is one of the best lines of defense. So, get your workplace involved and have everyone brush up on their handwashing knowledge.

Why Handwashing Works

When you wash your hands, soap molecules act like crowbars. They pry dirt, oil, and germs from your skin. In addition, soap breaks down the outer membrane of many microorganisms and viruses. This kills bacteria and leaves viruses (including the coronavirus) useless. Finally, the process of scrubbing and rinsing your hands loosens and removes any remaining debris.

How to Wash Your Hands Correctly

Washing your hands too quickly or without soap won’t provide full protection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a five-step process.

1. Wet your hands and apply soap.
2. Lather up. Be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub for at least 20 seconds. If you don’t have a timer, hum the Happy Birthday song twice.
4. Rinse your hands thoroughly under running water. 5) Dry your hands with a clean towel or let them air dry.

Handwashing vs. Hand Sanitizer

If you can’t find a sink, hand sanitizer is an excellent second option. For the best results, the CDC recommends using an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Yet ultimately, sanitizers aren’t as effective as handwashing. Like soap, sanitizers defeat bacteria and viruses by breaking down their outer membranes. But unlike soap, they don’t pry microorganisms from the skin. Therefore, many germs, including those that cause the common cold, can successfully survive a dose of hand sanitizer.

Interesting Handwashing Facts

• Ignaz Semmelweis Is the Father of Hand Hygiene
  Today, we consider handwashing a part of good basic hygiene. Unfortunately, this wasn’t always true. Hungarian doctor, Ignaz Semmelweis, pioneered handwashing efforts while working on a maternity ward in Vienna in 1847. Despite a drop in death rates at the hospital, it was 20 years before his research was widely accepted.
• Plain Soap Works Just as Well as Anti-Bacterial Soap
  According to the S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there’s no proof over-the-counter antibacterial soaps are better at preventing illness than plain soap and water. In fact, in 2013, the FDA proposed restrictions on antibacterial labeling. However, these rules do not apply to hand sanitizers or soaps used in hospital settings.
• The Toilet Probably Isn’t the Dirtiest Thing You Touch
  Of course, you want to wash your hands after touching a toilet. But… guess what? Your bathroom doesn’t even make the list of the top ten germiest spots. Grab the soap because everyday items like pet bowls, cutting boards, and sponges are full of bacteria too. 

Are You Looking for More Ways to Improve Your Workplace?

We can help you build a talented and reliable team in 2020 and beyond.

Learn more about the advantages of partnering with us today!

How to Help Your Employees Readjust to Office Life

COVID has been with us so long that it often seems like it will never pass. We’ll be stuck either laid off or in virtual-work purgatory forever. But, eventually, the threat of the virus will pass, and workers will return to their pre-pandemic schedules. When that happens, you’ll have to help your employees readjust to office life.

It might prove a difficult transition. Your workers will have to get used to a new lifestyle. No more wearing secret pajama pants during online staff meetings. No more waking up at 8:50 for a 9 o’clock start. Back to traffic, coworkers, and water coolers.

Despite the challenges, you should be able to conduct a smooth adjustment back to office life. It will just take some planning and foresight. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help your employees readjust to office life following the pandemic:

Recognize a Difficult Transition

You can’t flip a switch and return to the pre-COVID way of doing business. Getting back to normal will take some time. And, it’s important to remember, the definition of “normal” might be completely different in the wake of the virus.

As a result, adopt an understanding spirit. Having compassion will be critical to getting your workers back into office life. At the same time, take individual situations into account and allow leeway for people who might take additional time to get accustomed to an office schedule.

Develop a Plan

Don’t try to improvise a transition. Rather, create a detailed plan to facilitate a return to the office. Start constructing your procedures as soon as possible, so you can make a quick changeover when the time comes.

This program should include steps meant to ease your employees’ adjustment to their new schedules. You should also keep safety in mind. Opening your office won’t necessarily mean all threats from virus will be gone. Even a return to in-person business will require vigilance and continued precautions.

Prioritize Communication

Your employees are your partners in the transition back the office. Start talking to them early in the process. Give them ample warning that a return to in-person activity is coming. That way, they can adjust their responsibilities and coordinate their schedules.

At the same time, listen to your employees. Incorporate their feedback into your plans. With this valuable information, you can make the switch as painless as possible.

Go Slow

Once the COVID all-clear sounds, you’ll be tempted to rush back to the office. Everyone will want to return to the pre-pandemic normal…or, at least as close to it as possible. However, a sudden change might not be advisable (or even possible).

Make the transition a subtle process. Move back into office life in stages, rather than in one aggressive sweep. It will ease the passage back to office life. At the same time, a slow approach will give you time to react to events as they unfold.

Stay Flexible

As 2020 showed us, nothing is certain. You can execute a perfect transition back to office life…only to have COVID (or some other disaster) force you to retreat. For that reason, it’s important to stay flexible.

Don’t assume any changes will be direct hire. Stay up to date with events and respond accordingly.

Returning to office life will be a disrupting experience. It gets easier when you have the right employees. By partnering with a strong staffing agency, like PrideStaff, you can find the perfect workers for any situation.

Contact PrideStaff today to find the kind of flexible, competent team members you need to meet any challenge.

Ensure Your Employees Feel Safe When Returning to Work

As you reopen your business, navigating the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to require you to be resilient, flexible, and innovative – with the safety and well-being of your employees top on your list of priorities. There are numerous things to consider as people return to work. Here’s a look at a few of the most important ones:

Open Communication

Everyone is feeling the stress caused by Covid-19. Transparent, two-way communication is more important than ever. If your employees have concerns, they should feel comfortable sharing them and confident they are being heard and understood.

• Reach out to employees for their thoughts, questions, and opinions. Prepare to actively listen, get feedback, and act upon it in a timely fashion. This builds trust and mutual respect. It also helps your leadership team to better plan and to solve problems at an early stage. And encouraging people to speak up empowers them, fosters their sense of ownership in your business, and helps them feel secure.

Accommodations for Health and Safety

In the latest Principal Financial Well-Being Index, protecting employee health was, not surprisingly, a leading concern among companies nationwide. In fact, 40 percent of business owners said they didn’t want to reopen at all until they felt it was safe for everyone.

• Assure your employees that accommodations have been and will continue to be made for their safety. Install Plexiglas or other barriers as separations between workstations or between employees and customers. Provide masks, hand sanitizer, and clear, visible social distancing guidelines.

Providing Support

Re-entry anxiety is a real and growing issue. Help your employees manage it, as they may be struggling with anxiety or other mental health issues at this time. Connect people to your Employee Assistance Program or other needed resources.

• Recognize that this is an unusually unsettling time. Remind people that it’s okay to feel anxious and reassure them that your company will alleviate their concerns and fears. Be aware that the pandemic may trigger pre-existing mental health issues, including substance abuse.
• Adjust expectations during the first few weeks back. Avoid overloading employees as they readjust back to the workplace. Space out deadlines and minimize non-essential demands.
• Lead by example. Follow the recommendations you give others when managing stress, taking care of yourself, and utilizing company resources.

The talent management experts at PrideStaff Modesto are here to support you in all aspects of human capital management. Our philosophy is based on communication and collaboration to help you achieve your desired goals and results in the best and most challenging times. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you as you address the ongoing coronavirus situation.

How Do I Politely Ask a Recruiter to Expedite the Hiring Process?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a lot of people searching for jobs hiring in Las Vegas, NV right now. As an employer, this puts you in a good position. A large candidate pool means more talent to choose from, but it can also cause the hiring process to last longer.

Your recruiter is working hard to find the best person for the job, but it’s not going as quickly as you hoped. Things at your company are crazy right now, so you really need someone in place immediately. You want to ask them to move faster, but you’re afraid of coming off as rude or pushy.

The thing is, your recruiter wants to please you. It’s important to explain your urgent need to hire, so they can make the necessary adjustments to fill the position faster. Here’s a look at how you might be able to work together to speed things up.

Three Ways to Help Your Recruiter Hire Faster

Adjust Your Hiring Criteria

It’s possible your recruiter is taking a while to find the right candidate because your hiring criteria is very specific. Definitely don’t lower your standards, but do take another look at the must-haves you’ve stipulated for the position. If a few aren’t absolutely necessary, consider reclassifying them as nice-to-haves, to make it easier for your recruiter to find someone who checks all the boxes.

Consider Non-Traditional Options

Finding the right person for the job isn’t always easy — even for a recruiter. If your team is short-staffed and struggling, consider working with your recruiter to hire a temporary worker in the interim. This will allow you to fill the gap right now, without the risk of potentially hiring the wrong person in haste.

Respond to All Messages Immediately

Your recruiter is doing the hiring legwork, but you’re still involved in the process. Do your part to keep things moving by responding to all of their messages as quickly as possible. By staying in close contact with your recruiter, you can ensure you’re not inadvertently slowing things down because they’re waiting for your feedback or approval.

Find a Recruiter Who Works for You

Searching for a staffing partner who will help you find the best person for the job — and fast? PrideStaff Las Vegas is here for all of your hiring needs, so contact us today to get started!

6 Tips to Help You Stand Out as a Leader at Work

You don’t need to have a specific job title or level of responsibility to be a leader at work. In fact, if you want to reach that level eventually, it’s essential to sharpen your leadership skills while you’re still an individual contributor so that when the time comes, you’re top of mind for promotions. Check out these six tips to help you stand out as a leader at work:  

1. Master Your Current Work   

Start with the fundamentals to make a strong, lasting impression on your superiors and colleagues alike by mastering your current work. No matter what task you’re working on, give it your all and complete it to a high standard and with a positive attitude. Demonstrating that you take your role seriously will strengthen your reputation as an engaged worker who would do great things if promoted.  

2. Be a Risk Taker  

Exceptional leaders don’t stay within the confines of their comfort zones. Be a risk-taker at work, and do things that make you a little nervous but are necessary for growth. This includes suggesting new ideas or saying yes instead of no thanks to a task you don’t have much experience in, such as public speaking.  

3. Act with Integrity 

Before you can be trusted with more authority, you must make it clear that you could be trusted to do the right thing and not abuse it. Act with integrity at all times at work by avoiding anything that could come across as dishonest, from gossiping around the watercooler to slacking off on company time.  

4. Volunteer for Opportunities 

Always be on the lookout for any chances to serve in a leadership role, even in the smallest manner. Volunteer for opportunities whenever they arise as a way to hone your leadership skills, such as offering to show new employees around and get them acclimated or being in charge of the office charitable drive. 

5. Show Interest in Others    

The most effective leaders proactively gather a variety of perspectives so they can make the most informed decisions. Even if you’re not in a decision-making role quite yet, you can strengthen the skill set by making it a point to show interest in others in your workplace. Ask questions about what they think, and if you have differing opinions, aim to learn more about their perspective instead of just defending your own viewpoint.  

6. Ask for Feedback 

If you want to know what you need to do to be seen as an effective leader, don’t just guess – ask for feedback. Meet with your boss and let them know you’re trying to improve your leadership skills and would like to know your strengths and also where you need to focus your efforts to grow. Plus, this has the added benefit of your boss knowing your desire to grow within the company so they can consider you for future opportunities.  

Find Your Next Great Job Opportunity Today!  

Find job opportunities that are right for you by working with an experienced staffing agency like PrideStaff Akron. Our team of recruiters can match you with the jobs that are the best match from employers across industries. Search our database of current available jobs to get started.  

What Is the Biggest Challenge in Online Job Searching?

Relying exclusively on the internet to find jobs in Las Vegas is a lot harder than it sounds. If you’ve already started the process, you’ve probably realized the biggest challenge is the lack of personal connection.

While there’s no shortage of postings in the area, it’s hard to learn much about a company in just a few paragraphs of text. Plus, the unemployment rate in Las Vegas was 15.5%, as of August 2020, so competition is more intense than it’s been in years.

Working with a staffing partner is a great way to enhance your search. Here’s a look at how this relationship can help you get ahead.

Three Ways a Recruiter Can Personalize Your Job Search

Help You Find the Right Cultural Fit

Unless you already have a contact at a certain company, it’s hard to know what it’s like to work there. However, cultural fit is so important, it can largely determine your overall job satisfaction — and ultimately your tenure with the company.

When you work with a recruiter, this is a non-issue, because they take cultural fit into consideration when matching you with jobs. As local hiring experts, they have the scoop on all the companies in your community, allowing them to find opportunities that serve as an all-around match for you.

Provide an “In” With the Hiring Manager

Hiring decisions require a lot of time and money, so employers prefer candidates recommended by someone they know and trust. Recruiters have personal relationships with many local hiring managers, and they’re happy to share their connections with you. This will allow you to stand out from the crowd, gaining an edge on your competition.

Prepare You For the Interview

It’s impossible to know exactly what to expect from a job interview, but working with a recruiter will offer a solid preview. Since they’ve likely done business with the employer before, they’ll have an idea of general questions you’ll be asked, they’ll be able to offer guidance on what to wear and can provide an overview of what the interview process will look like. This will help you feel more secure on the big day, so you can present your very best self.

Find Your Next Job With Confidence

Taking the next step in your career can be nerve-wracking, so allow PrideStaff Las Vegas to guide your search. We’re here to help you find a new opportunity that checks all your boxes. Contact us today to learn more!

Questions to Ask During an Interview to Understand a Potential Job

We typically think of job interviews as a way for employers to interrogate potential employees, a step in the process companies use to winnow down the candidates for a particular position. And, of course, that’s part of the process – maybe even the largest part. But an interview should also provide the opposite opportunity. A candidate should ask questions during an interview to understand whether the potential job is right for them.

Don’t ignore this critical step. Don’t get so carried away with trying to impress your interviewers that you forget to gather information as well. Leaving the discussion, you should have a clear appreciation of the opportunity and a concreate conception about whether you can succeed in the role.

To get to that point, you need to ask questions. But which ones? Here are a few questions you can ask during an interview to understand a potential job:

Describe the day-to-day routine for this position.

You want to know what it is like to perform the job you are applying for. One good approach is to take a day-in-the-life view of the position. Have your interviewers walk you through a typical routine. You’ll see what tasks you’ll need to do and better understand the skills required.

What skills are most necessary to excel in this job?

Hopefully, your new job won’t just require trudging through a monotonous daily routine. You want a position that allows you to grow over time. To do this, you’ll need to know how to reach the highest levels of quality. That’s what this question accomplishes. It signals your ambition to your interviewers. At the same time, you will learn about other talents you can leverage in the role.

How do you measure success for someone in this role?

Excelling in a position means keeping your boss is happy. That entails knowing how they measure performance. This question lets you learn how the company defines success and how it tracks your output.

What challenges do people in this job face?

Not every day on the job is going to be sunshine and rainbows. Every set of responsibilities comes with challenging moments, even if the overall position is a good fit. Knowing these potential traps ahead of time will allow you to gauge your ability to navigate the more challenging situations.

What advancement opportunities does this position offer?

Don’t just focus on the job at hand. Try to get a view of the company as a whole. Ideally, you’ll want to enhance your career as the company grows, adds responsibilities, and transitions into new, even more, exciting roles. This question aims at those opportunities.

Does anything make you hesitate about hiring me?

This question brings the conversation back to the main topic: your ability to succeed in the job. An honest answer will let you understand what your interviewers are thinking. At the same time, it gives you a chance to counter any reservations they might have.

Building a career is all about finding the right positions for your skills and background. The more information you have about a job, the better. That’s the benefit of partnering with a strong recruiting firm, like PrideStaff. They can steer you to the ideal situations for you.

Contact PrideStaff today to find out more.