How to Get the Onboarding Process Right the First Time - Part 4 of 5

How to Get the Onboarding Process Right - Part 4 of 5

Onboarding seems straightforward to most small businesses. So you might be asking yourself the question: "Why is Cindi Filer spending so much time trying to perfect our onboarding processes?"

This statistic should help answer that question:

• 91% of new hires will determine if they want to start/stay based on how they are onboarded.

You want to get this right... Trust me!! So we will continue from our last onboarding principles:

ONBOARDING PRINCIPLE #2 – Tell Your Company Story

New employees want to know why you do what you do. So spend some time telling them the company story and answering questions like these:

1. Why and when did the company start?

2. Who started the organization?

3. What is the “heart” behind the company?

4. Is there any special history that the business is proud of?

This could be done in a few ways:

• “Hype style” video

• In a meeting with the CEO presenting to group

• A one-on-one lunch with a leader.

ONBOARDING PRINCIPLE #3 – Get New Team Members Excited to Work at the Company

The new hire will be excited about being at your company if you (as their leader) are excited.  That’s it.

Your energy level and excitement for the company (or your lack of it) will show through clearly. Make sure you bring that energy in their first weeks (hopefully forever). Remember, excited engaged employee are more productive so it is beneficial for you to put in the effort and energy!!

ONBOARDING PRINCIPLE #4 – Train New Employees Well and Quickly

Training is important – systematic training. The “follow me and just do what I do” is not the best training approach. Before you hire someone, make sure that you are ready to train well.  Have manuals, videos, or team members ready with instruction that is clear and well done.  New employees that get poor training typically fail.

A couple more important stats that you should be aware of:

1. 59% of employees report no workplace training! (WOW.)

2. 70% of employees believe they lack the skills needed to do their job.

So, if you train well – you have a huge leg up on your competition for talent!

Our HR Audit

We have an HR Audit, where we discuss your onboarding process in depth and make suggestions that fit your company. We also will evaluate the other 13 areas of HR and give our recommendations. HR Audit Info

How to Create Great Culture Through Onboarding

How to Create Great Culture Through Onboarding

Today, we are going to focus on creating culture by facilitating relationships during the onboarding process –  a very important piece of the onboarding puzzle!

Here's a recap from my last newsletter on Onboarding to jog your memory:

1. 91% of new hires will determine if they want to start/stay based on how they are onboarded.

2. The boss is the best person to onboard.

3. You need a PLAN ahead of their start date.

There are many elements to great onboarding – we will focus on them over the next weeks.

ONBOARDING PRINCIPLE #1 - CREATE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS

To ensure that your new employee is set up for success, you must start by facilitating great relationships.

On the first day, you should say something like, “While we want you to get to your work soon, you will see that we have put quite a few meetings, lunches and coffees on your calendar. We feel that this is crucial for you to spend time with the people that will be important in your work relationships.”

Then, you as their manager will set up all these meetings prior to their first day and those events should be on their calendar when they arrive. Don’t leave it up to them to schedule the meeting.

Communicate to the people they will be meeting with that these are critical and you expect them to follow through and meet. Do not let more urgent things get in the way.

Efforts like this create Culture because relationships are crucial. Here are some relationships that I believe need to be fostered:

• Peers – Create lunches and coffees and meetings in the first 4 weeks for all peers (in their own department and across departments – like Finance, HR, etc). The new employee can do these meetings in groups or one on ones.

• Manager/People Leader – You (as the boss) should have the first meeting with them on the first day – no exceptions. If you are taking vacation that week – do not have them start.  It is important for you to take at least 15 minutes/day in your schedule to meet with the new employee (for the first 2 weeks) and see how they are doing in their onboarding. Then, create meetings every Friday for 30 minutes for the first 60 days.   Have them set and do not miss them!

• Customers – If they are customer facing, creating lunches/opportunities to have one of your team go with them to meet the customer (or zoom is necessary).  Make sure when the person introduces them to your best customers, that they praise the new person and tell them how excited they are to be taking over.

• Other high-level employees in your company – If there are others that are executives that they will be working with, make meetings with you and the other executive and the new employee. It is important for the high-level execs to meet WITH them and not just walking by their desk.

I’m pretty sure that very few small businesses do this.

And even fewer do this well. It’s FREE.  And impactful.  You’ll be surprised how well it goes and how your overall employee engagement improves as well!

As always – if you need some help to put together a great onboarding plan – call us!  We have quite a bit of experience in this area and can help your team create a memorable few months for your new hires.

Here are the ways to get in touch with us:

1. Email me at cfiler@innovative-outsourcing.com

2. Go to our website: https://www.innovative-outsourcing.com/

3. Follow Innovative Outsourcing

The Hiring Cheat Sheet for Employers

The Hiring Cheat Sheet for Employers

Hiring is not easy. Gone are the days when candidates "are lucky to get an offer". In this job market, you are still fighting for candidates. We want to make sure you have the upper hand on your competition.

Over the last month in this Newsletter, we have gone over some key insights from our Innovative Outsourcing team in depth. We have talked about the preparation, the best practices when a candidate is onsite, and how to offer your chosen candidate that sets you apart.

Most likely, you have not been able to read all of those suggestions, so we decided to put it all here in our Hiring Cheat Sheet for Employers. Here it is:

The Preparation for the Interview:

Tip #1 - Let the Candidate Know What to Expect

No one wants a surprise. No one wants to wait around and wonder what comes next. So, tell your candidates at the very beginning of the process what is likely to happen. This can help to alleviate any anxiety they may have and ensure that they are well-prepared.

Tip #2 - Get the Logistics Right

Ensure that parking, reception, and other logistics are in order. This will help to create a smooth and seamless experience for the candidate, and also ensure that they arrive at the interview feeling relaxed and focused. You would think this is self-explanatory. However, we hear from candidates all the time about how there was no direction and they did not know where to go.

Tip #3 - Don’t Overload the Candidate

As you plan the interview day, here are some tips:  

1. Plan on the interview being around 30-45 minutes. 

2. Plan on interviews never being more than a 3-1 ratio (interviewers to interviewee). Large panel interviews just don’t work well and totally stress the candidate. We get the feedback that it feels like a firing squad when there are more than 3! 

3. Plan for a break with a snack or coffee if the person will have multiple interviews.  

Tip #4 - Be Prepared

We always tell the candidate to be prepared but the interviewer should be as well! Here are some easy items to check along the way:

1. Make sure you have reviewed the resume and highlight a couple of interesting things. 

2. Look at their LinkedIn to see what you might have in common. 

3. Have 2-3 questions written about their background and 2-3 more questions to help you determine culture fit and skills fit!  

If you want more in-depth examples and stories for Interview Prep, here is the link to the Newsletter on it - Onsite Interview Guide for Employers: Preparation for the Candidate

Onsite Interview Guide for Employers

Tip #1 - Don’t Tell the Candidate Everything Bad About Your Company 

We agree that it is crazy we need to remind people about this, but we do. An old strategy was to let them know the good, bad and the ugly. Focus on the positive aspects of the company and the role.

Tip #2 - A candidate can catch your love for the company. 

Tell the candidate why you love working there and sell them on the company! It is important to show the candidate why your company is a great place to work and to create a positive and engaging environment.

Tip #3 - Be On Time

It is essential to be punctual and ready to start the interview at the scheduled time. Being late can create a negative impression and may cause the candidate to feel disrespected. 

Tip #4 - Shut Off Your Phone and Your Computer During the Interview

We get it - you are important and things are happening. However, the number of interviewees that get turned off by interviewers who are “not paying attention” is a large one. 

Tip #5 - Pay Attention

It is important to engage with the candidate and show genuine interest in what they have to say. Actively listen and ask follow-up questions to gain a better understanding of their skills, experience, and potential.

Tip #6 - Quit Asking Impossibly Hard Questions

Avoid asking unnecessarily difficult questions. While it is important to assess the candidate's skills and experience, it is equally important to create a comfortable and non-threatening environment.

Tip #7 - Next Interviews Need to Happen Quickly

If you determine to bring the candidate back in for a follow up interview, plan that for the next couple of days. You have a very high chance of losing your candidate if that next interview isn’t FAST.

These are some tips while the candidates are in the office for an interview. If you want more depth, here is the link to the Newsletter for Onsite Interview Guide for Employers.

Best Practices When Making an Offer to a Candidate

Tip #1 - Call the Candidate with Excitement!

The hiring manager (or CEO if appropriate) needs to call the candidate with excitement! This is the moment that the candidate has been waiting for, and it's important to create a positive and enthusiastic experience for them. By conveying your excitement and interest in the candidate, you are more likely to create a positive impression and increase the likelihood of acceptance.  

Tip #2 - Put an Offer in Writing that Same Day

The offer should come on the same day and preferably within an hour of the phone call (not before the phone call - that is not recommended at all!). This provides the candidate with the necessary details regarding the offer, such as salary, benefits, start date, and other relevant information. This also shows the candidate that you are organized, professional, and value their time.

Tip #3 - Meet or exceed their salary expectations

Don't offer less than they thought was coming. If you have discussed salary expectations with the candidate or posted a range, it's important to ensure that the offer meets or exceeds their expectations. Offering less than what they anticipated can create a negative impression and may cause the candidate to reconsider their interest in the position. Even if they take the job at the lesser rate, you have communicated to them that they weren’t even good enough for the lower end of the range and you will be starting off poorly.

Tip #4 - Keep communicating!

If there is much time between offer acceptance and start, continue to communicate with the candidate. This can include sending them a company t-shirt, newsletter, or welcome emails from staff. This helps to keep the candidate engaged and excited about the opportunity to work with your organization and may squash any other offers that may be coming in behind yours. Surprise and delight them with gifts, communication, excitement from current team members, etc. It doesn’t cost much - but is important if there is more than a couple of weeks prior to their start date. 

In Conclusion...

We would love to talk to you about your hiring process. We coach our clients through every step when we work with them in recruiting. It’s just part of what we do and why our clients like to work with us! Our survey scores are 5 out of 5 on the client and candidate side. We know that sounds like bragging, and it is. Hiring and HR is what we do best!

Here are some links to learn more about Innovative Outsourcing, our podcast HR Ins and Outs for Small Business Podcast, and tHRiving: HR for Small Business

Best Practices When Making an Offer to a Candidate

Best Practices When Making an Offer to a Candidate

Don’t make a mistake now!  You are so close to a YES!

Making an offer often seems like a formality to many companies.  They have done all the hard lifting and found a great candidate. Historically, a short phone call telling them an offer is coming by email has worked because “the candidate is so lucky to get a job offer from our company! Of course they will take it!”   

However, the world has changed. The way you offer is critically important not only to you getting the candidate you want, but to ensure a great beginning to their work days with you. 

Call the candidate with excitement!

The hiring manager (or CEO if appropriate) needs to call the candidate with excitement! This is the moment that the candidate has been waiting for, and it's important to create a positive and enthusiastic experience for them. By conveying your excitement and interest in the candidate, you are more likely to create a positive impression and increase the likelihood of acceptance.  

Say something like this:

“Emily, we are so excited to offer you the position of senior accountant. We have looked at over 130 resumes and interviewed many candidates for this position. We spent days figuring out exactly what we needed in this job, and then we found you.  We believe that you will be not only exactly what we were looking for skill wise - but your attitude and energy are just what will make you a great fit.  We will follow up today with an offer in writing but we really hope you will say yes!”

Put an offer in writing that same day

The offer should come on the same day and preferably within an hour of the phone call (not before the phone call - that is not recommended at all!). This provides the candidate with the necessary details regarding the offer, such as salary, benefits, start date, and other relevant information. This also shows the candidate that you are organized, professional, and value their time.

Meet or exceed their salary expectations

Don't offer less than they thought was coming. If you have discussed salary expectations with the candidate or posted a range, it's important to ensure that the offer meets or exceeds their expectations. Offering less than what they anticipated can create a negative impression and may cause the candidate to reconsider their interest in the position.  Even if they take the job at the lesser rate, you have communicated to them that they weren’t even good enough for the lower end of the range and you will be starting off poorly.  If you don’t give them the highest end of the range, you will need to explain why they aren’t good enough for that, and again this may not sit well with them. It’s better to make them excited with the salary - this is not the economy for a salary negotiation.  Candidates don’t want to engage like that anymore.  So give them a fair, expected salary.

Keep communicating!

If there is much time between offer acceptance and start, continue to communicate with the candidate. This can include sending them a company t-shirt, newsletter, or welcome emails from staff. This helps to keep the candidate engaged and excited about the opportunity to work with your organization and may squash any other offers that may be coming in behind yours.  Surprise and delight them with gifts, communication, excitement from current team members, etc.  It doesn’t cost much - but is important if there is more than a couple of weeks prior to their start date. 

In summary, these 4 simple actions can make a HUGE difference in the result.  As you look back at your last hire - is there any improvement you need to make?  It sounds like FLUFF and unimportant - but the result of not doing these things might mean starting the recruiting process all over again when your candidate starts with another company.  Let’s not let that happen.

As always, we would love to talk to you about your hiring process. We coach our clients through every step when we work with them in recruiting.  It’s just part of what we do and why our clients like to work with us! Our survey scores are 5 out of 5 on the client and candidate side. We know that sounds like bragging, and it is. Hiring and HR is what we do best!

Onsite Interview Guide for Employers: Preparation for the Candidate

“Don’t blow it!!” - That’s what we want CEOs or whoever the hiring manager is in your small business to know.  

It takes so much of your time/resources to get a great candidate to be interested in your position - the average survey says it takes 40-80 hours of work to find a good candidate. So, don’t blow it when you get the opportunity to interview.

If you are spending so much time getting a great candidate to the interview stage, let’s figure out how to keep them engaged! 

Here are some tips and tricks we have learned over the last 29 years as you set up their interview experience (if you are more interested in Matt Filer and I discussing on the HR Ins and Outs for Small Business Podcast, here is the link to the podcast):

Tip #1 - Let the Candidate Know What to Expect

No one wants a surprise. No one wants to wait around and wonder what comes next.  So, tell your candidates at the very beginning of the process what is likely to happen. This can help to alleviate any anxiety they may have and ensure that they are well-prepared. Send an email saying something like:

“Dear Sue, We are very excited to have you entering the interview process for the Accounting Manager position.  We will begin with a video interview on ______. This will be 30 minutes and will be with the hiring manager, ____________.  Next, we will be sending a personality assessment to you. This will take 15 minutes of your time and we will send you the results as well.  Then, the on-site interviews will happen over 3 hours in one day and the candidates will meet with 3 of our other managers, __________________.  We hope to make a hiring decision by July 1.   If you will not be advancing to the next stage in the process we will let you know in a timely manner.  Let’s get started.  We look forward to getting to know you.” - You have our permission to copy and paste. 

Tip #2 - Get the Logistics Right

Ensure that parking, reception, and other logistics are in order. This will help to create a smooth and seamless experience for the candidate, and also ensure that they arrive at the interview feeling relaxed and focused. Here are some examples:

• If there are multiple parking lots, send a map showing which one to use. If the front door is confusing - spell it out in the directions.  

• If you have a receptionist, make sure he/she knows your candidate is coming, and exactly what to do when he/she arrives. Reception should know exactly what to say: “Glad you are here, Sue!  We have been expecting you. Take a seat right here and Don will be with you right at 9am!  We hope you have a good day.”

You would think this is self-explanatory. However, we hear from candidates all the time about how there was no direction and they did not know where to go.

Tip #3 - Don’t Overload the Candidate

As you plan the interview day, here are some tips:  

1. Plan on the interview being around 30-45 minutes. 

2. Plan on interviews never being more than a 3-1 ratio (interviewers to interviewee).  Large panel interviews just don’t work well and totally stress the candidate. We get the feedback that it feels like a firing squad when there are more than 3! 

3. Plan for a break with a snack or coffee if the person will have multiple interviews.  

Tip #4  - Be Prepared

We always tell the candidate to be prepared but the interviewer should be as well! Here are some easy items to check along the way:

1. Make sure you have reviewed the resume and highlight a couple of interesting things. 

2. Look at their LinkedIn to see what you might have in common. 

3. Have 2-3 questions written about their background and 2-3 more questions to help you determine culture fit and skills fit!  

It will speak volumes to the candidate that you are a quality employer if you have taken the time in advance to research them.  What do you think when you walk into the interview as a candidate and the interviewer obviously is looking at your resume for the first time - it is disappointing for sure!

We get it - hiring isn’t much fun.  No one loves it.  But your outcome can be much better if you do these things in advance!!

If you want to go more into depth about this subject, listen to our podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts:

Link to Spotify Podcast

Link to Apple Podcast

Unpopular Opinion: Why Right Now is the Best Time to Hire

Unpopular Opinion: Why Right Now is the Best Time to Hire

You might not be thinking this, but right now is a great season to hire. Have you heard the phrase: "Buy when no one else is buying"? You might hear this in the stock market or real estate world, but it is also a good hiring mantra.  

Here are 5 reasons why you should be hiring right now:
1. This Economy: Many companies might be freezing hiring or spooked about the layoffs at big tech companies and what that means to the economy. The savvy small business CEO is going to know that this is a rare opportunity to pick up "A+ Players" for their organization. If you start to hire now, your candidate pool will be larger than when the markets start to go back up (which we all know it will). If your company had a great year or this small recession is not affecting you, we recommend hiring now!

2. Concern About Current Employer: Many employees are getting concerned about the profitability of their current organization. If you are stable and growing, you will be able to attract candidates that may not have been looking for a new role before now.

3. Less Competition for Talent: Less employers hiring generally means more favorable outcomes in quality and salary (something that was far from the case in 2022). In a time when hiring is slowing across the country, it is easier to find "A+ Players" that are willing to make a move. If you wait until conditions improve, you may have missed this unique opportunity that your competition is not taking advantage of.

4. The Right Time of the Year: On the candidate side, employees have time off around this time of the year. This means they are on their computers taking time to look for something new. Statistics show that when employees have down time, they often spend it wishing and searching for new situations. On the employer side, less companies start recruiting at the holidays because they want to “hire at the beginning of the fiscal year”. In January, the market will be flooded with work and your job will just be one of many when it could stick out now.

5. Put Employees on Innovative Outsourcing's Payroll: We can put your employees on our payroll. This is a no-risk approach to hiring. For both part-time and full-time positions, we can keep W-2 employees on our payroll for as long as you like.

Provide "Better-Than-Market" Total Compensation

"47 percent of people actively looking for new positions say company culture is the main reason" -- Hays.com

Does this make you wonder if you might have some work to do around your office?

A couple of weeks ago, we started a series about simple strategies to improve your work culture.  I’m going to share some of my experiences with the companies who are finding success in creating a great culture. 
 
#1 – Providing Feedback
(If you missed it, check out the link HERE)

#2 – Providing a Flexible Work Environment
If you missed it, check out the link HERE

#3 – Provide “Better-Than-Market” Total Compensation   

Most people tend to think of compensation as something totally separate from company culture. However, compensation is one of the ways that you express how much you value your employees. And as you know, employees who feel valued look forward to coming into work, have higher morale and productivity, and stay longer. So it’s important to periodically take a fresh look at how you stand compared to the market related to total compensation.

Do you know what total compensation is? The elements are listed below.  We like to think of these as levers. Each are important, but if you are able to offer more compared to what is common in companies in your industry in one area, it will allow you to sometimes offer less in another. 

1. Salary

2. Bonuses

3. Health Benefits

4. 401K

5. Vacation and Sick Pay (also now referred to as PTO - paid time off)

Let’s look at each of these individually.

Salary

In times of low unemployment as we are in right now, we suggest that you pay at least 10% over the market rate for all your positions, and up to 30% over market for positions that are “low talent availability – meaning those job candidates are HARD to find”.  For now, some of those candidates in Atlanta are experienced bookkeepers, controllers, paralegals, and sales people. For these positions, if you aren’t at 30% over market, you have a large chance of losing people even if you have an incredible culture.  Salary.com is a great place to start your research. If you want a professional analysis of the market rate for the jobs in your company, we can help you with that! 

Bonuses

As you know, bonuses, profit sharing, etc. are great ways to recognize employees for their work.  These can be a big motivator for employees to work harder and cut costs in order to increase profitability.  However, bonus opportunities need to be clearly defined and fairly implemented or they will become a de-motivator and greatly increase employee dissatisfaction.

When you’re working hard to build a certain culture within your company, bonus plans can be a great tool in helping to do that.  Tie in specific behaviors and work habits, etc. that you want to reward on top of results that you want achieved.  This shows your employees that you are serious about creating the culture you talk about and that you are wiling to put money against it to back it up.

Health Benefits

Only about 35% of today’s employees are covered by a spouse’s plan and don’t need health benefits. We know that offering benefits is expensive and can be very difficult for a small business to afford. But with the high cost of an individual getting his/her own plan, benefits comparisons are becoming a huge factor in how candidates evaluate different job opportunities. To make yourself an attractive employer, you may need to find an affordable plan, offer to cover the out of pocket costs for an individual to get their own, or at least offer a stipend toward those costs. 

401K

Most employees feel that this is definitely a “nice to have” and not a necessity.  Note that if you offer a 401k or IRA, that DOES NOT replace the need to pay properly.

PTO

Here is where you, as a small business, can make up for not having the highest pay!  Offer more vacation.  Employees are valuing time off, flexible work options (like we talked about in the last post), etc. as much as pay during some seasons of life. Most companies are starting their professional employees at 3 weeks vacation now.  And clients that give 4-5 weeks a year report high work satisfaction and longer tenure.  Although there is an opportunity cost in giving more vacation, it may be more doable for you than offering higher salaries.

A CEO told me the other day that he felt that they had such an awesome culture that people didn’t care if he paid below market and didn’t offer benefits.  I’m concerned about this CEO’s strategy.  This could work for the short-term. But even people working in a great corporate culture need to pay their bills. As the difference between what you pay and what your competitors pay gets larger, your favorite employees might surprise you with a letter of resignation. Don’t let that happen. 

Why don’t you take the next 30 days to evaluate where you are as it relates to Total Comp and take a few steps towards confidence in this area?  I think it will be a great use of your time and perhaps even save your favorite employee. 

Thinking of Hiring a Virtual Executive Assistant?

Consider Hiring Laura!

Ever wish you had an extra set of hands?  If yes, Laura could be the extra resource you need! 

• 9 years’ experience

• Project management

• Event planning

• Social media management

• Appointment setting

• Executive assistant support

• Detail oriented

• Skilled at meeting deadlines

• Delightful at handling tasks with perfection

Laura is a flexible “jack of all trades” who loves to help those she supports be successful. She has recently spent 7 years working with a large employer in the Marietta area, with the last 4 years providing project and admin support to the CEO and EVP of Sales.

• Work preferences: Laura is currently looking for a remote opportunity, working 10+ hours per week.

• Pay rate preferences: Her rate is in the $25-30/hour range, not including IO fees.

And remember that IO takes the risk out of hiring by offering you the choice to hire directly or to keep an employee on the IO payroll. Let us eliminate your hiring risk! We pay the insurances and employer taxes. This is a huge benefit of using Innovative Outsourcing for your flexible staffing needs.

If you’re interested in exploring all the ways a great employee like Laura could be an asset to you and your team, CLICK HERE to learn more about the tasks a virtual assistant can handle.

To start the conversation about how Laura might be a perfect fit for your company, contact Sue Blanchet at sblanchet@innovative-outsourcing.com.

Don't delay, as Laura is a candidate that will be placed quickly.

The Power of a Flexible Workplace

“47 percent of people actively looking for new positions say company culture is the main reason” — Hays.com

Does this make you wonder if you might have some work to do around your office?

A couple of weeks ago, we started a series about simple strategies to improve your work culture.  I’m going to share some of my experiences with the companies who are finding success in creating a great culture. 
 
#1 – Providing Feedback
(If you missed it, check out the link HERE)

#2 – Providing a Flexible Work Environment
33% of employees would change jobs for one that allowed them to work WHERE they want at least part of the time.  Gallup Survey, It’s the Manager   

So, flexibility is KEY!  What does it mean to have a flexible work environment?  Two things…

• Flexible Time – Time is the new bargaining chip. People are as interested in more free time as they are in money – especially our millenials! Do you offer a way for your team to work 7am-3pm or 9:30am – 5:30pm? Work 4 ten-hour days instead of 5 days per week? Just allowing this flexibility – and allowing them to shift it when their life changes (not every week – but once in a while) – will make you a valued and appreciated employer and put you ahead of almost every large company in town.

• Flexible Location – While 100% virtual teams are very difficult, allowing team members to work from home 1-3 days per week has been proven to IMPROVE productivity. People will also actually stay in their jobs totally engaged for longer (and today this means something). From Gallup’s book, "It’s the Manager," “the highest engagement falls in a sweet spot of working remotely three to four days a week." Yes, it is important for managers to be trained on how to manage workers when they are remote, (this needs training and is not easy). It is also important to set expectations for employees and only allow this for employees that have proven to be trustworthy. But for great employees who have a good track record, this can be a win-win scenario. The company gets greater productivity and an engaged worker, and the employee gets to have a day or two without traffic – working in their pajamas with coffee.

Owners who think “I can’t trust my employees. They will be at the movies,” might need to realize that this new way to work is coming – whether you choose to adopt it or not! The old school mentality of requiring everyone to be onsite during the same hours will soon mean that your workplace is dated. “Currently, 60% of companies offer their employees telecommuting opportunities.”  2016 SHRM Benefits Survey.

And, if you choose to be Inflexible, you will have a hard time hiring and retaining top talent. You will be able to get employees, just probably not the BEST ones. Many large companies are still not embracing flexibility, so small employers can beat big employers in the race for great hires just by marketing their FLEXIBILITY!
 
Maybe you and your management team need to take 15 minutes in the next couple of weeks to determine how you could employ a more flexible work strategy. 

Shorthanded, but Reluctant to Hire?

Do you need help from an additional staff member but do not want to take a financial risk?  Reading this recent AJC article, it is understandable why small businesses are sitting on their needs for more staff, and choosing not to hire. 

“A hoped-for boom in small-company hiring never happened because owners haven't wanted to take on the added risk and expense of more staffers.”  

Has this happened at your company? We understand. We are a small business too! 

A great solution for you may be to hire ON THE INNOVATIVE OUTSOURCING PAYROLL. That is right – we can hire your extra set of hands, and we take on the risk. You just pay hourly for the hours worked. You get the help you need without the long-term risk.  Part time is where this works best, but full time might also be an option depending on the job description. 

For example: 

• Controller - 10 hours/week

• HR person - 8 hours/week

• Bookkeeper - 25 hours/week

• Executive Assistant to CEO - 20 hours a week

Do any of these sound like something you need?  If so, now is the time! Contact us to get started.

The Power of Feedback

“47 percent of people actively looking for new positions say company culture is the main reason” — Hays.com

When you read this statistic, does it scare you or make you feel confident about your company’s employees? Is it strange to you that corporate culture is the main reason for employees wanting to make a change? Does this make you wonder if you might have some work to do around your office?
 
For the next few weeks, we are going to start a series about simple strategies to improve your work culture.  I’m going to share some of my experiences with the companies who are finding success in creating a great culture.  And don’t worry - by culture, I don’t mean ping pong tables and free snacks (although those aren’t bad).
 
#1- Providing Feedback
The first (and cheapest) strategy that helps to create a better culture is… PROVIDING FEEDBACK.  Professionals want to know that they are valued!  There are two very easy ways to do that. 

1. Verbal Feedback – Are you taking the time each week to go up to your employees and let them know that you are thankful for something they have done? Your direct reports should hear a verbal thank you or praise at least once a month. And that should happen IN PERSON if possible. This is where walking around with coffee in the morning without an agenda is an incredible tool. Stopping by offices and cubes can make a world of difference to your employees. If you don’t have an office – a once a week check-in call just to say hello with no agenda is critical.

2. Written Feedback – When was the last time you sent your direct reports a hand-written note to thank them for something that they exceeded expectations on? When did you write a note just letting them know that you know that they could choose anywhere to work and you are thankful that they chose your workplace? Have you done this EVER? Setting aside 15 minutes a week to encourage your employees is a great, no-cost way to radically change the culture in a really quick amount of time in your company. If your response to this suggestion is to tell me there is nothing great to say to them, then you probably should call us to help you find some new team members. Gratitude and encouragement FEED our employees – they want to feel appreciated and valued.

As you sit in your office thinking right now, “She’s wrong! I don’t have time for that”, consider this statistic: “69% of employees would work harder if they felt their efforts were better appreciated.” – Socialcast  
 
Hmm. It looks like setting aside 15 minutes each week to show some appreciation is a good business decision and will not only help to reduce turnover, it will also likely impact your bottom line.

Candidate Spotlight: Sarah is available to hire

Are you looking for a marketing/executive support specialist? If so, meet Sarah. Sarah has over 10 years’ experience specializing in brand marketing, project management, content development and executive support. More specifically, she is well versed in social media content creation and management, email campaigns, website updates, tracking analytics as well as live event management.

Sarah is dynamic, self-motivated, reliable and extremely organized. Sarah is on the market because the company she most recently was with is shutting down and she is hoping for an exciting, new professional challenge!

Work location preferences: Sarah is currently looking for a remote or partially remote position, working anywhere from 20-40 hours/week.

Salary range preferences: Negotiable depending upon the hours and scope of the position.

Here is a video message from Sarah: http://bit.ly/iomeetsarah

To start the conversation about how Sarah may be a perfect fit for your company, contact Matt Filer at mfiler@innovative-outsourcing.com

Interview Prep Isn't Just For Job Applicants

Everyone knows the importance of being well-prepared for an interview with a potential employer. However, how much do YOU prepare before you are interviewing candidates for a new position in YOUR organization? There are several things you can do that will help to ensure that you have productive meetings with your candidates, and you can ensure that you are not exposing yourself to any unnecessary legal risk. 
 
Over the next several weeks, we will be reviewing some important elements of an effective interviewing process. Many of these reminders come from feedback from our candidates after returning from interviews. Just a few extra minutes on the front end and a few minor changes can help to ensure that you are putting your best foot forward and that you select a person who will be a great addition to your team.
 
We believe reading through these tips will be helpful as you grow, and you can always keep them on file to review again before your next search process begins.
 
Today's Interview Element: Determine WHO You Want To Hire
 
We know this sounds elementary. Of course, you have thought about the skills and experience you need for the open position in your company. However, there are some extra steps you can take that will make a huge difference in the success of your hiring efforts.

Write a good job description.  Having a specific and thorough outline of what a candidate will do on the job makes it easier to assess an applicant’s previous experience and skills and how they line up with what you need. Make sure you list your “must-haves” and your “nice-to-haves.” Some things are essential in order for a new employee to be able to hit the ground running while others can be trained.

Know the intangibles that you need/want.  As you have probably learned the hard way over the years, skills do not typically cause an employee to fail in a position. However, it is more typically issues related to work ethic, personality match, being a team player, etc. Ask yourself these questions, as the answers will lead to a great hire. 

• “What makes a person successful in this role?”

• “What type of behaviors/ attitudes make a person a great member of my team?”

• “Who on my team would I like to clone and what is it about them that makes them so valuable to me?”

Write down some specific questions.  Based on your must-have skills/experience and the answers to your intangible questions, write down some specific questions that you will ask each candidate. It’s okay to move off-script and go with the flow of the conversation, of course. But by making sure you ask each candidate 10 or so of the same questions, it will make it a lot easier for you to do your evaluations once the interviews are over.
 
Behavioral Interviewing Questions are one of the best ways to get to those “intangibles” that you are looking for in your next hire.  Stay tuned for some easy ways to implement those in our next post!

A Billionaire wants to mentor YOU!

Imagine this! You just received an invitation to meet weekly for coffee with one of the 100 wealthiest people in the world, a billionaire investor and philanthropist. He is taking a special interest in you, and he wants you to fully grasp all the important things he has learned in his 68 years of life and work.  He will mentor you by tracing his footsteps and missteps, his successes and his failures.  When your mentoring sessions are completed, you will be equipped to carry that spark as a blazing torch, enlightening your personal life and your business.

While it may not be an actual “talk-over-coffee,” Ray Dalio’s #1 New York Times bestseller Principles: Life & Work is the ONE must-read book this year, both for your business and your personal growth. Even if you are not a “book” person, there is just too much great stuff here to let this one slip by another day.

RAY DALIO is the founder and co-chairman of the best performing hedge fund in the world.  He’s made the list of the most influential people in the world by Time and Bloomberg Markets. Even if you have not a stiff of interest in hedge funds or investing, the stories he tells and the life principles he shares will keep you hanging on his every word.   

There are two overarching themes that ooze through the richness of Dalio’s wisdom.  

• Principles are ways of successfully dealing with reality to get what you want out of work and life, so identify and use your principles as a measuring stick for all you do.
• In applying these principles, be radically open-minded and radically transparent.  This will assure that you learn quickly, and that you don’t get hung up on what things “should” be like, but what is reality.

It is impossible to highlight the favorite parts of this book, but from a staffing perspective, let me jump right to Part III where Dalio hits the very heart of building a business based upon solid work principles.  Because there is just so much rich information, Dalio does us a tremendous service, and begins this section with a summary and table of these principles, indexed to the pages where each topic is covered in more depth.  He begins by saying, “An organization is a machine consisting of two major parts:  culture and people.” Then he proceeds to itemize how to get the culture right, and how to get the people right.  These are not pie-in-the-sky ideas, but instead he outlines specific steps.  For example, to support his principle that you need to create a culture in which it is okay to make mistakes, but unacceptable not to learn from them, Dalio provides five specific steps any business leader can follow to assure this happens. 

After learning how to get the culture right, my favorite section explains how to get the people right:

• Remember that the WHO is more important than the WHAT
• Hire RIGHT, because the penalties for hiring wrong are huge (then he adds eight steps to assure you succeed in this)
• Constantly train, test, evaluate, and sort people (and he gives you very specific strategies to accomplish this)

As a reader and a business leader, you are challenged to manage your business like someone operating a machine to achieve a goal. Just as a machine operator knows the components that produce the product, “…know what your people are like and what makes them tick, because your people are your most important resource.”

Ray Dalio admits that he is no different from you. "Whatever success I’ve had in life hasn’t been because of anything unique about me—it’s because of principles that I believe anyone can adopt."

So grab a cup of coffee, open the book, either hardcopy or audio, and enjoy a few moments each week as Ray Dalio fills you with the inspiration and wisdom that may make you think differently about your life and work.  Oh, and Part III of Dalio’s book — that’s our sweet spot, so Innovative Outsourcing would be honored to come along side you to put these principles in motion as you build your team at your company.

Listen to Ray Dalio’s Ted Talk 
Watch the Animated Series (30 minutes divided into 8 short episodes) 
Book Summary Outline 

Your next new hiring task just got easier!

Assembling an ideal staff is no small task. And when you need to replace or add an employee, the rest of your work can't just be put on hold while you devote time to this critical team-building part of your company.

You need high-performing team members that fit into the culture that you’ve so painstakingly built over the years. Finding the perfect fit can be an exhausting, time-consuming process, typically taking an average of 60-80 hours per hire.

HERE IS HOW THIS WORKS

When you make the decision to allow our experts to do most of the really time-consuming work for you, Innovative Outsourcing will source and present fully vetted top candidates. All you have to do is choose your favorite from the cream of the crop.  This reduces your time investment to about five hours instead of 60-80.  

Businesses just like yours have been relying on us for over 24 years. Innovative Outsourcing has been taking the hiring pressure off business owners and helping them build the teams they need for ultimate success. This short video highlights the steps in our proven process so you’ll know what to expect when you partner with us on your next hire.  Have an opening in your company?  Then let’s get started finding a great addition to your team now! Or better yet, let us get to know you now so when are are in a pinch for a new hire, we are all set to get to work for you. Give Matt Filer a call, and we will get started.

Matt Filer
Business Development
phone | 404 259 6449