March Lost Productivity Madness in the Workplace

Is that the sound of a basketball going through the net, or the sound of your productivity slipping away?


Millions of Americans have filled out March Madness brackets and discuss them with friends, and coworkers during work hours. Maybe even some of your workers.

 
Many managers and business owners struggle to keep their employees on-task while the games go on during the workday. There are stories of employees taking extended lunch breaks or calling in sick to catch a little piece of the action.

 
Some companies say that there is so much lost productivity during March Madness, that they have to block popular streaming sites and slow down their office’s
internet connection.
With an estimated 50+ million Americans participating in brackets and office pools, companies stand to lose at least $1.2 billion for every unproductive work hour during the first week of the tournament, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

 
So why do many companies encourage participation in office pools and brackets? (Flexicrew Staffing is one of them). One survey suggests that 32 percent of senior managers believe activities tied to the tournament boost employee morale, which makes your workforce more efficient and productive.
So, enjoy this annual event while still staying on track so no productivity is lost. March Madness isn’t going away anytime soon, so why not make the best of the situation?

 
Follow your Bracket.

 
Enjoy some friendly trash talk.

 
Who knows? You might even win it all!

 
To your Madness,

 

 

Your Flexicrew Team

Rash hiring decisions – how much can they cost you?

bad_hireIt happens: You have a position that needs to be filled right away, so you hire quickly so that the job gets done. After spending time (and money) hiring, training, and paying this new employee, you realize…this just isn’t going to work. They’re not the worst employee, but their performance is no more than “ok.” What next? And how do you avoid making the same mistake in the future?

Making these rash hiring decisions can cost you big – think almost a cool million $ big.  In fact, hiring a mid-level manager for 2.5 years, terminating, and replacing that person, what with costs of onboarding, compensation, severance packages, and other factors can cost around $840,000, according to recruiter Jorgen Sundberg (via inc.com).

The cost of hiring a mediocre employee comes in various forms. As pointed out, there’s the monetary cost of hiring, training, firing, and replacing someone. Consider as well that these employees tend to need more time and training in attempts to get them to improve. And “average” work will filter through the rest of your business…and to others who work with you. You don’t want to lessen your competitive status or mar your corporate image by keeping employees who bring you down.

If you feel you have employees that don’t quite meet your expectations, you can help them improve through training, mentoring, and regular performance meetings and benchmarks. This may well help an average employee rise to the challenge, especially if you make your objectives specific, measurable, and concrete. To cut off the problem before it begins, start by making your job description thorough: Make it a written record of exactly what you’re looking for with regard to experience, qualifications, and job duties/requirements. You can then use the latter as benchmarks for the employee to follow.

 

Why we hire bad employees

 

 

 

 

Remove the candidates who don’t meet your standards — bearing in mind that someone who doesn’t have the exact set of skills you’re looking for but has qualified transferrable skills can fit the bill as well. Perform phone interviews with qualified applicants and finally, do in-person interviews with the final candidates, using that job description as a screening tool. Remember to utilize staffing agencies to help streamline the process for finding quality candidates.

The time and money you take to hire the “right” employee versus an “acceptable” one is absolutely worth the cost because a quality employee will give you a superior long-term investment.

To work with a recruiter to find these employees, reach out to the experienced staffing team at Flexicrew for more information.  www.flexicrew.com

10 Hot Twitter Hashtags for Job Seekers

twitter jobsIt was only a matter of time, in a tough job market, that Twitter would be flooded with both job seekers and job offerers. The way they find each other is through certain key hashtags, the best of which we have laid out for you to help you in your quest for employment. Some of these will give you broad search results and take a while to sift through, but a job is waiting for you on the other end.

  1. #hiring: Here it is, your No. 1 word to find a hiring company is … hiring.
  2. #nowhiring – An alternative to the above.
  3. #tweetmyjobs: It’s a pretty clunky phrase, but #tweetmyjobs has been tagged nearly a million times, so include it in your search.
  4. #HR: The folks handling the headhunting for the company will be from human resources, so go straight to the      source.
  5. #jobopening: Now we’re talking. This tag is almost exclusively used by people offering people work. Easy.
  6. #jobposting: “Jobposting” is another efficient tag to search, only it’s used a bit less than #jobopening.
  7. #employment: Often listed along with #jobs at the end of a tweet, #employment is a major keyword used by businesses in the market for talent.
  8. #jobsearch: Sometimes this will be the only hashtag a hiring company will use, so be sure to make it one of your search terms.
  9. #joblisting: Attention! I’m a hiring employer and this is my way of telling you that I’ve got a job right here just waiting to be filled.
  10. #jobs – just stating the obvious.

It’s also a good idea to search for specific jobs like #welder  #receptionist  #oilfield  and combine that with one of the above. We’ll be posting, so keep an eye out!

https://twitter.com/GetAGreatJob

twitter jobs pic

Employee Referral Program

We’re excited to announce that we’re rolling out a brand new Employee Referral Program.

Refer a friend to Flexicrew and make sure they tell us who sent them.  After they work for 90 days, just give us a call and you’re qualified to receive a $25 gift card. It’s that easy.

So start referring today!

$25 Referral Brochure

Would it help your business to have a Flexicrew manager/recruiter onsite?

What is an “On-site” and how can your business benefit?  

The On-site management program looks different for every company. It might consist of simply checking in employees and getting them assigned to lines at the start of each shift. It could be as extensive as a full time on-site representative, handling all staffing, timekeeping and disciplinary actions. The extent of the program is determined by your company’s individual situation.

Do you need a more thorough, comprehensive hiring program than you are willing and/or able manage?

The Flexicrew on-site program begins with a 3 part investigation in order to understand your company’s needs. With information from your key internal staff members, Flexicrew designs a hiring program that fits with your requirements and workplace culture. Understanding your issues and how your company operates and then building a solid partnership is key.

  

Following are some benefits clients with on site programs have experienced:

  • Increase in productivity
  • Decrease in staffing costs
  • Improvement in shift starting times
  • Flexibility to meet unexpected client demands
  • Reduced turnoverGroup employee pic onsite

”Working with Flexicrew has been great. The service department is like none other than we have worked with. Response time and customer support are outstanding. These guys will keep you up and running.”

 

 

FAQ

 

What exactly is an on-site management program?

It is a program that helps you manage your supplemental staffing needs or assists you with overwhelming hiring needs. The program can simply assist you in coordinating supplemental staff at the start of a shift or can be as extensive as a full time coordinator(s) handling an entire hiring program.

 

Do we have to provide the office space and equipment?

In some cases the client company does need to provide a work space, but for less extensive programs it might only require Flexicrew to manage the staff in the lunch room or by the timeclocks. If the program requires a full time on site representative, Flexicrew will provide computers and other office supplies, but will work with you on the best way to set up the partnership.

 

Why use an on-site management program rather than just hiring employees myself?

•           More time for your supervisors to concentrate on their core business activities

•           Reduced turnover due to our screening process

•           Increase in production rates

•           Flexibility, as we can ramp up or down very quickly

•           Save money by not having to keep staff on in downtimes

 

Do we pay for the on-site recruiter?

You are billed for the employees we place, either at an hourly rate or a direct hire fee depending on our agreement. The onsite recruiter/coordinator is part of the program and as a standard is not directly charged to your company.

Should I “Payroll” Employees Through a Staffing Agency?

What is “payrolling?” and how can it help my business?

Flexicrew works with many businesses who have chosen not to bring on an employee as a company hire, rather they “payroll” the employee through us. That means that Flexicrew is the employer of record and manages all payroll expenses such as taxes, unemployment, and worker’s compensation.payroll_question

Payrolling works well when there are large projects with a specified time frame. You know the employees that you like and trust and you want them on that project because you can trust that they will do the job right. But bringing them on permanent to your payroll isn’t an option. Flexicrew will hire these employees and send them to work for you in a seamless transaction. This situation usually costs a fraction of what a normal recruited staffing arrangement would cost.

Payrolling also allows your company to bring back the skills of experienced former employees or retirees and utilize the services of consultants, interns or specialized independent staff without legal worries.

Flexicrew’s payroll solutions can be your perfect alternative to downsizing. You can continue to utilize the valuable skills of your employees while they remain on our payroll.  We will provide your company’s payroll, record keeping, filing of insurance claims and government reporting- for one or one hundred employees for days, weeks, months or longer.

Find out more? Call Flexicrew 866.720.FLEX (3539)

 

Payroll Pitfalls

How Flexicrew can help your business stay legal

With all the pitfalls awaiting business people just in the payroll function, why don’t more companies use staffing agencies?

Mayra Simmons, our payroll expert, recently attended a Payroll Law seminar.Mayra Simmons

“I walked out much more conscious of details than when I walked in,” she said. “I was relieved because we already complied with everything they talked about that applied to us. But I was more concerned as a result of knowing about the small things that can cost big bucks.”

How much can mistakes cost you? Read more…

Seemingly trivial paperwork errors on an I-9 can cost a company $250 per violation. Even something as simple as the employee signing the wrong place on the form can cost $50! Did you know that the IRS does not allow any of the fields in a W-4 to be crossed out if there is an error on the form? Although the list of snares is much longer, little mistakes like this can cause big grief for a company.

 

It’s one thing if you have the resources to support an accounting department to stay on top of the latest in rulings and laws. But if you’re stretched thin, you might want to think about letting us take on that burden for you!

 

Of course Flexicrew can supply you with employees; we can also put people you hire on our payroll. We call that a “payroll service,” but, unlike ADP, we offer much more. Although the employee works for you, they are carried on our books as an employee and we will take care of the payroll law and other employment related compliance matters for you!

 

Is the cost of a misplaced signature really worth $50? Call Flexicrew today to learn how we can save you time and money.

 

866-720-3539