Archive July 2008

Move over Mike Meyers, a new Love Guru’s in town!

In the staffing industry, a lot of attention is put on the contract workers, but let’s not forget the ever-important internal staff of staffing companies. Without them, the industry wouldn’t survive. And just like all businesses, retaining and sustaining a high-quality, loyal staff is the ultimate challenge.

A major benefit for staffing companies is the advantage of having a database of potential candidates that is constantly revolving—kind of like an internet dating pool. To find a good “match,” you have to have what each other is looking for in the partnership. And say you do discover a connection with a candidate? You decide to take the LEAP and ask the person to join your staff; hoping it’s a match made in heaven.

But once the new employee is on-board, your work of retaining this great new hire is far from over.

Hiring someone new is just like dating. Within the first three months you’ll know if it’s a long-term love affair or just a fling. Within the first 90 days, the new hire makes up his or her mind if the position is one to stick with or move on from.

And just like a romantic relationship, the needs of the employee-employer relationship are constantly changing, and therefore it takes work to keep both parties happy. What made an employee happy in the beginning—salary, for example—may not be their top priority months later. Health benefits, career development opportunities and continuing education benefits rank differently on everyone’s lists. Even the little extras like cell phones, laptop computers, or a nicely stocked company fridge can help retain quality employees. I’m happy with a few great ficus trees in my office! (Although a box of chocolate covered flies wouldn’t hurt either... hint hint.)

So remember, approach the new-employee relationship with a smart mind and check in with them often during those first three months to see if any changes need to be made. And don’t worry, although I may seem like the new Love Guru, I’m not looking to quit my day job anytime soon!

posted by TonyPogo at 7/30/2008 | 0 comments

Survey Says

Good news! The 2007 ASA Staffing Operations Survey has been completed and is available for your viewing pleasure.

For almost ten years the ASA has been conducting this annual survey and this year’s results are better than ever! The staffing firms that participated—over 50 of them—performed better than the industry, on average, and combined sales revenue from respondents totaled $13.8 billion for the 2007 fiscal year, 15% of staffing industry revenue!

So you might be asking, what does this all have to do with me, Tony? Well, knowing how your firm compares with others in the industry is imperative to staying competitive. And you can also see how successful firms operate and learn from the best in the biz—I taught them everything they know!

If you’d like to get your hands on more information on the ASA Staffing Operations Survey, hop on over to the ASA website.

posted by TonyPogo at 7/15/2008 | 0 comments