Happy New Year!

We’re officially 4 days into 2021. While it may still feel like the same winter we had only a week ago, we’ve entered into a new month, a new year, and a new opportunity to rebound from the impact 2020 had on all of us. If you haven’t already, now is the time to begin looking forward and letting the hardships of last year serve only as a reminder of what we can overcome.

Economic forecasts predict improvements in non-farm payroll employment of approximately 600,000 new jobs each month. By the fourth quarter of the year, household employment is projected to recover to 148 million. There are industries that are expected to continue to recover more slowly, such as food service and hospitality, but others including delivery and warehouses and those tied to e-commerce will continue to grow at a fast pace to meet the continuously increasing demand of online shopping and contactless purchasing. Additionally, if the vaccines work, we can expect the labor market to heal rapidly this year.

We all have optimistic hopes that this year will be vastly different from last. Some of the factors are well outside of our control, but plenty are still within. Go into the year with positivity and a spirit of accomplishment and tenacity and let’s all see a productive and economically strong 2021. Contact us at sales@peoplelinkgroup.com for all of your 2021 workforce needs!

Creating and Onboarding a Remote Workforce

Why is it important?

If 2020 has taught us anything in the staffing world, it’s that we must find a new way of doing business. This includes getting creative in how we partner with our clients and engage with our talent. The global pandemic became “real” for us all in March of 2020. Organizations that were able to pivot to a remote workforce quickly and effectively were able to stay ahead of the current and set themselves up for a period of sustained growth.

One of the unintended benefits that has come from this terrible pandemic has been an awareness that new ways of delivering business results, no matter the industry, is essential. Organizations that were previously hesitant to entertain a remote workforce now realize it is a viable alternative to remain competitive in the race for talent. According to Stanford Research, an incredible 42% of the U.S. labor force was working from home full-time by June. Even by August, the fraction of entirely home-based work, despite a slight decline relative to earlier in the pandemic, remained very high at 20.3%, according to the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank.

What are potential wins for organizations that are able to make the right pivot? When physical geography is de-emphasized due to remote work capability, there is access to a more diverse workforce in greater supply. Kate Lister, President of Global Workplace Analytics, touts that an estimated 25-30% of the workforce will be working from home multiple days a week by the end of 2021. In keeping up with this plunge, people become the peak differentiator of every industry. Greater diversity creates ideas that spur growth. Teams are more effectively engaged. Expensive, unwanted turnover rates drop significantly. Your employees and your business collectively experience a win/win.

Having proven, repeatable onboarding steps is essential for riding the long-term wave of a successful remote work arrangement. Throughout the recruiting process, candidates form impressions quickly that are crucial for a long-term employment partnership.

What are the crucial steps to successfully onboard a new candidate?

1) Ensure that all necessary equipment is delivered early. Too often, candidates are stressed the week before starting a new position because they are unsure how to perform their job duties. An important unknown to remove is the physical equipment necessary. Make sure that new resources have the necessary setup at home. IT equipment should be delivered with enough time to test access to all applications that the candidate needs to perform their duties. The Friday before the start date is too late.

Gather requirements with the candidate on what they need to be successful. Would they benefit from a second monitor? Is their email set up correctly? Do they have access to all the appropriate applications? Are their security protocols configured? Do they know who to turn to if they have issues? What types of communication are used to interact with leadership and teammates?

This is one of the greatest areas of uncertainty that can provide a negative initial impression for a candidate. On the bright side, it is also one that can be easily eliminated through a well-designed, repeatable process that ensures everyone is operating on the same wavelength.

2) Communication of the organization’s mission, vision, and values during the recruitment process. One of the keys to a successful remote engagement is to recruit to an organization’s mission, vision, and values. Inherently, leaders are placing an increased trust in remote workers due to lack of direct oversight. Identifying candidates that fit from a values perspective is crucial. In addition, a candidate must be propelled by the mission and vision of an organization and be able to identify with that “why” factor!

3) A clearly defined, pre-communicated schedule for the first week. This is another often over-looked aspect of onboarding. Everyone that starts a new job is dealing with some level of anxiety, much of which is caused by the unknown of what they will be doing while they initially settle in. A simple step to take during the onboarding process is to set up a time to go over the first week in detail. Lay out a calendar that can be given to the candidate so they can prepare their thoughts ahead of time. Knowing what the first week looks like from a schedule perspective eliminates much of the unknown and reduces the ramp up period, ultimately saving both time and money!

4) 30-60-90 day expectations laid out during the onboarding process. As mentioned in the previous point, every candidate has anxiety stepping into a new role. Too often, we forget what that feels like. Another key action to minimize this anxiety is to provide absolute clarity in the expectations of the candidate. Successful leaders go so far as to spell out these expectations in offer letters! If a new employee can step into a role knowing what is expected of them, they can plan and be set up to succeed. Unclear expectations lead to disengaged employees and some of that expensive, unwanted turnover.

5) Build trust. This point cannot be understated. Trust is at the crest of building a high-functioning team. There are several tactics for building a trusting culture:

a. Introduce the new employee to the team ASAP. Don’t make the initial intro about work. Make this intro about getting to know each other on a personal level by having every individual on the team share something about themselves. This tactic is not a box to be checked once – it must be repeated consistently. Continue to start all team meetings with a “get to know you” exercise. Make some fun and light-hearted. Make some serious to understand the why behind each individual.
b. Provide collaboration opportunities. Actively schedule opportunities for the new employee to collaborate with different members of the team. One of the quickest ways to shorten the ramp up period and establish long-term engagement is to provide opportunities to accomplish a task together with a teammate. Emotional connections are established through joint success that will keep the workplace current flowing strong.
c. Focus on the culture. The first step here is to be aware of what the impression is of your current culture. Next, envision what you want your ideal culture to look like and onboard with those goals in mind. Communicate the vision for that culture consistently and be sure to demonstrate those values in all interactions.
d. Engagement is critical. A remote candidate is at an increased risk of disengagement when they are isolated and new to the team. Go above and beyond to engage with the new resource and be sure to include them in all appropriate meetings. Use video for the majority of interactions – with the camera on! Set that expectation immediately so that no one shies away.

Remember that people are typically our most valuable resource and turnover is costly in every aspect. Navigating the ocean of remote onboarding is difficult, but having a repeatable process focused on the areas above can ensure that no one gets caught in the undertow. Working together, we can use these strategies to differentiate an organization in an ever flowing and very competitive employment marketplace! Please reach for us at sales@peoplelinkgroup.com.

Giving Thanks

The end of the year is a time traditionally reserved for gathering as family and friends, celebrating togetherness and relationships, and ushering in a new year with excitement and joy. People will remember 2020 as a year of interrupted traditions, adjusted plans, and postponed gatherings, all for the sake of protecting the very loved ones we may not get to see. While tensions have been high and general stress and anxiety a daily concern, how we close out this year is ultimately up to us.

Despite difficulties, in the remaining weeks of the year, we can reflect on our many blessings – supportive friendships, socially distanced walks and talks, and valuable technology making it possible to connect with those closest to us via calls and video chats. Most of all, we can be thankful for a light at the end of the tunnel. We have weathered the storm and are emerging stronger than ever.

We must remain hopeful. This will not last forever. If this year has taught us anything, it is that we are both flexible and resilient. We have changed many aspects of our lives to keep ourselves and others healthy. We are vigilant about hand washing and sanitizing, wearing a mask, and maintaining social distancing whether in the workplace or in public. We have proven that we can face an unprecedented challenge head-on and not let it get the better of us.

We close out 2020 proudly, thankful for the acts of bravery and kindness we’ve witnessed. Grateful for our friends and family, we face 2021 with optimism, knowing even in times of difficulty we will persevere. We look forward to working together with you in 2021. Please reach for us at sales@peoplelinkgroup.com.

Tech Talk: How Drones Are Changing Construction Sites Worldwide

Tech Talk: How Drones Are Changing Construction Sites Worldwide

The popularity of drones continues to rise with more people purchasing and operating them both for personal and professional reasons. One professional field to see the value of drones is the construction industry. Here are four ways drones are changing construction sites worldwide.

Improved efficiency and communication

Drones have the ability to easily access different areas of a worksite without needing a human to accompany them. This means you can navigate the equipment wherever your team is working. By mounting a camera to the drone, you can keep tabs on what’s happening. Because of this ability to collect data in the moment from the construction site, managers are noticing an increase in efficiency. Workflow can be monitored all day, every day. In addition to promoting increased efficiency, workflow monitoring captures accurate data for use in updating investors and evaluating progress against timelines.

Land surveys

Drones can survey potential sites more quickly and cost effectively than people. The resulting data is more abundant and less subject to error than land surveys conducted by humans.

Safer transportation

Drones can do more than just provide a view of the construction site; they can provide practical assistance by transporting materials around the worksite quickly and safely.

Faster inspections

When you need to investigate part of a project, a drone can get there faster and provide better, more accurate data. While they won’t necessarily replace the benefit of experts examining the issue, drones can provide a first look to start the troubleshooting process.

Find the construction talent you need

Trade Management consistently provides the top industrial talent for companies like yours. Our growth is evidence of our success, and we just keep advancing. Contact us today to begin a powerful partnership.

Sick of Minimum Wage? Explore Learning a Trade

Graduating high school leads you to a forked road with several options, including a traditional, four-year degree, learning a trade, or trying to find work based on your current level of education. You know college isn’t the right choice for you and you don’t know very much about the process of learning a trade, so you opt for work that meets you at your current skill or educational level.

If this is you and you’re dissatisfied with your minimum-wage-level position, we have information for you about the benefits of exploring a new trade.

 

Get an education in less time for less money

While a four-year college can cost you more than $100,000, learning a trade costs less than a third and in as little as half the time. You’ll develop new, valuable skills without spending more time and money. Graduate sooner with the hands-on experience necessary to succeed!

 

Work opportunities available

One of the biggest challenges facing traditional graduates is finding a job. With more people opting to attend college, tradespeople are in short supply. In fact, more are retiring from the workforce than joining, meaning there are many open positions.

With a trade degree, you can expect to find a position quickly. In fact, 40% of projected job growth in the United States will fall to middle-skill jobs, or tradespeople.

 

Be compensated well

One of the biggest arguments for college is that it guarantees your later success, meaning you can pay for the expense of attending. While it’s true that the pay ceiling is higher for those with four-year degrees, the average tradesperson makes more than the average college graduate.

When you enter a trade program, you’re advancing your education and helping to fill gaps in the workplace with your knowledge and expertise. Not only will you likely experience financial success, you’ll feel good about the work that you do.

 

Get placed today

If you’ve spent your career working a trade or are a recent graduate from a trade program, trust Trade Management to help you get placed today. We have offices around the DFW area to help match you with the right opportunity. Register today and begin your career!