A few weeks ago I found myself back in the classroom for my daughter, Madeline’s pre-school orientation. As I sat through the handbook orientation, I began to notice a plethora of overly excited parents, nervous children clinging to their parents’ legs, and enthusiastic teachers ready for the year to begin.

I looked over at Madeline confidently playing in the dress-up area as she sported overly large plastic high heels, a gaudy fake jeweled necklace and a fluffy pink “princess” dress. Madeline was at-ease and ready to begin pre-school. It was in this moment that I realized that preparing a child for their first day of preschool is much like managing change in an organization. (Yes, this was the Human Resource Manager coming out in me)!

Preparing a child for their first day of preschool
is much like managing change in an organization.

Define the End Goal

Much like managing change in an organization, the first step in preparing a preschooler for their first day is to clearly explain what the goal is and what will happen. I helped Madeline to understand I wanted her to have fun, to meet new friends and learn new things. When beginning a change effort in an organization, it’s essential to understand and define the business intent. Employees need to know exactly what the goal or business intent of the change effort is. When creating the change, you should be looking at how to foster an environment where employees can embrace they change rather than telling them the new policy.

Identify Stakeholders

In every change, there are going to be numerous parties that will be impacted. Some employees will be deeply impacted while other employees will hardly notice the change has taken place. As a change leader, you must have a plan developed to address the various needs of each group to gain their support for the change. Prior to preschool beginning, my husband and I discussed how the “stakeholders” in our family would be impacted. Jack, our 6 month old son would have to take a slightly later morning nap to accommodate dropping Madeline off at school. On occasion my husband will have to take time off of work to attend a school function. The largest stakeholder would be Madeline who was transitioning from a summer with little structure to a classroom. All of the issues were addressed and a plan was communicated to each “stakeholder”. Okay, so we didn’t technically communicate it to the infant, but you get the point! Address all of the stakeholders needs to make them feel important and a part of the change.

Gauge Organizational Readiness

It’s important for a change leader to be able to assess the organization’s readiness for the change. To create an analysis you should gather information in the following areas:

• Employees understanding the reason for the change and/or understanding of the business goal.
• If the key employees are in agreement about the importance of the specific change effort.
• Leadership’s ability to communicate the vision/purpose of the change.
• Availability to communicate with employees to gather feedback, suggestions and concerns.

Develop a Plan

After the research has been completed and data gathered, it’s time to create a strategic implementation plan. The plan should include:

Business goal/intent, the stakeholder and organizational readiness analysis, implementation steps, a means for evaluating the effectiveness of the change effort and a communication plan

This list is not by any means all inclusive, but it does provide the basics of managing an effective change process. Perhaps one of the more important parts of managing change is to celebrate the milestones and small victories along the way. First day of preschool was a huge milestone… deserving of a celebratory ice cream cone. Yes, I think so!

In April 2007, NFL all-star quarterback Michael Vick pleaded guilty for illegal dog fighting. After serving a 21 month sentence Michael Vick returned in time for the NFL’s 2009 season and was selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl. The decision made by coach Any Reid to give Michael Vick a second chance paid off immensely. Now, as a manager or owner how can you make an Andy Reid decision?

There are some individuals out there that may look undesirable to hire from a paper perspective. One example is having a criminal background. Finding a job is already complicated with the national unemployment rate at 9.2% and having to compete with other talented individuals without a record. I have a friend in the St Cloud, MN area who is experiencing these barriers. He is a hardworking, family orientated, devoted Christian, struggling to find employment because of past indiscretions. In comparison hiring him would be like hiring a Michael Vick, his work ethic and ability benefit any company willing to give him a second chance.

If you are still not fully convinced and are still waffling because of the implied risk a person with a criminal background bears, try utilizing a staffing agency. Most staffing agencies participate in a temporary-to-permanent program which allows businesses to evaluate an individual’s work ethic, attitude and performance before making the decision to hire. Some agencies have standards and regulations for hiring employees with a criminal background and are more than willing to share their process with you. Reduce your risk and open the door, the opportunity to evaluate a potential All-Star is at your nearby staffing agency.

As a job seeker propose the temporary-to-permanent solution to a potential employer and prove the value you can add.

Has your business hired a Michael Vick or seeking an All-Star in the St. Cloud, MN area? If so; comment below.

Previously published by Minyanville.com on Andrew's blog.

During the economic slide and subsequent recovery, the jobs market has been in the spotlight throughout, scrutinized over and over, as traction has been hard to come by. But there have been glimmers of hope, as temporary hiring has shot higher over the past year, historically a precursor to permanent hiring. But this isn’t your “typical” job market.

To shed some light on the current job market and future of the job placement industry, I sat down with Midwest Staffing’s Jen Granner, Director of Sales, and Tron Swanson, Marketing. We discussed their business and industry, as well as any trends that they are seeing in the temporary and permanent job placement market. Bridget Ortner, Human Resources Manager, and Brian Thoemke, President, contributed to the conversation as well via email communications.

Andrew Nyquist: Can you summarize Midwest Staffing’s business and client focus for readers?

Jen: Midwest Staffing is a growing and ever changing family owned company [Thoemke Enterprise]. Midwest offers innovative solutions that are flexible for our business partners needs, depending on their business goals. As dynamic as the American economy is, we have taken an approach of understanding the ever-changing needs of our clients and responding accordingly. We really focus on providing a flexible workforce as companies needs change on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. We also assist companies in finding great talent in all areas of expertise.

Tron: Being a small, locally operated business allows us to better understand the relationship that businesses have within communities. We strive to participate in this process, attending client and community activities, training programs, charity events and daily operations. Community building is very important to Midwest.

Andrew: Generally speaking, how’s business been of late?

Jen: The current economic climate has made business very unpredictable, and we have seen more reactive needs from our clients than ever before. It is due to this uncertainty that the need for a flexible workforce has increased significantly, and our business is up 30% from this time last year. We see this trend continuing throughout the rest of 2011.

Andrew: So, it sounds like you are seeing an uptick in temporary hiring. Do you think it’s a precursor to fulltime hiring?

Jen: Yes, there is definitely an uptick in temporary hiring, though most companies are still hesitant to turn this into full time hiring. Again, this is due to the high level of uncertainty. However, we are seeing that companies are still willing to add elite performers [top 10%] to their team in any industry, as talent is hard to find and sort through.

Andrew: Are there any current or future hiring or workplace trends of note? And how do these trends affect your business, now and in the future?

Jen: IT, Engineering, Manufacturing and Sales are the hot sectors we are catering too and are seeing the biggest demand for top talent. As we continue to evolve with the economy and trends, we have added new areas of focus to ensure we are keeping up with the marketplace.

Tron: We continue to bring on talent that has an expertise in areas outside of our current business scope to ensure we are diversified. This will help us better meet the needs of our clients.

Andrew: What are your corporate clients telling you about the future?

Brian: Clients we work with have never seen so much uncertainty with their future business. The ability to accurately forecast no longer exists in today’s business climate. As a result, we see greater demand for “last minute” help with projects that in the past we would have had several weeks-months lead-time. Clients are feeling more optimistic about their prospects for growth when compared to 2009 but most remain somewhat leery of what the future holds for them and their business.

“Our success is built on a strong partnership with our clients, internal team and the communities in which we operate” – Brian Thoemke, President

Andrew: What opportunities/obstacles does the recent healthcare reform bill pose for Midwest Staffing and your industry? How do you think it will effect corporate hiring in general? Temporary or Fulltime?

Bridget: Midwest Staffing supports the recent health care reform bill as it relates to providing more Americans with health insurance coverage. If health care reform is done correctly, the bill could make temporary employment an attractive option for individuals. Midwest Staffing recognizes the importance of health care insurance as it increases retention and productivity for our clients. Because we recognize the role that health care plays in creating a qualified workforce, we currently offer a limited medical and dental plan to our employees. As health care reform stands now, we feel that more corporations will turn to temporary staffing agencies to provide a qualified workforce. Using temporary employees could allow corporations to avoid directly paying for medical insurance and/or avoid paying the fine.

Midwest Staffing has a HR business partner who is dedicated to ensuring that their clients are prepared for any legislature changes regarding health care reform. Each client will have a slightly different business model and strategy: some plan to move employees over to the temporary payroll and others plan to lean more on the temporary workforce as we approach 2014! However, we realize that a lot can change over the next few years and we are prepared to help create effective workforce strategies for all our business partners.

Andrew: How prepared is the job staffing industry for health care reform and any other changes that may present themselves?

Brian: Health care reform is the biggest question mark going forward. I believe the staffing industry is prepared to add staff for our client companies, however health care reform costs could potentially send many companies out of business. The staffing companies that are best equipped to pass on the costs to their clients for health care reform will be the ones that survive and prosper.

Thank you to the Midwest Staffing team for making time for this interview, as well as follow up questions and comments.

During my childhood I had the tendency to exaggerate or fib on little things for instance, how far I hit the baseball, how sick I was (to skip school) and of course when I broke something in the house. Now that I am older, wiser and have a better understanding of the value of truth, my actions have transformed tremendously. This behavior is understandable in naive children but I have noticed this same behavior in small businesses.

Small businesses have the tendency to imply “lie” that they are larger than they are. For instance some will claim they are a national business when in fact they only service locally but have sister companies in other states with different services. Another example is when a small business consisting of only one employee (owner) classifies their home office as their main headquarters, insinuating that they have multiple locations and are more grandiose than they are. My favorite “white lie” used frequently by small businesses is their broad description of their territory that they service. An example of this is when they say they service the west coast in reality they service one city that happens to be located on the west coast.

Small businesses are essentially trying to deceive potential clients which I, as a potential client do not appreciate being misled. With all the resources that we have available to us like Linked In, a business website, and blogs like this one, everyone has the capability to research businesses before making purchasing decisions. So it is inevitable that we will figure out the actual status of the company and in turn be disappointed by their tactics.

Do you or fellow employees embellish on your businesses?

Don’t risk a possible good business relationship with a white lie. These embellishments directly affect a brand and reputation of a business. Embrace the fact that you are a small business and use it to sell your business to success.

Have you ever exaggerated about your business or caught someone in a white lie. If so; share in the comment box below.

Many small businesses choose to outsource their IT (Information Technology) needs. Businesses without technical support are contemplating on whether to purchase laptops or desktops, this blog will explain two major reasons why the majority of our Minnesota offices are migrating towards laptops.

The number one factor to consider when deciding between a laptop and a desktop is the cost. Visit your local computer retailer or supplier you will notice a substantial price difference between a desktop and a laptop. The accumulated cost for purchasing a low-end and fully functional desktop computer at Best Buy would be $392.97 (excluding taxes): the computer $269.99, monitor $89.99 and network cable for $32.99. Compare now to a low-end, fully functional laptop which totals $274.99 (excluding taxes). Keep in mind that a desktops capability surpasses that of a laptop; a desktop has a faster and a larger screen. However a common workforce user primarily utilizes a computer for internet, remote access and word processing which are minimal processes that operate on both computers efficiently.

The second factor is mobility which is also an important feature. Employees that take work home continue to increase. Using a laptop allows instant access to their archived emails, documents and software for example; they wouldn’t have to save their information to a zip drive and bring it home where they might not have compatible software to open their documents. Also when employees are on vacation, sick or separate from the company; they are able to support one another from one location to another.

From our experience we learned that we could have saved money and time if the migration from desktops to laptops was completed for our Brooklyn Park office on June 1st. The added cost of network wiring which could have been avoided by acquiring a wireless network through laptops. Also consider the additional cost in employee’s time and resources which it took to transfer these desktop behemoths. Furthermore this excludes the difference in disposal cost once it becomes outdated.

Could you or your business be more efficient with time and resources with a laptop?

All businesses want their company to be the first listed as a search result on Google, Bing, Yahoo and other large search engines. Some don’t know the work that goes behind making that happen, with that in mind there are devious businesses that will try to take advantage of less informed more naïve businesses. To decipher which business is truly working for you and not trying to swindle you is difficult if you don’t know what to look for. There are two consistent and immediate red flags that people should be aware of when acquisitioning an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) firm.

First and most importantly is to hone in on the “Keywords” sales pitch of the SEO’s representative. Keywords are certain words in headers, web page content, and titles of articles that search engines look for to flag your site. One scenario a representative may use is telling a business that they are missing out on a keyword in their site which is resulting in ‘x’ amount of dollars missed annually. Well there are hundreds of possibilities for keywords and all businesses face this issue when selecting keywords because usually only 3-5 words are relevant and result in the maximum effectiveness. Choosing these words is a time consuming and lengthy process. Most businesses do not have the time and resources to effectively research each and every keyword without some type of financial commitment toward a company that will do it for them.

For example “Midwest Staffing” could select the following 4 keywords “staffing, employment, temporary and agency” which word placement, seekers, and recruiters would identify. They could also add “Midwest Staffing” to the list of key words but then they become dangerously close to exceeding the suggested keyword criteria and would fail to yield the highest search engine results.

The second tactic of SEO representatives is offering a guarantee that they can generate a #1 position in search result. For starters all search engines’ algorithms for search results are substantially different and unknown. A claim of knowing search engine’s algorithms to position your website at #1 is nothing more than fraud.

For example search “Movie Store” on bing.com and google.com.com. As you will notice the search results are substantially different. The top 3 results for bing were “moviestore.com, blockbuster.com and moviegallery.com” and the google results were “blockbuster.com, bestbuy.com and fye.com”. Anyone’s results could potentially be different, mainly because of demographic factors.

A precaution bookmark, this page as a reference to rely on when receiving an email or phone call in regards to your website. You will have a better understanding of when to hang up the phone or delete the email. If you have further questions about “keywords” that help position your website ask in the comment area below.

Last month, we pointed out that the CEO that plans the best, maximizes cost-effective resources and concentrates on their business the most wins!

Whether you are starting a business, building a new plant, reengineering processes, buying/installing capital equipment or launching a new product/program, project management has an unparalleled track record of success. But where do I start? Every idea may not be viable or even qualify as a project.

You start with the project’s feasibility. The PFASAP (Project Feasibility As Soon As Possible) model sets the baseline for the initial investigation of the project’s worthiness, helps establish prioritization and directs subsequent actions. It begins with 5-questions which are helpful in focusing the initial planning and the actual setting-up of the project.

1. What do you want? (Project Definition)
   1.1. Clearly define the expected result.
2. What for? (Project Justification)
   2.1. Purpose is stronger than object
3. How much are you willing to spend in terms of time, money and people? (Project Cost)
   3.1. Not many have the luxury of time and unlimited funds.
4. What is the timeframe? (Project Schedule)
   4.1. In order to be successful, my resources must be available or planned for in advanced.
5. What is the value to the Customer? (Project Audit)
   There are both internal and external Customers to consider. Ensure you project’s goal/objective is to provide a benefit to the correct Customer base. For example, satisfying the internal Customer base is important, but not at the expense of the external Customer(s).

The answers to these five simple questions have a remarkable effect on the outcome of your project because in business “Time is precious and delays cost money”.

I just finished reading a great book called “Who Moved My Cheese” by Spencer Johnson, M.D. The story revolves around four main characters that have four different personalities and it takes place inside a maze. The primary message is whenever the cheese moves you need to be prepared to adapt and overcome the situation in order to succeed and ultimately reach the cheese. Some may call these obstacles but if looked at in a different perspective they can actually be seen as a blessing at work or in your personal life.

After quickly reading the mere 96 pages; I asked myself the question “Why do employers find applicants that jump from job to job undesirable?” The obvious answer is they are a risky investment of time and money. Instead this should influence employers to interview the candidate.

Why? Because the majority of businesses and industries need to anticipate change or be able to adapt to changes rapidly otherwise they are in jeopardy of falling behind the competition. Candidates that moved rapidly from job to job may do so not because of the stereotypical reasons like laziness; they’re not driven or are unmotivated. One of the reasons they move from job to job is because the employment wasn’t stimulating or challenging enough. Granted not everyone will love their job and at times all jobs can be monotonous but some of these “job hoppers” are self-driven and strive to reach their full potential by continuing explore new positions.

By being part of a rapidly changing environment you could find yourself with a first-class employee. While the word “change” is scary to the majority of employees the “cheese movers” enjoy change. They understand change happens, can anticipate change and experienced several of changes so they can adapt rapidly. Their “job hopping” should be looked at as a potential, valued employee that will be flexible and optimistic to your company’s growth.

Now, instead of discarding a resume or application consider taking a second look an interview may be beneficial. Does your business change rapidly? If so; maybe employees with similar traits should be considered.

Every business has the same resources: Time, Money and People.

The one common factor no matter the size, industry or technology is time. Every business has the same amount. Therefore, all businesses must be categorized by the remaining two-thirds: Money and People. The key to your success is how you deploy and maximize those resources you have control over.

Well…“Time Management is the answer and Project Management is the tool”. Think about this: In order to manage your time, you must first control your resources. The beauty of project management when properly configured for the job at hand is that it has an unparalleled track record; proven in countless programs in every field of endeavor since the 1950s. Why because it works!

Your business is constantly inventing, modifying and implementing your products and services. By controlling how you develop these new opportunities and when they are launched is based on time, money and people. Project Management can get your products and services to market faster by identifying and creating the environment to streamline processes which reduce risks, delays and impediments to your success.

A project is simply a one-time event to accomplish a result. From business, technical and nonprofits to personal events, the logic of defining what is to be accomplished, who is responsible and how it is to be implemented has many benefits.

If you employ project management within your organization, you create your own unique ‘Strategic Weapon’. Your customers will embrace your flawless delivery and your competitors will marvel at your continual improvement.

Timely solutions are absolutely critical to your success. The CEO that plans the best, maximizes cost-effective resources and concentrates on their business the most wins! It’s that simple. What’s not that simple, tough to recognize and the recipe for disaster is “Thinking good is good enough”.

Everyone in the Minnesota area impatiently waits for this time of year; I don’t mean spring I mean Girl Scout cookie season. As our cookie supply kept fresh in the freezer starts to dwindle or is completely depleted we know we don’t need to go in search for a Girl Scout, we know they will come to us. This expert sales team entices us with eleven scrumptious flavors and their expected sales are estimated to be up 17.5% according to Chief Operating Officer Tisha Bolger. Even with the so called “rough economy” the Girl Scouts dominate in sales. Now why is that?

A Girl Scouts success isn’t due to the inability for consumers to say “no”, to a sweet innocent girl, their success is due to their persistence. Over the past four weeks I had 3 different Girl Scouts knock on my door and who knows how many times they tried while I was away.

Now let’s compare the Girl Scouts to the great frozen food company Schwan’s. I have been living in my home for over 5 years and noticed a Schwan’s truck stopping by my neighboring houses. Only after my brother became a Schwan’s employee did I received the honor of a Schwan’s sales person at my doorstep. After a year my brother left the company on good terms to another company, we haven’t seen the Schwan’s man since. The odd part is the Schwan’s truck still pulls up to my neighboring homes and parks at the local Holiday station for hours but doesn’t take the initiative to knock on a door. Now I wasn’t a “big account” but a small frequent purchaser from my brother.

Assuming that a few of my neighbors in my community have similar feelings, the Schwan's company could increase their revenue if they would follow the example of the Girl Scouts. They would have a noticeable increase in servicing accounts and sales. With the persistence of a Girl Scout, the Schwan’s company along with many other businesses could become more prosperous. That’s why Schwan’s President Greg Flack should start recruiting his sales force from the Girl Scouts. What do you think Mr. Flack?