Does your organization have a concern about the impact that the long recession has had on employee morale and engagement? Are you wondering how your current work force is holding up and if there’s anything you could do to improve the environment? As many organizations may have put off hiring to make up for revenue lost they have also turned to their current workforce to boost productivity, work longer hours and to take on additional responsibility.

In addition to increased workloads, remaining employees might have to deal with additional measures such as salary freezes, furloughs, reduced retirement and health benefits. Many organizations have also conducted layoffs at least once over the course of the recession which also impacts employee morale.

As employers are asking their employee’s to do more with less, it is essential that employer’s understand the level of engagement of their employee’s to ensure top performance. Employee engagement can be measured through various measures, but perhaps one of the more effective ways is through an employee engagement survey. Midwest Staffing group conducts annual engagement survey’s and selects actionable items to improve for the next year. We have an experienced HR team that is dedicated to assisting our client’s measure and improve their employee engagement levels! Feel free to contact our HR department to discover how we might be able to assist your organization.

If you wish to develop your own, Gallop has created 12 basic questions to discover engagement levels. This is a great starting point to help you develop your own survey! http://www.workforce.com

After you have developed your questions, one tool that helps measure morale is a web-based survey application called "Survey Monkey". Organizations can customize the surveys to meet their needs on a variety of topics and use it to supplement the objectives of larger strategic initiatives. Measuring employee engagement levels is a great first step to improving a work environment; just ensure your organization is ready to address what it uncovers!

While we may not want to admit it, “recession” is the buzzword of the day. People across the country have had to do more with less, some have lost their jobs, and many companies are hesitant to hire new employees. Minnesota currently ranks 13th in the percentage of unemployed individuals at 7 percent. However, staffing companies appear to be a beacon of hope in the midst of economic crisis. Experts believe that increases in staffing employment are an indication of a rebounding economy.

For years, researchers have argued in favor of staffing firms and their ability to gauge economic vitality. Some go further to suggest that increases in staffing jobs are key indicators of an end to a recession. These times being some of the most difficult in recent memory, a favorable increase in staffing jobs can be seen as a light at the end of the tunnel. “A sustained upturn in temporary help employment would signal the end of the current recession,” note researchers on behalf of the American Staffing Association. ASA’s report further indicates that the economy would start to rebound within three months of a sustained upturn, based on statistical trends from the last three recessions.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released welcome news earlier this month, reporting that for the period between December 2009 and January 2010, temporary employment increased by some 250,000 jobs. This increase in staffing employment makes last month the best January in over twenty years, according the BLS. Further, temporary employment has been on a steady increase since September 2009. This means companies are becoming more confident in the strength of the economy, have increased workloads, and are looking for temporary solutions to improve workflow.

Staffing firms to the rescue! Recent activity in quite a few economic sectors indicate that companies are seeking temporary workers to fulfill vital functions, notes John Henka, sales manager for Midwest Staffing. “Some of our largest clients really ramped up in January,” he said. “These companies are starting to see that we act as a buffer, allowing them to hire employees on a temporary basis with the option of becoming permanent.” John said that he has seen an increase in staffing requests in manufacturing and government sectors; the medical and food industries are also gaining considerable speed.

Whether all this spells an end to the deepest recession since the Great Depression is yet to be determined. “My hope is that the national upturn in staffing employment will have a ripple effect and a lasting impact,” said Jeff Merwin, business development specialist for Midwest Staffing. “Right now, I am planting seeds by telling clients how we can help them when things turn around.” If current trends in staffing employment continue to remain stable—and, hopefully, increase—the American economy may be well on its way to a full recovery.

Today’s companies are utilizing temporary employees more than ever before. As the number of companies utilizing a temporary workforce grows, so does the need to take a closer look at employment law in this area. The ideal way to avoid co-employment issues is to partner with an experienced staffing provider that has established policies to ensure compliance with employment laws.

What is Co-employment?

Co-employment arises in situations where two companies maintain control over an employee’s work. This typically occurs when companies utilize temporary or contingent employees as part of their workforce.

In most temporary staffing arrangements, the client is responsible for the day-to-day direction of the temporary employee, while the staffing company is responsible for all of the other employment aspects of the temporary employee’s assignment. Typically, a provider of staffing services:

1. Recruits, screens, interviews, hires, disciplines and terminates the temporary employee.
2. Maintains all necessary personnel and payroll records, including drug screens and background checks.
3. Computes wages and withholds applicable taxes.
4. Remits employee withholdings to and makes employer contributions for federal FICA and federal and state unemployment insurance payments.
5. Pays net wages directly to the temporary employee.
6. Provides Workers’ Compensation insurance coverage.
7. Resolves the temporary employee’s complaints and grievances.
8. At the request of the client, for any valid legal reason, removes the temporary employee assigned to the client.

How Midwest Staffing Helps Manage Co-employment

For the co-employment issues described above, we partner with our clients to ensure that each of us fulfills our role in the relationship with temporary employees. While client employees are regularly involved in the supervision of the actual work performed by our temporary employees, we take great care to ensure we maintain control of the employment relationship at all times. We accomplish this by adhering to a few best practices:

1. All aspects of the economic relationship with temporary employees (e.g. payroll, raises, bonuses, benefits) are administered by Midwest Staffing Group without client involvement. The client provides performance feedback to determine which temporary employees are eligible for bonuses but Midwest Staffing administers the programs.
2. All communications regarding the length or termination of employment are handled by Midwest Staffing Group without client involvement.
3. Employment-related issues that arise between temporary employees and client employees are promptly communicated by the client to Midwest Staffing Group staffing managers. This practice enables Midwest Staffing Group and the client to resolve these issues effectively.
4. We have implemented an open communication policy so that temporary employee issues are recognized early and addressed by Midwest Staffing Group staffing managers before they escalate.

By implementing the above practices, Midwest Staffing Group has been successful in avoiding co-employment issues with our clients. In addition, if issues should arise, we have the support of our experienced human resources and legal staff to advise and assist in these matters. We are committed to providing superior service to our clients in all aspects of our partnership, from properly managing co-employment risks to supplying a high quality workforce!

How many people do you know own a mobile phone? How many of them do not leave home without it? The mobile phone has become so routine in our lives most people feel naked or lost without it, being without it is like a missing extremity. The demand for the mobile phone continues to increase especially since mobile phones cater to all. The next time you walk down the street or are at the local grocery store observe the multitudes of people using their phones either talking, sending text messages, or even checking their calendars. There are almost 2.4 billion mobile phone users worldwide. This number alone is a good reason to focus on mobile marketing. There are also other reasons to use mobile marketing like increasing word of mouth, giving power to the consumer, and creating effective customer relationship management (CRM).

Marketers are moving towards mobile marketing. Understanding and awareness of technology is the first challenge toward mobile marketing, but justifying its worth is the second. The ability to stay on top of the continually improving technology is difficult and intriguing investors to accept these improvements can be even harder in this fluctuating economy. To be successful the campaign must be informative, entertaining or have social interaction.

1. The first service is providing the information, which will answer consumer’s questions. With access to a mobile phone, the consumer can visit a company website to read feedback and reviews on in-store products or services. This simplifies consumers purchasing decision with a sense of security.
2. Social interaction usually involves a user creating a personal profile of experiences, images, videos or just general thoughts on issues viewable to all or selected individuals via the internet. Social Networking sites are the most rapidly growing websites available. Users are connecting through websites like Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. Each website connects users with one another allowing them to share rich media content, join similar groups, fan clubs, and more. Social Media creates a personalized interaction between readers, consumers and businesses.
3. Engaging the audience in a type of entertainment will increase retention and the return rate. The Zynga Corporation that has developed hundreds of video games and according to their website there are over 50 million players. The majority of their video game connects players with one another through the social media websites. To finance games, Zynga relies on external business promotions and players to purchase special gaming points.

Conclusion

Mobile marketing seems to be the obvious way to keep in touch with consumers via mobile phones. It expands company’s range and target market with the instantaneous convenience. The cost efficiency speaks for itself. Companies can determine the extent of the mobile marketing campaign and customers can determine if they want to accept or decline these offers and updates.

Congress and the President have extended and expanded the COBRA premium subsidy which will allow more individuals to take advantage of federal assistance. The new legislation is part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010 which extends the COBRA subsidy’s eligibility period for two months and extends the maximum duration of the federal assistance from nine months to 15 months. Employers will be required to provide additional notification to qualifying employees of regarding their rights under the Act.

At this point, the Department of Labor (DOL) has not provided a sample of the additional notice required under the provision. However, the new provision does require additional notices describing the new 15-month premium subsidy and other amendments. It will be important for all employers’s to stay up to date regarding the new notices and any sample’s issued by the DOL. Notices should be sent to all assistance-eligible individuals who are on COBRA on or after November 1, 2009, or whose qualifying event is a termination of employment occurring on or after that date.

Credit/Refund Processes for COBRA Subsidy Extension

Credit and refund procedures will be necessary to accommodate assistance-eligible individuals (AEIs) who paid more than the required 35 percent COBRA premium since the enactment of the subsidy extension. We recommend working closely with your benefits department to ensure participants receive the proper refund and that the amount your organization paid out is reimbursed through a premium reduction through a payroll tax credit. As always, Midwest Staffing Group is available as a resource and will keep your organization updated on any critical changes!

December often marks the month of performance appraisal’s for many organizations. For many managers and employee’s this is a dreaded time of year for one reason or another. Some managers procrastinate because they see the review as a hassle with little evidence that the review actually improves employee performance. The key is that if you want to motivate employees to improve their performance, start by motivating managers to do a thorough job on reviews.

Manager’s should ensure that the review is meaningful by discussing what was/was not accomplished while also focusing on what’s important to move ahead.

Secondly buy-in from the management team is essential since they utilize the forms. Through their experience in working with the forms, they may have excellent insights and suggestions on how to improve them. If the managers felt included in the review form development/improvement process, they will be more likely to comply.

A solid training system should also help motivate managers to review performance by demonstrating how individual performance benefits the organization and how managers can measure performance in an objective manner. If manager’s can clearly see the correlation between a performance review system that adds value to their margins, they will be more likely to give quality feedback to their employee’s.

Lastly, all managers should be required to conduct timely and thoughtful employee performance reviews. If managers are evaluated on the quality and the consistency with which they do their performance appraisals, there is a clear message that communicates the value to the organization. Overall, for performance reviews to be as effective as possible, managers should feel involved in the process, receive proper training and be able to see a clear correlation between the review and reaching organizational goals.

Questioning those who haven't looked for work in a few years poses special challenges in an interview. Once again, your best strategy lies in playing career counselor by aiming to discover what the individual is looking to gain by returning to work. The following will help you get inside an individual's head and understand the values driving the new job search:

1. What's motivating your return to the workforce now? Are you looking to pick up where you left off, or would you rather have a more defined, limited role?
2. What have you done since you last worked that would make you qualified to transfer your skills to our company and be selected for this opportunity?
3. What other companies and what other job titles would you be interested in? What disciplines interest you, and which ones would you prefer to avoid?

Hiring individuals who are untested because they've been out of the job market for long periods of time is challenging. However, if evaluated and matched to a particular position correctly, these types of hires can be very successful.

The key traits discussed above will always remain key in candidate selection. Using the questions above will help you differentiate between those who were sidetracked in the recession through no fault of their own vs. those who may not indeed be first in class relative to your organization's needs at a given time.

Businesses across the country are preparing for the holiday season. Instead of focusing on the differences of religious belief companies focus on the joy that the holidays bring to everyone.

Holiday decorations promote a cheerful festive ambiance into the workplace that is inviting to co-workers, clients and visitors. Not only can they symbolize the holidays but they can be uplifting during the cold dark days of winter. Keeping spirits up during these days will directly contribute to an increase in productivity, profitability and service. Dale Carnegie once said, “People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”

This holiday season is a great time to lift each other's spirits and show off your creativity or the creativity of your business. Here are just a few cost saving ideas to get you started.

1. Collect colored leaves and place them in a bowl with pine cones and maybe some fake berries.
2. Use small gourds, pumpkins, squashes to accent desks and counters; they can also be double as paperweights.
3. Spray paint pots, candles, bowls, and other useless items colors of the seasonal holiday.
4. Wrap hanging pictures in festive wrapping paper and a bow and then re-hang back on the wall.
5. Use paper; cut snowflakes or fold into decorative fans then glue jewels and ribbons for added effects.
6. Fill the office with colors that symbolize the holiday.

Do not tolerate your workplace spiraling into another dreary Ebenezer Scrooge like office; cater to your spirit.

The current "job market recession" you may be wondering how you evaluate someone who's been unemployed or underemployed for the past few years. How do you evaluate their outdated histories, likelihood to succeed and overall cultural fit?

Keep in mind that the same basic principles used in evaluating candidates five years ago will remain fairly similar to those that should be used in today’s job market. Employers should focus on four main factors when evaluating candidates: longevity, career progression, technical skills/education, and personality match/employer compatibility. Candidates should be asked questions in the following categories to evaluate the individual’s ability to match the four key criteria.

Tell me about the reasons for leaving your current and past employers.

Attempt to differentiate between layoffs and times when the candidate made their own moves. In cases of layoffs, ask: How many people were laid off at the same time? How many people survived the cut, and how were they selected? How many waves of layoffs did you survive before you were let go?

Walk me through your progression with your current company, leading me up to what you do now on a day-to-day basis (if they are unemployed use the past employer as an example).

How have you had to reinvent your job in light of your company's changing needs? What makes you stand out among your peers?

From a technical standpoint, on a scale of 1 to 10, how close a fit are you for this particular position based on your understanding of the skills and responsibilities involved?

Why are you an ___? What would make you a 10?

At what pace do you work?

How many hours a week do you find it necessary to work to get your job done? When it comes to giving constructive criticism, should your supervisor be sensitive in delivering bad news, or do you pride yourself on your thick skin? These questions can also be asked in a behavior-based format by following the question with the phrase, "Give me an example of a time when..." This will allow your candidates the opportunity to explain their initial answers in a real-life setting.

Questions for The 'Underemployed'

As high as the unemployment rate has been over the past few years, many companies still feel that it is a challenge to find strong candidates. The common belief is that "All the good ones are already working," inferring that the unemployed or underemployed were somehow not first in class.

One option when interviewing someone who is underemployed is to play “career counselor” role during the interview. This strategy gives you an opportunity to see show how creative and persistent they can be when faced with adversity. For example, ask recent MBA graduates, two years out of school and working only in temporary roles, "What has been your job search strategy since graduation and how many interviews have you landed? What kinds of corporations have you been focusing on, and how have you developed your leads?"

A less aggressive applicant might respond: "I’ve been searching the classifieds. At this point, I’m really just looking for a job.”

A strategic thinker who is motivated, might respond: "I've reached out to Grad school’s alumni group and introduced myself to100 alumni for networking. I then made a list of the top 25 corporations I would like to work for and I then sent my resume to the managers in all of those companies. Since then, I've generated more than 15 exploratory interviews over the past year, but unfortunately none has panned out." An answer like this indicates the candidate is interested in your “type” of organization and isn’t afraid to network. Both may be key items for the opening at your company! Next it's time to focus on why they’re not getting the jobs applied for: "You seem to know what you want. Why haven't you landed a full-time position yet?"

The following responses will probably make or break the interview:
"I don't know. (Not a strong answer)

The companies seem interested, in a few of cases, the funding never came through for the position. It's not that they didn't hire me; they couldn't hire anyone." (Good)

Blogs are personal renditions of experiences with products, customer service or just general thought on issues viewable to all via the internet. Search Engines, Blogs and Social Media are the most utilized tools available for consumers to research products and companies and for companies to monitor consumer reviews. Blogs initiate a personalized interaction between readers, consumers and businesses.

The top three reasons to start a Blog.

1. The price is right - Blogging is one of the most cost efficient marketing methods in the industry. Blogs provide you and your company the ability to share thoughts, photos and videos instantly with others. Several websites exits that allow a person to set up a blog within minutes and chose from a variety of templates to get you started for free. A non-localized blogging site listed is www.blogger.com where you can post your blogs on their site. My personal favorite site is an open source project called Blog Engine at www.dotnetblogengine.net; this site with the help of your technology department enables you to blog in the location that you want; for instance the home page of your website.
2. Increase Traffic - Search engines like www.bing.com and www.google.com measure and rank your website proficiency based on inbound links to your website - from outside websites, then they account for outbound links to other website - from your website. Blogs also encourage people to return to your website so they can stay current with any updates or modifications.
3. Interaction - The most important feature of a blog is that they create a viable way to listen to a greater quantity of consumer's opinions. Unlike other types of marketing tactics such as print media or email campaigns blogging permits instant feedback about opinions and offerings of relevant topics. Companies that decide to utilize blogs will have the advantage of knowing their customer opinions about their company and niche market and maybe glean relevant stories which will allow them the ability to tweak any processes and move forward in the future.

Convinced to start your own blog? Here is a helpful website which will direct you towards creating a successful blog www.problogger.net. You will find blogs can beneficial as a consumer and as a company. As you enter the world of blogging you will discover the other many benefits that blogging entails. Keep in mind that some blogs are personal opinions and should treated as suggestions not as legitimate facts.