At Essential Personnel, we provide services for our clients that include recruitment and selection of employees for companies who don’t have the time to interview and hire, expertise in management, temporary workers for companies who need workers from a day or two to a whole seasonal, temp-to-hire workers that companies can “test” while they maintain employment through Essential Personnel, knowledge of healthcare reform, and much more.

Essential Personnel’s staff continually seeks out new trends in human resources, recruitment practices, healthcare reform and industry changes.  By staying up to date on these issues, it allows the staff to provide superior consulting to company clients, as well as the ability to share knowledge to assist our clients on a number of fronts; including staffing, retention, and budget.

Using Essential Personnel to staff can actually result in a lower hiring cost for companies.  It allows a savings in human resource staff, as well as the cost related to hiring; like pre-employment testing, background screening, drug tests, and interviewing time.  Essential Personnel also can save companies money in payroll processing time, and benefits.

For hiring seasonal and temporary workers, Essential Personnel has a wide network and database with just such people.  Having this valuable asset prevents time loss and advertising costs on the end of the company.  Essential Personnel can fill a variety of temporary positions for any number of days that works for the client.

Essential Personnel can also help with retention.  By giving a company the opportunity to observe an employee before rolling them over to their payroll, it gives HR time to ensure that they are a good fit and have a good work ethic.  Overall, Essential Personnel can help a company on a variety of issues; have HR call us today to see how we can help you save time and money!

With changing times and an ever evolving online world, it is imperative that business owners and managers stay up to date with multi-media.  Utilizing video to get your company message out is beneficial on a multitude of fronts; it helps your placement with search engines, it is engaging to your clientele, and it is persuasive.  The cost of video production is decreasing, and there are also some great, user-friendly software options that can help you produce video in house.

There are so many different avenues to explore when using video as a promotional tool.  Video can be used to add testimonials to a website, to do product presentations and demonstrations; create visual stories, or you could add a video signature at the end of an email.

However you choose to utilize video, the important thing is that you are.  Video is a tremendous promotional tool that can be explored and used for a host of reasons.  Just start rolling!

With the tangled web of healthcare reform enactments looming over us, many managers and company owners are concerned about how it will affect them and their business.  More and more company executives are turning to staffing agencies to reduce expense and liabilities.

Under the new reform policies, employers with 50 or more workers must offer affordable coverage, or pay a penalty fee.  By partnering with Essential Personnel, your company can stay under the 50 employee limit, diminishing healthcare expense and reducing exposure to liability.  Essential Personnel can staff full-time, part-time and temporary employees.

For large corporations, school districts, and city and county governments, Essential Personnel can keep employees under 30 hours per week, bypassing the employer healthcare coverage, mandate.

Also, with IRS regulations, there is a loophole for employers of “variable-hour” employees, such as Essential Personnel, since it is not clear upon hire if an employee will have consistent weekly hours, the companies get up to 12 months to determine if the person is full time and qualifies for health benefits.

A good example of a variable-hour employee would be a substitute teacher, or a seasonal worker.  By hiring through Essential Personnel companies can dodge the intricacies of how these employees will affect their bottom line and health insurance costs.

Essential Personnel can act as a consultant for your HR department with questions you may have about the impending Healthcare Reform Act.  We are continually educating our staff to ensure that we are aware of all of the new legislation connected to the reform and how it will affect businesses of various sizes.

Last month, the staffing industry held one of its premier annual events, the Staffing Industry Executive Forum. This event brings together the world’s best thought leaders in contingent staffing and recruiting. The information they share is valuable for all business owners – not just staffing companies. So, we’d like to share a few of the most important insights from four of the best presentations:

The Affordable Care Act
Since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed back in March 2010, we’ve endured endless rhetoric, numerous court challenges and a nail-biting presidential election to see what form the law would finally take. And although the dust has not yet completely settled, it’s time for your company to gear up for the changes that are about to come.

• Beginning in 2014, the “pay or play” provision takes effect. If you have more than 50 full-time employees, you must offer an affordable health care plan or face penalties of up to $2,000 per employee, excluding the first 30 workers.

• To avoid penalties, health insurance must cover at least 60% of the actuarial value of medical costs, and the insurance must be offered to at least 95% of full-time employees.

• A full-time employee is one that works an average of 30 or more hours per week. Employers may “look back” up to 12 months of past employment to determine if an employee is full-time (i.e., if an employee worked more than 30 hours * 52 weeks, or 1,560 hours, he would be considered full-time).

• For new hires, employers will have to offer health insurance day one, unless the employee is considered variable hour, which are those for whom the firm cannot reasonably determine if they will average at least 30 hours per week. For variable-hour new hires, the employer may wait up to 12 months to then “look back” and determine if the employee was full-time.

• Affordable coverage means that the health insurance you offer must cost less than 9.5% of an employee’s household income (this is for single coverage, not family coverage).

• Staffing firms are well suited to help employers cost-effectively manage the ramifications of the PPACA for part-time and project-based staff. As their direct employer, the staffing company is responsible for paying healthcare benefits and ensuring compliance for the temporary and contract workers you use, and because many temporary employees choose to work less than the 1,560 hours
per year, the effective healthcare burden per hour may be less from a staffing firm than when employers hire workers directly.

• If your organization’s headcount hovers around the 50-person cutoff, you can reduce your directly employed full-time staff and use contingent staff or contract employees to handle the additional workload as needed.

The Avoidant Economy
As a result of the Great Recession, today’s businesses now operate in an “avoidant economy” – one where they delay hiring decisions, hoard cash, fear adding overhead and desperately want to mitigate risk. And things are not likely to change anytime soon. In fact, the avoidant mentality is becoming even more pervasive, as volatility, uncertainty and fear continue to prompt leaders to pause before making decisions and choices.

Still, you need to get work done and capitalize on our recent economic upswing – and that requires people! Specifically, people with skills that are becoming increasingly scarce. For employers, this
will require:

• Creating a greater sense of urgency around forecasting staffing needs and proactively sourcing talent.

• Improving employer branding to make your firm more desirable to top talent.

• Finding creative ways to “manufacture” talent by finding people with transferable skills.

• Testing a wider range of sourcing methods to find new ways to attract talent.  Staffing firms can play a significant role in reducing friction in the avoidant economy, by:

• Providing faster access to the workers with hard-to-find skill sets.

• Functioning as a true partner to employers, by developing a proactive staffing plan to meet talent needs, overcome workforce challenges and capitalize on opportunities.

• Identifying safer, more cost-effective ways to get work done.

New Hire Technology
According to a recent CareerBuilder study, 38% of employers have positions for which they cannot find qualified staff. Sound familiar? If so, new technology may help you connect with the talent you need. Here are a few key statistics and ideas from the SI Executive Forum presentation:

• Transform data into insights. Analytics (i.e., Big Data) now allows you to predict employee and job seeker behavior, thereby providing an amazing opportunity to gain a competitive advantage in recruiting and hiring. For example, data analysis can indicate when your company is going to experience increased turnover, or help you identify individuals who are about to start their job search.

• Leverage technology in the recruiting process. 71% of workers surveyed by CareerBuilder said that searching for new opportunities is part of their “regular routine.” To find the best candidates, go
where they’re looking – which is online!

• 75% of workers use mobile to search (hint: what does your mobile recruiting app look like?)

• 25% of all visitors to CareerBuilder were mobile

• 63% use search engines

• 25% use career sites

Building an Uplifting Service Culture
An uplifting service culture is one in which every employee – not just the customer service department – strives to truly take care of customers by creating value for them (however they define that value). With every service interaction, your company has the opportunity to really “wow” customers. Unfortunately, many businesses define service interactions too narrowly. In reality, every single customer touch point – from the moment a potential customer becomes aware of your company through and beyond the final invoice – is a moment of truth; an opportunity to deliver amazing service.

Make sure you consider all of the ways your business “serves” your customers:

• Products and services. Obviously, the quality of your goods and services matters; but even the ways you package/present them impacts the service customers receive. Revisit your offerings and  packaging regularly, continually updating them to best serve customers’ needs.

• Writing. Every form of written communication, including emails, direct mail and more traditional business correspondence, provides opportunities to serve your customers better – and show them that you care.

• Phone and in-person contact. Train and empower every employee who interacts with customers to provide exceptional service in every interaction. Whether it’s a tour, a sales call, a customer complaint or a simple request for information, make every conversation an opportunity to create value for customers.

• Website. Your website should be less about you and more about serving your customers needs. Provide easy access to the answers they need and to resources which will help them in their jobs – and
make it simple for them to get in touch with a real person.

• Social networks. If you have a social media presence, give someone primary responsibility for actively managing your accounts and promptly addressing customer requests and comments. Social media provide unique, intimate and real-time opportunities to engage and serve your customer base.

• Mobile. Yep, even your mobile app needs to be user-friendly and keep the customer’s needs at heart. The surprising upside is that improving the service you give someone else also benefits your organization. Providing uplifting service to others naturally enriches your relationships, improves your network of support, and contributes to your own success. This year’s Staffing Industry Executive Forum showed that there are lots of challenges and opportunities for employers in today’s operating environment. Everything from massive healthcare reform to talent scarcity and heightened service expectations are drastically changing our world of work.

Staffing firms can play an increasingly important role in navigating the complexities of hiring and workforce management. They can help you access hard-to-find skill sets, reduce overhead and liability, improve productivity and service levels, and manage the uncertainty inherent in business today. To learn more, contact Essential Personnel today.

You did your homework on the company you applied to and you sent a well thought out and organized resume and cover letter.  Then, the phone rang, you have an interview!  Landing an interview is a huge step, but you have your work cut out for you, it is now time to prepare to sell yourself.  When you get the call, listen carefully; write down all of the pertinent information, date, time, location and interviewer.  Make sure you are free, repeat the information so you know that it is correct, then write it down, put it on your calendar, or anywhere else that will help you remember.

Once you arrive at the interview, it is time to present yourself as the person for the job.  Here are some tips:

1. Be on time, actually, be 10 minutes early.
2. Shut your cell phone off.  Better yet, don’t even bring it with you.
3. Dress appropriately.  You should always dress one level nicer than the dress code.  If they dress business casual, wear a tie, if they wear ties, wear a suit.
4. Let the front desk person know you are there, reaffirm the name of your interviewer, thank him or her for their time.
5. Make sure you are not chewing gum, or a mint. Leave yourself free to talk.
6. Offer a firm handshake and look your interviewer in the eyes.
7. Exude confidence.
8. Be prepared with an informative statement about yourself, companies you have worked for, your transferable skills, etc.
9. Be positive and kind, talk about your successes in your career.
10. Take the time to think of answers when you are asked questions.  Don’t blurt out something because it is easy.
11. Ask questions about the job position and the expectations.  Then listen to the answers.
12. Follow up with your interviewer; send a thank you note or card, as well as calling a few days later.

ATTENTION JOB SEEKERS:  Join us on April 13th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Conestoga Mall in Grand Island in the rotunda area between Younker’s and Dillard’s (south end).  There will be a variety of open job positions with employers ready to hire!

As many organizations have recently learned, videos cell.  Adding a video to a product page to demonstrate its use, helps give buyers a complete picture of what they are purchasing.  Video is more encompassing of a product (or service) than photos alone.

Recently, an e-commerce video production company, Invodo, completed a report on video marketing and shared those results.  Here are a few take-a-ways:

When producing a video, ensure that it will play on mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets.  Invodo reported that 49% of smartphone users and 61% of tablet users watched product video in the previous three months.  Make sure your video will play on Apple and Android devices.

Put time, effort, and money into your videos.  53% of e-commerce shoppers prefer high quality videos.  47% said it would be more likely for them to purchase from an e-commerce sight that had a professional looking and sounding video.

Videos prevent buyer’s remorse.  51% of consumers were more confident about their purchase after watching a product video and were less likely to return their purchase, reported Invodo.

Invodo’s statistics prove that sales videos are worth putting on your site.  60% of the time consumers will watch a product video if it is available.  Videos provide instruction about a product, a demo of how a product looks and works, and consumer confidence because of this.  So go ahead, show the world how your company works!

With all of the unknowns surrounding the healthcare reform, it is imperative, as a business owner or manager, to have a checklist to ensure you are complying with all of the changes.  Changes started taking place in 2011 and will continue through 2014.  Here is a great checklist provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield:

Population Health Management recently finished a two-year study focusing on the wellbeing of employees and the relationship to employee retention.  The study found that the overall wellbeing of employees was a solid indicator of retention, efficiency and the expense of healthcare and related costs.   It was also found that health improvements of staff members help the overall performance on the job.

Other major points discovered by the study:

• Healthy employees cost employers less in healthcare, are more productive, and are more likely to remain at their employer.

• Employees experiencing increased wellbeing also experienced a decrease in healthcare costs, improved productivity, and demonstrated a higher likelihood of retention.

The takeaways from this study for company executives and owners are that creating a wellness program for employees will be worth the time, money and energy.  Healthy employees are happy and productive employees.

In today’s world, we are always hearing about the link between hiring and social media sites; and generally speaking, it is a harmful connection to the job seeker.  People do not get hired due to all sorts of reasons, from posting inappropriate photos, such as party pictures, to writing bad commentary that can be easily accessed by hiring companies; thusly negatively impact their decision to employ you.  But, what about the positive impacts of social media?  Can you use it to your benefit?  Yes, you can.

There are actually many opportunities for job seekers to utilize social media to increase their chances of landing that dream job.  First you will want to sift through your social media pages to delete and untag yourself in any and all incriminating photos (think like your Grandma on this).  Remove comments and images with strong belief statements; such as religion and politics.  Also make sure that all of your information is up-to-date and accurate.  Once you have your pages neutralized, it is time to proactively promote yourself for the position you are actively seeking.  First, search social media sites for the company that you applied to, and like their pages, follow their blogs and read their posts to educate yourself and show that you are interested.  Engage in online communities and groups to show where your passion is.  Also, unite with your professional connections via LinkedIn and let them know you are looking for a new job and ask for endorsements in your career field.

After you have done the updating, ask a peer to review your sites for any red flags.  By implementing these changes, you will be able to use the power of social media to your benefit.