This is just one of the predictions made by Dr. John Sullivan, a highly respected thought leader in HR.  By the end of this year, Sullivan predicts that mobile technology will have become the dominant communications and interaction platform in use by leading-edge companies.  As such, talent management leaders should invest in recruiting initiatives that leverage smartphone and tablet technology.

What else is in store for 2012?  Here is an overview of the top staffing, recruiting and talent management trends – and how your staffing partner can help you capitalize on them:

Unemployment will remain high. Dr. Ira Wolfe, author of The Perfect Labor Storm 2.0, predicts that we will continue to experience relatively high unemployment for as much as 10 years.  While this may lead you to assume that you won’t need a staffing service to recruit top talent, that’s not necessarily the case.  Wolf says that despite high unemployment rates, employers are finding it increasingly difficult to find people with the mix of hard and soft skills they need.

• How your staffing service can help:  Beyond matching traditional skills, work with your provider to identify the soft skills (the ability to fit in, work collaboratively, etc.) needed for success in your available position.  Your staffing firm can leverage its network of specialized experts to pinpoint candidates with the skills, traits and experience to thrive in your environment – all while saving you time and money.

Workers will continue to move away from long-term employment with one company. Experts predict that contract, part-time and other non-traditional employment arrangements will increase, due to the recession and increased life span.  Gen X workers do not subscribe to the notion that you have to sit at a desk to work, so they’re much more receptive to contract and remote work.

• How your staffing service can help:  Work with your staffing partner to shift your thinking about how work gets done in your company.  With non-traditional employment arrangements becoming the norm, top talent is now more receptive than ever to shorter-term, project-based work.   Your staffing partner can show you the most cost-effective ways to use temporary and contract staffing to accomplish your goals.

Retention issues will increase dramatically.  Because most corporate retention programs have been so severely degraded, Sullivan predicts that turnover rates in high-demand occupations will increase by 25% this year.  In fact, retention could turn out to be the highest economic impact area in all of talent management.

• How your staffing service can help:  Work with a staffing provider that treats its employees well.  The better a staffing firm treats its employees, the better those employees will perform for you – and the more likely they’ll be to stay on through the assignment’s duration.  To reward and retain our employees, A.R. Mazzotta provides its temporary and contract employees with a benefit program that includes paid holidays and a Paid Time Off (PTO) plan.

Contact A.R. Mazzotta to discuss how these staffing trends will impact your business.  With over 40 years of experience serving Connecticut businesses, we can help you develop a strategic, proactive workforce strategy that helps you capitalize on these changes.

Sound familiar?

These days, getting an honest and reliable reference can be a real challenge.  HR is cautious.  Supervisors are too busy.  And often, the references a candidate has provided are afraid or unwilling to give honest feedback.  So how can you improve the results of your next reference check?

Beyond the standard length of employment/position/job responsibilities questions, here are a few unexpected ones you can try asking.  Designed to start conversations, these open-ended questions may entice a reference to “drop his guard,” and help you solicit more candid feedback:

1. Did the candidate ask your permission to be a reference for him?
2. What was his greatest strength?  Weakness?
3. What circumstances frustrated him the most?
4. How well did the candidate manage time?  Pressure?  Crises?
5. What did he learn during his time with your company?
6. If you could give him a single career suggestion, what would it be?
7. What was his biggest accomplishment while working for your company?
8. Would you rehire this person?  Why or why not?
9. Is there anything else I haven’t asked that you would like to share with me?

Thankfully, you don’t need to ask questions like these when you work with A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists.  You can rest assured that every candidate we refer has been carefully screened, tested and reference-checked for you.  To learn more about the measures we take to ensure candidate quality, please visit our website.