A.R. Mazzotta - Connecticut Employment Specialists

Temporary employees can be a great asset to your organization.  They can help you meet critical deadlines, fill-in for unplanned absences and free your core staff to focus on their most important tasks.

But if your company uses large numbers of temporary employees, it’s easy for your direct staff to fall into an “Us vs. Them” mentality.  And while treating temporary workers as an entirely separate workforce may seem innocuous, the practice can have unintended consequences for your direct employees.

For example, research from the University of Arizona has found that direct employees (particularly at lower levels) are less satisfied with co-workers and bosses when working with a higher proportion of temporary employees.  Why?  The responsibility of training and socializing temporary workers on company-specific processes is often assigned to direct employees.  As a result, having more temporaries can complicate full-time workers’ jobs.

Here are a few suggestions for improving the working relationship between temporary and direct employees to achieve even better staffing results:

• Make temporary employees feel welcome.  While temporaries are, in fact, a separate part of your workforce (and must be treated differently because of co-employment laws), you and your staff can still make them feel welcome in your organization.  By encouraging social interaction (e.g., formal or informal introductions) among all workers, you can foster social ties that are essential to a cohesive workforce.
• Educate your direct staff.  Take the time to clearly explain the role and value of temporary workers.  The better your direct employees understand the benefits temporary help provides, the more likely they’ll be to work productively with them.
• Take advantage of training.  If you use large numbers of temporaries, many staffing services will develop customized orientation and training programs for specific positions.  This shifts the time-consuming burden of getting new temporary employees up-to-speed off your direct employees’ shoulders.

Click here for more tips on keeping your temporary employees productive and efficient.

Bottom line, there are a number of steps you can take keep relations between temporary and direct employees positive.  And the more positive their working relationship, the better your results will be.  Contact A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists today to learn more about our staffing services for Connecticut employers.

These days, with a greater number of candidates vying for the same openings in your company, you may find yourself having to say “No” more often.  Needless to say, writing rejection letters can be an unpleasant and stressful part of the hiring process.

But even when you can’t offer a job applicant the position, it is important to end the interview process on a positive note.  Here are some quick tips for writing candidate rejection letters in a constructive way, to build good will with candidates and position your company as an employer of choice:

• Send out the rejection letter promptly.  If you’re certain you will not be hiring the individual, let him know that he was not selected as soon as possible.  Even when the news is bad, your timely follow-up will convey a high level of professionalism.
• Always use formal company letterhead for a rejection letter and never handwrite it.
• Address your candidate by name.  Further customize the letter with the position for which he applied, as well as a supportive comment about the applicant’s qualifications, experience or enthusiasm.  Although a rejection letter is basically a form letter, your candidate shouldn’t feel as though it is.
• Be direct, but gracious.  Make it clear that there were other candidates more qualified for the job, but do so in a respectful way.
• When appropriate, encourage further action.  If the candidate is a good culture fit, and may be qualified for other openings with your company, say so.  Encourage him to stay in touch and apply again.
• Always end on a positive note.  Thank the candidate for applying and interviewing.  Wish him good luck in his career development.  Remember, this may be the final impression this individual has of your company – make sure it’s a favorable one.
• Close the letter formally with “Sincerely,” or “Best wishes,” and sign your name.

Don’t want to write rejection letters?

Call A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists, a leading Connecticut staffing firm, with your direct placement needs.  We’ll handle every step of the process – from recruiting to testing and initial interviews – and only present you with the most qualified candidates.  If you decide not to hire an individual we refer, just let us know and we’ll take care of the rest.

Learn more about the benefits of A.R. Mazzotta’s direct placement services.

You’ve just won a three-month contract with a major new client – congratulations!  Now, you need to figure out how to get the extra work done. 

Should you pay your current employees overtime, or bring in temporary help?  Consider the following sample cost analysis.  It is based on an annual salary of $40,000 ($19.23/hr., based on a 40 hr. work week), vs. time-and-one-half overtime, for one employee:

Cost Analysis

Although this is just a sample exercise for illustration purposes, it clearly demonstrates the economic rationale for using temporary employees.  When you need additional productive hours on a temporary basis, staffing services provide a hassle-free way to lower costs, reduce burnout and improve the productivity of your direct staff.

A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists – Connecticut’s Staffing Economics Experts

Need help assessing the cost of a staffing strategy?  Contact A.R. Mazzotta today.  Our experts will work with you to determine the most productive and cost-effective ways to get your work done.

Cost Analysis Assumptions

* Temporary staffing rates vary by market, but the relationship (ratio) between pay rates remains the same.

** Fringe benefits include:  holiday pay, sick leave, vacation pay, personal days, insurance, F.I.C.A., S.U.I., F.U.T.A., worker’s compensation, etc., based on a national average of 31%.

*** Based on U.S. Chamber of Commerce national average statistic of 12%, which includes firms that pay no benefits.  For small firms with moderate benefits programs, this cost is typically 40-45% of payroll, and for larger firms with extensive benefits programs, the cost can be up to 100% or more of payroll.

Tips for Successful Salary Negotiations

Congratulations!  You’ve found a superstar with the ideal skills, personality and experience for the position.

But you still have one hurdle to overcome – salary negotiations.  Landing the cream of the crop without blowing your personnel budget can be tricky.  To help, here is a quick list of strategies for negotiating salary with high performers:

1. Have the right mindset.  Negotiation is a process, not a war.  At all costs, avoid the pitfalls of the “us vs. him/her” mentality.  Instead, enter the salary negotiation process open-minded, with the ultimate goal of hiring the best possible candidate for your company.
2. Do your homework.  Rest assured your candidate will have done his.  Before heading into negotiations, prepare yourself by:  reviewing the candidate’s salary history; consulting relevant salary surveys; knowing what your competitors are paying; understanding current market and economic conditions; factoring in cost-of-living differences; and developing a comprehensive compensation package.
3. Use a negotiating point person.  In multiple interview situations, a candidate may ask salary questions of more than one interviewer.  Be prepared.  Prevent potentially catastrophic communication errors by designating a single person to discuss and negotiate salary with a candidate.
4. Never lowball a candidate if there is a good fit.  A top candidate knows what he’s/she’s worth.  If you lowball him/her in an attempt to save a few dollars, he/she will likely be insulted and reject the offer without even countering.
5. Sell the intangibles.  Identify a candidate’s “hot buttons” – intangibles which are just as important to him/her as money.  Leverage these intangibles (e.g. company culture, stability, challenging work, opportunity for advancement, flexible hours, etc.) to sweeten the deal when your pay range is maxed out.
6. Be up-front if you can’t negotiate.  If your initial offer is not negotiable (because of budgetary or other constraints), tell the candidate when making the offer.  If possible, provide an explanation.  The candidate will understand that your base salary offer is firm, and will then move on to negotiating other parts of the compensation package.

Work with A.R. Mazzotta.  Avoid the pitfalls of salary negotiations by using our Recruiting Services for Direct Hire.  We can handle every step of the process from initial screening through salary negotiations, to ensure you land a top performer without breaking the bank.

According to a worldwide survey of senior managers, years of staff cutbacks have undermined trust in the workplace.

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s new report, titled “Companies at the Crossroads,” recommends that to restore that trust, companies must put their employees first  – or risk experiencing deep talent erosion and sustained underperformance as the global economy recovers.

Here are some key statistics from the December 2009 report:

• 29% of business executives surveyed said employee engagement is low – and that they expect to lose key people as talent demand grows.
• 41% of respondents cite a shortage of talent in their organization.
• 44% of executives surveyed said they find it increasingly difficult to recruit talented employees.
• 50% of respondents plan to ramp up recruitment in 2010, with only 18% freezing headcounts.

The survey found that while executives understand the need to focus on their talent, greater action is needed to develop sound talent management strategies for the future.  Low trust among mid-level employees, coupled with low graduate recruitment and an ongoing demand for senior executive talent, is creating a “perfect storm” for businesses:  the most talented employees may be headed out the door, with fresh talent not yet recruited.

Bottom line, these trends can have a serious impact on your business as the economy recovers.  A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists is prepared to help.  We proactively recruit to ensure you always have immediate access to the skilled, talented and reliable individuals you need – especially when that talent becomes hard to find.  Visit our website to find out what we can do for you.

Have you ever paid attention to car manufacturers’ ads?  They show you models that are loaded with extras and then entice you with prices that seem too good to be true – and they usually are.  Because what those numbers in bold print don’t include are all the fees, taxes and options that can literally double your true costs.

It’s the same with hiring.  While you may be tempted to estimate your cost-per-hire based solely on advertising expenses, this figure is only a small part of your true costs.  For a more accurate appraisal, consider the following factors:

HR Time

• Developing job descriptions
• Preparing and placing / posting ads
• Reviewing résumés
• Telephone screening candidates
• HR interviewing
• Conducting assessments and skills testing
• Performing drug tests and reference checks
• Processing paperwork

Other Costs

• Cost of advertising (classifieds, job boards, other online posting)
• Legal costs
• Management interview time
• Opportunity costs (time HR and hiring managers could be spending on other productive activities)
• Costs of vacancy in the position
• Costs of a bad hire (all the costs involved with replacing a new hire who doesn’t work out)

The Value of Recruiting Services
When it comes to direct hires, staffing firms offer tremendous advantages to employers.  The staffing service assumes the vast majority of the hiring costs and only charges a fee when and if you hire a candidate they provide.  Direct placement services provide the following benefits:

• Fixed costs of hiring
• Minimal disruption to the organization and no loss of focus
• Dedicated, experienced recruiting specialists who can accurately identify the best candidates
• Ability to directly recruit top candidates (even those who work for your competitors)
• Access to the staffing firm’s extensive candidate database, as well as regional and national recruiting networks
• Satisfaction guarantees

A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists – A Better Way to Hire
Hiring on your own can be an expensive, time-consuming and frustrating process.  So why do it on your own?  Contact A.R. Mazzotta today.  Our dedicated recruitment specialists will make your next hire a success – guaranteed.

“I’m sorry, but all I can do is verify this person’s name, title and dates of employment.”

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.