Connecticut’s new Sick Leave Law, Public Act No. 11-52, went into effect January 1, 2012.  According to the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, the new law requires affected businesses to provide a minimum of one hour paid leave for every 40 hours an employee works, accruing a maximum of 40 hours per year– regardless of the employers’ financial resources or business demands.

Will Your Company Be Impacted by this New Legislation?

Possibly.  This new mandate applies to businesses with 50 or more employees, excluding manufacturers and certain nonprofits.  The law covers “service workers” as defined by the legislation in a list of more than 60 job titles and functions.

Don’t be fooled by the term “service workers” – office positions such as administrative assistant, data entry, general office clerk, computer operator and receptionist are all included in this category.  For more information on how this legislation may impact your business, follow this link.

Not interested in this hit to your bottom line?  Consider making use of temporary employees or payroll transfer services.

Temporary employees are exempt from Connecticut’s Sick Leave Act.  The law does not require covered employers to provide paid sick leave to temporary workers or non-hourly employees such as salaried professionals.  Furthermore, if a contingent or payrolled employee calls in sick or requests medical leave, the staffing service – his employer of record – is responsible for addressing his compensation and benefits.

If you are considering using temporary or contract workers, make sure your staffing provider offers them a reasonable benefits program.  Why?  The better a staffing firm treats their employees, the better those employees will perform for you throughout the assignment’s duration.   A.R. Mazzotta values temporary and contract employee’s contribution to business.  As such, it rewards its temporary and contract employees with a benefit program that includes paid holidays and a Paid Time Off (PTO) plan.  Paid Time Off can be used for a variety of reasons such as vacation or sick days.

To determine if staffing services might help control your employment-related expenses (especially in light of this new legislation), contact A.R. Mazzotta to schedule a free workforce consultation.   Together, we can examine your workflow processes and identify non-core, repetitive, project-based or intermittent work which could be more cost-effectively performed by temporary or contract employees.

There’s good reason.  Across Connecticut, retailers are already setting up their holiday displays, priming consumers to begin their seasonal spending just a little bit earlier.  Despite a flagging recovery, the National Retail Federation still predicts a holiday spending increase of 2.8% (slightly higher than the 10-year average), which means that consumers will indeed be opening their wallets this year.

But as you know, the holiday rush is not limited to retailers.  For companies that deal in manufacturing, hospitality, shipping/delivery, customer service, travel and even finance, the end of the year can be an extremely busy – if not the busiest – time of year.

So although we’ve not yet reached fall’s midpoint, it’s time to gear up if you anticipate a need for seasonal help this year.  Use this list of tips to find the best seasonal employees and get the best results from them:

Find the Best

Bring back your superstars. Start by contacting your best holiday workers from last year.  If you used a staffing service last season, you can even request specific temporary employees again.  Because they’ve already proven themselves on the job, and understand your company and its workflow processes, these workers are the smartest choice.

Consider a variety of sources. If you will be recruiting on your own, cast a wide net to develop your applicant pool.  Sources of potential seasonal employees include job fairs, classified ads, online job sites, social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and referrals from current employees.

Partner with a staffing service. Because they maintain databases of highly skilled candidates who are ready to work, a staffing service can quickly supply the temporary help you need to closely match your fluctuating demand.  As an added benefit, a staffing firm handles all the recruiting, interviewing and background checks you require, so you can stay focused on your most important priorities.  To get the best results, invite the staffing representative to your work location.  Give him a tour of your site, so he can develop a first-hand picture of your exact staff requirements.

Offer competitive pay. Make sure you attract top performers by paying at or above competitors’ rates.  During your busy season, you need high quality supplemental staff who can learn quickly, perform consistently and ultimately increase productivity – so it’s worth it to pay a little more for the right people.

Manage for Success

Start off on the right foot. The seasonal rush can be hard and stressful on everyone – especially workers who are new to your company.  Get everyone on your staff (direct, seasonal and/or temporary employees) together for a pre-rush kick-off to let them know how much they are appreciated.  Use this opportunity to orient and introduce new employees, wrapping up with a formal tour and review of company policies.

Provide adequate training. Although it’s time-consuming, be sure to give seasonal employees the training they need to succeed.  They may only be working for you for a short time, but their performance is no less important to your company’s success.  After an initial orientation, pair each supplemental worker with a permanent employee for practical training and support during the learning curve.  Ultimately, well-trained workers will be more independent, productive and less likely to make costly mistakes.

Closely monitor initial performance. During your busy season, you shouldn’t tolerate – and can’t afford – mediocre performance.  If a seasonal worker isn’t living up to your standards, replace him.  Staffing services provide a distinct advantage in this respect, because most offer replacement guarantees on their temporary workers.  If the assigned employee does not perform as expected within an initial time period, the staffing service will provide a replacement, free of charge.

Consider completion bonuses. Dealing with high turnover during a critical time can disrupt workflow, waste valuable time and potentially cost you customers.  Encourage seasonal workers to stay for the duration of your busy season by offering a cash incentive or gift card for completion.

Plan for Seasonal Staffing Success – This Year and Next

The holiday season is already ramping up, and A.R. Mazzotta is ready to answer your call.  Throughout Connecticut, we deliver the clerical/administrative, light industrial, technical and professional staff our clients need to thrive during their busiest time of year.

Successful seasonal staffing requires careful planning, so learn what you can from this year.  As you progress through the next few months, take notes on what works and what doesn’t.  Keep records of what types and how much supplemental staff you require, so you can refer to this information next year.  Mark your 2012 calendar with dates to begin recruiting early and/or meet with A.R. Mazzotta to plan your seasonal staffing needs.

But not anymore.

Today’s staffing industry is comprised of diverse, robust organizations whose services can greatly enhance your company’s productivity and profitability – even in a tough economy.  Still, a significant portion of the business community doesn’t really understand what we do, or how we do it.

So if you think that staffing services are too expensive, or that you can’t find an ideal candidate through an employment agency, take a read through this quick post.  It debunks five common staffing myths:

Myth #1:  Staffing firms are too expensive.

Fact: If you focus solely on bill rates and placement fees, you may conclude that staffing services are more expensive than a DIY staffing approach.  In reality, staffing firms can actually save you money.  You can leverage their recruiting expertise and economies of scale to quickly and cost-effectively access the talented candidates you need.

You can also reduce overtime, training and payroll administration expenses by using temporary employees to handle your extra workload.  Additionally, staffing experts can show you how to lower your labor costs by reducing your core staff to meet the low end of your production cycle, and then bringing in supplemental help for busier times.

Myth#2:  Temps are all secretaries.

Fact: Temporary employees now work in virtually every industry and increasingly include highly skilled professionals.  In additional to administrative and industrial workers, staffing firms now regularly supply medical, technical, legal and executive-level professionals to tackle mission-critical projects.

Myth #3:  You can’t hire a good employee through a staffing firm.

Fact: Staffing firms use rigorous screening, interviewing, skills testing and background / reference check processes to ensure the quality of talent they supply.  And unlike an individual you recruit on your own, a staffing service’s candidate comes with a guarantee.

Myth #4:  Staffing firms only provide “temps.”

Fact: Today’s staffing suppliers offer a wide variety of services that can be customized to suit your workforce needs, including:  temporary help, direct hire, temp-to-hire, contract staffing and payrolling services.

Myth #5:  Temps are only good for “fill-ins.”

Fact: Beyond filling in for vacations or illnesses, employers regularly use temporary and contract employees to: provide extra support during busy times; staff special short-term projects; access specialized talent; evaluate talent for permanent positions.

The Truth about A.R. Mazzotta Employment Services

The truth is, A.R. Mazzotta can certainly fill your last-minute staffing needs.  But we can do so much more for your business!  With over 40 years of experience serving Connecticut employers, and a full complement of staffing, recruiting and HR solutions, we can help you use staffing to reduce overhead, complete critical projects and cost-effectively recruit top talent.

What can A.R. Mazzotta do for you?  Contact us today.

Whether you’re ready to contact a recruiter, want to speed up your job search, or are merely evaluating the flexible work options a staffing firm can provide, you need to begin the process by educating yourself.  Why?  Because if you understand our industry well, you’ll be better prepared to take full advantage of the resources and placement options we offer – and ultimately find that ideal work opportunity.

To get you started on the “path of enlightenment,” here is a list of common staffing terms (compliments of the American Staffing Association), as well as an overview of the occupational categories in the staffing industry:

Placement – A staffing firm brings together job seekers and potential employers for the purpose of establishing a “permanent” employment relationship.

Temporary Help – (also known as “contingent” or “on-time” help) A staffing firm hires its own employees and assigns them to support or supplement a client’s work force in situations involving employee absences, temporary skill shortages, seasonal workloads and special projects.

Temporary-to-Hire – (also known as “temp-to-hire” or “temp-to-direct hire”) A staffing firm employee works for a client during a trial period in which both the employee and the client consider establishing a “permanent” employment relationship.  At the end of the trial period the assignment may end, or the client may extend an offer for employment.

Long-Term Staffing – (also known as “contract” staffing) A staffing firm supplies employees to work on long-term assignments or discrete projects.  Employees are recruited, screened and assigned by the staffing firm.

Recruiter – (also known as “staffing professional”) A recruiter is a person within a staffing firm who is responsible for identifying and screening/evaluating qualified candidates for an open position within a client business.  The recruiter generally works closely with the hiring firm to determine which candidates are best suited for any open positions.

Typical Occupational Categories in the Staffing Industry

Health Care
Physicians, dentists, nurses, hygienists, medical technicians, therapists, home health aides, custodial care workers, etc.

Industrial
Manual laborers, food handlers, cleaners, assemblers, drivers, tradesmen, machine operators, maintenance workers, etc.

Information Technology
Consultants, analysts, programmers, designers, installers, and other occupations involving computer sciences (hardware or software) or communications technology (Internet, telephone, etc.).

Office–Clerical
Secretaries, general office clerks, receptionists, administrative assistants, word-processing and data entry operators, cashiers, etc.

Professional–Managerial
Accountants, bookkeepers, attorneys, paralegals, middle and senior managers, advertising and marketing executives, and other nontechnical occupations that require higher skill or education levels.

Technical
Engineers, scientists, laboratory technicians, architects, draftsmen, technical writers and illustrators, and other individuals with special skills or training in technical fields involving math or science (not including information technology).

Want to learn more?

Find out how A.R. Mazzotta can match you with the ideal employment opportunity.  With offices in Westbrook, Middletown and Wallingford, Connecticut, it’s easy to come in and learn more about our services, available jobs and what we can do for you.  Please contact A.R. Mazzotta to schedule your appointment today.

With the barrage of data pouring in from newspapers, TV, the internet, social media, RSS feeds, e-mails, voicemails and good-old-fashioned face-to-face meetings, finding the critical information you need amidst all the “white noise” can be exhausting.

Take the BLS Monthly Employment Situation, for example.  It contains monthly employment estimates for over 1,000 industries from its Current Employment Statistics program.  However, the changes in these overall employment levels tend to be delayed in the monthly labor reports – making it a lagging indicator of economic trends.

Sound like a lot of white noise?

Not entirely.  Temporary help employment numbers, which are part of the monthly BLS report, are generally considered to be a coincident indicator for overall employment.  This means that changes in temporary help employment tend to forecast subsequent changes in overall employment and coincide with changes in economic activity.  Why?  Many companies use temporary staffing as a means to quickly adjust their operations to meet fluctuating demands for their products and services.

Here’s how to get current data for temporary help services in the BLS report:

1. Go to the BLS Current Employment Statistics home page.
2. Then select either the HTML or PDF version of the “Employment Situation Summary.”
3. Data for temporary help services can be found in Table B-1 (page 30 of the report’s PDF version).

Effectively manage the economy’s highs and lows with A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists.
Our full spectrum of staffing services for Connecticut employers can help you run lean – while providing on-demand access to the talent you need to meet surges in demand.

Your staff.

Steven Berchem, Certified Staffing Professional and Vice President of the American Staffing Association, posted a great article on the ASA website which addresses the ways today’s businesses are using staffing to gain real competitive advantage. 

Here are a few of the article’s salient points:

• As agility becomes more essential to success, smart companies are rejecting traditional hiring models and taking bold approaches to staffing.  They are moving away from lengthy hiring processes and no longer see the wisdom of filling every position with a permanent employee.
• These changes in key business practices have led companies to use more temporary and contract employees in diverse and highly skilled professions, including: accountants, attorneys, chief executives, doctors, graphic designers, IT professionals and even pilots.
• Today’s staffing employees are motivated, satisfied and educated.  In a survey conducted by the ASA, nine out of 10 staffing employees said they would recommend temporary or contract work to a friend or relative.  And while it may come as a surprise, staffing employees are actually better educated than the overall workforce, with 74% having at least some college education (compared to 62% of the traditional workforce).
• Staffing firms provide the only means of accessing some of America’s best talent.  In fact, the majority of staffing employees either use temporary or contract work as their sole means of finding a “permanent” job, or they simply prefer their current work arrangement over traditional employment.

To read or download the full article, click here.

Maximize the Value of Your Human Resources with A. R. Mazzotta

If you’d like to maximize the value of your staff as a source of competitive advantage for your company, contact A.R. Mazzotta today.  We can show you how to use staffing to become more agile, efficient and profitable.  Together, we can develop a smart staffing plan that will enable your organization to compete – and win.

Okay, let’s be realistic.  In today’s economic climate, what business isn’t looking to do more with less?

Staffing firms offer several effective solutions for reducing overhead, managing labor-related costs and improving productivity.  Used intelligently, staffing services can save you more money than they cost.  Here’s how:

1. Lower fixed expenses.  Develop a plan to staff your business strategically.  Minimize your permanent employees to the level needed to sustain your core volume of work, and then proactively plan to bring in extra help only when it’s needed.
2. Access expertise as needed.  Have a special project or new initiative to staff?  Bring in temporary experts with the specialized skills you need without impacting fixed expenses.  As an added benefit, these professionals are often less expensive than consultants.
3. Control benefits expenses.  Benefits for temporary employees are provided by the staffing service for which they work.
4. Reduce overtime.  Use temporary employees to reduce the amount of overtime your permanent staff works.  As an added benefit, temporaries can alleviate the burnout overtime causes, keeping your core staff more productive.
5. Minimize training expenses.  Reduce training costs and shorten learning curves by bringing in temporary employees who are already trained and have experience using the skills you need.
6. Lower recruiting costs. Use direct placement services to reduce the costs, and eliminate the time and hassles, involved with advertising, screening resumes, interviewing, testing and reference-checking applicants.

With over 40 years serving Connecticut employers, A.R. Mazzotta has the services and experience to deliver real cost savings for your business.  Contact us today to find out how we can help you do more with less.