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How 5G Will Revolutionize the Way You Do Business

January 6, 2021 by Aylish DeVore

By now you’ve probably caught the buzz about this thing called 5G that’s coming to change the world… but what is it really? And what will it mean for your business once it’s here? 5G is the 5th generation mobile network and the new global wireless standard. 5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps data speeds, much lower latency, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more users across the globe. Simply put, it’ll make your mobile connectivity faster and more reliable. This technology is a huge breakthrough in wireless tech and some industry insiders have gone so far as to say that the 5G network will be as revolutionary as the printing press, the automobile, and electricity. So the question is, have you thought about how your business will change? In this blog, we’re hitting on all the key features of 5G that will revolutionize the way you do business and how to utilize them most effectively.

Ability to Work From Anywhere

With the recent pandemic and the majority of the nation’s workforce working from home, the capability to connect wirelessly, from any location is more necessary than ever. 5G enables just that; making being chained to an Ethernet cable or within range of a Wi-Fi hotspot a thing of the past. With the power of 5G, users will be able to connect to high-speed connections from just about anywhere. Yes, anywhere. A recent study shows 62% of employees work remotely at least part-time and this number only continues to rise as more employers continue to enforce health and safety precautions. With the abilities of 5G, businesses will be able to allow even more flexibility to their employees when it comes to working locations. In turn, this creates a larger candidate pool as geographical location ceases to be a qualifier for employees. This ease of accessibility is sure to increase morale and create a more relaxed workforce.

Seamless Functionality

With 5G, not only will the connection be vastly available but the functionality will be seamless. Through its fluid capabilities, 5G allows not just remote work but virtual work. The difference? Users will be able to access data, communicate with co-workers, collaborate on projects just as seamlessly as if they were physically in the same room. Remote workers will no longer be held back by needing access to large amounts of data, or a brainstorming session interrupted by poor video connection and lag. Further, with the increased capability, running more advanced technology becomes a breeze. Businesses will be able to access and implement virtual reality, augmented reality, and AI technology into their typical work routines creating a more connected and technologically advanced environment.

5G to Increase Productivity Poll

Increased Productivity

The entire workforce is buzzing in anticipation of the impact 5G will have on the way we function. 91% of US organizations and 88% of small to mid-sized enterprises agree that 5G will increase productivity. As mentioned earlier, lagging connections and download speeds can really disrupt remote and in-office employees’ workflow and attention span. Significantly faster data speeds mean far lower latency while waiting for a file to load, a meeting to start, attachments to download, etc. A big contributor to slow or glitchy connections is an influx of users in a centralized area. 5G allows for up to a million devices per square kilometer, making high-speed connections seamless even in extremely high traffic areas. There is an overwhelming amount of both large and small impacts that will contribute to maximized productivity from every angle. Even something as small as improved energy efficiency will result in prolonged battery life on devices, eliminating time searching for a lost charger or an outlet in a crowded coffee shop.

Improve Company Communication & Culture

Especially in the current state of the world, having a strong company culture is more important than ever to keep employees engaged. Human connection and interaction is key to keeping a positive mindset throughout the office and even more so for employees working at home. Companies are hiring more remote employees, expanding across the country and even the globe. While this leverages several benefits, it also can create some challenges in developing an inclusive company culture and connected dynamic. All of the capabilities 5G will introduce into your business play a role in how you’ll connect and interact internally, no matter your organization’s geographical location. Trust us, boring conference calls will be a thing of the past as the potential of 5G innovations expand to holographic calling, enabling users to view 3D presentations with or without glasses, and interactive meetings utilizing AI technology. Why would you choose to use small chat boxes on computer screens when augmented and virtual reality connectivity will run seamlessly?

It’s clear to see that the power and innovation 5G is bringing will revolutionize the way people do business in a big way. Here at Blue Signal, we plan to utilize many of these advancements in multiple aspects of our business. One area we are excited to embrace is the ability to further empower our remote employees’ flexibility in where and how they work. Blue Signal has a long history of leveraging a geographically diverse team as we’ve had recruiters working from all over the country since our inception. The ability to further advance the way we communicate and engage with each other internally will be a huge initiative in the coming year as we look forward to continuing to nurture our tight-knit company culture. Additionally, the connectivity and seamless functionality of 5G will allow us to better serve our clients and candidates. As the recruiting industry continues to grow, we continue to stay committed to rising above the norm by utilizing the most effective resources, technology, and processes available to us. Reach out to one of our recruiters today to talk about what 5G advancements mean for your workforce and how you can capture these benefits.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 5g, 5g benefits, 5g network, AI, AI Technology, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, benefits, blog, business, communication, connected devices, connection, connectivity, corporate culture, corporations, culture, data, data speed, efficient, emerging technology, enterprise, features, IT, pandemic, Productivity, reliability, remote work, remote workforce, small businesses, sustainability, tech, tech business, Tech industry, technology, virtual culture, virtual reality, WiFi, wireless, wireless technology, workplace culture

Don’t Panic, but the Talent Pool is Shrinking

September 25, 2018 by Lacey Walters

The US broke many long-standing employment and labor records in 2018, with the effects rippling through all business verticals nationwide. With the 2008 recession now 10 years behind us, the 2018 economy showed strong jobs growth and shrinking unemployment. This is good news for job candidates who are looking to upgrade their jobs. For businesses, however, last decade’s hiring strategies won’t work anymore. The talent pool is shrinking, and updated strategies are a must.

In a talent shortage, candidates (not employers) have the power to dictate wages, benefits, and job content. Competition for qualified candidates is stiff, and potential employees have demand on their side. Just this year:

  • Youth unemployment hit its lowest level since 1966.
  • The number of open jobs exceeds unemployed persons by 659,000.
  • The economy has created 2.5 million jobs, representing 66.7 million hires.
  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that April closed with 6.7 million job openings.
  • Unemployment dropped to 3.8%, its lowest level since 1969.

Despite high demand, only 50% of employees feel like their wages are competitive with market rates.

 

Death by Automation

Despite the longest bull market run in history, candidates don’t always have it easy, either. A recent McKinsey report estimated that 50% of today’s jobs are susceptible to automation by artificial intelligence. This used to be a distant vision of the future, but today, many of these technologies are already available on the market. Half of the tasks employees do today can be automated, reducing the demand for some skills that most people use as leverage in qualifying for a position. Once While less than 5% of all occupations can be automated entirely using technology, about 60% of all occupations have at least 30% of activities that could be automated.

talent pool - cities with skills shortages

Skills Shortages

Not to mention the staggering skills shortages throughout the nation. If candidates want to remain marketable, they must learn some new skills. According to a LinkedIn survey, the hard skills companies need most are cloud and distributed computing, statistical analysis and data mining, middleware and integration software, web architecture and development framework, user interface design, software revision control systems, network and information security, and SEO/SEM marketing.

The trend is obvious here – companies are desperate for digital skills to keep up with the increasing amount of technology required in modern business. Software development skills, such as performance tuning and SQL are required for over 850,000 open roles right now. To put this in perspective, the talent pool only contains 472,000 professionals with those skills.

The need for highly specialized workers is at an all-time high, while the pool of educated and qualified candidates is strikingly low. Trends in education levels and projected employment needs indicate that employers will require about 18 million more college-educated workers than will be available in 2020, a gap representing 11% of demand. Complicating the situation is the student debt crisis, called a bubble by many leading economists. The burden of debt is unsustainable based on the earning potential of most college degrees, especially arts, languages, and other non-STEM areas of study.

Talent pool - 2020 labor shortages

Economists don’t expend a reversal of this trend any time soon. Underqualified talent cannot leverage skills that are universal or able to be automated, lowering performance. Low performance reduces revenue, and therefore capital. Without the capital to modernize, companies cannot compete – in their markets or for gaining candidates. This cycle feeds itself, reducing candidates and marketability, sometimes to the point of bankruptcy.

 

Talent Pool Predictions

What’s next? Employee development and training is a proven way to reduce turnover. Companies nationwide are investing more in educational programs and expanding the skill set of their internal teams. This can help in modernization and retention, fending off some of the competition poaching. The promise of personal and professional development can be a key factor in a potential candidate’s decision making.

If companies want to boost growth, they need the right employees. However, to get the right employees, hiring managers need updated recruiting strategies. They must focus less on what the employee can do for the company, and more on what the company can do for the employee. Today’s professionals are looking for not only financial rewards, but recognition and a future. Despite employer belief, the top reason individuals left their jobs was due to career progression – not salary. Out of the employers surveyed, 48% have a strategy in place to promote company culture to make their company more attractive, and 43% leverage competitive salary packages.

What makes your company a place that a qualified, highly-desired candidate wants to work (or in many cases, leave their current company for)? At Blue Signal Search, we call this a company’s “sizzle”. If you are experiencing some of the growing pains of this shrinking talent pool and the digital age, contact us today. We can help you find your true value proposition – your sizzle – and market it to find the right candidate for your open role.


Need help with your recruiting strategy? Contact us at (480) 939-3200 or reach out to info@bluesignal.com.

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: company culture, corporations, employer, hiring, hiring manager, hiring process, job market, job security, strategy

How America’s Most Popular Companies Are Winning the War for Talent

April 25, 2017 by Lacey Walters


LinkedIn recently released its report listing the Top Attractors, the US-based companies with the strongest power to attract top talent. This list of the 40 most popular companies was compiled from billions of actions of job applicants, employees, and industry professionals. Find the full list on LinkedIn here, along with data for the world and selected other countries.

How does a company become a Top Attractor—the employer equivalent of a celebrity?

 

Their brand is idealism.

The main driver behind the success of Top Attractors is not their financials—or even their products—so much as their mission. Top Attractors have powerful branding that supports a lofty mission statement.

In 2009, Simon Sinek gave a clairvoyant TED Talk that described how the top companies of the last decade had succeeded in doing the impossible. It was called Start with Why, and it described how “people don’t buy what you do—they buy why you do it.” Many Fortune 500 companies have a large market share but fail to inspire top talent because people cannot trust or connect with their vision. On the other hand, Top Attractors want to change the world, and they convey it clearly to their customers.

Two-thirds of the companies on the list are run by founders. This is important: entrepreneurial founders have strong ideals and a gift for inspiring people with their mission. Elon Musk famously said he focuses on company rules at Tesla, because company ideals are “fairly obvious.” But even at Tesla, lofty ideals reign supreme. Elon Musk excels in harmonizing an environmentally friendly problem-solving message with beautiful technology that customers feel good supporting: stylish electric cars, affordable solar panels, reusable rockets, and self-driving technology.

Image: A $150,000+ investment in brand ideals. Tesla is #8 on the Top Attractors list.

A $150,000+ investment in brand ideals. Tesla is #8 on the Top Attractors list.

 

Uber describes its mission directly in its job descriptions, offering applicants “the rare opportunity to change the way the world moves. We’re not just another social web app, we’re moving real people and assets and reinventing transportation and logistics globally.”

 

Top Attractors create meaningful buzz.

Company size matters a little, but not much. The more important factor is their reach. These companies employ just 1.6 million people altogether. By contrast, the #1 Fortune 500 company (Wal-Mart) employs 2.1 million people worldwide, more than all 40 Top Attractors put together. However, the company has to have a big enough reach to create buzz and reach people deeply and often.

Even the most popular companies are not above negative press. The New York Times sharply criticized Amazon in 2015 for its “bruising workplace,” and Tesla faces possible bankruptcy if its Model 3 does not perform to standards. Apple has showed up in the media several times for horrendous factory conditions in China. But these same companies know that if people believe in them strongly enough, no bad press is strong enough to deter them.

Many of the founder-CEOs are household names: Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos. People follow them on social media and know what they think about politicians. They make outrageous claims about what projects they plan to tackle next. Sometimes they even tweet back. By comparison, Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil, and CVS Health from the Fortune 500 list are faceless—and faceless corporations are not popular with many people.

 

Glamorous employers are stylish, surprising, and almost always B2C.

People want to work for the brands that make products they love, and so consumer-facing brands dominate the list. Out of the top 10 companies, 9 are omnipresent B2C brands, like Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon. All invest heavily in delighting customers and providing a seamless user experience loaded with helpful, free features. Their brands prioritize sleek innovation. People trust them because they always seem to be ahead of the curve.

Consumer products have the power to be status symbols, which holds incredible brand power. By contrast, B2B companies have a much harder time attracting top talent through brand value. People want to work for the companies whose mission and products align. Salesforce and Tableau are two notable exceptions. They achieve high brand visibility by putting themselves in front of top employees every day with a fresh, sleek product line and a forward-thinking philosophy.

[Image: iPhone progression]

Image: iPhone’s touchscreen technology amazed the world in 2007. Touchscreen technology was invented in the 1960s, and IBM released the first true smartphone in the 1990s, but Apple usually gets credit for both.

 

The element of surprise is fundamental to these brands. Apple’s culture of innovation has trained people to expect to be surprised and amazed at every new product. Each of the Top Attractors has magic in their brand, an appearance that they can do the impossible. This also drives competition. When competitors fail to delight and surprise their customers, Top Attractors gain both customer base as well as top talent looking to make a move to more exciting and popular companies. They are not loyal to the product as much as they are to the company and what it represents.

 

The most popular companies promise skills, not tenure.

Image: Jeff Bezos came under fire in 2015 for Amazon’s high turnover and troubled workplace culture.

Image: Jeff Bezos came under fire in 2015 for Amazon’s high turnover and troubled workplace culture.

Pressure is intense inside the halls of Top Attractor companies. Less than 15% of Amazon’s workforce survives beyond the 5-year mark. Even with huge perks, the fast-paced workplace forces many employees out after a short stint. Not only that, but salaries are not always the highest in the industry.

How do these popular companies continue to attract the best of the best? Because even a few years at a rockstar company like Facebook or Amazon can guarantee an employee success for years after they leave. The talent war has many layers, and companies compete strongly for alumni of top-performing companies to get access to their skills. Therefore, candidates feel that even if they burn out at a Top Attractor company, the skills they learn there will pay dividends for the rest of their career.

 

Need to attract better talent? Blue Signal can help. Contact us with your hiring need at: info@bluesignal.com.



Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: amazon, apple, candidates, company culture, corporations, employee feedback, facebook, famous companies, google, hiring, most popular companies, talent war, tesla, top talent, uber

Talent War in Emerging Tech: 5G, Small Cell, Connected Tech, IoT/M2M

September 6, 2016 by Lacey Walters

The emerging tech space is changing fast. Between 30 and 50 billion new IoT devices will be online by 2020. The emerging 5G network will boast a 1000x capacity increase and compatibility with new applications such as M2M, VR, AR, and connected things. Small cells and other related technologies are rapidly finding new niches. In the past six months, the technology talent surplus in these fields has flipped upside-down into “negative unemployment.”

Indeed.com reported a sharp increase in IoT-related jobs listed within the past 18 months.

 

New technologies are always on the rise: connected things, connected cities, connected cars, etc. To win the war, you need a connected recruiter. Consider this quote from The Art of War, the famous military strategy treatise written nearly 2500 years ago by Chinese general Sun Tzu:

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need
not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know
yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained
you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the
enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

                                                 — Sun Tzu, “The Art of War”

 

Any company trying to hire qualified talent is in a war with the competition. In a war, good strategy is critical to success; victory does not happen by accident. The most important factor that tech companies do not consider is what their competition (the enemy) offers:

  • Compensation packages

  • Benefits and perks

  • Training, certifications and education

  • Tools and resources

  • Environment and flexibility

  • Career growth and visibility

 

Are you fully aware of what you and your company offer?

Top candidates have their pick of companies. We conduct a company analysis with each hiring manager, including selling points for the job, what their competitors are offering top candidates, and how to structure a truly competitive overall offering to win the war.

Hiring is never easy, and the difficulties are compounded in a space with a huge skills gap and a short supply of talented workers. When you work with Blue Signal, you partner with recruiters who have deep industry knowledge providing a competitive edge. Never fear the result of a hundred battles (hires).

For a free consultation on how we can locate the best hire, contact us today at info@bluesignal.com. See our recent placements here.

 

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: 5g, compensation, corporations, emerging technology, hiring, iot, job security, large companies, m2m, networks, small cell, wireless

Large vs. Small Company Size: How to Pick the Best Fit

August 25, 2016 by Lacey Walters

During a job search, candidates research many factors to determine whether a potential company is a good fit for them. Company size plays a major role in an employee’s experience, but many candidates do not consider how the company size will impact their careers. Here are 8 factors to consider when deciding whether a large company or a small one is a better fit:

 

Red Tape

In a large company, the business processes are complex and well established. There are many layers of bureaucracy, and because of this, nothing happens quickly. This includes the interview process, approval for projects, and the daily business processes the company follows. The benefit is that employees rarely need to invest time in deciding on company procedures. There is a greater sense of consistency and accountability.

By contrast, small companies can move more quickly, but are still seeking to establish those same processes. Employees may feel frustrated that every new initiative comes with the burden of developing a process. However, there is less paperwork to deal with, fewer arbitrary rules, and the ability to get things done quickly.

Compensation Structure

Large and small companies often structure their compensation packages differently. Generally speaking, larger companies are able to offer more financial benefits and a higher total salary. That does not mean that the compensation package through a larger company is a universally better fit for everyone.

Small companies may have a smaller average salary and benefits package, but they compensate through non-financial perks, such as more flexible hours, more recognition, a better work/life balance, and more customized opportunities for professional advancement. Consider the intangibles as well as the number on the bottom line.

Employee Visibility

Depending on seniority and past work experience, some professionals want to be drivers of their company’s projects. They want big impact for their efforts. This is much more of a possibility in a small company, where there is opportunity to guide the company’s overall direction. Small companies are more open to employee input, even at the upper management level. Many smaller companies foster a strong open-door culture, and even lower-level employees can have access to the CEO and director-level managers.

Big company size comes with bigger budgets and teams. There is less opportunity for each employee to have a significant impact on the direction of company projects. Employees are less likely to have direct access to upper management. The advantage is that projects in big companies are often large-scale and high-level.

 

Company Culture 

The size of the company does not necessarily set the tone of the office. In the past, small companies had a reputation for being more relaxed, but many big companies like Facebook and GrubHub have jumped on board with trendy common areas and casual dress codes.

The major difference between company culture in big and small companies is how much of an impact each employee has. In larger companies, the personality of the workplace is difficult for one person to change. This is a strong pro when a company maintains a positive, results-focused culture. However, employees who are not a personality fit may feel isolated or pressured to assimilate. It is very important to ensure a good culture fit when interviewing with a large company.

In small companies, each person is a driving force with the power to affect the culture. This works well for employees who enjoy setting their own unique work style and want to have a significant impact on their company’s workplace personality. The con is that some unique work styles do not work well together, and the cohesiveness of large companies can be a better fit for some personalities.

Job Scope

In a large company, employees have more opportunities to specialize in their chosen field. Resources are often available to develop deep niche skills. Employees often have the opportunity to become subject-matter experts in their field. People who are firmly committed to their specialty thrive in large companies where they are not bogged down with work outside their area of interest.

In small companies, employees have the opportunity to diversify themselves. Instead of feeling boxed into a particular task or niche area, they can wear multiple hats. Every day is different in a small company. Employees who enjoy new challenges and a lot of room to expand their skillset may prefer the flexibility of a smaller company.

Job Security

Stability does not depend on company size. This was proven in the 2008 recession, when Borders Books, Lehman Brothers, and many other large companies went bankrupt.  The major difference is that employees can lose their jobs in large companies even when they do nothing wrong. Since budget changes, mergers, and layoffs are tied up in large-scale politics, good employees can be hurt by the sweeping changes. Although small companies do go bankrupt more often, they are more likely to hold onto good employees whenever they can.

Innovation

Both large and small companies must constantly innovate to stay ahead of the competition. Large companies have the benefit of more resources and larger budgets, and can afford to spend significant amounts of money on research and experimentation with new products and processes. However, their size means they are less agile and slow to change. They are answerable to shareholders and investors for new initiatives.

Small companies are major drivers of innovation in the economy. While their budgets are limited, they are highly agile and are free to experiment with few restrictions. They answer only to themselves. In addition, employees in small companies have more opportunities to contribute new ideas to how things are done.

Advancement

Career advancement can go either way. While large companies have more layers and larger budgets, the competition can be fierce. On the other hand, small companies may struggle to promote talented employees in a timely fashion. The most important thing to look for is a company culture of reinvesting in its employees and a strong, results-focused management team.

 

For personalized advice and a free consultation call, have a conversation with us. Give us a call, or send an email to info@bluesignal.com.

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: company culture, company size, compensation, corporations, job security, large companies, large vs. small companies, red tape, small businesses, small companies

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