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Coffee with a Recruiter Feat. Karli Larson – Mastering Engagement for Remote Employees

November 3, 2021 by Amber Lamb

Karli Larson is Blue Signal’s own employee engagement guru. As our Director of People and Culture, Karli helps BSS keep our own workforce engaged – with nearly 40 remote employees nationwide! Her initiatives have resulted in marked improvement in engagement as well as overall employee satisfaction. Karli’s expertise can easily be applied to any remote workforce. Watch her segment and read on to hear about some of her best practices!  

“Whether your workforce was remote before the pandemic, they were forced to go remote, or they transitioned to remote indefinitely as a result of the pandemic, you may be wondering – how do I keep everyone engaged? Virtual happy hours have lost their luster and there is no longer an opportunity to connect by the water cooler or coffee machine, so what keeps people connected when they’re working remotely?” 

 

Can Remote Employees be Fully Engaged?  

“YES! And it doesn’t cost you a lot of money or time spent sipping White Claw at 4 o’clock in the afternoon in front of your computer screen. Recent studies have shown that remote employees who get regular feedback are the most engaged out of any other group, including in-person employees! They have the autonomy of working how and where they want to and they get meaningful feedback, creating optimal engagement.” 

 

What Exactly do Remote Employees Need to be Engaged? 

“Connection is the name of the game here. My top three suggestions for getting people engaged are: 

#1 - Connection with their manager.  

Employees want to know how they are performing and that someone cares about their success and well-being. This comes from regular one-on-ones. These one-on-ones can be every week, biweekly, or monthly depending on the needs of the employee, but they should be scheduled and there should definitely be an agenda. Gallup did a study that found that managers account for a 70% variance in employee engagement. So, no pressure managers, but you influence how your team feels about their job and the company. 

#2 - Connection to their peers.  

Human beings have an inherent desire to belong to a group. This sense of belonging helps them appreciate their work and not feel like they are going at it alone. Having regular team meetings creates a culture of shared values and open communication. Team meetings should focus on team goals that everyone’s striving for. They should also celebrate people's wins and offer assistance when people are dealing with work related hurdles. 

#3 - Connection to the company.  

Being connected to the company can look different for many people, but it starts before the  offer is ever made. Maybe they align with your mission and values, they feel connected to the philanthropic endeavors of the company, or they’re just really excited about the company culture that they’re seeing online. Most of the time there is an attraction to your company, and you should find out what it is. During an interview, simply asking, “what drew you to our company?” will not only tell you about the level of research they did about your company, but it will also let you know what’s important to them.” 

 

So Remote Employees Don’t Want Virtual Happy Hours?  

“People want connection! So, after there has been a meaningful connection – i.e., the three things we just went over – find ways to bring people together. This may be mentorship programs, special groups, or even the occasional happy hour with games to learn about each other.” 

 

Why is this Important? 

“When you have high employee engagement, you have productive employees and better overall results – and that’s a win-win!” 

 

Key Takeaways for Ensuring Engagement with your Remote Employees 

When examining your engagement level among remote employees, it can be easy to miss some of the details. For instance, does your online presence align with your company’s values and goals? As a remote employer, how do you highlight your culture to job seekers? It’s important to make sure that your content represented both internally and externally to the worldwide web audience reflects the reasons why employees were excited to work for you to begin with. Make the mission of your remote engagement initiatives clear to everyone who sees your content. This way, you’ll attract candidates whose needs you are ready and able to meet. Furthermore, you’ll improve your retention by making those working for you today feel part of the bigger picture.  

Karli covers several main points within her segment. Namely, that the tools to ensure engagement within your remote employees are simple, and free! With a good set of company values, the right communication, and dedicated leadership, remote employees will thrive when given the opportunity to connect. 

Karli Larson
Karli Larson

Karli Larson

SR. MANAGER OF PEOPLE & CULTURE

Karli’s path to HR came from her two passions, people and service. She believes that HR is one of the single most human-based roles out there. By supporting the internal culture for the humans of Blue Signal, she is in turn helping humans from all industries succeed in their chosen careers!

 

Filed Under: Blog Posts, Recruiter Tips Tagged With: best practices, communication, company culture, Company Values, connection, corporate culture, culture, employee engagement, Employees, engagement, Hybrid, Hybrid Work, Hybrid Workforce, Initiatives, management, Remote Employees, remote work, remote workforce, Virtual, Virtual Work

Digital Recruitment: The New Normal of the Staffing Industry

November 4, 2020 by Amber Lamb

The Coronavirus outbreak caught many of us off guard. Social distancing, fear of an unknown disease, and, most of all, closure of many businesses around the world has left a huge impact on people's psyche and financial wellbeing. As what we knew of the structure of a business changed to meet the “new normal,” hunting for employment online has significantly increased since last year.

As we have seen, many companies took their business online. Following suit, the recruiting process also needed to be updated to ensure safety and minimize physical exposure by using digital recruitments strategies. For both employers and job seekers, being online is a must! In order to properly leverage this advantage the online job marketplace holds during these otherwise uncertain times, read on for some best practices regarding digital recruitment and its changing landscape.

 

As a Job Seeker, Identify Businesses Thriving in 2020

Events of this year have had a huge impact on everyone’s lives. Even with the tragedies and trials 2020 has instilled, there is always a silver lining. Since March of 2020, social gatherings and travelling seem to be a thing of the past. The economy has taken a dive, particularly in the areas of business that thrive on these social norms including tourism, entertainment, F&B, and retail.

On the other hand, online purchases, virtual education, and digital content creation are in high demand in 2020. When thinking about applying for a job, keep in mind those verticals that have best adapted to the times, and are more likely to be hiring. People with skills in digital media will probably have better luck than those in in-person fields. If possible, try and build out skills in these remote-work areas of operation.

 

As a Business, Build Out your Online Presence to Attract Quality Candidates

With people online more than ever, virtual marketing strategies are crucial in keeping audiences engaged with a brand. In several cases, online touch points such as social media pages, websites, and digital advertisements may be the only way people interact with a business. In order to attract candidates to a business, a company needs to have a strong online presence. Whether that’s through third-party recruiting firms or posting on job sites, potential employees need to see a brand that’s thriving in order to want to jump on board.

The power of Google search is essential for those seeking employment. To tap into that market, the perfect candidate needs to be able to find opportunities easily. To get to the top of the organic search results, companies must have an organized and SEO optimized website. Additionally, having a site containing quality content related to the business can offer a potential glance into its strategies and aims as a company. If the candidate shares the same beliefs and visions, they are much more likely to want to work there. But first, they need to be able to find what exactly those beliefs and visions are.

Let's not forget about social media! There are almost 3 billion users on Facebook, and nearly 27 million users on Instagram in 2020 - making both perfect platforms to market and promote a business. Linking websites to socials, and socials to sites, ensures that candidates can easily track and learn more about a potential employer, gaining invaluable insight into company culture and other key factors.

 

2020’s Best Digital Recruiting Strategies for Candidates and Hiring Authorities

1. Hire a Recruiting Firm

The US staffing industry consists of numerous agencies that can make a search a whole lot easier. The majority of them have digitized their recruiting strategy long before the pandemic struck and are using softwares and other tools to uncover perfect matches. In times of crisis, company leaders don’t have time to scroll through numerous application letters to select the ideal hire. Recruiting companies can help cut down the time a role is left open, and actually save businesses money.

 

2. Create and Maintain a LinkedIn Page

The staffing process is made easier through the use of networking platforms such as LinkedIn. This growing community of job seekers use this online platform to discuss job opportunities, best practices, industry insights, and so much more. Participating in a space like this helps keep businesses at the forefront of innovation, and at the top of mind for applicants. And, once they have a job opening, companies can post on LinkedIn to find easily accessible, qualified candidates in the peripheral network of the industry.

 

3. Streamline your Video Interviewing Process

While online presence and using the right digital recruiting strategies are essential in gathering potential hires, video interviewing is a decisive factor that allows insight into each of the candidates personally. The video interview also allows employers to build a relationship as a steppingstone in a successful collaboration. To get the most out of this process, employers and hiring authorities should really nail down what it is they want to see from the interviewing process. Before stepping in front of a camera, they should understand what the end goal is, and create a pathway to achieve it.

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Coronavirus and its unprecedented impact on the economy has left a global wreckage in its wake. Luckily, digital recruitment can help to keep businesses going and people employed when used correctly. With safety as the number one priority today, new strategies in the staffing industry can ensure growth without risk. Being online has proven beneficial for job seekers and employers to stay in the game. As the staffing industry continues to change to meet the needs of employers and employees alike, digital recruitment will continue to play a larger part in the success of many industry verticals. Do you feel prepared? Contact one of our expert recruiters today to discuss your digital strategy and strengthen your position within the new normal.

Filed Under: Blog Posts, Recruiter Tips, Staffing Tagged With: Coronavirus, Covid-19, digital recruitment, economy, Employees, employers, job market, job seekers, linkedin, new normal, online market, recruiting, staffing, staffing industry, strategy, video interviewing

How to Resolve Cross Department Rivalries

March 10, 2020 by Lacey Walters

Rivalries between internal departments can bring a sense of competition and motivation to the workplace, but what happens when said rivalries bring out feelings of tension and strain between teams? Cross department rivalries are nothing new in a professional environment - it’s natural for contrasting teams to compete for power and credibility. However, when these rivalries bring out conflict and distrust, it becomes less of an inconvenience and more of a costly issue. 

When it comes to collaborating with other departments, employees may feel that it is challenging to synchronize complex tasks, prioritize those items, and communicate. According to a SalesForce Survey, 86% of employees and executives cite a lack of collaboration or ineffective communication as the reason behind workplace failures. The same study suggests that approximately 97% of surveyed workers indicate that lack of alignment within a team negatively impacts the outcome of a task or project. If any of this sounds familiar, you can ask your team these 4 questions to determine how you can reduce the negative effects of cross department rivalries. 

Department Rivalries Stat
Salesforce.com*

What Values Do We Create Together?

In order to ascertain how everyone's strengths best fit into a project, it is essential to determine the team’s technical abilities and how they can be combined. Value is realized when those functions are clearly understood and the team is able to discern their shared contributions that drive performance. 

For example, a team working on a project implementing cloud solutions may be composed of several engineers, analysts and product sales individuals. Each person has their own skills that set them apart from each other - these values should be laid out in a meeting before the start of the project to make sure everyone is on the same page. By identifying these key skills, your organization can greatly reduce any conflicting goals and better manage project tensions that may have otherwise taken place.

What Capabilities Do We Need to Achieve These Values?

Having established values and tasks before a project starts allows team members to better focus on the task at hand. Now, it’s essential to lay out how your team is going to achieve these values and identify any missing capabilities or processes that interfere with the overall project. Since finding time to meet with all the departments involved may be a hassle, this is where proper communication comes into play.

How Will We Resolve Conflicts While Maintaining Communication And Trust?

It’s natural to butt-heads with someone who has opposing views on how to get the job done. When you feel like you’re getting frustrated with someone, it’s time to sit down with that person and discuss why you are feeling discontent. Answering this question shows that you are respecting everyone involved with the project and taking positive steps toward discovering a solution that is beneficial to all. When these concerns are fully aired, it gives someone an opportunity to explain their process to identify what is not working. The goal is to increase the trust and communication between departments, which in turn builds a stronger commitment to the collective success of the team.

How Can We Help Each Other Succeed?

Last, but certainly not least, this question is about establishing support and camaraderie between departments. Make sure each individual has access to the tools and technology that will help everyone succeed as a team. If you sense someone is struggling, offer any guidance and support that will simplify the prior established commitments and make sure no one is falling behind. When every individual succeeds, the team succeeds as a whole.

A Final Note

Cross Department issues will inevitably come up, having established guidelines in place is what prevents these conflicts from turning into full-blown rivalries. If you see strained cross-functional relationships within your organization, alleviate the tension by going through these questions and communicating any concerns. 

About Blue Signal:

Blue Signal was founded in Chicago in 2012, and since then, has grown into a multi-million-dollar executive placement firm with offices in the Phoenix and Chicago areas. Blue Signal has established itself as the premier executive search firm within wireless/telecom, technology, and related industry niches.

At Blue Signal, we believe that hiring the right people is the best way to transform business. Our targeted, specialized searches deliver highly qualified professionals to meet every hiring need. Our team has decades of combined experience in finding the right people for each unique company culture and industry niche.

Our team works with both candidates and hiring managers to find the right fit. Contact us today to let us know how we can help.

Filed Under: Blog Posts, Career Advice Tagged With: company culture, competition, employee engagement, Employees, rivalries

How to Build a Positive Team Culture

February 28, 2020 by Amber Lamb

With talent at an all time shortage, companies are having to up the ante on their retention strategies. Some take creative approaches - like ping pong tables in the break room, doughnut Fridays, and chair massages as perks. Others stay the typical route of ensuring competitive compensation and more comprehensive wellness offerings. With today’s job market, all efforts to keep employees happy is money well invested. Yet, if your team culture isn’t concrete, you might lose momentum. 

Employees need to get more out of a job than money and free coffee. HRZone related this employee engagement tactic to a well-known motivational theory in psychology. Like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs outlines, people need to feel respected, recognized, connected to others, and satisfied in their achievements to feel truly satisfied at their jobs. You can better ensure talent retention by starting with establishing a strong team culture as outlined in our below infographic! 

How to Build a Positive Team Culture - Infographic
Download our Tips to Build a Positive Team Culture Infographic

At Blue Signal, we go beyond the plug-and-play aspects of a job description to find you your perfect hire. Culture fit is just as important as skill set when it comes to bringing a new person onboard, and we go the extra mile to make those connections with candidates. With our 12-step interview process, we help to uncover the true motivations candidates have in their reason for making a move, what they are looking for in their next step, and much more. If you’re curious how our process could help you and your organization, reach out to one of our experienced recruiters today to explore your options! 

Filed Under: Blog Posts, Career Advice Tagged With: Employees, Infographic, Talent Retention, Team

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