Tag Archive for: workforce

Over the last few years, we’ve seen many companies start to take diversity and inclusion in the workplace more seriously. Of course, we all know why these values are so important to address and implement in the workforce — but why is the focus so crucial now more than ever?

With the power of the internet to make knowledge more widely available and the ability to view mass media from all over the world, people are starting to see through companies who “talk” a lot, but don’t necessarily “walk the talk.” On June 17, 2021, Dover Staffing hosted a webinar to explore this topic by taking a deep dive into the priorities, opportunities, and challenges that diversity creates for the workplace.

To facilitate this timely conversation, we heard from our host, Sanquinetta Dover, Founder and CEO of DoverSolutions; panelist Ingrid Watkins, CEO and Chief Diversity Strategist at IW Consulting Group; panelist Veronica Maldonado Torres, President and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; panelist Adam Moore, VP, Director of Supplier Diversity for Truist Bank; and moderator Roz Lewis, President and CEO at The Greater Women’s Business Council.

 

How can diversity give companies a competitive advantage?

More and more companies are seeing how diversity drives better results and more purpose-driven employees. Companies must understand that being intentional with hearing from different employee perspectives is crucial to creating game changing products and services. Seeing through the lens of diversity creates a sustainable, growing enterprise and is instrumental in talent search as well.

Diversity and inclusion are also key in branding in today’s day and age. We are learning that younger generations are not brand loyal like their parents are or once were. Young people today are more driven to purchase from companies with a strong Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) presence, and the power of social media matters a lot to them. Adam stressed that DE&I “can’t just be a banner or flag on the wall.” A company winning in diversity and inclusion is a company that is winning in authenticity.

 

What should organizations do to leverage the power of diversity in their workforce?

The first step is to create a culture of diversity. Having different viewpoints and diverse people at the decision-making table is critical for an organization. For example, noted Veronica, steps should include “creating business resource groups and places of education for the non-diverse groups of the organization to get to know each other and learn.” Education for everyone in the organization is a crucial part of building that culture.

 

When we talk about diversity and inclusion within the workforce, which groups are we including?

Roz shared how the pandemic gave everyone, individuals and companies alike, time to sit back and think about their current state and how they can improve. Companies must think about how they create spaces within their structure for everyone, and how they are measuring success. Victoria also touched on the topics of neurodiversity and disability, and how companies have been and should start to think about incorporating neurodiverse and differently abled employees into their culture. She challenges companies to think about how they can “win together” by empowering their employees with resources to succeed — which also results in more success for the business.

Socioeconomics adds an additional level of complexity to efforts to create equity, as its impact is not always visible or known at various stages of the employee journey, such as the application process. Over the pandemic, disparities between wealthier and lower income consumers increased. As a result, employers have a renewed and heightened responsibility to think about equity and how they ensure access to essentials like personal development opportunities and promotions are within everyone’s reach.

 

How can we change our recruiting and talent development processes to better attract and engage diverse individuals?

“In order to identify diverse talent,” stated Ingrid, “you have to go where they are.” This can mean reaching out to various cultural associations to find talent as well as building relationships with organizations like Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Diversity should be as much a corporate strategy as marketing, sales, and business development are. When diversity is not a top priority, it is destined to fail. Implementing practices such as goals to measure success and compliance checklists are a great way to ensure progress.

 

What do we mean by diversity, equity, and inclusion?

Employers tend to focus on these terms when it comes to hiring, but truly adopting the principles of DE&I means so much more. Equality is about treating everyone the same, whereas equity is focused on making sure everyone is treated fairly by taking into account their privilege or lack thereof. It is important for companies to ensure that their pay scale and policies for how they assess, grade, and pay employees is fair. It’s all about equal footing.

 

What are two steps employers can take to build a diverse, equal, and inclusive workforce and culture?

When employers put together a talent strategy, they should focus on eliminating bias throughout the employee life cycle, i.e. recruiting, interviewing, hiring process, belonging, and development. This attentiveness should occur over the course of the professional’s career with the company as well. The first step towards creating a true diverse and inclusive environment is committing to action.

The Dover philosophy takes a human-focused, global approach to problem solving by creating business solutions that enhance the modern workplace. Together, DoverSolutions, DoverStaffing, and the Dover Training Institute are able to address workforce development challenges on multiple levels. To find talent, click here, fill out your information, and one of our recruitment specialists will be in touch. To find a career, click here to see available positions in Atlanta.

 

Image credits: Photo by Rawpixel on Freepik.

The demographics of the modern workplace have changed significantly, and you only have to look at the numbers to realize this. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, millennials are already the largest segment in the workplace. Within the next two years, 50% of the U.S. workforce is expected to be made up of millennials, and that percentage will climb to 75% by 2030.

Unfortunately, millennials are, statistically speaking, also the least engaged generation in the workforce. A Gallup Study shows only 29% are engaged, while 55% are not engaged, and 16% are actively disengaged. The same study indicates that 21% of millennials switch jobs within a year, and 60% say they are open to a different opportunity. All told, millennials turnover costs the U.S. economy an estimated $30.5 billion annually.

However, millennials also present a myriad of opportunities in the workplace. From impressive skill ranges, creativity, and open-mindedness to tech-driven ideas and loyalty, there’s so much these employees bring to your organization. For the modern employer, the challenge is to find innovative ways to tap into these employees’ potential and retain them in the workforce. In this article, we’ll explore how you can creatively attract and keep millennials as a valuable asset in your organization.

 

Have A Meaningful Vision

What is your organization about? This is the first question these job candidates consider when looking for an employer. Millennials want to work for an employer who has a meaningful vision beyond a good bottom line. To click with this segment of the population, your organization must endeavor to improve the lives of people.

For millennials, a meaningful vision translates to better lives and a brighter future for both the employee and the society. Your vision has to show your employees how their work positively impacts the community around them and the world.

 

Embrace Social Media/Mobile Technology

If you want to catch the attention of millennials, go social. From Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter to LinkedIn and Facebook, there’s no better way to reach out to millennials. When thinking of content to attract millennials, make sure you focus on mobile-friendly touchpoints. Your content must be responsive across all platforms because this generation also has the largest access to smartphones.

 

Think Beyond Financial Benefits

Millennials are after value and not only financial benefits. These employees want to work in organizations that respect their work-life balance. Research indicates that millennials are drawn by innovative employee benefits like in-house professional development, massages and yoga, free books, flexible hours, a fair work-life balance, onsite health services, mental health support, and more.

 

Build Your Company Reputation/Be Socially Responsible

Poor brand reputation turns off millennials more than it does other generations. Think of potential employees as customers, which means putting time, thought, and care into engaging with them and creating a positive experience for them. Embracing transparency is key, as is maintaining an active and supportive presence on employee review sites and social media.

Set up an active social media plan across platforms with regular positive posts. Have a PR plan in place and follow it through. Share your positive reviews anywhere you can to show that you’re a top-rate business.

Make sure you provide a forum or feedback mechanism for your brand or business so that employees have a place to go to express their complaints or grievances. This portrays a brand that’s willing to become better.

 

Rethink Your Model of Millennial Engagement

How do you engage with your employees? Do you give them room to contribute ideas for the development of your organization, or does everything come from the corner office?

Millennials are after employers who value their input by opening multiple channels of engagement. Regularly engage in brainstorming sessions that provide a medium for employee innovations and other positive engagements that will attract and keep millennial workers.

Stay in touch and offer regular feedback to your employees. Through such feedback, these employees can evaluate their input to your organization and see the impact of their contributions.

 

Embrace Technology

One distinguishing factor for millennials is their affinity for technology. If your organization still relies on outdated techniques or concepts, up your game to attract the best talent in your industry. Millennials have grown up using technology, unlike baby boomers who have had to learn along the way. To attract and keep millennial employees, identify areas where you can integrate innovative technology.

 

Promote Diversity

The last thing you want is to allow stereotypes or create an environment where anyone feels discriminated against because of their background. You will not only turn off potential employees, but the best talent in your organization will leave.

Millennial employees expect you to create a workplace that’s welcoming, like a second home. Forward-looking organizations today encourage diversity in their ranks and create a comfortable and welcoming workplace for people of all backgrounds.

 

Final Thoughts

Traditional organizations face a tremendous challenge in their engagement with millennials. As an employer, rethink your organizational culture and recreate it to welcome these highly talented individuals. Millennials are looking at employers they can trust and those who really care about people and environment.

Looking for the best talent for your organization? At Dover Staffing, we offer comprehensive recruitment solutions for employers to tap the best skills on the market. Contact us today and let us help you find the right people to work for you.

 

Image credits: Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

The search for top talent is always a priority for managers trying to harness a capable and robust workforce. However, the effort to retain talent once hired is just as critical. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3 million Americans quit their job every month; other studies indicate that roughly 30% of all new hires quit before getting to the half-year mark.

This trend can be the leaking bucket in your company. It paralyzes your business’ core functions, and the process of hiring and training a replacement can be a costly one.

But how do you retain your mission-critical employees in such a highly competitive job market? In this article, we’ll explore seven employee retention strategies to help you maintain a talented workforce years on end and ultimately drive your business growth.

 

1. Get it Right from the Start

Some estimate that as much as 80% of employee turnover is due to poor hiring decisions. It’s vital to realize that retention starts from the beginning of the hiring process, from the application and screening to choosing the ideal candidates. Identify what skill sets, values, and experiences you want to emphasize in your company, and then look out for those in your candidates.

This approach allows you to hire people who fit your company’s expectations and whose expectations you can fulfill. A team that resonates with your company’s culture is more likely to stay and contribute, thus leading to increased productivity.

Working with a staffing and talent firm that can evaluate your company’s goals and staffing needs is also an excellent option to onboard the ideal candidates for your company.

 

2. Invest in Employees Professional Development

Helping your team achieve their long and short-term goals is one of the most crucial employee retention strategies. A significant percentage of employees report that their job satisfaction is tied to having a clear path for career growth.

Think of investing in your employees as a long game; it links their career development goals to your company, which prompts them to say. The longer they stay, the more productive they become, which ensures your return on investment.

Consider designing in-house training and mentorship programs to foster professional development. You may also want to adopt other methods such as paying for your employees to attend conferences and workshops, offering tuition reimbursements, and promoting from within whenever possible.

 

3. Provide and Receive Feedback

Your employees need feedback to do their best at work and focus on areas of improvement. Frequent positive feedback motivates your workforce and gives them the determination to be their best. Constructive criticism is equally essential to rectify an issue that may otherwise escalate into more significant problems for your business.

On the flip side, employees are also seeking an opportunity to give you feedback. Your team may disengage if they feel you’re not open to their thoughts or ideas. It’s essential to create a culture of communication where your staff feel comfortable and safe to share their feedback with you or the management.

Keeping lines of communication open is critical to employee retention. Two-way communication builds trust and encourages transparency.

 

4. Engage Your Employees

Modern-day employees care about fulfillment and making a difference as much as they care about paying the bills. New staff members want to contribute towards positive change in the company or the community and feel you hired them for a reason.

As such, it is important to give your members stimulating assignments and varied tasks, involve them in decision making, and make conscious efforts to cultivate inclusion in your company.

Philanthropic programs, social programs to facilitate bonding amongst coworkers, and unity around a shared vision for the company nurture inclusivity and give employees a sense of meaning and belonging.

 

5. Out of the Box Benefits

Offering your employees competitive wages and benefits is important, but it is not always about money. While your team members need the financial security of a good salary, health, and retirement benefits, these are the bare minimum when it comes to employee attraction and retention.

Look beyond these staples and evaluate what will truly serve the needs of your employees. For instance, flexible work schedules, stock options, and other financial incentives like gym memberships, fitness training, child care, and sabbaticals are popular benefits that employers use to enhance retention.

Another alternative is to solicit your teams’ feedback to understand the benefits that would ideally enhance their lives and wellbeing. You may also want to allow for tailored benefit options to account for employee demographics in your team. For example, boomers and millennials will be motivated by different benefit packages.

 

6. Encourage a Healthy Work-life Balance

All the benefits in the world cannot compensate for burnout and chronic overwhelm. Overworking your team will cause them to lose focus and possibly give up on your important projects. In contrast, when you don’t overwork your employees, they will have the energy to work more productively. Perform regular top-down evaluations on your workforce to ensure that no member of your team is getting overworked.

Encourage all levels of your company to prioritize healthy workloads that strike a balance between work and personal life. Ensure that managers are modeling a good example so that other employees feel comfortable to adopt a work-life balance.

 

7. Understand What Makes Your Employees Stay

More and more companies are adding stay interviews to their employee retention toolkit. These are typically discussions with employees to understand why an employee wants to work for your company and what it will take to keep them.

Gaining insight into why your team would want to stay is a significant metric to help you identify which policies best contribute to your employee retention strategy as well as highlight areas of improvement. Be open to the feedback you get and use it to streamline your internal policies.

 

Keeping Your Workforce

Are you looking to build a dynamic workforce that will stay its course and guarantee your ROI? Look no further. Dover Staffing, Inc is an award-winning staffing solutions company in Atlanta, GA. We have rendered superior talent and staffing services to build our name as a dependable staffing company over the years.

For more information on staffing and employee retention, feel free to contact us today, and we will be more than willing to assist.

 

Image credits: Photo by August de Richelieu from Pexels