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It’s only natural for businesses to want to foster pleasant work environments for their employees. However, when morale is low, it’s not just employee happiness that suffers but their productivity and performance as well. Here are some tips to increase company productivity by boosting morale among your staff: Offer Rewards Just because your employees are getting paid to do their jobs doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reward them for their hard work on occasion. If a worker goes above and beyond for the company, take the time to acknowledge their achievement. Bonuses and gifts are great, however, if financial resources are limited, you can always offer an extra vacation day or the ability to work from home for a week. The goal is to motivate people to continue working hard for the company. Provide for Growth Does your staff seem unhappy or lacking in motivation? Providing opportunities for your employees to grow is a great way to boost morale in the workplace. Along with hosting regular training events, companies may consider compensating workers who go back to school. Additionally, you should offer both positive and negative feedback on a regular basis so employees know what areas need work. Support Your Staff Want to raise morale among your full-time employees? Make sure they have the support they need to get the job done. When employees are stressed and overburdened, they don’t always perform at the highest level, causing company productivity to suffer. In the long run, turnover rates may increase as your best people wind up leaving you for greener pastures. To boost both morale and retention, hire skilled temps who can reduce tension among your permanent team. Monetary compensation and raises will only go so far in affecting the mood of employees. Focusing on other perks to show your appreciation for employees will go farther in the long run. However, make sure not to become stale with those perks. If you offer the same perks for an extended period of time, they will become commonplace. Staying fresh – or even asking your employees for some ideas – will be appreciated by your staff. Employees who feel appreciated will work harder, which helps everyone in the long run.

In today’s increasingly tech-reliant workplace, social media is a complex and divisive issue. And while you may be tempted to put a permanent ban on all things social, the truth is that Facebook and its many follower sites may have an important place in the modern office. The benefits seem to outweigh the drawbacks. Benefits Like the water cooler of yore, Facebook and Twitter are great places for workers to clear their heads before returning to the job at hand with a fresh outlook. Believe it or not, there are a number of benefits to allowing social media in your workplace. For one thing, using social sites actually helps workers be more productive throughout the day. No one can concentrate on work for eight hours straight.  Additionally, instituting Facebook-friendly office policies helps you draw a younger employee base to your company. Because they’ve grown up using social media, employees in their twenties and thirties are often hesitant to take positions at companies that block these sites. Adopting more lax practices with regard to social media will help you keep your younger staff, as well as the new perspectives they bring to your business. Drawbacks Allowing social media usage on the job may leave your company liable should an employee post something inappropriate online. Training employees in the usage of social media is the best way to prevent them from posting anything that could be considered libelous or harassing while in the workplace. Having guidelines helps curb any potential risks that social might pose at the company. Consider all the benefits and drawbacks of social media before banning the usage outright in your place of business.

It’s no secret that interviewing job candidates isn’t everyone’s favorite task. From asking awkward questions to handling prickly salary negotiations, the interview process can be seriously uncomfortable for hiring managers. Fortunately, BGSF is here to help ease the “weirdness” of the recruitment process while making sure you hire only the best people for your business. Here are some of our top tips for running an effective interview. Do the Research The candidate isn’t the only one who should be prepping for that all-important interview. As a hiring manager, you have a responsibility to research the candidate, reviewing his resume, and past experience thoroughly. Additionally, you should prepare to answer the candidate’s questions with regard to the job and the workplace environment. Make sure the employee is a great fit, not just for the position, but also with his or her future team. Use Open-Ended Questions As a hiring manager, you have a responsibility to collect all possible information about a potential candidate. However, it’s difficult to get the most informative and useful answers if you ask poor or ill-considered questions. For best results, ask open-ended questions about the candidate’s long-term professional goals. Moreover, you should encourage an employee to evaluate his or her past performance instead of just listing titles and accomplishments.

As a prospective job seeker, you are more than just what’s on a piece of paper. Your resume may highlight your experience and even get you an interview but being able to sell yourself is what’s going to get you the job! Personality plays an important part in the process; each client, company, and/or position is unique, and depending on the hiring manager or supervisor, they will have certain preferences. Being able to communicate your value in an articulate, engaging, and enthusiastic way is essential. We can all do extra training with Excel to learn pivot tables or become more proficient with social media, but those soft skills are what’s going to seal the deal. During the interview – whether with the recruiter or with a prospective employer – talk confidently about your experiences and ideas. Share details of some projects and specific results of which you are particularly proud.  Now is not the time to be humble!  Finally, define your “brand,” by staying active on social media and using those platforms to promote yourself. Don’t be afraid to let your light shine and lead the way to your next job!

Take a minute to consider the key ingredients of a successful and happy relationship. What qualities do you look for in friends? Teammates? Significant others? It shouldn’t take long for you to come to the realization that there is a common formula to relationship building, no matter the setting. Whether you are a candidate looking for a recruiter to work with or a recruiter looking for a candidate to work with, both arrive with preconceived expectations about how they want to treat and be treated. Have this discussion upon meeting and you will set yourself up for a happy and successful working relationship. Be yourself. Everyone has their limitations or areas that they could improve upon. It’s important not to misrepresent yourself when getting to know each other. A candidate’s resume should depict their abilities and experiences, not delusions of an unfamiliar or wishful skill. A recruiter’s duty, in a recruiter/candidate relationship, is to represent their candidate by accurately leveraging their strengths and positioning their skill-set in a way that best suits their intended career path. In the same breath, it is equally as important for recruiters not to portray themselves as experts in a space if they are not. Be open with each other about who you are and what you can do. This will allow you both to have each other’s back if push comes to shove. Misrepresenting one another will not only ruin a relationship, but it will also stain your reputation within the IT community. Be honest. Everyone can think of a time where a lack of honesty directly affected a relationship. In a relationship that is geared towards career advancement for both parties, there is little tolerance for dishonesty. Telling your partner what they want to hear, rather than telling them the truth, is a form of dishonesty. As a candidate, if you are pursuing other opportunities that may take you off the market soon, be upfront with your recruiter. A good recruiter, and partner, won’t see that as you are being an undeliverable resource. They will see it as an opportunity to light a fire under the client to get things moving faster for you. Honesty builds trust, and people go above and beyond for those that they trust. Be yourself, be honest, and do your part in your candidate/recruiter relationship. Who knows, you might end up accidentally making a life-long friend in the process.

No workplace is entirely free from conflict and while respectful disagreements can help generate creative ideas, some forms of conflict are far less productive. When employee interactions become aggressive, or workers become resentful, businesses tend to suffer dips in both productivity and performance. Here are some tips to help managers identify workplace problems at the source and increase staff satisfaction long term: Keep an Eye Out for Organizational Issues Unless you work with a staff of freelancers, some of your employees most likely report to other members of your team. Unfortunately, organizational issues often arise out of these workplace inequalities. Employees who feel bullied or badgered by their supervisors are far more likely to leave you for the competition, companies should pay close attention to organizational conflicts and make sure all workers are treated with the respect they deserve. Express Your Appreciation When was the last time you told your employees they’re appreciated? Your team doesn’t need constant back-patting, but a lack of gratitude to staff can be a serious problem in the workplace. Workers who don’t feel the love are more likely to jump ship, it’s important that managers take the time to recognize a job well done. Therefore, you should identify those teammates who are truly exceptional and provide them with opportunities for climbing the corporate ladder. Spot Overworked Employees Everyone’s been in the position of having too much on their plate. And while it is natural for employees to endure the occasional busy spell, prolonged periods of overwork can lead to a seriously dissatisfied staff. To keep your employees happy and loyal, take time to sit down with them on a regular basis. Encourage them to be honest about their experiences and admit if their workloads have grown out of hand recently. After all, you don’t want the quality of your products to suffer because your team is overburdened. Finding the cause of problems in your office takes some effort. A balance is needed in being a micro-manager and in being a good leader. You don’t want your employees thinking that you are watching them all day, but you also don’t want your employees to think you are ignoring them. It’s impossible to avoid all conflict in the workplace, but showing that you are aware of them and want to help your employees will go a long way in the eyes of your staff.

When was the last time you took a good, hard look at your resume? If it’s been a while, your format of choice may be sabotaging your job search. Also known as a functional resume, a skills-based resume highlights skills and accomplishments rather than particular jobs. Instead of listing positions chronologically, candidates set each skill as its own heading and detail their experience in that area. Here are a few reasons a skills-based resume may be right for you. You Have Limited Employment Experience Skills-based CVs are often effective for young job seekers and those with limited work histories. As a new graduate, you are unlikely to have a long resume of past positions. One of the benefits of a functional resume is that you can highlight talents and abilities honed through internships, college courses, and temp assignments. For best results, don’t be afraid to add skills garnered in volunteer work. You’re Reentering the Workforce Are you re-entering the workforce after a lag? Whether you were away on maternity leave, raising children, or caring for a relative during a health crisis, a skill-based resume can be beneficial for those who’ve spent time performing unpaid labor. To show you are eager to learn, be sure to highlight any continuing education courses or independent study you engaged in while unemployed. You’re Making a Career Switch Few of us know exactly what we want to do with our lives when we first enter the workforce. If you are attempting to change careers, a skills-based resume may help you land your next position. While your previous jobs may not sound relevant, the odds are good that skills learned in past positions can help you succeed in your new line of work.

Do your staffing skills leave something to be desired? If your last few hires haven’t been quite up to the task, consider contacting BGSF for assistance. The source for trusted recruiting, we specialize in helping businesses find great candidates while avoiding all the biggest staffing pitfalls. Here are five things to watch out for when hiring for your next open position: Awkward Body Language No one’s claiming that every new hire needs the grace and poise of a prima ballerina. However, awkward body language can be a sign that a candidate lacks the confidence needed to succeed in a new position. Additionally, avoiding eye contact can indicate that an applicant lied about something on his or her application and may be unable to do the job in question. Lack of Questions Employers love to ask if the interviewee has questions for them, and with good reason. The savvy job candidate does his homework before applying for a position, researching basic product and service offerings and new developments at the company. Turn the tables on your potential hire to see if he or she is up to the task. Rudeness Is your prospective employee a true team player? While most applicants are wise enough to turn on the charm with the hiring manager, they may be less careful with receptionists and other colleagues. Job candidates who treat lower-level workers with disrespect will likely demonstrate the same behavior with your customers and clients down the line. Gaps in a Resume There are plenty of good reasons to take time off from work. However, repeated or prolonged resume gaps could indicate a problem with a candidate’s performance or work ethic. Ask about blank spots in a candidate’s career history to make sure the issue isn’t one that will affect your business in the months and years to come. Flaky Communication Unless you operate a monastery, where workers take frequent vows of silence, a good employee is also a good communicator. Before agreeing to hire a candidate, assess their written and oral communication skills. A worker who cannot write a coherent thank you email after that interview may not serve your company’s needs for the long haul.

The holiday season means gift buying, eggnog imbibing… and a seriously busy time for retail businesses. Because of the increased workload, companies need to boost efficiency among their warehouse staff or risk losing potential sales opportunities to the competition. Here are some expert tips to keep your warehouse running smoothly through the holiday season and beyond: Staff Up Before the Big Season While most retailers increase sales staff before the holidays, they may not think to do the same with their warehouse crews. However, the fact is that adding seasonal employees to the warehouse floor can help make the holiday season go considerably smoother. A great way to get a feel for how many workers you’re likely to need this December is to take a look at last year’s sales figures. Update Your Layout Although your current warehouse layout might be fine for the off-season, a poorly organized setup can spell disaster during the holiday months. At BGSF, we recommend increasing the receiving area as well as creating a designated space for packaging. Preparing your warehouse for an influx of products can help you avoid complications come December; making necessary repairs and adding resources like storage trailers and racks for example. Prep Your Returns’ Process The holidays aren’t just the season for gift-giving, but also for returning ill-chosen gifts for cash. Yes, when it comes to the retail industry, returns are an unpleasant fact of life. However, optimizing your warehouse returns’ processes can save you valuable man-hours during this crazy time of the year. By including return address labels in the original packaging materials, you can help ensure that rejected goods wind up in the right place. Just make sure to discuss any policy changes with your customer service and marketing teams ahead of time to ensure everyone is on the same page!

Just as one bad apple can turn a whole barrel rotten, one bad employee can have a negative effect on your entire staff. With temporary employment, business owners have the chance to try out workers before risking their company’s welfare in the long term. Along with its expert hiring services, BGSF specializes in helping businesses decide whether their temp employees should be brought on as full-time staff. Here are some signs that your new temp isn’t a bad apple but the right hire for your business: They demonstrate an interest in the company. That temp worker sure makes great coffee, but should you hire him full time? One of the best ways to predict whether someone would be a good permanent employee is to assess his level of interest in the company. If someone is truly excited about joining the team, he will likely take the time to visit the company website and inquire about current and future projects. And it’s only logical that someone who wants to be there is going to work harder so he can stay around! They volunteer for projects. Trying to decide between two equally qualified temp employees? Offer the full-time position to the one who volunteers for extra work. Not only does a willingness to take on new projects demonstrate teamwork skills and a good work ethic, but it also shows evidence of flexibility. This trait may prove valuable when you need someone to take on new roles down the line. They get along with the group. Of course, it’s not enough for temp workers to possess skill and enthusiasm; to ensure maximum productivity for your business, you should also promote employees who get along well with the group. While a little disagreement is healthy in the workplace, employees who belittle or alienate their colleagues will wind up harming your business in the long run. Choose workers who get along well with the others and see productivity and performance rise.

There’s nothing worse than losing one of your top employees to another position…unless it’s losing all the money you invested in him or her as well. The fact is that turnover costs employers big bucks in hiring and training costs and can even harm a business’s overall reputation, should productivity suffer during the transition. Here are a few of BGSF expert tips to avoid a high turnover rate and keep your employees happier in the long term: 1. Talk to Current Employees Want to reduce turnover rates at your company? Don’t wait until the exit interview to ask employees what they think! By conducting regular employee interviews and surveys, you can identify problems early on, when there’s still time to make changes, and boost overall retention for your business. Just remember to follow through on your promises; if you say you’re going to offer healthcare benefits by the end of the year, create an action plan to ensure it happens. Otherwise, you’ll have an even bigger turnover problem come December! 2. Offer Incentives Speaking of healthcare, offering employee benefits is one of the best ways to reduce turnover. If you can’t afford large incentives, like medical insurance and paid vacation time, consider offering a smaller reward to show your workers they’re appreciated. Hand out gift cards as thanks for a job well done, or schedule a company-wide lunch at the end of a big project. In the end, recognition will go a long way toward showing your employees they aren’t just paid help but members of a valued team. 3. Pay Employees Appropriately Of course, a gift card now and then isn’t enough to keep employees in their chairs, good retention rates also depend on your ability to pay employees solid wages. Even people who love their jobs want to receive fair compensation, and underpaid employees are likely to go to the competition. 4. Give Workers Chances to Grow Would you stay at a job where you had no chance of advancing to bigger and better things? Doubtful! To keep your best workers on staff, make sure you offer plenty of room for growth. Invest in your own people and reap the rewards in improved retention. 5. Work with a Top Staffing Company Are you overwhelmed by the prospect of finding and retaining top employees? Working with an expert recruitment company like BGSF helps ensure you find the best candidates the first time around. Along with helping you write clear and accurate job descriptions, our staffing experts will take the time to conduct background checks and ensure prospective employees meld well with the whole team.

It’s no secret that employees can make or break a business. By pairing with an expert recruitment firm like BGSF, you can feel confident knowing your company’s future is in good hands. We go above and beyond to meet your company’s needs, from locating qualified candidates to providing premium on-site management.  Here are just a few of the many reasons to contact BGSF for your hiring needs: Save Time Think you’re saving a fortune by handling your hiring in-house? You may want to crunch those numbers again! When you add up the costs associated with reading resumes, screening potential candidates, and meeting for in-person interviews, you will likely find that hiring is costing you a bundle. If your budget is bending under the weight of your HR needs, you may want to consider pairing with an experienced staffing company to make the recruitment process more efficient. Expand Recruitment Tired of scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to staffing? If your last few new hires left something to be desired, you may be looking in the wrong place for employees. When you pair with an agency like BGSF, you can take advantage of our wider recruitment net while freeing up your HR team to focus on other tasks. Whether you need temporary workers for the holiday rush or full-time employees to grow your team long term, we can help you find the best people for the job. Screen Employees How well do you really know your staff? The fact is, many companies aren’t set up to review potential employees thoroughly. By pairing with a qualified staffing agency, you will gain access to their more sophisticated screening system. BGSF can make sure every each new employee is completely competent, from conducting effective interviews to performing drug and background checks,