Yes.

But what makes all those things possible? People.

But not just any people. Dedicated and engaged employees who believe in the company’s mission and core values are most likely to be productive, creative, and loyal to the company. But how can you find these great employees? One way to attract and retain top performers is by creating a winning company culture.

A recent survey reveals 35% of job seekers will refuse a job offer (that is a perfect fit) if the company culture does not meet their expectations. Additionally, more than 90% of managers believe a candidate’s fit within company culture is as important as experience or skills. It makes sense: When employees feel connected to the mission of their workplace, enjoy their work environment, and the management style of their employers, they are more likely to be productive and help the business grow.

The benefits of strong company culture are clear: high employee retention, better brand image, higher productivity, and more efficient teamwork.

But what can businesses do to improve their company culture?

1. Provide clear and transparent communication.

In a survey of Culture 500 companies, employees gave higher marks for communication and transparency during the first six months of the pandemic than they did in previous years. In times of strife, communication and honesty are particularly important. Create a company playbook for mission and values and make sure everyone on the team understands what is expected.

2. Lead by example.

The leaders of successful companies model their business values to their employees. They tie words to actions and culture to actual behaviors. They share positive stories about their employees living the business’s values and highlight examples of company culture in action. They motivate their employees to live out the core mission of the company by setting the standard.

3. Listen to feedback.

A great work environment is not only created by owners and managers. The strongest cultures are built with feedback from the employees who work within the culture every day.

4. Celebrate the success of all.

Celebrating wins, both professional and cultural, will remind everyone about what the company values and keep it top of mind.

5. Build the team.

Plan recreational activities that bring everyone together and foster team spirit, especially during these times of remote work. A virtual coffee break, scavenger hunt, or field trip can give everyone a chance to connect and feel part of the culture.

6. Connect remote workers.

In a hybrid workplace, remote workers can sometimes feel unheard and invisible. Find ways to connect remote and on-site employees so that your people feel like an integral part of the team no matter where they work. One way to do this is to create a chat channel on the company communication network and encourage employees to share pictures of their pets or workspaces.

7. Keep it dynamic.

The strongest company cultures learn from their people, especially during challenging times. Companies need to adapt to support the changing needs of their employees. Keeping lines of communication open, frequently reflecting on the mission, checking in with workers, and communicating changes in values are all great ways to stay dynamic.

Creating a great company culture is a proven way to attract and retain top-performing employees. Employees who believe in the company’s mission and the work they are doing will work harder, perform better, and be more likely to stay with the company.

Looking for top-level IT talent in the Atlanta or Toronta area? Prosum staffing experts can provide superior candidates to join your team! Connect with our network of top tech talent.

The post Improving Your Company Culture appeared first on Prosum.

The current tight labor market forces employers to offer higher pay to recruit new employees to fill open positions. When new hire salaries pass tenured employee salaries, retention problems arise. With 82% of employers planning on hiring and 40% of the global workforce planning a job change in 2021, how can employers close that pay gap and retain employees?

Pay is one of the biggest factors that can lead an employee to accept—and remain in—a job. Pay equity means compensating employees equally for performing similar job duties while considering their experience, job performance, and the length of time they have been with the company. When workers feel they are being paid less than their colleagues for doing the same work, it results in a 16% decrease in intent to stay. Employee morale, turnover and retention rates, and performance improve when employees feel valued and are compensated accordingly.

Is it time to review your compensation policies?

A great way to improve pay equity is by conducting a pay audit. An audit is an effective tool to help identify pay disparities. Some pay disparities are for legitimate reasons such as education, experience, and seniority. However, others are not, providing an opportunity to improve pay equity. The steps of a pay audit include:

• Make sure auditors have good data. This includes the length of service, gender, race, age, job classification, and demographic information.
• Account for legitimate differentials. Experience, education, and high-level training are legitimate reasons for higher pay.
• Adjust employees’ pay to create equity. This may need to happen over a few years, depending on the budget until it reaches the correct amount. Equitable pay adjustments are usually made on a going-forward basis. Back pay is not typically part of the process.
• Fix operational gaps. Investigate causes of unfair pay discrepancies and put processes in place to avoid future pay discrepancies.

How can employers avoid creating a pay gap in the future?

Once processes are put in place to create pay equity in an organization, they should be monitored annually. Employee turnover, changes in the company, and subjective bias can cause pay gaps to return. Here are a few tips for creating ongoing pay equity:

• Set ranges for compensation before hiring. Many states have passed laws prohibiting asking candidates about previous salaries, which has historically contributed to the gender wage gap. Use market rates and internal pay data to make sure all employees are paid equally.
• Be transparent and inclusive about compensation systems. Share the objective metrics used to create compensation ranges for job performance and communicate with employees about their progress on the scale.
• Train decision-makers. Managers in charge of making pay decisions need to understand pay equity and why it is important. It is important to document all legitimate reasons for pay disparities in case of future litigation.

Pay equity has been top of mind over the last few years as social movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo have taken the national stage. Many states have pay transparency bills under consideration, and California now requires employers to file equal pay reports every year. As the effects of the pandemic ripple through the workforce, a focus on pay equity and pay transparency can help businesses recruit and retain employees who trust their businesses’ practices and are loyal to the company.

Looking for leading tech talent? Our staffing experts can provide top candidates to build your team! Put Prosum recruiters to work for you today.

The post Closing the Pay Gap Caused by Increased Market Demand appeared first on Prosum.

“No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team.” Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn cofounder

The complexities of leading an organization have increased, and a new model has arisen: the leadership team, comprised of a CEO and their direct reports. Sounds straightforward, right?

Not so fast.

Leadership, alone, is challenging. Creating a team of diverse, high-performing leaders who must work together to achieve company goals multiplies those challenges exponentially. And what about the COVID-19 pandemic challenge of leading remotely? Leadership teams must understand the difficulties facing a team and learn to work together before they can effectively lead a company. The best leadership teams know how to:

Communicate the Vision

All team members share an understanding of the purpose of the team. In a changing environment, it can be tough to keep everyone on the same page. Communicating the vision works best when that vision is translated into concrete tasks for accomplishing goals. Make sure team members:

• Stay on message
• Put the good of the enterprise over individual gain
• Have access to the same resources
• Understand goals, strategies, and performance metrics

Resolve Conflict

Several different types of conflict occur within teams:

• Task: Task conflict is not always a negative thing, as it relates to what the team needs to do and can produce innovative solutions to team challenges. Task conflict can be resolved by clearly defining the responsibilities of each person on the team.
• Process: Process conflict relates to how each member of the team prefers to get work done. Process conflict can be minimized by defining clear roles, establishing the best methods of communication among team members, and dividing labor efficiently. In the hybrid and remote-work workplace, it is particularly important to establish effective methods of dealing with process conflict.
• Interpersonal: Sometimes, personalities clash. Resolve interpersonal conflict through clear communication and mediation.

Fostering cooperation is necessary to teamwork, but no team is going to get along all the time. Expect conflict and have a plan for addressing frustrations. The best leadership teams create an environment in which all understand how diverse perspectives make the team stronger.

Manage Talent

When working with a team of diverse, high-performing individuals, it is essential to get an efficient structure in place for who will accomplish tasks. As you organize the team, consider:

• Team size
• Individual skills and strengths
• Reporting structure
• Roles and responsibilities
• Incentives

An organized leadership team will be more productive.

Create Accountability

In a successful leadership team, the CEO functions more as a coach instead of the boss, and the team learns to hold itself accountable. This step back requires a CEO to:

• Develop self-awareness
• Be open to feedback
• Listen to different perspectives
• View confrontation as part of the process

As the CEO models these behaviors, the team will follow suit, and a stronger unit will emerge.

Inspire

Inspiration is another key component of effective leadership. Leaders that motivate their members with their energy and enthusiasm create more effective teams.

Trust

Team members trust each other when they like, respect, and can count on each other. Trust is established in many ways, including relationship building, expertise, and consistency. Leadership teams who invest the time to build trust will reach their goals faster.

Teamwork makes the dream work! But only a team of leaders who tackle the challenges of being a good teammate will turn their dreams into reality.

Looking for leading tech talent? Our staffing experts can provide top candidates to build your team. Find IT leaders for your business.

The post Tackling the Challenges of Leadership Teams appeared first on Prosum.

The departure of key employees can have cascading effects within the company. Since it’s more efficient to retain a talented employee than to recruit, onboard, and train a new one, an employee retention program can play a vital role in your business.

What strategies can your company use to attract and retain key employees during “The Great Resignation?”

1. Communicate

Effective communication starts during recruiting. Make sure your interview process is consistent across your organization. Case in point? 69% of companies in a Glassdoor survey identified the quality of the interview process as having the greatest impact on the success of the hire.

A great onboarding experience is even more impactful, improving new hire retention by 82%. Set new employees up for success by communicating job expectations and explaining how they can be successful in the company. When you arm them with knowledge, new hires are more likely to stay.

2. Show Appreciation

Every employee wants to feel appreciated for the work they do. In the current remote work environment, workers may feel less connected, and a shout-out of appreciation can have a huge impact. Handwritten notes, telephone calls, or posts on the company communication network can make employees feel valued.

3. Encourage Engagement

Engaged employees are happier with their jobs, enjoy their work, and feel like they add value to the company. Create opportunities to engage employees and let them know that their work is valued, such as:

• Mentorship programs
• Team-building exercises
• Performance reviews
• Professional development opportunities

Employees who feel their career is important to their managers are more likely to continue their career path within the company.

4. Offer a Competitive Wage

Salary is not the biggest predictor of employee satisfaction, but employees who feel valued are more likely to remain loyal to the company. Evaluate and adjust compensation regularly. If raising pay isn’t possible, work on improving bonuses and benefits, such as flexible scheduling, retirement plans, or health coverage.

5. Bonus tactics

Work-life will continue to evolve as the world find a new “normal” after the COVID-19 pandemic. Priorities have shifted, and work/life balance has never been more dynamic. Consider these retention strategies in 2021:

• Embrace the hybrid workplace. It isn’t going away any time soon. Even if workers return to work in person, illnesses will still happen. Employees will get sick and need processes in place to work from home.
• Focus on employee wellbeing. The pandemic took more than a physical toll on many families. Employees need to feel that their work is valued, but they also need to feel valued as human beings.
• Give back to the community. Many workers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, feel that corporate social responsibility is a must. Giving back to the community, especially during tumultuous times like these, inspires loyalty and engagement in employees.

Many of these retention strategies have a common theme: put people first. Keep open lines of communication with employees and pay attention to their feedback. Valued employees are happy employees, and happy employees stick around.

Looking for top-level IT talent in the Atlanta or Toronta area? Our staff augmentation experts can provide superior candidates to join your team Connect with our network of top tech talent.

The post Retention Strategies to Keep Your Best Employees appeared first on Prosum.

Flexible Schedule

Working remotely allows employees to have control over when and where they work. This is a huge benefit for workers juggling family responsibilities, such as kids, aging parents, and doctor’s appointments. A flexible schedule can also benefit employers, no longer restricted by time zone and geographic area, who can hire from a larger talent pool and offer increased customer service hours.

Decreased Commute

For employees, less time and money spent traveling to work is more time and money saved for other things. For employers, the switch to remote work can mean less money spent on rent, utilities, and office furniture.

Higher Productivity

A two-year Stanford study revealed that working remotely can increase productivity by a full shift per week. Eliminating workplace distractions, interruptions, and politics can make it easier to concentrate on tasks. This increased productivity leads to better employee performance which can produce higher engagement and better results.

Increased Feeling of Safety

Even with health guidelines relaxed, many are afraid to return to in-person work, where they might not have control over when and where they are exposed to risk. A study conducted by Udemy of over 1,000 U.S. employees found that 89% are afraid of COVID-19 in the workplace, and their fears have affected their productivity.

The work from home “pros” cannot be denied and have become a powerful recruitment tool for many employers. Some worry about their polar opposite “cons” being true if workers are forced to return to the office full-time:

• Restrictive Schedule
• Increased Commute
• Lower Productivity
• Decreased Feeling of Safety

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of communication has never been clearer. Regardless of when the pandemic is declared “over,” the virus isn’t going to vanish. Workers will still get sick and need processes in place to work from home. Videoconferencing, virtual meeting and team-building software continue to evolve to meet the needs of remote employees. Many benefits of working remotely have emerged during these uncertain times.

Perhaps the goal shouldn’t be to return to full-time in-person office work.

Maybe the goal should be to provide the organizational, technological, and emotional support needed to connect remote workers with in-office workers on an even playing field.

When in doubt: Communicate.

Whether in-person or remote, happy employees are productive employees. Putting your people first is good business. Talk to your workers about how they feel about returning to the office. Use their input to create a “back to work plan.” Communicate your plan in clear, written form, and ask for feedback. Address doubts and continue to keep in touch, engage, and motivate your workers.

Winston Churchill once said: “The difference between mere management and leadership is communication.”  No doubt, these are uncertain times. Lead your people through them by considering the benefits of remote work, making a plan that puts your people first, and clearly communicating that plan to every employee.

Need help finding expert IT talent in the Atlanta or Toronta area? Our staff augmentation experts can provide top candidates to join your team.

The post Are You Pushing For 100% Back In the Office? Why That Might Not Be a Good Idea After COVID-19. appeared first on Prosum.