stangdecisionsystems

In today’s rapidly evolving industries, staying competitive means more than just finding the right talent to fill your open job positions. This constant challenge demands continuous reinvestment in your employees’ skills.

As remote work, AI, automation, and other emergent tech paradigms continue to transform our offices and workflows. Certain “old school” skills may even be reaching the end of their shelf life, opening the door for focused and effective skill-based training, an essential priority for many companies that can immediately increase productivity, innovation, and employee satisfaction.

Focusing on skill-building initiatives not only leads to sharper skills and better outcomes but also helps your team feel a sense of ownership in your company. An employee, for example, may feel a greater sense of loyalty to a company that has recently sent them to an engaging workshop, helped them pay for a certificate program, or responded proactively to a request for additional training.

Skill-Building Matters, Here’s Why

Designing timely and necessary skill-building initiatives can drive the vehicle moving your company forward. Benefits include:

1. Organizational agility. Companies that prioritize skill-building are naturally better equipped to deal with industry shifts, technological advancements, and even day-to-day staffing challenges. A highly skilled and confident worker can adapt to new workflows or jump in to help other departments more efficiently.

2. Engaged employees. As your team members build more skills, they can take on additional responsibilities or compete for promotions. This increases their value to your operation while also making them feel like a bigger part of the company, allowing them to see their own growth while also creating company-wide growth.

3. Skills create space for innovation. A team with a diverse and well-honed skill set is a team that can identify and quickly master new and better ways of doing things. When everyone is well-equipped to contribute, it fosters an environment where fresh new ideas and creative problem-solving naturally follow.

4. Identify and cultivate future leadership. In addition to addressing immediate skill gaps or performance issues, skill-building activities can also help you identify high-potential employees. When you send your employees to training, pay attention to both their results and the attitude with which they approach the opportunity.

5. Benefits for your employees. Focusing on skill-building isn’t just great for your organization but also a win-win prospect that creates value and opportunity for your employees as well. For your employees, skill-building is also confidence-building.

Identifying Skill Gaps & Building Effective Training Programs

The natural first step in building skills is to identify your team’s needs. There are a few different models and philosophies when it comes to conducting a comprehensive skills gap analysis, but there are a few concepts you’ll want to keep in mind no matter how you approach the project:

• Use direct employee feedback to learn what skills your team members currently possess and what skills they need training on. Surveys and one-on-one interviews work well.

• Make sure to leverage your existing performance tracking protocols to help you understand gaps in your employee skill sets. If you have robust data about employee productivity, now is the time to use it.

• Look into using a “Skill Will Matrix.” This is a popular tool for corporate skill-building projects that allows you to sort employees by two major categories–skill level and willingness to learn–which can help you design and deploy your training regimen in the most effective way possible.

Once you know what skills need to be taught, you will need to build an effective training program that addresses those exact skills. In some cases, it may be more cost-effective to hire a third-party consulting firm experienced in the type of training you require, so be sure to explore every option.

Everyone learns differently, and because every industry is unique, training programs can look quite different from one company to the next and even from department to department within the same organization. Blended approaches that mix e-learning modules with one-on-one attention are popular currently but keep in mind that some skills can require significant hands-on practice and repetition to master, while others might be easily taught through an online video.

HireScore – Your Trusted Partner for Smart Skills Analysis

If you’re ready to future-proof your team, the HireScore SkillBuilder Gap Analysis tool is a great place to start. Click here to learn more about how our cutting-edge solutions can help de-stress the process of building the perfect staff.

 Today, much of the discourse surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in a business capacity focuses on AI’s transformative abilities in the realm of customer interactions. With the rise of large language models (LLMs, think ChatGPT) frontline customer service for many operations can be handled by an automated bot. Equally significant, however, is AI’s potential to impact a company’s employee experience, or EX.

While hiring and recruiting professionals can no more predict the future than anyone else, they should at least make an effort to cut through the media hype and understand the true scope of AI’s current abilities so that they can leverage these emergent tools as effectively as possible.

Addressing Employee Anxieties

The current AI buzz is an exciting prospect for business owners and entrepreneurs in many different lines of business. Workers in many industries, however, may have mixed feelings about some of the same technological advancements you’re excited about. Increased automation can be perceived as a threat to livelihoods, after all.

You can help ease your staff’s concerns by implementing a robust, company-wide AI policy. This document can address the ways in which your company will use AI, and the scope of that use, so that employees know exactly where things stand. As technology advances, you will likely need to update your AI policy, but it’s important to have it official and in writing.

It could be difficult to determine what exactly this policy will say and to what extent it is okay to use AI. These choices will vary from person to person and will depend on your industry, your business model, how much you want to invest in AI tools, and the ways in which AI can best support your staff.

AI at Work: Enhancing Efficiency and Automating Personalization

The integration of AI in the workplace today goes beyond the obvious application of automating mundane tasks (although that ability remains a primary selling point). AI-powered chatbots, for instance, can resolve common employee queries, just as they can do for customers, providing a more user-friendly front end for employee resources and documentation. These technologies can also be customized and personalized for each employee, effectively giving each member of your team their own digital assistant.

In fact, personalization is a critical component of building a positive employee experience. Advanced AI technologies can analyze individual preferences, needs, schedules, and at-work activities, then use this data intelligently in a variety of ways, such as by serving users appropriate training modules based on their job duties, or helping managers put together more effective schedules.

AI Creates More Efficient Employees

Increasing employee efficiency is, of course, another main benefit of integrating AI into your day-to-day business operations. Rather than taking jobs away from human workers, AI can be leveraged to take care of the simpler, more redundant parts of their workflows, freeing up your team to do what humans do best: creative problem-solving and important, detail-oriented tasks.

Never think of AI as a potential replacement for people. Instead, think of it as another tool that can increase your employees’ productivity and multiply their value to your operation, like a forklift or a laptop.

It’s worth noting that work-from-home and hybrid work models have also become a permanent reality in many modern workplaces. To respond to this new trend effectively, companies must ensure their employees’ experiences are consistent and seamless, regardless of their physical location. AI technologies are highly portable, often running through a cloud-based service, which makes them well-suited to help build this sense of consistency.

For more great insights into the ever-evolving intersection between tech and hiring, be sure to bookmark the Stang HireScore blog and check back often.

Diversity is a key concept for many hiring managers and organizations today, but one particular type of diversity continues to go underappreciated in certain industries and markets. Age diversity–which is to say, building a staff from people of different generations–offers a range of key benefits. It’s important to understand generational strengths, values, and trends. While it’s easy to assume everyone at work is either a millennial or a boomer, the reality is that there are currently at least four generations active in the workforce to varying degrees.

Each generation has its own unique characteristics. Understanding these characteristics and how to use them effectively to meet your own unique staffing needs can still be valuable.

Let’s zoom in on the four generations that account for most of the job applicants today:

• Baby Boomers – Folks born in the post-war “baby boom” of the 40s, 50s, and 60s continue to hold a significant percentage of jobs and will continue to do so as retirement ages creep upwards for some industries. 
  • Work Ethic – Having been raised by a generation who had no choice but to respond to serious hardships like economic depression and global war, baby boomers tend to value hard work and a sense of duty.
  • Loyalty – Many older employees remember entering the workforce in an era where a person expected to stay at the same job for decades, sometimes even their entire adult life. Incidentally, they may have highly specialized skill sets from holding long-term roles of this sort.

• Generation X – While media tropes might paint Gen X as a sort of “forgotten generation,” you can’t afford to forget these valuable employees in your hiring strategies. These 70s and 80s kids are self-sufficient problem solvers who can bridge gaps between technological and practical concepts.
  • Career-Minded – As Generation X workers age, they’ll place more value on a stable career with clear paths to promotions and ample professional development opportunities.
  • Independent Work Style – Gen-X workers tend to be efficient, adaptable, and well-suited to roles that require working independently.

• Millennials – For millennials, the employment landscape has been a raging sea of change and challenge for their entire working lives, so there’s very little that can phase them. Many have unique experiences from gig work or various side hustles that they can bring to the table.
  • Tech Savvy – Millennials represent the pinnacle of tech skills because they grew up in a time when the internet and mobile phone technology were fast becoming ubiquitous. However, there were still plentiful tech hiccups that required a person to learn technology beyond a surface level to use it effectively.
  • Work-Life Balance – Unlike previous generations, who may be more content with proudly defining their lives through their work, millennials demand clear boundaries between their work and their personal lives.

• Generation Z – People born after 1997 make up an increasing share of the workforce each year, so it’s time to start considering them in your recruiting and hiring strategies. They value personal connections, diverse workplaces, and socially responsible organizations.
  • Inclusive Workplace Culture – Today’s young adults have grown up in a more diverse and connected world than ever before, and they naturally expect their workplaces to reflect this reality.
  • Flexibility – You may find that your “Zoomer” employees appreciate options like remote work, videoconferencing, and flexible scheduling just as much as–or even more than–your millennial staff members.

By understanding some of the unique values and work styles that have come to define each generation, forward-thinking companies can foster inclusive environments that maximize each individual employee’s skills and background. Generational diversity can strengthen collaboration and spark innovation, driving organizational success in today’s ever-shifting business world.

For more great insights into modern hiring and the tech that fuels it, bookmark the Stang HireScore blog.

As some industries finally feel the dust of the pandemic beginning to settle, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (a private, non-profit organization dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship) has published its 2024 “State of American Business” data. Ample expert analysis of the data from commercial and economic perspectives followed its early January release, but is there anything there for hiring managers to learn from?

In general, the Chamber’s State of American Business 2024 report encapsulates the resilience of the American economy in the face of the most serious viral pandemic in a century and attributes much of the post-pandemic recovery to the strength and adaptability of the private sector. Those of us in the field of hiring and recruiting, of course, know that the strength and adaptability of our organizations are only equal to the strength and adaptability of our staff.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Chief Economist, Curtis Dubay, used the report as a chance to emphasize the remarkable growth experienced in some areas despite widespread economic concerns. He attributed this growth to the responsiveness of businesses and, specifically, their willingness to focus on hiring and wages to address critical staffing needs. The lesson for organizations? Investing in hiring systems and improved compensation packages is a way to remain resilient and fully operational when your industry is experiencing workforce inconsistencies.

Despite this story of growth and resilience, the report also highlights many challenges that those of us involved in hiring and recruiting need to be aware of:

1. Worker Shortages – While staffing levels are getting back to some sort of equilibrium in certain industries, and other organizations are learning to adapt effectively with leaner staffing models, the simple fact is that active workforce participation remains shy of pre-pandemic norms. In fact, the Worker Shortage Index remains near an all-time low, with only about 7 workers available for every 10 job openings. This underscores a significant (and, lately, persistent) gap between need and demand.
2. Consumer Spending – Despite concerns about inflation rates, consumer spending continues to outpace it. While this seems to indicate robust economic activity overall, it doesn’t tell the full story, with inflation straining budgets across the board and driving discretionary spending down sharply among some demographics.
3. Supply Chain – While supply chain issues are nowhere near as dire as they were during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, serious challenges and shortages do persist in many sectors. These issues highlight the need for synchronicity across departments in your organization. In other words, the perfect staffing model won’t help if you don’t have the products and materials in place for work to commence.
4. Entrepreneurship – The 2024 report also reveals a surge in new business applications and indicators of an increased spirit of entrepreneurship. While this can lead to an exciting time of fast growth in many industries, it can also exacerbate staffing challenges for those engaged in traditional hiring. Organizations may need to respond with flexible scheduling, ample time off, or hybrid work options that allow staff members the flexibility to continue pursuing their various passions and “side hustles.”
5. Early Retirement – One effect of the pandemic that is sometimes left unexamined when analyzing workforce woes is the sharp uptick in early retirements. This trend continues, sapping the workforce of many highly experienced candidates. As hiring professionals, we know that building a multi-generational staff is a great way to access a diverse range of skill sets. Special accommodations may be needed to entice would-be retirees to apply for open positions.

Learn More From Stang Decision Systems

For more insights into the fast-paced world of hiring, be sure to bookmark and subscribe to our HireScore blog and check back regularly for updates.

As we bid a fond farewell to 2023, many operations, recruiters, hiring managers, and entrepreneurs are looking back on what they learned –both personally and organizationally–and trying to position their teams for a year of new successes.

Embracing big shifts in workplace norms and staying ahead of the curve (and above the hype) when it comes to new tech has become essential in the field of recruiting. Here are four bold New Year’s resolutions to help get you there.

1. Invest in Continuing Education
   
   When it comes to investing in your staff’s skills, use exit interview data from employees who are moving on, as well as feedback from current employees and customers, to identify key areas where additional training is desired.
   
   Make sure the financial decision-makers in your organization ensure sufficient resources to give employees at all levels, in all phases of your operation, continuing education opportunities. If you need an argument in favor of more CE funds, note that investing in your employees’ professional careers is a cost-effective way to boost your employer brand, as it starts paying for itself immediately in increased employee competency.
   
   When it comes to investing in your own CE, there are plenty of great courses and seminars for recruiters happening online and in person. Even online events can be a great platform to network with other industry professionals in addition to learning some new skills and methods.
   
   
2. Proactively Build Your Employer Brand
   
   We’ve talked about this before, but your employer brand is crucial to your operation’s overall success.
   
   Compensation, office amenities, benefits packages, remote and hybrid options, overall workplace culture, and the language in your job postings all contribute to your brand as an employer and matter when you’re trying to compete for great candidates.
   Remember, improving your employer brand and your customer brand are two very different concepts. While the latter is a matter of marketing and customer service, your employer brand starts and ends by fostering positive experiences in the workplace and making sure your team feels invested in the greater project of your business.
   
   
3. Make 2024 the Year of Mental Health
   
   The concept of mental health in the workplace is having a real moment, with many articles written on the subject and many companies adding mental health-specific benefits to their employee compensation packages. The focus on this aspect of the work-life equation can be seen almost as a natural counterpoint to the anxieties currently plaguing many workers about new technologies like AI.
   
   Depending on the nature of your business and the resources at your disposal, beefing up your own operation’s mental health might include things like more comfortable workplace furniture and amenities, flexible scheduling, access to online counseling services, or medical insurance benefits that include comprehensive coverage for mental health treatment. In 2024, however, it might also include something as simple as adopting a company-wide policy on AI use that emphasizes the value you place on your human staff.
   
   
4. Harness the Power of a Multi-Generational Staff
   
   Gen Z makes up more of the global workforce every day, so it’s time to start understanding and embracing the power of a multi-generational workforce. This year, take the time to understand Gen Z values, effectively apply the unique experience of older employees, and examine your own internal biases about folks of your own age group, good and bad.
   
   The next big, industry-shaking technology is always on the horizon, and it appears that the so-called “AI revolution” we find ourselves at the dawn of 2024 might be one such occurrence on a generational level. Familiarity and comfort with different types of emergent technology is another great reason to get some talented young folks on board as soon as possible.
   
   

Be mindful of these resolutions, and you’ll be ready to tackle the challenges and embrace the opportunities that 2024 has in store.

Over the last several years, businesses have been forced to reassess their approach to many aspects of their operations in light of shifting post-pandemic paradigms. One of these key concepts, which lies at the heart of hot-button issues like work-from-home models, is employee well-being.

It may realistically be years before best practices in this area are fully determined, but the message is already becoming quite clear: worker well-being is not a fleeting trend to be entertained; it’s absolutely imperative for organizations who want to foster a thriving, modern workplace.

Employee Mental Health: Shifting Attitudes

It wasn’t so long ago that discussing mental health was considered taboo in the workplace. Currently, today’s professionals are beginning to understand the toxic and counterintuitive nature of this paradigm. Worker engagement reached an all-time high last year, but so did employee stress levels.

In fact, 44% of workers worldwide reported experiencing “significant” stress, emphasizing the critical need for organizations, their management, and their HR professionals to prioritize the well-being of their employees. It comes as no surprise that organizational psychologists trace these stress levels back to the Covid-19 pandemic and the uncertain employment landscape left in its wake. These seismic reverberations are still being felt throughout the workforce, making it crucial for employers to rebuild trust, alleviate uncertainty, and make significant, material investments in employee well-being.

Throughout the last several decades, the responsibility for employee well-being, including in the area of mental health, has rested on employees utilizing their company-provided health benefits—and doing so on their own time, outside of work. Some psychologists and business professionals now believe a paradigm shift has occurred, with employees refusing to recognize this arbitrary boundary between their personal mental health and their work lives.

The solution to issues of worker well-being is for employers to alleviate (or at least stop exacerbating) workplace mental health challenges, but with many of us involved in competitive, fast-moving industries, this is much easier said than done.

Empowering Employees and Healing Relationships Through Workplace Well-Being Initiatives

As more organizations and managers acknowledge the profound importance of the connections between workplace conditions, corporate culture, employee well-being, and overall outcomes, employees and job-seekers find themselves imbued with the power to limit their job prospects to companies that demonstrate real concern for their employees’ mental health. While this power shift can create a temporary staffing challenge for companies that are currently behind the curve in this area, it ultimately leads to better and healthier workplaces for everyone.

The solution, simply put, is to do better for your employees. Instead of focusing resources on reaching more candidates despite known workplace issues, first implement programs that resolve those issues in a direct, material way:

• Benefits packages that include robust mental health coverage
• Put psychology to work by considering recruiting professionals with a psychology, wellness, or mental health background for key leadership and steering positions.
• PTO packages and leave policies that account for “mental health days”
• Frontline mental health and de-stressing resources available at the workplace
• Appropriate staffing policies that don’t leave your employees stretched too thin
• Workplace layouts and furnishings that foster a comfortable atmosphere
• Severance or transitional benefits that ensure employees will be supported in the event of major organizational changes
• Don’t skimp on simple and easily afforded amenities like coffee, water, climate control, and flexible break policies that treat employees like the busy adults they are.

As always, the evolving landscape of business and workplace culture demands a strategic and proactive approach. For now and into the foreseeable future, that means taking a serious look at worker wellness. For more great insights into the fast-paced world of hiring, be sure to bookmark our HireScore blog and visit regularly.