The role of a good Human Resource department within any organisation plays an integral role in employee relations. Just as in managing an efficient customer service relationship, continually evaluating employee relations is equally as important. Although it may be seen by many as an extra resource that increases company costs, the benefits of valuing and engaging with employees is integral to the success of any organisation.
“The art of communication is the language of leadership.” – James Humes. It takes a step of innovation to introduce a new style of in-house operations. It can be helpful to identify what other organisations are doing and to see what will work on engaging with employees. Some companies carry out frequent team meetings, offer in-house restaurant services, provide free car parking in cities and provide a relaxation room, while some employers reward employees for their input of ideas to improve a product or service. A collective team effort pays off with many dividends for both the employer and employee.
The benefits of positively engaging employees can result in:
- Improve staff morale which creates a more positive work environment.
- Reduced staff turnover.
- Lower absenteeism from work.
- Each employee is a front-line marketing expert. A happy employee is more likely to promote products or services.
- Providing employees with autonomy on decisions in the workplace.
- Increased productivity in the workplace.
- Potential to expand the organisation.
- Opportunity to increase shareholder dividends and a healthy profit line.
When the benefits are spelt out in black and white, it makes sense to input extra effort into ensuring that frequent check in with employees is achieved. Ensuring that staff feedback is taken into consideration, and implemented when right, can provide employees with a sense of ownership and provide fresh opportunities for the company.
While there are many benefits to engaging with employees, it must be remembered that is an on-going process and will get easier with time. The early introduction of such a process can have teething problems and deter many managers from maintaining this new system. However with perseverance it will be worth it and result in retaining valuable and loyal employees. It is worth remembering that employees can offer a lot more to the organisation than previously thought. Communication is the important link, flowing from both directions – top-down and bottom-up, to building up a strong network of relationships within the company.
#EngagingEmployees #Communication #BenefitsOfCommunication #IncreaseMorale #BoostProductivity #IncreaseProfit #StrongRelationship
Do you ever feel that you are just going through the motions at your job each day; cashing your salary at the end of each month only to realise that you have to go through the whole process again next month? There are times when we may feel that we are stuck in a rut, not only in our careers but also in our personal lives. The stresses of living can sometimes overwhelm us. The demands of meeting the payments of bills, on time, ensuring that our family’s needs are met or working overtime to pay for college fees can all leave us with little time to reflect or not being able to see the “wood for the trees”.
It’s at times like these that we need to take a little time out of our busy schedule, take stock of what is important in life and find inspiration to getting the joy back into our lives again. The recent covid pandemic certainly highlighted that our way of living has changed. There are many options to simplify the whole process. It is only when we can undertake an honest evaluation of our lives that we can start to get back into enjoying life, and improve our career and personal lives.
Here are some suggestions to help get the process started:
- Make a list, positives and negatives; why you love your career or why you started it?
- Check out new hobbies in an area that interest you. Physical activities reduce stressors in the body. Mindful activities help us to reconnect with self. Be open to try new ones or even pick up an old hobby again.
- Speak with the HR manager. They can be a great source to explore options which can improve situations.
- Are there opportunities available to improving quality of life, which may not have been considered before? Family and friends can be great help to provide some more insight on this one.
Sometimes all we need is a little bit of inspiration to get back up and run the race again, and realise what is important in life! It might even inspire us to try out a new training course or to spend a little more time on hobbies that we love. Finding the balance between our professional and personal lives is a continual process. Trust that the answers will come when the exploration starts. Our story of change may even inspire family and friends as they see the benefits that we experience with the new way of being.
#Inspiration #StuckInARut #HR
As we well and truly settle into summer, many of us will be seeking out fun activities for our annual summer holiday. Planning for sunny days, or even rainy days with our families, can be a struggle when looking for something that will suit the whole family. Many experts claim that getting back into nature is one way of nurturing ourselves and getting to enjoy quality time with self and others. The freedom of the great outdoors and plenty of fresh air helps with restoring our inner-balance and connection with loved ones. There is also a great sense of adventure and each person can contribute to the occasion.
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin a single step.” – Lao Tau. There are lots of outdoor activities to choose from, suitable for the whole family. Some of our suggestions for experiencing some wonderful adventures and fun in the great outdoors include:
- Zip-lining and sky diving, for the more adventurous.
- Canoeing and kayaking on local rivers or lakes.
- Picnic in some of our wonderful heritage sites.
- Camping on a glamping site.
- Sailing with a local club.
- Golf, pitch & putt and tennis.
- Wind surfing and paddle boarding on local beaches.
- Simple walks or mountaineering.
- A day out at a local or national heritage site, such as Killarney National Park, Kilkenny Castle, the Cliffs of Moher or Giants Causeway.
- Car racing track.
- Zoo and animal parks.
If planning activities for colleagues at work, the fun-day could be more interesting with a fundraising initiative for a charity. It can be a charity based in the local area or one that is close to our heart. The event can be posted on social media platforms to increase awareness and hopefully boost donations. Fundraising initiatives usually create plenty of good-will and there is a greater chance that the whole team will come on-board for the adventure.
Nature provides fun and respite for so many and can be a great way to increase wellbeing – perfect for families and colleagues. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg; activities can be adapted to suit any budget. The most important element in the whole trip is that people connect in a relaxed environment where stronger bonds can be formed and there is greater potential to have a lot of fun, and it is an ideal opportunity to get some much needed time away from technology and the demands of everyday life.
#Fun #Adventure #OutdoorActivities
Life can be unpredictable and can bring about many changes that we couldn’t have foreseen, even a year ago. The covid pandemic that swept our globe, knowing no boundaries, has created much change and uncertainty for many. Businesses have been forced to close their doors, temporarily or sadly permanently, and change the way that they trade. For Irish organisations that trade with the UK, they have witnessed additional impact and uncertainty due to Brexit with many employees being forced to sign on the live-register until another opportunity comes their way.
“Change is the only constant in life.” – Heraclitus. Adapting to change is par for the course at some stage of our lives. Once we recover from the initial shock, we come to understand that we have choices and exploring varied options helps us to cope with living with, and often surviving, the new direction that life has thrown our way. Yet sometimes we are forced to wait, as life doesn’t seemingly respond to our request to move forward. It is at times like this that our hope and faith are questioned and we may even wonder what the future holds.
There is an old expression, understand that “this too shall pass”. Family, friends and even strangers may offer this piece of advice when we are struggling to find a new job or advancing on our career path. It seems that it will never happen. Then out of the blue, the waiting time, for that next job offer or promotion, comes to pass. Sometimes it may not be the work that we had in mind however in retrospect it may have been the ideal opportunity that came our way – one that reignited our passion, creativity and increased our network of friends.
Hindsight is great yet little comfort is offered when going through such trials. One technique to help with overcoming the changes, waiting or trials is to remember how we overcame past trials. Most often, we find that we came through what we thought was unsurpassable at that time. Holding this thought can help with understanding where we’re at right now. Believe that most things are possible; there is light at the end of the tunnel and that the tide always turns … life can truly get better, and it will.
#Resilience #AdaptingToChange #Work #Believe
It is great for managers when staff operations are operating with fluidity as it assists with maintaining consistent productivity, and satisfied clients and customers. At different times of the year, employee holidays can create extra pressure on line managers. With experience they can become resourceful at successfully ensuring that the transition doesn’t disrupt work productivity and the transition is smooth for all concerned.
Here are some tips to help with the process of covering staff holidays:
- Operate a system with employees whereby notice of one month is required to ensure that their position can be temporarily filled while they are out on holidays.
- Sign up with a Recruitment Agency. They are a great resource to recruit temporary staff for the duration and their expertise ensures that the temp is the right match.
- Assign an experienced member of staff for the induction of temp staff. This can have a positive impact on a successful temporary recruitment.
- Monitor the progress on temp staff, frequently.
- Include temp staff in team meetings, including their feedback, and office events.
- Offer incentives to the new recruit, if a similar system is in operation, to ensure fairness in the workplace.
While there are many techniques that can be applied to recruit temp staff, there is an onus on managers to ensure that the transition compliments and supports the operations of existing employees. This is a vital element to ensure success on maintaining a positive workplace and maintain positive productivity on operations.
Call 3Q Perms & Temps Recruitment Agency today on 01 8783335 or email sales@3qrecruitment.ie if you would like to chat with a member of our team, to organise a temporary worker today.
#StaffHolidays #RecruitmentAgency #TempStaff #ConsistentProductivity
There may be times in our careers when life becomes unmanageable and our wellbeing is compromised. We may find that we are suffering fatigue, finding that the most basic tasks overwhelm us and leave us feeling a little drained. It is at times like this that we need to assess our way of living and identify the cause, and recharge the battery to improve our quality of life.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – C.S. Lewis. This can be as simple as taking a few days holidays to recover and build up our immune system again. It can be a time to assess what is working and what isn’t. A good place to start is to evaluate what is causing this fatigue with life. For some it may be that work life and our personal lives have interruptions on the boundaries between the two, the work-life balance just isn’t working. This can be especially true when work requires us to operate our duties from home. External incidents such as the current covid pandemic have created this dilemma for many employees.
During a time of reflection, we may identify that discipline is needed and a schedule will help with completing tasks more efficiently, leaving us with more time for family activities in the evening. Upon speaking with colleagues, we may identify that we are not alone in this situation. They can provide useful techniques to help create sustainable solutions that can help with rebalancing our lives.
Other solutions can include:
- Saying ‘yes’ to family support, to allow for some much needed me-time during stressful times, or to catch up on important tasks.
- Saying ‘no’, for now, to extra tasks that eat up our valuable time.
- Creating plans for fun activities with family and friends. This can be a great stress reliever and certainly help lift a tired spirit, even though at first the thought of it might create resistance. Getting active also helps take our minds off any stresses that we are going through in life right now.
- Seek the support of employers and colleagues. If they understand that life is difficult at this time, they can provide useful suggestions that really help with providing a great solution and outcome.
- Start a new wellbeing regime; batch cook dinners for a healthier eating lifestyle, join a local or online community with similar interests, invite friends over for a fun night or start journaling, which can improve clarity on creating additional solutions.
- Seek the expertise of a counsellor. This can provide relief from personal issues, conscious or unconscious, that may be restricting our natural flow.
- Realise new potentials by asking lots of questions; why is this happening, how can I change to improve, what do I need in my life right now, who can best support me through this time or what do I need to do to make this situation better long-term?
There are many ways to improve our wellbeing. The first step is to know and understand any blockages, and to start the change to a better way of living as soon as it becomes a problem. Most often it is not an easy process. Remember lots of supports and the help of family, friends and colleagues can be a real treasure to help us overcome times of change and self-development.
#Wellbeing #Reflection #Solutions #Change #SelfDevelopment
Hiring permanent or temporary employees can be a necessary undertaking at different stages of a business’s life-cycle. Achieving the right balance, when hiring new employees, is an important element for any organisation. It is crucial for the employer, existing staff members and the new recruit. Consideration must be given to the overall wellbeing and sound structure of any organisation at this stage of planning. Covering staff holidays, absenteeism or paternal leave are some of the reasons that managers need to consider when recruiting temporary or permanent staff. If a chef or nurse take leave for a few days or weeks, hiring temps is necessary to ensure that operations run smoothly.
Some important questions to ask when considering hiring temporary or permanent staff to any organisation include:
- What can this potential employee bring to our organisation?
- Are they a good-fit to our values and current working structure?
- Are they passionate about what we do?
- Do they aspire to add value the vision that we aspire to?
- Are they motivated to bring their best?
- Can they bring improvements to our current business model?
- Are they flexible enough to meet potential changes that may enfold due to micro or macro changes in the environment?
Equally prospective employees can ask these questions and share what they can offer to the organisation. These answers can offer assurance to management. It also can provide insights to employees, if they are a right-fit for the organisation.
Our society has changed, for the better, in that recruitment policies must include consideration for diversity, inclusivity and equality. All provide opportunity in many ways including; changing the dynamics of the office environment to one that can be strengthened positively, where innovative ideas are shared and fresh and exciting ideas to improve the current business model are explored. There can even be opportunity for international expansion, increased support to local community projects and ensuring that the organisation complies with updated macro policies.
While change is inevitable for most organisations, if embraced in an accepting and innovative approach, there may be opportunity to increase the sustainability of the company and its profit margins. Equally, current employees can benefit from the introduction and input of temporary and permanent employees.
Good management will ensure that planning process for hiring new employees will ultimately compliment and improve the resources that are currently operating. It goes without saying that continual measurement and adapting current recruitment systems, where necessary, is vital to ensure that the right balance is achieved successfully, and that there is minimal impact to the current operating systems.
Call us today on 01 8783335 or email sales@3qrecruitment.ie, if you are searching for temporary or permanent staff, or would like to chat with a member of our dedicated team.
#Hiring #Recruit #HiringTips #permanentstaff #temporarystaff #perms #temps
Knowledge is power. This is most relevant in our career life when preparing for an upcoming interview. It helps with understanding both the company and the reason why we are applying for the position. “Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.” – Og Mandino. An in-depth research analysis will pay dividends in both respects. It can assist with increasing confidence and acing that all important interview. It can also provide improved self-understanding, and if this position is a good-fit. There are many sources that can help including professionals in the desired field or a recruitment agency.
Some techniques that can help improving our knowledge include:
- Fully understand the job profile description. Identify areas that match our resume and prepare situational examples on these areas ahead of the interview.
- Research similar job advertisements. This can provide useful insights and even provide useful suggestions that can be offered during the interview.
- Research the company. Useful resources include: their website and LinkedIn and social media accounts. Additionally, research if they have affiliated businesses and partners.
- Research past and upcoming projects that the organisation was or is involved in.
- Research their competitors. This can be useful knowledge in that it may provide some useful improvement strategies for the company during the interview.
- Research courses that complement our current skills. This can show the interview panel that we are interested and willing to improve our current skills.
- Explore possible interview questions that will be relevant to the position. Preparation in this area can expand one-line answers to a more interesting conversation on the day.
- Seek advice. Experts in similar fields can provide nuggets of knowledge, including a recruitment agency, professional member, lecturer, etc.
Information, when used wisely, can give unlimited knowledge that can significantly improve the interview process. Ultimately, a good interviewer will look beyond the curriculum vitae. Contact 3Q Perms & Temps Recruitment Agency today if you are looking to secure an interview in any sector that we currently work with, telephone 01 8763335 or email temps@3qrecruitment.ie.
#InterviewTechniques #Knowledge #Research #RecruitmentAgency
If you are joining the workforce again, starting as a temporary worker, there are a couple of useful things to understand that will help you with getting familiar with the process. Temping is a great way to help with getting back on the career ladder. The experience that can be gained is invaluable and can help with securing a permanent position. At 3Q Perms & Temps Recruitment Agency, we understand the importance of linking the right candidate with the right job. We continually guide candidates through the process of securing temporary, and permanent, work. Here are some tips that should be considered during the process:
- Ask questions, showing initiative and interest is always positive.
- Remember, communication is an integral part of the process, on every interaction, to build strong and supportive professional relationships.
- Frequently update resumes, including recently learned skills and experience.
- Change of unconscious attitude to each opportunity can bring positive outcomes; working on self-development will certainly help with this.
- Arrive at interviews ten minutes early, no earlier.
- If unable to attend a pre-arranged booking, let the temp consultant know.
- Check in with the temp consultant frequently.
- Submit time-sheets on time.
- Advice temp consultant if other temp/perm roles have been secured.
Temping provides opportunities for some great experiences that can deliver useful insights on our career search. It also provides great flexibility, especially beneficial for parents who care for their family’s needs. The opportunity also helps with identifying if this role is the right one, before committing to permanent work.
3Q Perms & Temps Recruitment Agency provides a recruitment service of selecting the right candidates for our client companies, for both temporary and permanent roles, and has been doing so for over twenty years. Our expert team will guide you through the entire process – applications, advertising, interviews and finding the right job.
Phone us on 01 8763335 or email temps@3qrecruitment.ie to speak with a member of our vibrant and dedicated team today.
#TemporaryWork #Job #RecruitmentAgency #3QPerms&Temps #Tips
