When you think of the term “outdated,” what comes to mind? Grandma’s decades-old furnishings? Bad fashion? Faded carpeting? While your business’s choice in carpeting may be a factor in establishing a professional image, avoiding that dreaded outdated label goes way beyond decor. In fact, outdatedness isn’t even alwaysvisible. For example, you might have the sleekest, most up-to-date computers at your office, but what’s installed on them? Outdated software systems can constrict a business’s earning power by alienating clients and potential employees, wasting current employees’ time and allowing inefficiencies to persist. To ensure your agency and its clients are up-to-date, consider the following:
Implement new technology. As a staffing software company, we are big advocates of staffing agencies updating their technology. We’ve seen many of our clients achieve rapid growth by implementing time-saving solutions.Up-to-date software solutions are efficient software solutions. If your staffing specialists are constantly playing phone tag with clients or temp workers, consider a system with 24/7 online portals so both parties can leave notes and important documentation to review at their own convenience. There are even automated tools that text assignments to workers to avoid unnecessary calls.You can continue to streamline technology with special tools for labor hall environments (ours is called the Dispatcher), newer modules that keep track of your temporary employee’s ACA coverage or lack thereof, and eVerify integration.
Software touches every corner of a staffing office’s daily duties. If your pay clerks are still manually keying in hours, consider investing in a system with a front end that flows directly into the back end, with no time or data lost in the transfer. Combined with web modules and hardware that tracks time and attendance, there’s virtually no intervention required. Paperless, mobile-enabled HR forms are a similar godsend for HR managers.
Revamp your recruitment strategy. It’s possible that your methodologies themselves may be outdated. Recruitment strategy has changed enough in the past decade that your office likely already experienced a few overhauls, such as throwing out the rolodex to bring in social media. But be aware of the latest shifts, like the move away from giant job boards toward ones that are dedicated to a certain industry — the more niche, the better. As an added bonus, just by virtue of being on a niche job board, you’ll be closer to achieving the personal touch you’re seeking. Adding more visual content, from your website to your job ads, is also a surefire way to show personality. Post daily photos, or better yet, videos, of the jobs you’re looking to fill. It’s effective without being overt or cheesy.
Ensure you and your clients are open to a shift in culture. Even less visible than outdated technology — but just as harmful — are outdated attitudes.Updating your business means doing the same for your workplace culture, which will ultimately be crucial to both your agency and your clients’ internal success. Dozens ofworkplace experts have railed against the harms of micromanaging, and for good reason. A helicopter boss who tramples on work by redoing it or editing it into oblivion is a boss that drives an employee to resentment, frustration and low levels of self-worth. Micromanagement kills the excitement and the pride employees take in their jobs, and today’s workers care more than ever about cultivating a sense of purpose. A smarter (and more modern) management approach is to give employees decision-making power. Try including a few trusted employees in the screening of a new software system. And remember to give youth a seat at the table. They are likely savvy in ways that your management team is not.
