Dazed and confused 
A counter-offer is an offer from your current employer to rival the one you have received from your future employer,  to convince you to stay. Counter-offers can take many forms. A straight increase in salary – usually to meet or beat  your new offer – additional company benefits, a sought-after promotion or new job title, additional responsibility,  a change in role, more involvement in sexy projects. Or any combination of the above.

Counter-offers can be confusing. Leaving a job, especially if you have been there for some time, is difficult. Being  put under pressure to stay, and having your reasons for leaving challenged, undermined and even blown out of the  water, certainly doesn’t make it a piece of cake. Even though you worked hard to get the new role and have been  really looking forward to it, you find yourself thinking: maybe I do owe something to my current employer. Maybe I  do lack loyalty and maybe the company will suffer unfairly if I leave? (https://hydrogen.aero/)

Counter-offers are more common than you think. Statistics on how many times it happens are hard to find. However,  while researching the counter-offer issue, one fact just keeps on popping up. Most people who accept a counter-offer  have subsequently left their job anyway within twelve months. In fact, a great many are gone within three to six  months.

Reasons to keep you 
Look at the logic behind the counter-offer. Of course, what we’d like to do is accept it as flattery, a sign of our  unrivalled importance and value to our employer, a definite signal that they’ll stretch to serious lengths to keep  us.

What you should be thinking, though, is that besides boosting your ego so much your head looks like a beachball,  your employer may have other reasons for counter-offering you. These may include:

• Replacing an employee can be expensive
• It might mess up their budget to re-recruit that time of year
• They haven’t got time to re-recruit right now
• They want to have you cover while they hunt for your replacement
• They want you to finish the project you are working on
• They don’t have the time to train someone new at the moment
• Losing staff might reflect badly on your boss

Should I stay or should I go? 
There is rarely a good reason to accept a counter-offer and stay where you are. You wanted to move, you’ve been  through the recruitment process, you’ve been successful and you have scored a job that meets your criteria. Think  about these factors:

• From the day of your resignation, your loyalty will always be in question
• This lack of loyalty is likely to be an obstacle to future promotions
• Your colleagues will look at you differently – after all, you don’t really want to be there do you?
• Your boss will probably start casting around for your replacement immediately – whether you stay or not
• Why are they offering you what you deserve now, rather than before your resignation?
• Has the real reason you resigned been adequately addressed?
• How guilty do you really feel? After all, shouldn’t you be putting yourself first? Would the company think  twice about getting shot of you if the chips were down?

Don’t let an unexpected counter-offer stop you in your tracks. Take it in your stride, thank your employer for the  opportunity and reaffirm your intention to leave. Stand your ground.

But say you decide to stay. Be on your toes. Don’t be naive. Just because you’ve accepted your counter offer doesn’t  mean your resignation has been forgotten. You are going to have to work extremely hard to win back your employer’s  trust. You’ll probably find you have to strive harder than your colleagues to prove your company loyalty and  worthiness as a long-term prospect. Your new post-resignation life with your old company is not going to be easy.  And accepting a counter offer is definitely not the safe option. Watch your back!

Articles Related to Tips on Handling Counter-Offers:

• Career Planning
• Quiting Your Job
• Looking for Work? Check Your Work Ethic!

The post Tips on Handling Counter-Offers appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.

• Induction
• Respect
• Training
• Inclusion
• Communication
• Incentives
• Pay
• Responsibility
• Appraisal
• Recognition

A healthy attitude towards temporary workers short-circuits any potential problems. In the financial services sector, with such an emphasis on meeting deadlines and complying with rigorous legislative requirements, you can’t afford to let bad practice get in your way. A major source of irritation for life and pensions managers and HR staff, who take on temps, is the commitment factor – convincing temporary and contract staff to undertake a fixed term of work. But there are a number of things you can do as a line manager to keep your temps satisfied, at the same time getting the best out them yourself – and maybe even identifying who you want to hang around the company for a bit longer?

Induction
When your temp turns up, invest time in introducing him to colleagues by name, and to the work that will be carried out:

• Assign one of your permanent people to ‘adopt’ the temp, and be responsible for showing him the ropes (this is a good job to give eager beaver juniors who want responsibility)
• Outline basic office protocol – things like conduct, regulations and dress
• Investigate software ability – many temps like to learn new packages and may be more willing to have a go than permanent staff
• Most importantly, ensure the temp knows exactly what is expected, how performance will be measured and who to ask for help

Respect
Temps have brains too! Respect their intelligence:

• Explain how their work fits into the overall picture – this helps them work out why they’re doing what they’re doing – you’ll end up with a productive temp rather than an automaton
• Invite ideas and comments – everything can be improved, and who’s to say the temp’s predecessor was the be-all-and-end-all?
• Don’t discriminate between the temps and your permanent team on issues where the temps may have valid input – they will feel undervalued, and you may miss out on a vital contribution – temps who are respected are more productive

Training
Elementary coaching for temporary staff is vital:

• Don’t assume your temp knows everything inside-out – most seasoned temps are good at hitting the ground running, but a basic explanation of how systems work reduces the risk of wasted time
• Identify weak areas as early as possible and ensure someone spends time helping the temp
• Find out the temp’s strengths – can you play to them?
• Better still, identify any training and knowledge required before your temp arrives – this will reassure your temp you don’t expect them to know it all

Remember: someone once had to show you how to do your job – the temp who needs training is not necessarily a dummy; just someone who wants to do their job well.

Inclusion
Don’t forget temps when social occasions are planned:

• Encourage them to accompany the regulars for informal drinks after work
• Make sure they’re included on official company-organised events (such as outings or the Christmas party)
• In the office itself, encourage your staff to make an effort to chat to your temps at lunchtime or first thing in the morning – don’t allow your temps to be dumped in a corner and ignored while everyone else has a good chat

Communication
Don’t leave temps in the dark – corporate information is just as relevant for them as it is for your permanent staff:

• If there are company announcements, such as acquisitions, promotions or reorganisations, ask your temps into these sessions – after all, the information may well impact on their day-to-day activities
• Include your temps in team meetings – they may be able to bring their own experience to bear on certain situations, or suggest solutions to problems
• Don’t make a point of excluding well-performing temps from communication meetings – there’s nothing like being left to man the phones, while everyone else huddles together in a separate room, to make a temp feel isolated

Incentives
Temporary staff respond positively to targets and rewards:

• Create incentives for completion of volume, routine work such as data inputting or application processing – perhaps have a ‘temp of the week’ competition, with minimum targets to qualify
• If a project is especially taxing, for instance, if has to be carried out by just the one temp in a short period of time, set a genuinely tempting incentive for a deadline-beating performance

Pay
Don’t make the mistake of thinking temps are cheap labour – they’re not:

• Pay fairly – your recruitment consultant will be able to advise you on the going rate based on current supply and demand
• Many companies now offer completion bonuses as an added incentive to finish a set project or assignment
• If you have temps on a long-term basis, consider paying them for bank holidays too
• Extend ‘soft’ perks to temps – if, for instance, free car parking, a staff canteen or gym facilities are available to permanent staff, offer this to temps as well

Responsibility
Don’t overlook your star performing temps when permanent positions arise:

• Consider moving the temp to the vacant position, but in a temporary capacity, to see if it works out for both of you (cover the first position with another temp)
• Your temp will already have a good idea of your company’s culture – and maybe even ideas to contribute to how that job could be done differently

Appraisal
Regular appraisal is essential:

• Set time aside to review your temp’s work
• Give constructive feedback on all aspects of performance
•  If improvements are necessary, explain these and plan additional training or coaching
• Use this time to ask if the temp has any issues to raise
• Plan this meeting in advance – don’t suddenly spring it on your temp (you wouldn’t do that to permanent staff)

Recognition
If people perform well, then telling them has its benefits:

• Tell them well done if performance merits an extra special mention
• Give good feedback from colleagues in other departments to your temp
• Inform the recruitment agency too – it’s useful for them to document for future reference
• Occasionally reward with something informal (like treating them to breakfast or going out to buy them mid-morning coffee and cake!)

And finally…

Good temps are often wary of their first encounter with a new company – poor attitudes to working alongside temporary workers are often rife. By the same token, permanent staff who’ve had bad experiences with temps can often take some convincing not to tar everyone with the same brush. So it’s important they’re made aware of how valuable the temps are – after all, if they were unnecessary, you wouldn’t be spending money on hiring them in the first place.

None of the above tips is ground-breaking. And clearly, you have to make objective judgements on how you treat different temps – not everyone will be of equal value to you. Sometimes all you want is someone who’ll race in, do the job for a day and never be seen again. But implementation of a more thoughtful temp employment programme is likely to make the best temporary workers enjoy their spell with your company, making them good ambassadors when they leave – that’s if you haven’t already snatched them up onto the permanent payroll!

Related to Hold on To Your Star Temps

• Compensation Surveys
• Temporary employees – maximizing the productivity of your temps
• Turning around turnover  

The post Hold onto your star temps appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.

Criticism
It’s a reality of office life that employees will at some point face a degree of criticism. Managers must be mindful when correcting behaviour or when coaching or training, that they aren’t focusing on the negative aspects, rather than offering advice and appreciating the positive. Employees, who constantly feel put down, dread the thought of going into work and facing another day of constantly being criticized.

Experts in training and human resources management say the problem arises when managers are not observant when giving feedback and should be more receptive to how employees react under different circumstances. Inexperienced managers may disagree and give no feedback – which makes employees feel low. Every individual has a different threshold to criticism.

Attention and appreciation
When people are not shown recognition for their work, they turn the tables onto themselves and become self-critical. Yet everyone likes to know how they’re doing. When they’re not sure, they can become their own worst critics.

Eventually, this can result in resignation. It’s important to say ‘well done’ and ‘thank-you’. And when you have a star employee, the worst thing you can do is take their performance for granted. Without a sign of appreciation, they will think all their hard work and effort is for nothing.

Praise and pay
Praise your employees appropriately and value their accomplishments. Praise becomes ineffective when it is delayed or without purpose or overdone.

Ineffective managers are more likely to give ‘dead end’ praise when they don’t know how to handle a member of staff. Over-praising occurs when you have an emotional employee who finds it difficult to accept constructive criticism. Managers also make the mistake of using what’s known as a ‘praise sandwich’, where they praise before and after the reprimand. People then often don’t listen to the criticism in the middle.

It is important that people are singled out for their achievements in team situations. When people are automatically included in their colleagues’ praise, the high performers are at risk of being demotivated. Managers must also be aware of not praising people for doing everyday assignments that they should be completing anyway. When people do the same amount work as their colleagues and then get praised for it, they may see no reason to take on more responsibility.

Although pay reviews are effective, they’re not the only means of motivation. Employers need to use other means of motivation to complement a pay review. Many companies rely on the pay review without looking into the deeper issues.

Effort
Do your employees try hard? Are they given challenging tasks? Are you utilizing their capabilities? Goals and challenges keep people working at their optimum level. Goal-setting plays a pivotal role. People need to be pushed forward as they have a tendency to get comfortable. It’s a chance to move somewhere and be rewarded for success. Goals help you know what you need to do to get into the peak performance club.

Information
Employees need to see the reasoning behind certain tasks; otherwise they fail to see the need to complete the task accurately and may simply get the job over and done with as quickly as possible. They may not invest the time to do it properly. Delegation is supposed to be empowering and motivational and unless people know the purpose of a task, there is a tendency to feel dumped on. Productive meetings, where information is shared freely, are critical. Motivation comes from the external environment. When a team pulls in the same direction, by helping each other and communicating, they are harnessing each other’s
strengths to achieve the similar goals.

Variety
Variety,when appropriate, can add life to a monotonous task or role. The hidden danger is when an abstract motivational course like rock climbing is planned without prior consideration of what would suit your staff. Fun and variety is great when it breaks the monotony of routine. However, it must be a comfortable transition for all those concerned. If you are planning events such as outwardbound courses or tests of physical endurance, confirm that all people will be at ease. Poorly thought-out courses for variety’s sake can be counteractive.

Atmosphere
Workplaces bogged down with company politics and unnecessary rules create a strained atmosphere where employees either resent their manager for enforcing such rules or get continually frustrated by protocols. A bad atmosphere is created from rules so strict that employees feel they are walking on eggshells – this can be combated by encouraging communication through team meetings and encouraging better goal-setting through personal development.

Competition
Although healthy competition between workers is often seen as healthy, unfair internal competition can promote favouritism from managers and make less aggressive workers feel left out. Competition, when harnessed the right way, can keep employees on their toes. It’s when employees turn on each other that competition becomes counter productive. To keep competition healthy and motivational, don’t take it too seriously and make sure you encourage the employees who aren’t doing so well. Colleagues turn on each other when they see an employer take a stance and favour one team more. Singling out those who don’t work well under those conditions creates more problems than it solves.

Expectations
Realistic goal setting and ideals are great motivators to meet the standards of the rest of the company and excel within the framework. Expectations are as simple as letting people know what time you would like them to arrive in the morning to the format of reports. You can hardly expect someone to meet your needs when they don’t know the expected standards. If necessary, document these minimum standards if this does not create too much paperwork.

There is no ready formula to create the perfect employee. There are techniques you can implement that create forward momentum for your team. Everybody is an individual and people are motivated in different ways. The most essential ingredient in order to captivate is communication, including listening. Listening to individual needs and communication between the team are key.

Related to Motivating Your Staff

• Skill Shortage
• Fundamental Human Requirement – Recognition
• Self Assessment and Reality Checks

The post Motivating Your Staff appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.

You’re one of the lucky ones. You’ve been selected for interview for a fast-track career program with a well-known employer. But you know for a fact that each year, scores of candidates are chosen to attend an interview, from which only a few are taken on — so how do you ensure you’re one of them?

Why research?  
Perhaps you’re looking for a new job or about to embark on a change of career. Or maybe you have an interview for your first job. Whatever the scenario, researching information on your new employer is vital during your job search and for your interview preparation.

Succeeding in an interview depends on many factors such as previous experience, character, skills and ability. However, one of the most common mistakes people make prior to their interview, and also during the job search itself, is to carry out insufficient research on prospective employers.

Preparation is the essential ingredient for success. Knowledge of the employer’s benefits and downsides can help you determine more about an organization and your potential place in it and give you the opportunity to ask informed questions during your interview. No doubt, your research will show and impress the interviewer. Preparation is key, and as the old adage goes, fail to prepare equals prepare to fail.

Job research 
During your job search, the information you gather on employers will enable you to formulate views on the type of company you wish to work for. It will also help you select and eliminate certain organizations or environments that do not fit in with your career plan.
Using available resources, you can gain a better understanding of what career potential exists with a particular employer. For example, important background information on an employer includes the types of activities carried out, the jobs that exist within it and the financial stability of the company.

A structured way to approach your research is to:
•    Select the industries that need your needs
•    Locate the employers within your targeted industries
•    Research the information and find out whom to address

Interview research  

Before meeting your potential employer, you’ll need to be aware of the following:
•    What the company does and how it runs.
•    The company’s financial state — are they expanding or downsizing?
•    Who are their major competitors and what skills they are looking for, such as education, previous experience?
•    What you can offer them?

Having a general overview about the organization will also give you confidence during the first interview, so that you can ask relevant questions, referring to your research. For example, if you were going for a marketing executive position within a direct marketing agency, you could say something along the lines of, “I understand from your annual report you spend a certain percentage on advertising. How much of this is allocated to direct marketing spend?”

Rather than asking how many employees are in the company, which you could have found out yourself, the above question implies you have taken time and effort to prepare for the interview. The interviewer will take this as a sign that you are serious about the company, your job and your future career.

With modern technology such as the Internet, there are no excuses for not being able to find out the relevant information on your prospective employer(s). Not only can you drop by your local library, you can also pop into your local cyber cafe to surf the net.

Finding information
There’s not much that you can’t find out on the web. Most companies have a website, and if not, you can find out industry-specific information on them and their competitors. If you don’t have access to the Internet at home or at work or you can use your local cyber cafe. For a few dollars, you can print out information on the company website or find out contact details of related industries. Institutions and associations are also featured on the web, giving contact names and career advice on how to get into your chosen profession.

Hays Specialist Recruitment’s consultants can provide you with specific job information before you attend interviews. They will also give details of the location of the job, the skills required, experience needed, the size of the firm and the salary. Ask for company brochures and websites, allowing you to find out as much information as possible for your interview.

Trade associations & institutes produce membership directories and journals that provide information about trends and issues in the field. Almost every type of field or industry has a trade association affiliation or dedicated institute. You can find this information by either calling 411 and asking for the telephone number of your institute or association (if you don’t know, take a chance), or by going to your local library and searching for a book on trade associations.

Use your initiative  
Initiative is always a good option. Use a few clever tactics to find out the information you require. For example, during your job search make a speculative call to an employer to find out the name and title of the contact you wish to send your resume. Who knows where the call may lead? Find out company information by popping into the reception during a lunch hour to ask for an annual report or a brochure. Or, if you don’t want to reveal your identity, ask a friend to go in your place or make a telephone call.

Use your own contacts and ask other professionals in the field to provide word-of-mouth information about organizations of interest. Another useful source is competitor information, as it often provides insight into your chosen organization, allowing you to work out the differences between the two companies and their unique selling points.

It may be useful to buy newspapers and trade journal to find out industry-specific information. Most trade journals can be purchased from large news agents, or can be ordered. A general awareness of the industry press, through reading newspapers that publish major business issues relating to your industry sector is useful background knowledge. If you make a habit of reading business news each week, you’ll be surprised at how much you learn and retain, and how relevant it might be to your interview.

The key to effective research of employer information lies in your preparation and targeting devices. Once you’ve identified the industry you want to work, and located potential employers, your next step is to research the specific people that will help you to find out more about the job or get you an interview. There are popular profiles on national businesses in local libraries and on the net, and you can use your initiative by calling them directly to ask for company information to be sent to you.
Whether you are supporting your job search, or preparing for an interview, researching employer information is key.

Reprinted with permission from Hays Recruitment Specialists at www.hays.ca

Related to employer information
•    Employment Resource Centres – access help with your job search
•    Searching a job database
•    How to read a job ad
•    Professional development tips

The post Researching potential employers appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.