Your Employees and Social Media Engagement

July 26, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Do you think that your social media policy is preventing the unauthorized use of social media during the workday? While implementing a social media policy is a great step in the right direction, most social networkers will continue to engage during the workday regardless.

According to a recent release from the Ethics Resource Center, as many as 72% of social networkers spent a portion of their workday on social networks, with a third of those reporting their activity as not work related. With access through company computers, tablets, and their mobile devices your employees have a variety of ways to access their social networks with or without being tracked. As many as 39% of those categorized as active social networks reported remaining connected the entire day! What does this mean for your organization?

As with any distraction, social media engagement for non-work related purposes will have an effect on productivity and eventually your bottom line. For those who remain connected for larger portions of the day, the likelihood of information about their work day, clients, projects, co-workers, and other work related information is likely to surface in their posts and engagements. Posts including derogatory statements, proprietary information, and other sensitive information could cause great loss and damages to your company. So what can you do?

With 38% of social networkers reporting use of personal devices exclusively, management and vigilance are an employer’s best chance of controlling unauthorized social media engagement in the workplace. Having policies in place and enforced that clearly define the expectations for social media and the use of personal devices during the workday are a great starting point. Work with your managers and supervisors to identify signs of social media misuse such as loss of productivity, loss of engagement, sensitive information going public before formally announced, and employees glued to their mobile devices. Most often, those who are engaged in social media for non-work related purposes during the work day will show signs of poor performance or productivity over time.

Are you a stand out professional, technical professional, driver, or skilled worker seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities? Visit our job board for more information! Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Hiring for Temporary and Contract Workers Is Up 21%

July 18, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are you looking to add temporary or contract workers to your staff? If so, you join an estimated 31% of employers in the United States. Hiring for temporary and contract workers saw a spike in 2012 across the U.S. and those numbers are up an additional 21% from last year.

While employer confidence continues to grow following the recession, many hiring managers are still unsure of long term projections and look to temporary and contract staff to assist during peak seasons. As many as 44% of employers plan to hire on additional full-time employees by year end in 2013, many in addition to temporary staff.

What positions are most in-demand for temporary or contract staff? According to Forbes, they include:

Team Assemblers
Office Clerks
Customer Service Representatives
HR, Training, and Labor Relations Specialists
Registered Nurses
Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants
Home Health Aides
Maintenance and Repair Workers
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
Sales Representatives
Computer Support Specialists
Computer Programmers
Accountants and Auditors
Business Operations Specialists
Electricians
Sales Representatives in Wholesale and Manufacturing

With the in-demand positions ranging from light industrial through professional roles, there are a wide range of opportunities for those seeking employment.

Whether you are seeking employment or seeking temporary or contract workers for your company, choosing the right staffing partner can make or break your experience. Be sure to partner with a staffing agency who specializes in your line of work, is currently representing both clients and candidates in searches in your line of work, and is well established.

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

IRS Guidance on Delay of Employer Mandate Penalties and Reporting Requirements

July 16, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Brought to you by Kapnick Insurance Group

On July 9, 2013, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2013-45 to provide formal guidance on the delay of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) large employer “pay or play” rules and related information reporting requirements. The provisions affected by the delay are:

§ 4980H employer shared responsibility provisions;

§ 6055 information reporting requirements for insurers, self-insuring employers and certain other providers of minimum essential coverage; and

§ 6056 information reporting requirements for applicable large employers.

For 2014, compliance with the information reporting rules is completely optional and the IRS will not assess penalties under the pay or play rules. Both the information reporting and the employer pay or play requirements will be fully effective for 2015.

Information Reporting Requirements

The ACA amended the Internal Revenue Code (Code) to require large employers, health insurance issuers and selffunded plan sponsors to report information about health plan coverage to the IRS so that the federal government can enforce the employer mandate.
Code § 6055 requires annual information reporting by health insurance issuers, self-insuring employers, government agencies and other providers of health coverage. Code § 6056 requires annual information reporting by applicable large employers related to the health coverage that the employer offers (or does not offer) to its full-time employees.

Employer Shared Responsibility Requirements

Under the ACA, large employers that do not offer their full-time employees (and dependents) health coverage that is affordable and provides minimum value may be subject to penalties. The ACA’s employer mandate provisions are also referred to as the employer shared responsibility or pay or play rules.

One-Year Implementation Delay

The large employer pay or play rules and related reporting requirements were set to take effect in 2014. However, on July 2, 2013, the Treasury announced that these will be delayed for one year, until 2015. This means that:

Information reporting under §§ 6055 and 6056 will be optional for 2014 and no penalties will be applied for failure to comply with these requirements for 2014; and

No employer shared responsibility payments will be assessed for 2014.

However, both the information reporting and the employer pay or play requirements will be fully effective for 2015.

The IRS issued Notice 2013-45 to provide more information on the delay.

According to the IRS, the delay of the reporting requirements provides additional time for input from employers and other reporting entities in an effort to simplify these requirements, consistent with effective implementation of the ACA. This delay is also intended to provide employers, insurers and other providers of minimum essential coverage time to adapt their health coverage and reporting systems.

The delay of the employer mandate penalties was required because of issues related to the reporting requirements. Because the reporting rules were delayed, the Treasury believed it would be nearly impossible to determine which employers owed penalties under the shared responsibility provisions.
The pay or play regulations issued earlier this year left many unanswered questions for employers. The IRS highlighted several areas where it would be issuing more guidance. Presumably, the additional time will give the IRS and Treasury the opportunity to provide more comprehensive guidance on implementing these requirements.

Effect on Other ACA Provisions

The delay does not affect any other provision of the ACA, including individuals’ access to premium tax credits for coverage through an Exchange and the individual mandate.

Individuals will continue to be eligible for the premium tax credit to purchase coverage through an Exchange as long as they meet the eligibility requirements (for example, their household income is within a specified range and they are not eligible for other minimum essential coverage).

Future Guidance

Proposed rules for the information reporting provisions are expected to be published this summer. The proposed rules will reflect the fact that transition relief will be provided for the information reporting requirements.

It is still unclear how the new deadline will impact guidance that has already been issued, such as the transition relief for non-calendar year plans and the optional safe harbor for determining full-time status. Future guidance may affect these and other rules under the ACA.

What This Means for Employers

The Obama Administration’s decision to delay the employer mandate penalties and related reporting requirements will have a significant effect on many employers. See below for an overview of the ACA provisions that are affected by the delay, the provisions that are not affected by the delay and steps that employers are encouraged to take in 2014.

IT Job Growth Reaches Another Record High!

July 16, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are you seeking IT talent? If so, you join most of the country! IT jobs in the U.S. rose again in June to reach another record high of almost 4.5 million jobs according to TechServe Alliance.

While the growth of IT jobs has remained consistent over the past few years, it appears the end is not in sight. The growing demand for top level IT talent stems from a multitude of factors including the increased use of technology in manufacturing, the downsizing of entry level administrative positions, and the increased use of the internet for marketing, research, and development.

Employers nationwide are scrambling to fill entry level to management level information technology positions, allowing candidates to be in the driver’s seat of their career path. In order to attract the experienced IT professionals needed in today’s employment market, employers must offer a competitive salary and benefits package that may differ greatly from what they are accustomed to offering in the past.

IT professionals are leading the surge with remote or virtual employment. Naturally, the nature of their work allows more flexibility and is better suited than some other roles for working outside of the traditional workplace. As many as 65% of companies are now allowing at least some remote work, a number that appears to grow with the size of the organization.

In addition to working remotely, IT candidates appear to be attracted to sign on bonuses, technology allowances, and flexible scheduling. If you are struggling to locate IT talent, you may consider offering additional benefits or perks to attract today’s top talent or partnering with an industry experienced recruitment firm. One thing remains clear, the recruitment of IT professionals is going to only increase in difficulty in the foreseeable future.

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Hiring Administrative Professionals?

July 9, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are you hiring administrative professionals? Hiring managers across the country are finding difficulty in hiring administrative assistants, executive assistants, and administrative coordinators due to several factors. Are you one of them?

Employers are who facing increased difficulty in recruiting qualified administrative professionals are often finding the following factors as obstacles:

Pay rates. Have you experienced sticker shock when viewing candidates’ desired pay rates? It may be time to re-evaluate your pay ranges. Many administrative professionals have taken on additional duties with workplace shortages resulting in more qualified and skilled administrative staff than what was often available in the past. With budget cuts, staff reductions, and attrition, many employers were forced to have their administrative staff cross trained and responsible for duties that were previously covered by multiple individuals in the office. The great news is the talent available today for administrative positions is more qualified, experienced, and diverse in their skills than ever before.

Candidate drive. Are you finding a decreased level of interest in entry level positions? You’re not alone. Today’s technology has contributed to building a workforce that is less likely to be content with positions that do not offer a wide variety of duties and may experience an increased amount of down time on the job. Technology has resulted in individuals multitasking throughout their day both on and off of the job, resulting in a pool of candidates who prefer to be busy, engaged, and moving forward. As employers, we should take this opportunity to see what additional duties, functions, and responsibilities could be integrated into our more entry level positions to attract and maintain a more driven administrative workforce.

Overqualified candidates. Is there really such a thing? Not really. As long as a candidate meets the qualifications for the position and is willing to work in the pay range that your organization has established is appropriate for the workload, you should not overlook them. Experienced candidates can bring valuable insight to the position, assist with process improvement, and often require less time and resources during the training and on boarding process. Keep in mind that regardless of the amount of experience a candidate has or their previous pay scales, there is no guarantee that any employee will remain with your company for an extended period of time. Ruling out valuable talent based on your fear of them leaving you, will likely cost you more in the long run.

Often times our recruiting struggles can be offset with some assessments of what we are requiring of candidates for the position and what we as employers are willing to offer to obtain the right talent for the position. Remaining flexible and open minded about the opportunities for your clerical and administrative positions can greatly assist you in finding the right fit for your organization, often times providing more value than you had originally hoped for in the role.

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Hurricane and Disaster Cleanups Slowed By Talent Shortages

July 2, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

The impact that a natural disaster can have on a community is profound. Consider the short and long term effects of Katrina and Sandy on not only their local areas, but nationwide as the valuable services that are provided by these communities are cut off. Unfortunately natural disasters usually wipe out the local and regional resources, making recovery time longer and causing additional hardships on those involved.

Hurricane Sandy brought to light the need for experienced skilled trades and environmental workers that are available to mobilize to different areas quickly. With many local contractors without equipment, personnel, and communication devices outside contractors were a critical part of the recovery and restoration process.

With hurricane season upon us, now is the time to consider your resources before disaster strikes. Most environmental and construction restoration contractors do not employ enough personnel to take on projects of this magnitude without adding to their workforce. In addition to the need to quickly mobilize, contractors should ensure that their additional project personnel are qualified, trained, and appropriately certified to be performing the work. Having skilled workers available at the moment that disaster strikes, can be invaluable to your business and allow you to take on additional project loads quickly and efficiently.

When considering a staffing partner for remediation and restoration work be sure to verify the following:

The staffing partner specializes in your line of work.
The staffing partner is well established and is able to demonstrate their previous abilities to hire for these roles.
The staffing partner has a pool of pre-qualified candidates.
The staffing partner is experienced in disaster related projects.
The staffing partner specializes in mobile workforces.

Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of experienced skilled trades workers? Contact us today! If you are a stand out skilled trades worker seeking short or long term career opportunities, visit our job seekers section for more information!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Your Employees Are Looking To Leave!

July 2, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Do you think your employees are happy with their current career? Think again! A recent study by University of Phoenix found that may not be the case. The continuous improvement of economic conditions and the increased career opportunities in most industries, has assisted in the increase of passive candidates. So who are these passive candidates?

78% of workers in their 20’s are interested in changing careers
64% of workers in their 30’s are interested in changing careers
54% of workers in their 40’s are interested in changing careers
51% of workers in their 50’s are interested in changing careers
26% of workers who are in their 60’s or older are interested in changing careers

With such a large majority of the workforce interested in making a career change, maintaining your strongest performers can be an uphill battle. The struggle to locate top level talent has resulted in many employers offering a multitude of incentives to locate strong performers including referral bonuses, larger relocation packages, sign on bonuses, and other perks making the decision to leave a current employer more appealing for some candidates who may be on the fence about making a career change. So what can you do to maintain your team?

The high costs attributed to employee turnover far outweigh the costs of most employee retention and appreciation programs. If your organization does not engage in an employee retention program, now is a great time to consider employing one!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Construction Jobs and Skilled Trades Jobs In Arizona!

June 24, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are you looking for a construction or skilled trades job in Arizona? We may have your job! Trillium Construction Services is excited to announce the opening of our newest location in Phoenix, Arizona!

As national leaders in construction staffing, our team partners with some of the busiest and most respected contractors in the country. We are excited to announce that the demand coming from these leading contractors has prompted us to open a location in Phoenix!

Our team is now hiring experienced:

Journeyman Electricians
Electrician Helpers
Electrician Apprentices
Sheet Metal Mechanics
Sheet Metal Helpers
Plumbers
Journeyman Plumbers
Plumber Apprentices
Plumber Helpers

If you are seeking construction job in Arizona with great income potential, full time hours including overtime possibilities, and the chance to get a foot in the door with the areas leading contractors; register with Trillium Construction today!

Click here to begin the process!

Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of experienced construction workers? Contact us today! If you are a stand out skilled trades worker seeking short or long term career opportunities, visit our job seekers section for more information!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide.Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Maintaining A Strong Rapport With Your Staff

June 21, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

When was the last time that you connected with your team on an individual level? Do you take time outside of your usual performance review process to acknowledge and connect with them? If not, you should. Maintaining a strong rapport with your staff is a critical part to managing and advancing your team and their efforts.

A strong rapport with your staff can reveal inefficiencies in the organization, departmental processes, and help to identify issues within your staff that may result in turnover if adjustments are not made. Communicating openly and regularly with your staff also allows for the generation and implementation of new ideas, guidance opportunities, and employee recognition. Not sure where to start or how to fit it in with your other countless duties? Here are a few quick tips:

First and foremost you have to make it a priority. As with anything on your to-do list, if you don’t make it a priority chances are you won’t make time to meet with your staff. Mark it on your calendar as any other important appointment and stick to it.

Keep it simple. Sometimes informal meetings can be even more productive and revealing than a structured meeting or progress meeting. Step outside of the office to a mutually comfortable setting such as a restaurant or coffee shop and make yourself available and free from distractions such as your phone and email.

Prepare for the discussion and remain open minded. Do your homework. Be sure to acknowledge specific accomplishments your employee has achieved since your last meeting. Be open to their feedback, both positive and negative. Often times the best ideas, changes, and suggestions come from those who work in the trenches day in and day out. Remain objective and avoid becoming defensive of any constructive criticism.

Make a follow up plan. Did you discuss ideas or changes that may need to take place? Are there things that you may need to investigate further or additional tools that may be helpful to the team? Be realistic and up front with what your team member can expect from you. Give them a timeline in which you plan to consider the points of your discussion and when they will hear back from you. Create an action plan for simple executable items to get the ball rolling.

Thank them. Make sure your employee understands that you appreciate them making the time to meet with you and let them know the best times for them to reach out to you if they have things that they would like to discuss further. If your staff feels that the meeting was something done out of obligation rather than a genuine interest in their development at the organization, they’ll be less likely to engage with you in the future.

Even the best leaders and managers can experience failure if they don’t have the support and dedication of a strong team behind them. Keep in mind that every member of your staff brings an added value to your organization and deserves recognition and acknowledgement on a regular basis. For more information on employee recognition, click here.

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Achieving A Great Work-Life Balance

June 20, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Do you find yourself struggling to find a fair balance between your work and your personal life? You are far from alone. Changes to the traditional workforce following the recent recession, have resulted in employees handling more of a workload than their roles had required in the past.

Employees who struggle to find balance between their professional and personal lives can suffer from poor work performance, stress, exhaustion, illness, and depression. Often times employees who are unhappy with the balance between their work and personal lives are likely to experience turnover in their careers. Finding a suitable balance for yourself and your employer may be easier to do than you think. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Have a clear understanding of your professional obligations. Make sure that you are aware of what your employer expects of you and what they consider as above and beyond. Chances are some of the added stress and responsibilities that you find yourself overwhelmed with are not expectations for someone in your role.
Find out what workplace flexibilities are available to you. Does your employer offer flex time? Do they allow employees to work remotely on occasion? Today’s workplace offers more flexibility than ever before. With the technology available, employers are able to allow more staff to work from home with the same capabilities and accountability as working in the office.
Determine if you are working as efficiently as possible. Do you find yourself working overtime regularly? Chances are there are process improvements or delegations that could significantly cut down on your need to work over. The average worker spends as much as 28% of their day working on email! Set specific times of the day to check and respond to email, allowing you to be more efficient throughout the day. Unless your role requires you to be available after hours, consider turning off your email on mobile devices during your personal time. Remaining focused on your personal activities during your off time can help you make the most of your down time.
Create and maintain priorities for yourself. Realize and accept that you can’t always be involved in everything. Determine work and personal life priorities and create a plan to help you accomplish those tasks before taking on additional obligations. Communicate to those around you that while you’d love to be involved in everything that’s not realistic for you right now, you are setting priorities that will allow you to dedicate yourself to certain important events or projects.

While admitting to yourself and others that you cannot do everything is difficult, the ramifications of a poor work-life balance can be far worse. Be honest with those around you about what you are available for and accept the things that you cannot handle at the moment. Remember to take time for yourself. Most positions provide vacation or personal time off, taking the time off that you have earned is important and can allow you to return to work refreshed and refocused.

Are you a stand out professional, skilled trades person, or technical professional seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities? Visit our job seekers section for more information! Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.