The Bagg Group Blog

In a recent column in HR Reporter, Geoff Bagg, CEO of The Bagg Group, writes that the high number of applicants for any job, combined with pressure from the top to get the hire right, has caused an evolution within the staffing industry.

“We have seen the rise of a new breed of recruiters,” writes Geoff. “Those who succeed today don’t just recruit, they match-make.”

Sure enough, Jackie Chua, General Manager of The Bagg Group, says any recruiter or hiring authority seeking a candidate for a full-time position, contract work, or temporary placement has to be “more relationship-sensitive” than ever before.

Of course, skills matter. But equally important is compatibility — a meeting of minds, values, and energy. That’s because, as Geoff Bagg writes, “the employer and employee are in a relationship. And like any relationship, if there’s no spark, there’s no energy to meet goals.”

Getting along isn’t just a preferred scenario, it’s a high stake business necessity. Studies show that a wrong hire can cost a company five to 27 times the hire’s base salary in mistakes, wasted training, lost productivity, lowered team morale. Similarly, leaving a position open costs in decreased productivity, loss of innovation, and burn-out for employees who must pick up the slack.

Interestingly, studies also show job boards haven’t made the task of match-making any easier, particularly for in-house HR specialists tasked with conducting job searches without outside help.

The first online job board launched in 1992 and morphed into the large Monster.com in 1995. Workopolis.com launched in 2000. Today, large job boards have about 90,000 active postings at any one time, and most receive well over two million visitors per month.

Not surprisingly, in-house HR specialists recruiting via job boards report the days of manageable numbers of applicants have gone the way of the busy telephone signal. Unheard of. And as any overworked in-house HR specialist knows when wading through thousands of resumes, more is not necessarily better –especially when working a job search is only one item on a long to-do list.

Yet, senior executives in all surveys say they consider finding the right employees to be a top priority in achieving their business goals. With that in mind, for those who don’t have teams of recruiters working their networks full-time like The Bagg Group does, match-making can be more of a migraine than a labour of love.

Geoff Bagg explains in HR Reporter that in our tight economy, it takes additional know-how to get a good sense of the candidate. “Job-seekers feeling anxious about finding work may default to offering what they think is the desired answer. That’s why the best recruiters schedule longer interviews now, to allow time to move off the resume and converse about the candidate’s interests and ambitions. It’s not small talk to learn what makes a person tick, it’s essential info for a great match.”

For those who want to work with a matchmaker, the experienced matchmakers at The Bagg Group, which has a 40-plus year track record of ensuring happy bonds between candidates and companies, offer these tips:

Bring the hiring manager to the table: Often HR specialists work as gatekeepers but it’s tough to find you Mr. or Ms. Right when you haven’t met the other party. The sooner HR involves the hiring manager, the sooner the matchmaker can identify and find the right fit.

Remember, there’s a buyer for every house: But you need to tell the agent what you like and what you don’t to get the house for you. The same applies to finding a candidate. Timely feedback is powerful information that allows the recruiter to make the perfect match.

Be transparent: With reputable recruiters, what you say to your recruiter, stays with your recruiter. Tell it like it is. Maybe a team requires someone who is especially tough-skinned, or a manager wants people to regularly burn the midnight oil. The recruiter isn’t there to judge but to find a candidate who will be fine with living it like it is.

To read more about what Geoff Bagg had to say on matchmaking in HR Reporter, click here.

We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s the little things that count.”  And in the workplace that applies as much as anywhere else. 

The proof?  A full 61% of Canadians said that a handwritten personal note of praise has more value than any other form of communication, according to a recent study by Bic Inc.

The study found a handwritten note “produces an immediate and positive reaction among employees,” says Bic handwriting expert Elaine Charal.   

In an age where most of us type faster than we can write, a handwritten note is undeniable evidence that someone made significant time and effort to acknowledge you. 

It’s an act that stands out in a world where we are used to quickly, and without much real thought, clicking on “like” to indicate our thumbs up.   

Having interviewed thousands of people over more than 40 years of successfully placing candidates in full-time positions, contract work and temporary placements in the GTA, recruiters at The Bagg Group know how much recognition matters.  It tops the list for employee satisfaction.

Strangely enough, no matter how talented, sophisticated, and senior we are, there’s still the kid in all of us that thrills to a handwritten “fantastic” like it was a gold star on our homework. 

It’s truly one of those old-time small gestures that can still pack a punch and fuel the drive and commitment of employees in the 21^st century. 

Douglas R. Conant, the recently retired president and CEO of the Campbell Soup company, wrote about this in his latest book, Touchpoints:  Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments.

In the book, Conant and co-author Mette Norgaard insist a leader’s impact and legacy are built through hundreds, even thousands, of interactive moments in time.

In a blog for the Harvard Business Review, Conant sums up that experience taught him the three key rules for building relationships –all deceptively simple but extraordinarily valuable.

1.  Make a personal connection early on.  Conant found that a two-way conversation about personal philosophy, background, values, even favourite quotes, goes a long way to relationship-building—and employee retention.

2. Look for opportunities to celebrate:  Conant and his executive assistants spent 30 to 60 minutes a day scanning his mail and internal website for news of employees worthy of a pat on a back. 

At The Bagg Group, we can’t emphasize enough to our clients across the GTA how championing team and individual achievements helps lift workplace spirit in a way that money just can’t buy.

3.Get out your pen.   Conant says he sent roughly 30,000 handwritten notes over a decade to employees, from maintenance staff to senior executives.   He writes:  “It’s the least you can do for people who do things to help your company and industry.  On the face of it, writing handwritten notes may seem like a waste of time. But in my experience, they build goodwill and lead to higher productivity.”

As we all work on a quest to achieve a paperless office, it may be worthwhile to keep some paper for the personal note.   Sometimes the little things can be just the things employees want to stick around for.

It’s a joy to sponsor an HRPA scholarship.  It is one of the ways The Bagg Group supports the next generation of HR specialists who will creatively solve problems and make the workplace a better, safer, place for everyone.

But it’s always difficult to choose one scholarship winner among the deserving applicants.  Almost all those who pour their hearts into essays that demonstrate their commitment to the field of human resources are inspiring, and have a record of achievement worthy of our support.

So what made us choose Erin Abraham to be the recipient of the 2011 HRPA Scholarship Award, sponsored by The Bagg Group?  Erin represents qualities of determination and optimism which we know have a positive ripple-out effect in the workplace.

Erin is specializing in human resources as part of her Bachelor of Applied Business at Humber College, in Toronto.  An active volunteer, she defines volunteerism as a chance for continuous learning.  She shows enormous delight in helping students find jobs. 

For her part, as a native of Lancaster, Ontario, Erin had to travel about three hours every day for 14 weeks for her work placement.  

For Erin, the road to her degree has been challenging, financially and logistically. 

Yet in the interview, Erin spoke with much enthusiasm of what she aspires to offer an organization, and not about the toll it takes to get a degree when life isn’t making it easy. 

Erin exudes optimism. She talks possibilities, not problems.   Optimism is not about shrugging off tough realities; it’s about taking control of events instead of letting them control you.

In The Harvard Business Review online, writer Jeff Kehoe addresses what happens when we don’t have enough optimism.   He writes, “Businesses don’t get created….Talented people don’t get hired …Good ideas wither on the vine… .”

At The Bagg Group, we have been talking to HR specialists and candidates for 40-plus years.  We hear every day that people are motivated by those who work and lead with optimism. 

Erin is well on her way to leading with optimism.  All of us at The Bagg Group congratulate her and wish her a stellar future.

Do you have an employee who would qualify for The Bagg Group sponsored HRPA scholarship award?

A candidate must be enrolled in part-time or full-time studies in the HRPA’s required academic courses.  We have sponsored the scholarship since 1989 to assist students financially so they may successfully complete their human resources studies.   

It’s been our pleasure to have helped so many terrific people, like Erin, become valuable contributors to the field. We look forward to keeping up the tradition for a long time to come.

The Bagg Group is currently recruiting Equipment Cleaners to work for a pharmaceutical company located in Stouffville. If you are interested, our door is open to come in and complete our registration forms!

When: Monday February 27 & Tuesday February 28 from 10:00AM – 3:00PM

Where: The Bagg Group Markham Branch, 3000 Steeles Ave East, Suite 100 (corner of Woodbine and Steeles)

Equipment Cleaning positions available!

Positions are located in Stouffville. $12.00-13.00/hr.
Must be able to work day, evening, and night shifts.

Requirements:
- Minimum successful completion of Secondary School Diploma.
- Familiarity with GMP and related SOPs would be beneficial.
- Good knowledge of Health & Safety procedures, including, OH&S Act & WHMIS.
- Good interpersonal skills with the ability to work as part of a high performance team.
- Excellent command of the English language, both verbal and written is essential.
- This position requires the ability to do heavy lifting.

Please bring with you:
- Your resume
- 2 Working references, Phone number/Contact Name or Letters
- 2 Pieces of Photo Id, Birth Certificate, Driver License or Passport.
- Proof of Grade 12 diploma or College/University- This is mandatory
*Note: You must also have a clear criminal background, and be able to pass a criminal background check. Please bring appropriate ID.

We look forward to meeting you!

At The Bagg Group, we know the value of creating a supportive work environment where collaboration and team spirit is fostered.  Having interviewed thousands of A-level candidates over the past four decades, we have seen how people remain committed to achieving great things at organizations that show they value their employees.

We live the advice we share with our clients.  At The Bagg Group, it’s everyday practice to pull together to help each other meet professional and personal goals.  We work hard as a team, and we celebrate as a team.  And this month, we grieved as a team.  

For all of us who work outside the home, many of our waking hours are spent at our workplace.  Sometimes, more waking hours than are spent at home. Colleagues become our daytime family – how often do we turn first to a colleague when we get a win or disappointment at work.

We lost a workplace family member when Andrene Graham was tragically killed on January 27, 2012. Clients, and candidates, who worked with Andrene Graham, a Senior Relationship Manager on Joanne Boucher’s team at Bagg Technology Resources, have joined us in feeling the loss. 

Andrene, like all of us, saw her job as being about making life better for people.  She never lost sight that matching a candidate with a company meant people had a person they could trust to do a terrific job, and a new employee had a terrific job that would make their days more satisfying. Andrene’s smile every time she placed a candidate was infectious.  

Grief, as we all learned last week, in the workplace comes with its own challenges.  For the outside world, it’s business as usual.  Commitment to clients can’t be put on hold. We don’t have the opportunity to bring the world to a stop while we come to terms with our loss.

At The Bagg Group, it was our time to discover what it means to really support each other and keep the lines of communication open, in good times, bad times, and painfully sad times.

Bringing in on-site grief counselors on Monday helped us give voice to our feelings and catch our breath. There was time-off to attend memorial services and a workplace wake at a Keg restaurant to celebrate Andrene’s life. 

We had a company-wide talk with the grief counselor Dr. Warwick Cooper later in the week with arrangements made for individual and small group meetings. We brought in a massage therapist to offer stress-relief massages. Finally, we made available company-sponsored, confidential, resources for support for anyone who wished. 

Andrene, a single mother of five, was always about helping others succeed.  In her name, we are starting an initiative that we know would have her blessing  — a scholarship fund for single mothers within the black community. 

As well, we continue to talk, to remember and to share.  Andrene brought a spark to the workplace that we treasure and will now keep alive in her memory, each of us in our own way.

In our time of grieving, all of us in The Bagg Group recognized what a workplace really is.  Work is what we do to meet our goals, but the workplace is a forum where we can exchange ideas, collaborate, count on each other to put our best selves forward, and create a history together.  

Our waking hours together is valuable time well spent.  That is what Andrene confirmed for us. 

When we have details of a family trust fund that directly and exclusively benefits Andrene’s children, as well as the scholarship fund, we will share the information. 

Interruptions are a fact of everyday work life. Between incoming email, texts, phone calls and a colleague stopping by for an impromptu chat, interruptions take up 28% of a knowledge worker’s day.  That’s the finding of a study by the US research firm Basex which also reports that interruptions cost US companies $28 billion in lost hours per year. 

It’s a hefty price to pay for often unnecessary email or unsolicited reviews on last night’s episode of CSI.  But there are also times when an interruption is helpful and contributes to productivity.

A job interview is a case in point. When candidates lose focus and talk too much, the biggest favour you can do for them is to interrupt.  

Yet many hiring managers say they’re uncomfortable cutting off an interviewee in mid-stride. However, The Bagg Group recruiters encourage their clients across the GTA to do just that when necessary.

Sometimes as an interviewer, you need to be blunt to be kind.  We know this from interviewing hundreds of thousands of candidates to successfully fill more than 57,000 full-time positions, contract opportunities, and temporary placements over 40-plus years.  

We have seen time and time again how common it is for people to digress or give too much information when asked about themselves. That’s why we always coach our candidates to stay on point, and be succinct.

It’s not surprising that people get carried away, given that an interview can feel like an exam.  And how many of us have answered exam questions by telling everything we could recall on the subject, in hopes of winning extra points. 

So while talking too much in an interview is understandable, it almost always backfires.  A real chatterbox can prompt just about anyone to check out of the conversation. For that reason, the nicest thing you can do for an interviewee is to cut off rather than cut out. 

Here are some tips from the interview experts at The Bagg Group for how to turn an interruption into a positive interaction.  

1. Identify whether the information is pertinent to you.  As you listen, ask yourself, “Is this important for my decision-making?”  If it’s not, cut in.
2. It’s not advisable to waste your time and patience waiting for the interviewee to take a pause. Instead, jump in.  The candidate will not be thrown if you thank them for their answer but say you must stop them there because you’d like to ask other questions, and you need to be mindful of time.
3. It can be helpful to tell chatty interviewees to bottom line their answers. A useful technique is to include the word “briefly” in your question. This alerts interviewees that you don’t want a lot of background.  
4. If the interviewee veers off topic, it’s beneficial to interrupt by reminding them that due to time, you’d like to focus on how they can relate their experience specifically to your team’s needs.

On the bright side, more challenging than having to interrupt an interviewee is coming face-to-face with a person who hardly says a word.    

Barbara Walters, who has interviewed almost every world figure over the past 50 years, reported that one of her worst interviews was with Hollywood movie star and director Warren Beatty.  “I asked him, ‘how are you?’  There was an interminable dead silence.  Finally he said, ‘fine.’” 

Now that’s a real problem interview.

In late December, Geoff Bagg, CEO of The Bagg Group, appeared on Sun TV’s The Roundtable with Pat Bolland to alert viewers to workplace needs and hot jobs for 2012.

For more than 40 years, The Bagg Group has been monitoring and anticipating the staffing needs of companies across the GTA.  We have been taking the pulse of the market for so long that we can spot trends as they form. 

Here’s a brief round-up of Geoff Bagg’s predictions for in-demand jobs this year across the GTA.

IT: 

At The Bagg Group, we constantly interview talented software administrators, developers and programmers to meet a demand that will only continue to rise.  

• Notes to share at the watercooler:  Last July, Apple announced that over 15 billion apps had been downloaded from its apps store.  There is no turning the clock back.  This number is expected to skyrocket.
• US research firm IBIS World  ranked e-commerce, internet publishing, and voice over internet protocol providers in the top 10 fastest growing industries and highlighted that all these share a need for IT specialists. 
• Moreover, as Geoff Bagg told interviewer Pat Bolland, in Canada, as around the world, there’ll be significant growth in quality assurance, data security and protection needs, particularly in health care and banking.  The data security analyst, who can anticipate and pre-empt threats to an organization’s information system, is going to be especially sought after, given concerns of data breaches and online attacks affecting operations, coupled with rapid growth in mobile devices and apps
• The findings of a global survey of 10,500 IT professionals, by International Information Systems Security Certifications Consortium — suggest that demands for IT security specialists will double as early as 2015.  The respondents also predict a gap in supply versus demand for qualified experts.

Business and finance: 

Events that led to the economic meltdown in the US continue to increase insistence on transparency in business globally, including Canada.  As a result, we know companies across the GTA will continue to seek auditors, accountants, and contract financial analysts / consultants  who are experts in ensuring adherence to good governance. 

As for business in general, this fall The Bagg Group saw a 25% increase in manager and director searches over the same period last year. We anticipate such demand will continue, particularly in the wake of retiring baby boomers.

• The Bagg Group recruiters concur with reports in The Atlantic that rank financial examiners as one of the top fastest growing careers.  According to the magazine’s research, jobs in this field will grow by 41% over 10 years.
• As Geoff mentioned on Sun TV and as we reported in an earlier blog,  there will be positions vacated as the first wave of baby boomers hit retirement age this year.  However, there are indicators that at least one-quarter of Canadian boomers plan to delay retirement, in part because of financial reasons and also because people are staying younger, longer.  It seems 65 is the new 55.

Health Care: 

 As the population ages, the need for health care providers grows. 

• In his interview, Geoff Bagg noted that US stats show 13 out of 20 of the fastest growing occupations are related to health care, and the situation is similar in Canada.

Communications:

Many of The Bagg Group clients — companies of all sizes across all sectors — use social media to connect and engage their target market.  We have no doubt organizations will continue to seek social media marketing experts who have know-how in multi platforms.  

• It’s no surprise to us that according to the Huffington Post, the term “social media” ranked number 10 on the fastest growing keyword in job postings. 

Trades:

Even though manufacturing is down, there are fewer people than before with expertise in various areas of construction and manufacturing, and we anticipate that as the economy strengthens over the next years, there’ll be greater demand than supply.

• Canadian colleges are saying that in the next two decades, 40% of new jobs will be in skilled trades and technologies.  
• Indeed, despite the downswing in manufacturing, The Bagg Group which      recently acquired Turn Key Staffing, is seeing steady demand for workers in the light industrial sectors.

The great news for 2012 is that we have the talent to take on the future. The Bagg Group recruiters know first-hand that there are excellent candidates for full-time positions, contract work, and temporary placements who are able and eager to rise to the challenges of the day.

To see Geoff Bagg’s interview, click here. Geoff’s segment begins at the 1:35 mark.

‘Tis the season to shake up the workplace and have some fun.  And according to The Bagg Group’s more than 40 years of meeting with the best talent in GTA, the ROP (return on party) is well worth the effort.

Yet, this year’s survey by the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) reveals nearly 39% of respondents will not be making merry.  At The Bagg Group, we believe that even in tough economies, the need to celebrate a seasonal event doesn’t change—although the way you do so might.

Having successfully placed more than 57,000 candidates in companies across the GTA over our history, we know that employees who play together are more inclined to stay together.

A party doesn’t have to cost much.  In fact, in the US, it has become trendy to have a bash on a shoestring.  According to a recent MNSBC network news report, this year’s fashionable corporate holiday parties are smaller, more casual, and with less alcohol than in the past.

It’s not the lavishness of the party that counts. It’s the thought. Holding a holiday party is a way to show appreciation for employees, and to encourage staff to meet each other as people, not job titles. A mixer between managers and all employees reinforces the fact that everyone at a company is pulling for the same team.  And the best way to get to know team-mates is to take some time-off to chat casually over eggnog about personal and family news, not just work-related tasks.

We practice what we preach. The Bagg Group is famous for its staff celebrations.  And HR professionals nation-wide agree that having fun at company get-togethers is time well spent. 

HR Voice reports that 81% of HR experts, polled by HRPA and the Canadian HR Reporter, believe a holiday celebration is important to the morale of an organization.

According to the MSNBC report, 68% of US companies polled this year say they’re holding a party for good cause. They made it through rough waters and now their focus is to motivate and retain the employees who survived with them.  

A holiday hoe-down, even if inexpensive and informal, is also a show of optimism.

While companies with recent layoffs want to show sensitivity, those which don’t even host frills-free gatherings must be careful that their decision doesn’t leave employees dispirited, and fretting about possibly darker times ahead.

Whether you’re planning a last-minute office party or wondering how to spice up your event when you don’t have a budget, here are three great tips:

If you can’t go company-wide, make it a departmental affair:  You don’t need an outside venue; many companies are now holding the holiday gathering on-site.

Santa is popular for a reason:  A Secret Santa gets people thinking about each other and is an automatic mood-lifter.  Some companies do theme-based Secret Santas, such as a “stress buster” or “home-made.”  It’s a good idea to set a $10 to $20 limit.

Our Team’s Got Talent:  Turn the party into a local talent show for a way for people to get to know and applaud each other. Your X Factor doesn’t have to intimidate, expand the ‘show-off’ categories to everything from singing to magic to baking to funny poems. 

There’s an energy that happens when people get together for no reason other than to have a nice time. That energy lasts even after the party’s over. 

Best wishes from all of us at The Bagg Group for a great celebration this holiday.

It’s no secret that finding a great job can be far from easy, but technology companies confirm that they continue to hire and are always on the lookout for qualified people to enhance their teams. Check out what the Globe and Mail has to say about these positive trends in IT hiring.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/business-technology/tech-firms-still-hiring-bright-spot-in-ugly-jobs-market/article2227898/

The Bagg Group held its Annual Breakfast Brief, Boomer Bust, with panelists Gary Burkett of Fedex,  Lynn Roger of BMO and Warren Bell of Omers.  The HR experts spoke about the implications of having an enormous percentage of workers approaching retirement age.

There are many myths about the older employee, and the panelists debunked all of them.  They said the notion that the older employee is less engaged and committed, and is working with one foot on the golf links, is simply not true. To the contrary, the boomer brings a strong work ethic and experience to the company.  

A 2009 Ipsos Reid poll showed that one-quarter of Canadian baby boomers plan to delay retirement in part because of financial reasons but also because people are staying younger, longer.  Those in their late 50s and  60s said they still feel energetic and interested in contributing to the workplace.

What’s more, forward-thinking companies are offering such flexible arrangements as reduced hours, special assignments, temporary work, job sharing, part-time work, consulting and telecommuting as an alternative to full retirement,.

The ultimate strategy for success, say the panelists, is to focus on employee engagement, across the board. Mentoring programs, leadership training, and multi-generational teams that allow people to learn from each other are powerful tactics to promote engagement.

In Australia, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has set up a website to dispel any concerns about hiring older workers.  The site uses facts and figures to make the case that mature workers are significantly less likely to resign, call in sick less often, and experience fewer work injuries.  

Australian studies show that mature workers deliver an average net benefit of $1,956 per year to their employer compared to the rest of the workforce – a result of increased retention, lower rates of absenteeism, decreased costs of recruitment and greater investment returns on training. 

 At The Bagg Group, recruiters focus on skills and attitude, not age, to match the right person to the right job.  The result has been more than 57,000 people placed successfully over 40 years.   The panelists urged the large audience to take the same approach.