The Bagg Group Blog

In a recent blog, we suggested building a summer enjoyment plan into the workday to keep employees motivated during the dog days of August.

Now, it’s time to plan a way to counter the post-holiday blues, which also can cause a dip in productivity and prompt employees to consider making a change, just for change sake.  

It’s no wonder.  Many of us spend all year looking forward to the warm weather and our vacation. With Labour Day comes the hard, cold awakening that summer is over. The idea of returning to our regular routine can be extremely demotivating.

The back-to-work blues is a universal ailment. 

• A recent study by the University of Manchester in the UK shows 76% of employees report stress levels are back to pre-holiday highs within a week of returning to work.  And the Monday morning after a holiday is a time of “greater depression” for the majority of employees, according to the study’s author Professor Cary Cooper.
• The Beijing Today newspaper reported that 35% of office workers between the ages of 25 and 40 in Beijing suffer post-holiday blues. 
• In Australia, Gordon Black, the executive director of Black Dog Institute, a world-renowned facility for mood disorders, says the back-to-work blues is like “putting a harness back on a horse after it has had a taste of freedom.” 

Fortunately, there’s a way to allow people to continue to experience ‘a taste freedom’, albeit creative freedom, on a regular basis. The staffing solution experts at The Bagg Group suggest offering employees scheduled time to daydream and hatch ideas. Some of the best companies in the GTA, and elsewhere, are doing just that.

Google is famous for freeing its employees for 20% of their time so they can pursue their creative ideas.  This break from regular work has resulted in such innovations as Google News, Google Earth, and new features for Gmail and Search. 

Long before there was Google, 3M was running a  “15% paid time to dream” program to encourage employees to come up with ideas for the company.  The pay-off? In 1974, during his daydreaming time, 3M scientist Art Fry came up with the Post-It Note.

Even if you can’t free employees for long, allowing an hour once a week, or even bi-weekly, to dream big can help people overcome the back-to-work blahs. 

The Globe and Mail reports that Columbia Credit Union, WA, gives employees a weekly “genius hour” to work on ideas or learn new skills.  During this hour, bosses answer their phones.  But another option is to hire temporary staff to take over such tasks. Some of The Bagg Group clients turn to us for that very reason.

Time-to-imagine can go a long way to fueling productivity by reminding employees that work can be a place of possibility and opportunity.  

As well, The Bagg Group recruiters, who have successfully placed more than 57,000 candidates over 40 years, confirm that such a program can help attract the best candidates.

As the saying goes, a change is as good as a holiday. Ensuring the occasional break from routine and change of focus can help charge an employee’s batteries all year round.

Want to increase your chance of getting top candidates interested in your organization? Tell them stories that capture the spirit of your company.

Facts, figures, and perks are important for candidates. But to truly hook people, you need to target their hearts, not just their heads.

And nothing makes a stronger impression on people than a story, as confirmed by Hollywood film-maker and entrepreneur Peter Gruber in his new hot selling book, Tell to Win: Connect, Persuade and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story.

Gruber argues that a story is the most powerful tool you have to move someone to action. He says he uses story to increase sales, motivate employees, and convince A-level talent to join his company, which recently co-produced the movie Soul Surfer.

 But not all stories are created equal. Gruber says “purposeful” stories, told to illustrate a vision, dream or a cause, are the great influencers.

At The Bagg Group, our staffing solution experts have first-hand proof that story-telling works. 

Having successfully placed more than 57,000 people over 40 years at the best companies in the GTA, we’ve detected many patterns.  We’ve seen that candidates who come out of an interview repeating anecdotes that show why a company is special typically have a high interest in working for it. 

That’s why we tell clients that sharing a story during an interview isn’t a waste of time. To the contrary, it’s a short-cut to making a connection between your organization and a possible employee. 

Whether The Bagg Group refers a top candidate for a full-time position, contract work, or temporary placement, we know that person hopes to feel a bond with the company.  And the bond begins with, “Let me tell you a story.”

Story-telling in this age of tweets and powerpoints isn’t old-fashioned, insists Gruber. Instead, he calls it the ultimate in “state-of-the-heart” technology and says it has the power to join people and organizations together fast and effectively.

The Bagg Group staffing solution experts offer these tips on how to tell your story to candidates:

• Prepare your story in advance.  What are the values, and culture, of your organization that you’d like the candidate to know? Think of an anecdote that shows these values and/or culture in action.
• Share your own peak experience, a favourite moment or story, about your work. Collect some of these stories from colleagues as well.  These moments provide great material that people can relate to.
• As you tell a story, ask questions to engage the candidate, and keep them as an active, rather than passive, listener. For example, ask “Do you remember when …?”  “Have you ever noticed that …?”
• The best stories typically follow a narrative arc of a beginning, a struggle, and a resolution.  When telling a story about your company, include the challenge so the listener will appreciate how your company resolves problems.

Facts can speak to what you are, but it’s your story that can reveal who you are and that’s what truly enthuses the best talent in the GTA.

Staying focused on work in the summer isn’t easy.   Most of us would trade in our office chair for a deck chair in a New York minute.   But the reality is many employees do put in desk time during the dog days of August.  This fact of life doesn’t need to foster grumbles and complaints.  To the contrary, summer is a great time to build spirit. 

At The Bagg Group, we have placed more than 57,200 people over 40 years.  With this breadth of experience, we know the happiest people on the job are those who feel appreciated.  This is true not only in the GTA, but worldwide.   A recent study by an American research firm, Retensa, shows 64% of people in the US who leave their jobs say they do so because they feel unappreciated.

One way to show people you care is to acknowledge that putting on a jacket and commuting to work in August isn’t on anyone’s “great things to do this summer” list.  But you can help make the best of it.  Our clients, the best employers in the GTA, often make a point of implementing summer enjoyment plans to sustain productivity and morale when everyone would rather be canoeing.  

The workplace experts at The Bagg Group share these tips for inspiring and motivating those who spend their August in the office.  You can’t move the office to the lake, but you can bring a little camp spirit into the workplace.

Organize a summer party:  At The Bagg Group, we have a hugely popular tradition of hiring a bus and taking all employees to cottage country on a Friday in August for a summer celebration that’s second to none. The shared experience of beaching, boating and barbequing bring staff closer together and recharge everyone’s batteries.

Encourage postings of summer events:   One New York firm reports employee appreciation of its summer list of updated free outdoor events which it distributes to everyone in the office.  Another company holds a weekly contest for the best suggestion for what to do in the city during the summer.

Take your meeting outside:  Consider holding one-on-one or small group meetings at a coffee patio if you can.  It’s a small gesture that acknowledges everyone’s desire to revel in the summer while we have it. 

Encourage outdoor lunches and ice-cream breaks:  Studies show that workplace productivity increases when people take an “outdoor recess,” even if it’s only 15 minutes.

Hold brainstorming sessions:  Typically, business can slow on Fridays and around long weekends when clients may be focused on speeding out of the office.  This can be a great time to get people together for a stimulating ideas exchange on how to improve services, products, or processes.   Again, doing it outside or with a round of chillers sets a relaxing tone for better blue-sky thinking and makes it an engaging summertime event. 

Finally, it’s useful to help people keep things in perspective.  Working in the summer is one thing, but having a tough summer job like many of us did in our teen years is another.  Even Donald Trump looks back and shudders at his long, hot summers spent collecting soda bottles to return for a deposit.  

Slate.com compiled a list of the most common summer jobs for teens and reports even those usually considered fun aren’t always a picnic.  Take lifeguarding. Writer Avi Zenilman says it involves repeatedly cleaning a pool, and worse,“Sunbun, sunburn, sunburn.”  

Sure enough, this serves as a comforting reminder that in this season of sunburns and mosquitoes, there are worse places to be than in a temperature-controlled workplace.  In fact, stock the kitchen with smores, a traditional summertime marshmallow and chocolate  snack, and August at work can start to feel a whole lot better. ?

Picture this: An IT manager and his boss are interviewing a promising candidate.  As the manager provides some background on the IT department, his boss rolls her eyes and says, “For heaven’s sake, get to the point, nobody has all day to listen to this.”   

And with just that one sentence, a good candidate may be ready to speed out the door.   

Some might grumble that the candidate is too easily scared away.  But not so.  According to studies, research on the effects of rudeness in the workplace shows that it negatively affects those who observe it as much as those who are a target of it.  

Second-hand rudeness is not unlike second-hand smoke, it can harm everyone in the room.  And candidates interviewing for full-time positions, contract work or even temporary placements seek out healthier environments.

A few years ago, management professors at University of Florida carried out an extensive study on rudeness.  They found when employees just observed a boss browbeating a subordinate, their level of performance decreased.  The study concluded: “Simply observing discourteous behavior can erode the ability of fellow employees to think creatively, solve problems and act as team players.” 

At The Bagg Group, we have 40 years of helping clients at the best companies across the GTA interview the top talent that we refer to them.   When our clients set up interview panels, we offer these suggestions. 

Have a game plan:  Before the interview, all those in the room should be clear about who will ask which questions, and who is tasked to give what information.  Everyone should be aware of the length of time allotted for the interview. 

The reality is you may be unable to quell the rudeness of an abrasive boss or colleague.  But with a game plan, they will know what to expect and can decide when to come and go during the interview if they are impatient to be doing other things.  

Give interviewees a heads up:  Candidates want to prepare for interviews.  It is helpful to alert them ahead of time if they’ll be meeting with a number of people, and to give them the names and roles of each person.  Like any business meeting, people want to know who will be at the table before they walk through the door.  

Role model:  At The Bagg Group, we hold a long track record for great placements.  That’s because we never forget that a good fit isn’t just about getting someone with the right skills.   

The person also needs the right disposition for the relationship to be successful.  The way the members of your panel interact gives the candidate a sense of how people work with each other at your organization, and whether your company’s inter-personal dynamics are right for them.

While the Donald Trump blunt style of leadership may result in good ratings for The Apprentice, it wouldn’t do much for attracting and retaining great talent in the GTA.  

Browbeating just doesn’t help with the bottom line.  As management professor Amir Erez who co-authored the study simply says, “ Being nice to people has a lot of advantages.”

This year, The Bagg Group celebrates its 40^th anniversary.   In four decades, there have been many lessons learned, as well as a lot of growth and innovation. 

But the best thing that we achieved over 40 years?   The great matches between more than 57,263 people and employers in the GTA.  That’s a lot of happy people placed.

To look forward, sometimes you have to look back.  Rewind to 1971.

Magic was in the air. The Habs made a stunning upset to win the Stanley Cup, Three Dog Night’s Joy to the World topped the charts, Walt Disney World opened in Orlando. 

And a man named Keith Bagg got the idea that anything is possible.  He set up Keith Bagg Personnel and with Mary Bagg as his partner, they decided to do things differently in the staffing industry -they would lead from the heart.

Today, this approach remains the DNA of our company. It guides our work with our own employees, our clients and our candidates.

What does leading by the heart look like? To qualify it, we could list our numerous awards that include: 

• Employer of Choice 
• Best Staffing Agency, as rated by candidates. 
• Best Staffing Agency for customer satisfaction, as rated by clients. 
• Community Service Awards

There’s no award for Best Staff Appreciation Days, but ours are worthy of mention.  We work hard, but we play hard because we know that having fun as a team makes the heart of a company beat stronger.

But in business, everything, at some point, must come down to the math.

And we’ve done the math.  Because we put our heart into our work and accept nothing less than a happy fit for both the candidate and the employer, we sustain our reputation for delivering the most engaged full-time candidates, temporary employees and contractors.

And this is where the math kicks in.  As our clients know from working with us, a happy, engaged employee is not an island of one.

Instead, when the right person is in the job, their positive impact is multiplied by 10 at least.  They inspire colleagues, family members, and people in their community.   We calculate that the work of The Bagg Group over the past 40 years has made a positive impact on hundreds of thousands of lives.

That is something to celebrate.  We look forward to placing many more happy people in organizations across the GTA, and to continuing the ripple effect that boosts business and spirits.

 A recent Belgian survey of 1,200 employees says loud and clear what many just mumble about …working alongside people from other generations can be irritating.

The study conducted by a recruitment firm in Belgium found that 48% of employees are annoyed by colleagues of another generation.  People over 30-years-old showed a greater frequency of irritation than those under 30. 

In our latest Ask a Recruiter blog for candidates, we noted that today’s workplace is a mish-mash of four generations:  Traditionalists  (also known as Greatest Generation) born before 1945, babyboomers, born between 1954 and 1964, Gen X, born between 1960 and 1980, and Gen Y, born after 1980s, who are also known as millenials. 

Each generation has its particular values, aspirations and approaches to work.  For hiring authorities who aren’t part of Gen Y, interviewing these candidates can be a whole new ballgame.

The reputation of Gen Y, fair or not, precedes them.  In a US poll of hiring managers and human resource specialists, 85% reported they believe this generation has a greater sense of entitlement. 

The survey showed the great majority of respondents think the youngest employees expect more flexibility at work, more personal time, faster promotions and more money than older employees.

It’s true Gen Y may have attitude, but it’s not all bad, says Ron Alsop, in his book The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation is Shaking Up the Workplace. 

Alsop says a characteristic of Gen Y is that they are “bred for achievement.”  As well, this group understands the wired world better than most and they’re born multi-taskers. They have much to offer the workplace.

At The Bagg Group, we have successfully placed people, of all ages, in all types of positions with the best companies in the GTA for more than 40 years.  We know that regardless of their birth year, every individual ultimately wants the same thing – to take pride in what they do.

Still, when interviewing Gen Y candidates, for either full-time position, contract work, or a temporary placement, The Bagg Group recruiters suggest keeping these four tips top-of-mind:   

Talk purpose:  Be sure to tell the candidate, in detail, how they can make a difference, and why this job is important to the company.  A paycheck isn’t the key motivator for these young workers; they want to know their efforts mean something. 

Set out a game plan:  Gen Y expert RonAlsop notes that it’s opportunity that attracts and retains the millenials.  Let them know what they can strive for.

Spell it out:  Make no assumptions.  What older employees take for granted, studies show that Gen Y doesn’t. Discuss the expectations of the company.  For example, these multi-taskers, who easily text while working, don’t necessarily know to park their cellphones during meetings. Similarly, if there’s a corporate dress code, explain why it’s in place. Typically, this generation needs to understand the reason behind the rule before they’ll respect it.

Welcome ideas:  They want to be heard. Let the candidates know about forums for sharing their ideas.  The best managers of Gen Y staff listen to their younger employees’ opinions, and let them have some say in decisions. 

These strategies don’t just favour younger employees.  At The Bagg Group, we know they work for everyone.

In fact, Gen Y’s insistence of having a voice is doing everyone a favour.  They are prompting greater communication and openness in the workplace.   And that is what, in the end, will keep people of all ages working harmoniously together. Studies show the only way to keep irritation to a minimum in the multi-generational workplace is to make sure people communicate.

Next time you walk into a Starbucks, take a good look at the barista pouring your coffee. He or she is one of the reasons why Starbucks is once again in growth mode, after experiencing a crisis in the recession. 

In his newly released New York Times best-seller, Onward:  How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul, Starbucks founder Howard Shultz details what it took to get his company back on track.  Largely, it required empowering employees in three areas: responsibility, autonomy, purpose.  At The Bagg Group we know those are the essentials for attracting, engaging and retaining top talent — whether the talent’s skill is pulling a perfect espresso or improving a supply chain or IT operation. 

Some may consider focusing on employees to be a less than surefire strategy for significant growth.  But those people don’t know what we do. After decades of speaking with clients across the GTA, as well as candidates looking for full-time positions, contract work and temporary placements, we know this to be a fact:  People’s efforts, talents, dedication and creativity are a company’s competitive advantage.   With facts and figures, Onward makes it clear just how much.

On Tuesday, February 28, 2008, Schultz writes that he went further than most to re-invigorate his frontline employees.  At the price of about $6 million in lost sales and labour costs, Schultz closed all 7,100 Starbucks in the US for three hours.  During that time, training took place to remind 135,000 baristas that with the perfect cup of coffee, they can make a difference in a person’s life.   

“If the barista only goes through the motions, if he or she does not care and produces an inferior espresso that is too weak or too bitter, then Starbucks has lost the essence of what we set out to do 40 years ago: inspire the human spirit,” Shultz explains.

The founder of the world’s largest coffeehouse chain writes that he recognized “….even more than perfecting our coffee, we had to restore the passion and the commitment that everyone at Starbucks needed to have for our customers.”

For Shultz, that meant giving employees the autonomy to take responsibility and make decisions to do right by the customer.  Since the training, every employee is empowered to throw out an espresso that they don’t believe is good enough, and start again.

Writes Shultz:  “Speaking to our people via the video, I had no script, just a heartfelt plea. ‘It is not about the company or about the brand,’ I said. ‘It is not about anyone but you. You decide whether or not it is good enough, and you have my complete support and, most importantly, my faith and belief in you. Let’s measure our actions by that perfect shot of espresso.”

The Bagg Group recruiting experts know that it’s that level of recognition and trust, combined with a company-wide pride in product, that candidates seek.

In its time of hypergrowth, the CEO of Starbucks said the company made the mistake of not focusing enough on its people.

All of us at The Bagg Group are delighted that Onward is making the case today that a company that pays attention to its employees is the one that people want to work for — and with.

One-third of the workforce has been hit hard by spring fever this year. 

At the end of March, the insurance provider MetLife released its ninth annual Employee Benefits Trends Study.  While the survey polled US organizations, the findings highlight trends that are sweeping across all of North America. Restlessness is happening in Ontario as much as elsewhere. 

In the MetLife poll, no less than one in three employees reported that they want to work for another employer in the next 12 months.

Loyalty to employers has been ebbing over the last several years.  The survey showed that three years ago 59% of full-time employees said they felt attached to their employer. But in the last quarter of 2010, only 47% reported the same devotion.  

In reviewing the study, Anthony J. Nugent, executive VP at MetLife, attributed the loss of loyalty to the legacy of “do more with less” demands placed on downsized workforces of the past years.

 At The Bagg Group, we get many calls from employees seeking new opportunities because they are worn thin by having to shoulder the workloads of those who were let go as part of a restructuring. 

Interestingly, it’s the highest performers who are more likely to shop for new opportunities in the GTA.  The MetLife survey noted the same phenomenon in the US.

After speaking with hundreds of A-level talent, The Bagg Group recruiters confirm that it’s never hard work that defeats the best employees. Instead, top talent look elsewhere when they are forced to devote too much time and energy to tasks that don’t require their skill or expertise.  As a result, they’re frustrated because they’re unable to focus on work at which they can make the most difference, and which offers learning and growth potential.  

Yet many employers appear unaware of the downward trend in loyalty.  About half (51%) reported that their employees feel the same strong loyalty toward them today as they did several years ago.

The reality is nobody can afford to take anybody for granted nowadays.  Loyalty isn’t a given, it needs to be fostered.  And with four decades of experience in best workplace practices, we know that the way to nurture loyalty is to open the line of communications between employees and their direct reports. 

The most effective solution to workplace frustrations always start to take shape during candid conversations between employees and their employers.

In the case of work overload, there is always an answer. The Bagg Group staffing solution experts work with organizations of all sizes, across the GTA, to create and fill new positions, hire experts on contract to take over projects, or bring in temporary placements to handle tasks.  The result is higher employee retention and greater productivity.

But we can’t emphasize enough that an employee-employer relationship is just that – a relationship.  And we all know that when two people in any relationship don’t communicate honestly and openly, at least one will dream about leaving.  So in these times when high-performing employees say they are dreaming about jumping ship, start talking about how to make the relationship work.

Sitting in a meeting with a group of people around a table can be intense, but it doesn’t match the intensity of a one-on-one job interview. 

People who interview candidates with regularity know how much energy and focus it takes to listen intently to assess whether the job seeker’s aptitudes and approach are the right fit for a particular position. 

That’s why at The Bagg Group we advise hiring authorities to do what we do, and take breaks rather than schedule an endless marathon of interviews. Tony Schwartz, in the Harvard Business Review writes, “Ninety minutes appears to be the maximum amount of time we can bring the highest level of focus to any given activity.” 

Many people break between interviews only to do some work, respond to emails, etc.  But according to productivity experts, scheduling in a short relaxation time is equally necessary.  It is in the down time that we are able to recharge our batteries.

What’s more, taking time off from tasks and letting your mind wander, or daydream, can also be helpful to the interviewer.  Jonah Lehrer, author of the book How We Decide, writes in scienceblogs.com that many scientists believe daydreaming is crucial for creative thinking.  It’s during our mental breaks that we reflect on social interactions and ask ourselves, “what if” questions.  

A  Wall Street Journal article reported that a recent study shows we spend about a third of our day daydreaming.  But our brain remains active during these supposed ‘idle’ times and often is engaged in complex problem-solving.  That could be why Newton came up with the law of gravity while strolling through an orchard and seeing an apple fall. He is one of hundreds of famous people who is reported to have experienced a major breakthrough while thinking of nothing much at all. 

At The Bagg Group, recruiters spend a large part of their days interviewing talent for full-time positions, contract work, and temporary placements.  But we recognize that the process of matching the right candidates with companies doesn’t always take place in the interview rooms.  Sometimes, recruiters say they get their greatest “AHA” moment when relaxing in the kitchen. 

Interestingly, the researchers found that people in a positive mood are more likely to experience an insight out of the blue.  That’s just one more reason for putting the stresses of the day on the backburner for a little while and enjoying a break between interviews.

And the 2011 Inavero goes to…

Some awards mean the world to people.  The Geminis, the Oscars….the 2011 Inavero Best of Staffing.

At The Bagg Group, we are delighted to have been named to the prestigious Inavero Best of Staffing Client List.  Presented in partnership with CareerBuilder, this is the only tribute of its kind to recognize client service within our industry. 

Fewer than 1% of staffing firms in North America make the list.   Our celebration on being awarded such an honour may not have rivalled the glitz of an after-Oscar party, but the cheering in our offices came close to breaking the sound barrier.

This recognition is especially meaningful as it comes from companies across the GTA for whom we find the right full-time talent, contract workers, and part-time placements.

We made the cut because the majority of our clients gave us a 9 or 10 out of 10 for excellence in customer service in an independent client survey conducted by the US research firm Inavero.  The company vigorously analyzes feedback from more than 300,000 clients and candidates of staffing firms in North America every year.  

Last year, we were thrilled to be named to the Inavero Best of Staffing List for service to candidates.    We acknowledged, at that time, that we excelled at matching people with companies largely thanks to our clients who candidly answer our questions about their needs, business goals, and organizational culture.

Those same conversations helped us win this year’s customer service recognition.   The comment of one client who wrote at the end of the survey,  “The Bagg Group understands our needs and business” was echoed repeatedly in the commentary of others.  

Across the board, from companies in every industry, we received raves for our quality candidates and for our quick, successful response to urgent needs for temporary placements.

In releasing this year’s Best of Staffing List, Inavero CEO Eric Gregg, said, “Staffing firms have helped to fill at least one quarter of the 93,000 new job opening up each month in North America over the past year.  Along with the increase in demand for talented job candidates, companies engaging in staffing firms expect impeccable service more than they ever have.”

Nobody sets the bar higher than we do for ourselves.  

We believe we’re able to attain exceptional levels of service because we work in the spirit of partnership with clients.  For 40-plus years that has been our trademark.   We aren’t going to stop now.   With our sights on another Inaverno for 2012, we’ll continue to wow our partners.