Holidays - PerkSpot

Employee Priorities You Don’t Want To Miss In 2023

Max Goldenberg December 29, 2022

Employee priorities have never been shifting faster than today, in the age of the Great Resignation and “quiet quitting”. Millennials and Gen-Z are starting to make their voices heard and failing to understand means losing out on essential talent! So, what trends characterize the changing workplace, and what are the main employee priorities shaping up to define 2023? Some requests are as simple as a shift in focus, such as…

1. A Renewed Focus on Mental Wellness

It’s no secret that Gen Z workers face greater mental health challenges than ever seen before, with the two year pandemic lockdowns having taken a disproportionate effect on their mental health. Younger workers in general are looking for workplaces that take mental health seriously. Employees want to have the hard conversations necessary to provide adequate support for anxiety, imposter syndrome, and other struggles.

2. Growing Enthusiasm for the Four-Day Workweek

Studies around the four-day workweek have ramped up in the wake of Covid-19, and the results to date have been overwhelmingly positive. Not only have many studies shown greater productivity, the four-day workweek is also a desired perk especially among younger workers. The concept of the four-day workweek is a rapidly growing employee priority that you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on in 2023.

3. Increased Flexibility around Hiring and Work Expectations

This trend is especially relevant for ‘front-line’ workers who have been denied much of the post-pandemic flexibility that’s been afforded to office workers, but increasing flexibility both for employees and as an organization will continue to be a major trend, and a factor that many workers are specifically pining for. Modern workers have made it clear that they’re interested in having control over their own schedules. This should extend to organizations seeking the agility to function at maximum efficiency while allowing employees the ability to maintain work/life balance through managing their own schedules.

4. Investing in Personal Relationships and Addressing Employee Burnout

Burnout continues to rise, and combined with mental wellness struggles in the digital era, managing it effectively will likely prove to be a key employee consideration going into 2023. More than anything, it’s become clear that burnout management requires a personal touch. Employees are looking for co-workers and managers that they can be comfortable and honest with, and trust that their emotional difficulties won’t result in citations or scoldings for reduced performance. Learning to approach stress and burnout with a gentle hand will become a key differentiator between high-turnover organizations and those that retain talent for years to come.

5. The Growing Power of AI and Automation

Automation and Artificial Intelligence continue to rise in relevance and practical use, with industrial robots seeing deployment from the factory line to the self-checkout aisle. Machine learning models and other innovative AI technology has recently proved its potential to disrupt even skilled labor fields such as coding and graphic design. While these tools are powerful, it’s up to organizations to deploy them in responsible ways, and that responsible deployment is likely to be an increasingly prominent employee priority moving into 2023; workers will be paying attention to irresponsible rollouts of automation that eliminate positions without recompense, and be expecting their employers to use these new technologies in ways that streamline their work instead of making it more difficult.

While priorities will vary from employee to employee, these key points will rank among the top concerns of global workers as we move into 2023. From mental wellness to robotic takeover, 2023 promises to be both an interesting and surprisingly optimistic year – presuming that organizations can tackle the chaotic landscape of the modern hiring market, assuage an exhausted workforce, and deploy new tools and technologies responsibly!

Check out PerkSpot’s Blog for more modern workplace trends, or schedule a demo if you’d like to hear more about how PerkSpot can help save your employees money and drive positive culture in your organization!

4 Budget-Friendly Gift Giving Techniques For Employees

Courtney Shipshock December 8, 2022

Finding the right way to say “thank you” to your employees during the holiday season can be stressful. But believe it or not, it doesn’t have to be. Not only will your employees feel appreciated, but gift giving is a great way to recognize their hard work and accomplishments over the past year.

We’ve laid out four tips and tricks to conquer this holiday season with gift giving techniques that don’t break the bank. Your wallet will thank you and your team will feel valued!

1. Keep In Mind That A Homemade Gift Is Just As Special

Sometimes when we think about gift giving it’s easy to fall into the trap of buying the next best thing or associating the amount of money spent with your gift’s value. In reality, there’s plenty of ways to show your team you care with homemade cards, blankets, cookie mix, ornaments, mittens, and so much more. It’s the thought that counts!

2. Remember The Importance Of Quality Over Quantity

Sometimes the best gift is the gift of quality time. Instead of unwrapping presents, plan to spend time together as a team. You could plan an event you’ll all attend, schedule a virtual happy hour with festive beverages, or even volunteer for a good cause with one another. Sometimes the best gift is the one filled with laughter and catching up.

3. Did Someone Say Company Swag?

One of the easiest ways to thank your employees is to set them up with some new company swag. There’s plenty of options including mugs, sweatshirts, phone cases, slippers, and so much more. Not only is company swag a great investment that promotes your company, but it also boosts company culture and brand recognition in the long-run.

4. Don’t Forget To Make It Personal When Gift Giving

A simple and effective way to give a gift that goes the extra mile is to incorporate personalization. Is there a coffee shop your team loves? Does your team enjoy grabbing lunch at a nearby restaurant? No matter what you decide, be sure to include a personal message reiterating your gratitude. It’s safe to say that a handwritten card will go a long way with your employees.

There’s plenty of ways you can recognize the hard work of your employees this holiday season.Thanking your team and showing appreciation will not only make their holiday more jolly, but it will pay off long term. In fact, a recent survey found that engagement, productivity, and performance are 14% higher than in those companies without recognition.

We’re here to help this holiday season. An employee discount program can make your gift-giving easier and less expensive, so you can focus on building a better business while keeping employees happy and engaged. Schedule a demo today to discover great deals on family fun time, new gadgets, last minute gifts, and more.

From all of us here at PerkSpot, happy holidays!

3 Simmering Ways to Make this Summer Special

Max Goldenberg May 19, 2022

With temperatures rising and flowers once more in bloom, we’re all breathing a sigh of relief as we finally head out of winter. But it might be a surprise that Summer is just around the corner! Dust off that company grill and get a head start on summer plans at the office with these three tips from PerkSpot!

1) Normalize Vacations for your Employees this Summer Break!

What would Summer be without Summer Break? Remind your employees that it’s getting close to the best time of the year to kick back and take a break. Encouraging regular vacations is an excellent way of sponsoring a positive culture!

The warm weather is perfect for finally making use of saved-up PTO, so encourage employees to use their time off and managers to lead by example. If you do, you’ll see a healthier and happier workforce – especially with a discount program to help employees save on all their vacation needs! Travel and vacations are one area where PerkSpot can help employees save armloads. With savings on everything from the flight to the hotel to the restaurants, PerkSpot can make vacations stress-free. If you’re interested in hearing more of the benefits PerkSpot can offer to employees, sign up for a demo today!

2) Use the warm weather to encourage wellness initiatives!

Healthy employees are happy and productive employees – it’s no surprise that physically and mentaly healthy employees call in sick less and show improvements in both focus and productivity. So why not introduce some health and wellness programs now that it’s finally feeling good to get outside? Biking is a fun and healthy way to see the local neighborhood and even city in a whole new way. Why not take steps to encourage it as the weather warms up?

Try setting up a bike-to-work challenge, for instance! Offer employees rewards for taking healthy transportation options rather than car or bus. For remote workers, virtual meditation sessions or community exercise (yoga or pilates are perfect) can be a great way to encourage employees to get moving! By starting positive health initiatives during this summer, you can help fuel healthy living year-round in employees. Healthy employees are happy employees, and you’ll see productivity boons as a result!

3) Focus on building a community with regular Summer events!

Ultimately, you want your work environment to feel like a community. Warming temperatures mean the perfect time for challenge courses or outdoor barbeques! While in-person events can be a great bonding experience, always be sure to consider your remote teams as well. Incorporate regular virtual events into the calendar, so those working from home can be part of your company culture! From trivia nights to beach parties, there’s no shortage of community events that can spice up your schedule.

Planning summer socials can help bring your whole organization together, and create a feeling of solidarity between teams; not to mention how much fun you can have with it! Hosting regular social gatherings, including virtual events, makes it much easier to maintain morale, especially amongst extra-motivated employees. Help cultivate a positive company culture while strengthening morale with some new event series this Summer!

This Summer is the perfect time to spice up your workplace with new events, healthy habits, and light-hearted socials. These help HR departments foster satisfied employees at both the enterprise and team level! With new social programs, encouraged vacations and an authentically upbeat attitude this summer, you can reduce turnover and encourage employee loyalty through the simplest means possible – making your organization an amazing place to work.

Faith & Spirituality Also An Important Part Of Workplace Inclusion

Courtney Shipshock April 28, 2022

A unique calendar alignment has occurred this year that only takes place approximately every 33 years. Easter, Passover, and Ramadan have overlapped, bringing a convergence of reflections for these communities. To recognize this, the PerkSpot team came together to discuss. The focus was around how faith & spirituality influences who we are and how we work. Our conversations included personal stories and breakout sessions. Both designed to unlock conversation on a topic that is often ignored or overlooked in our workplaces.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Discussing faith and spirituality can be a daunting and sensitive topic. Our beliefs are a core part of our identity and employees feeling excluded or unrecognized can be detrimental. Faith & spirituality, whether observed or not, is often highly influential in informing who we are, the choices we make, the way we interact, our aspirations, and our values. When considering DEI efforts, we think you should find opportunities to affirm the important role that faith plays in how your employees contribute in the workplace.

Recognize Your Employees Beliefs

It’s important to recognize and offer time away to practice each individual’s traditions and practices. Offering an open vacation policy or flexible scheduling allows employees to take the time to fully immerse in their practices.

Nadir Mian, Graphic Designer at PerkSpot, shared, “At companies with a designated limit to PTO, some people have to use their vacation for their religious holidays whereas others have time off for their religious holidays built into their schedule. Although accommodating for every religious holiday may not be feasible, extra days on top of the allotted PTO time should be available to those who witness religious holidays that don’t fall under the traditional corporate holiday schedule.”

Another way to recognize your employees is by holding company-wide events or smaller breakout groups. It allows the opportunity to reflect, discuss, and participate in sharing personal stories when comfortable. We don’t advocate discussions that compare or contrast belief systems. But rather, allow employees to share how faith has influenced who they are, their life experiences, and what’s important to them.

We encourage you to use this unique overlap of traditions as a reminder to recognize your employees’ differences in beliefs. Offer a safe, open working space that allows for exploration and recognition.

How to Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day Virtually

Courtney Shipshock February 25, 2022

Employees should be celebrated on a daily basis but why not celebrate them a little extra this Employee Appreciation Day? It can be daunting to put together a plan with a remote or hybrid work environment. Luckily, there are options available to make your teammates feel valued and appreciated. We’ve laid out simple, effective ways to make this year’s celebration, on March 4th a success!

Send a Personalized Thank you Card

What better way to let employees know you appreciate them, than directly telling them? There are tons of options, physical or digital, to show your gratitude and put a smile on your employee’s face. It may seem old school, but greeting cards are still a thing in the digital age, thanks to millennials. If you’re looking for ideas, Canva has a variety of templates to get you started.

Provide Lunch to Their Favorite Spot

With teammates scattered, make lunch plans simple with a meal delivery credit. Employees can select their favorites and schedule the delivery time. Coordinate it so everyone can to get together (virtually) and chat! Not to mention, PerkSpot offers discounts on a variety of food delivery services to save you time and money.

Attend a Virtual Class Together

With busy schedules, it can be difficult to find time as a team to strengthen your skills. Providing opportunities to grow is an important part of a successful company. Dedicate this Employee Appreciation Day to your team’s expertise! It doesn’t have to be work-related either, Udemy Online Academy offers plenty of course options to enjoy with your team.

Deliver Some Company Swag

When employees feel a sense of purpose at their job, as a result, they tend to be more engaged in their work. Show your appreciation with company-branded apparel, water bottles, or even a gift card to your company store. Improve employee experience by making your employees feel seen, valued, and appreciated. It’s an easy way to retain great employees and attract top talent.

In short, go the extra mile this Employee Appreciation Day and recognize the hard work of your teammates. No matter the environment, there are opportunities available to make your employees feel extra special. If you’re interested in taking your efforts further, fill out a form and see how PerkSpot can benefit your company.

Help Your Employees Keep Their New Year’s Resolutions

Courtney Shipshock January 8, 2020

After the ball has dropped and the confetti has fallen, it’s time to look forward to 2020. More importantly, it’s time to think about New Year’s resolutions. After all, the start of the year is a great chance to set fresh goals. But studies show that over seventy-five percent of people end up breaking their resolutions after only 30 days! Keep reading to learn how you can make your employees’ resolutions a bit more achievable.

Why Are Employees’ Resolutions Important to You?

But first, you may be wondering why your employees’ resolutions are of any importance to you. If they’re hoping to eat healthier or travel more, why should you worry about whether they actually accomplish it? It doesn’t matter if your employees choose to target personal or professional development in their goals – you’ll be impacted.

A healthier employee is also a more productive, engaged, and committed employee. Furthermore, accomplishing a resolution can give someone a real boost of confidence, which carries over into their work and demeanor. Plus, many of the popular resolutions are based on improving one’s health. You can guarantee that an employee who accomplishes a goal like improving their diet or exercising more often will actually end up costing you less as a company in terms of sick days, better performance, and lower insurance costs. Encouraging and helping an employee will benefit both the company and the employee in the long run! So give your employees an extra hand and help them beat the New Year’s resolution statistics with these easy tips.

4 Ways to Help Your Employees Accomplish Their Resolutions

Create a Clear Goal-Setting Process

To actually achieve a goal, it’s important that employees understand exactly how they plan on doing so. Help your employees model their resolutions after similar goals you’ve already helped them set in the workplace. For example, most professional goals follow the SMART goal setting concept, meaning they’re Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based. When you apply those qualities to a goal, it’s much more digestible and therefore, more achievable. If you create a resolution, that’s broad or incredibly difficult to achieve, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Encourage employees to break down resolutions by time periods, specific measurements, or steps, which will help keep them on track longer, plus it will give them small senses of accomplishment, so they can see results and keep working hard. Email your employees a template that lists out the SMART goal characteristics so they can fill it in themselves, or take it one step further and host a lunch and learn to refresh them on setting SMART goals.

Emphasize a Social Atmosphere

Studies have shown that announcing your goals and receiving positive affirmation and encouragement can trick your brain into already feeling accomplished, thus making you less motivated to work on them. But instead of simply telling your employees to divulge their resolutions to their coworkers or managers, you should work to create a community that offers support and togetherness within your workplace. There’s a good chance that many of your employees will have similar resolutions, both professional and personal, and sharing them with one another can help hold employees accountable and give them fellow coworkers with whom they can share their failures and successes and get tips and tricks for how to stay on track.

For example, consider starting a book club for those hoping to read more often, weekly workout group for the employees who want to hit the gym, or a recipe sharing group for those trying to eat healthier. Plan and encourage employees to participate in office outings to drum up more socialization. Even small things like creating a space in your office where employees can take short breaks and chat together over healthy, office-provided snacks like fruit will help them stick to their resolutions and share them with coworkers! Having someone go at it with you makes your resolutions a million times easier to accomplish.

Bring in the Experts

It’s likely that you’re not a definitive expert on something like fitness, financial wellness, and other popular resolution topics. But fortunately, the experts are out there! The best thing you can do for your employees is to find them and bring them in, so they can share their secrets on the best ways for employees to accomplish their goals. A benefit like this is sure to excite employees who are hoping to keep their resolutions intact, especially if they’re starting to lose their enthusiasm or drive, as it will offer a fresh perspective and give them new motivation to keep going forward.

Give your employees the chance to meet one-on-one or ask questions afterward so they can get tailored advice.

Give Employees a Financial Hand

Some of the most common resolutions include things like “Eat healthier,” “Go to the gym more,” “Travel more,” “Learn a new language,” and “Pick up a new hobby.” While those are all very commendable resolutions to achieve, they have one thing in common. They can tend to have major cost implications. If an employee is hoping to go to the gym more, that will most likely entail a gym membership. Plus, items like apparel and equipment could eventually be needed. If an employee wants to visit new places in 2020, they’ll need to pay for transportation, accommodation, and day-to-day costs. Unfortunately, costs end up playing an important role for many in achieving their resolutions. And even if your company is in the position to offer, for example, a discounted gym membership, you’re still failing to include the employees whose resolutions have nothing to do with that.

That’s why a free perks and discounts benefit might be what you’re looking for. Not only can you offer a discounted gym membership, but you can also offer discounts on travel, food, and more. With a benefit like PerkSpot, you’re not taking any money out of your own company’s pocket. Better yet, you’re still managing to put money back into your employees’ pockets!

There’s a reason that more than seventy-five percent of people who set a New Year’s resolutions eventually give up. They’re hard! Dedicating an entire year to improving yourself can feel like a frightening endeavor to begin, but you can make it that much easier for employees by making your workplace more resolution-friendly. Urge employees to come up with a plan for how they want to achieve their goals, bond over their resolutions, learn from the experts, and give them an extra push in the right direction with a perks and discounts benefit that will help them save on the products and services they need to succeed!

Why Your Company Should Participate in Giving Tuesday

Courtney Shipshock December 3, 2019

The table is cleared, the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals have come to a close, and it’s time to look forward to the next day on our schedule: Giving Tuesday! Keep on reading and we’ll get all of your pressing Giving Tuesday questions answered. Plus, learn how your company can participate in Giving Tuesday and other charitable activities this holiday season.

What is Giving Tuesday?

Created in 2012, Giving Tuesday began with the idea that there should be a day in place dedicated to the act of doing good and giving back, especially as the holiday season officially begins. What started as a small idea has snowballed into an international day of charity. Last year alone, over $400 million was raised in online donations. That’s not even counting the hours put in volunteering and giving back in other ways! If your company isn’t already taking part in Giving Tuesday, it might be tough to do so this year. But you can still learn about the date and its importance, as well as participate in other charitable activities. Check out 3 reasons why charitable giving as a company is so vital, and how to get started immediately!

Why should my company participate?

Fortifies Company Values

Remember those company values you created a long time ago … and then promptly forgot about? Giving Tuesday, and other charitable days and acts that fall under that umbrella, are a great way to remind your employees of the values your company stands on. And if your values happen to be a large part of your company and how it runs, what better way to emphasize them than a day solely dedicated to giving back?

Boosts Morale and Engagement

Despite the exciting nature of the holidays, you probably know hard it can be to engage your employees at this time of year. Between stressing about holiday finances, battling off illnesses, and juggling work responsibilities, it can be a difficult time of year for many employees. A day like Giving Tuesday is the perfect solution, as it reminds them of one of the true reasons for the season, which is to give back to those in need! Not to mention, an employee is more likely to respect and appreciate an employer who takes part in and encourages charitable acts like donations and volunteering.

Strengthens Community Relations

One of the best things about participating in Giving Tuesday, and other, similar philanthropic days, is that you can do it in any way you see fit. One of our favorite ways? Picking a particular charity (or maybe a few) that are near and dear in more ways than one. Finding local charities that support your community and partnering with them means you can give back to the local neighborhoods that have helped get your company to where they are, perhaps through cleaning up the area, improving local schools and parks, or lending a hand to your favorite small business nearby.

How do we get started?

Visit Givingtuesday.org

Now that you understand the importance of a holiday like Giving Tuesday, it’s time to figure out how you can get your company involved! You can find inspiration for giving back, either as an individual or an organization, on Giving Tuesday’s own website: givingtuesday.org, which contains several helpful resources. If you’re unable to develop a full plan for ways your organization can give back, simply send the Giving Tuesday link to employees and encourage them to research ways they can give back on their own.

Survey Employees for Suggestions

If you’re hoping for full participation from your employees, the best thing you can do is ask for their input. Using your company’s communication method of choice, take a poll or run an anonymous survey. This allows employees to make their own suggestions on how your company can best funnel its efforts. Employees might have great intel on local charities or important people to get in touch with. If not, they can still offer ideas that they’d love to participate in themselves!

Host Your Own Giving Campaign

While some companies may opt to have a local charity guide the majority of their charitable giving, others may want to organize their own giving campaign that they can control. If this sounds preferable to you and fits your company’s model and culture, give it a swing! Need some inspiration? You can host a food, toy, or coat drive! If your company hosts a regular gift exchange, try shaking things up this year and encourage employees to donate instead. Then, offer to match the value of any gifts donated to incentivize them!

Host a Day of Volunteering

Some companies and employees may choose to compile donations or collect money to donate to their chosen charity. Others prefer to do their part by actually getting their hands dirty and volunteering themselves. If you think this fits with your company, find a local charity that’ll benefit from your company’s help. To achieve maximum employee participation, schedule and organize a paid day of volunteering where your employees will volunteer together! Not only are you giving back to the community, but your employees have the chance to bond and get to know one another outside of the office.

Charity is incredibly important, no matter what day it is. But today of all days, make sure you take a look at what your company does to give back. If you want to do more, try implementing one of these suggestions during the upcoming holiday season! Happy holidays!

5 Employee Gifts That Aren’t Bonuses

Courtney Shipshock November 20, 2019

Sometimes, it feels like we were just celebrating the Fourth of July and then we blinked and it’s the holiday season! As the end of the year approaches, HR professionals are hard at work filling their offices with holiday cheer. And the one thing that’s at the top of many lists? Employee gifts!

And while 94% of employees in a recent survey said they want some form of seasonal gift, remember that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bonus to make your employees feel valued and appreciated. Plus, for many companies, a unique employee gift aligns more closely with the company culture. Check out some out-of-the-box options that will have your employees smiling for the rest of the year!

Holiday Party

What better way to celebrate the end of the year than a company-wide holiday party? You may be thinking of the costs associated with something like this. However, it’s possible to keep a holiday celebration under budget! If possible, utilize your own office space and suggest a potluck, encouraging employees to bring in their favorite dishes to share with their coworkers. You can even hold a gift exchange like a Secret Santa or White Elephant – make sure to include a modest value for the gifts so employees don’t feel pressured to spend big bucks on anything. This is a great way for your employees to get together outside of the normal work hours and celebrate the holidays!

Extra PTO

According to a recent survey, almost 30% of employees said what they’d most want from their company is a few extra hours here or there to spend with their loved ones. As a holiday gift, offer employees an extra vacation day or close the office slightly early leading up to the holidays as a special treat. Work tends to slow down as the quarter comes to a close, so you likely won’t experience a strong impact in output, and you’ll have some happy coworkers who return from their holiday refreshed and ready to get back to work.

Charitable Donations

You know what they say – this is the season of giving! So why not give back on behalf of your employees as their gift? You can make a small (or large!) donation to the charity of your employee’s choice in his or her name, or choose a few options and give them the choice. Bonus points if you pick charities that give back directly to your local community! Not only are you paying it forward in a big way, but your employees will appreciate your charitable thinking. If you want to make it a bit more personal, you can even schedule a day of volunteering at a local charity where your employees can give back themselves.

Productivity Gifts

For some employees, there’s nothing better than unwrapping an actual, physical gift. Make it a win-win and seek out gifts that your employees will love and you can enjoy as well. For example, do you ever hear of employees complaining of bad backs or sore wrists due to typing at their desks all day? Give them a new ergonomic keyboard or chair! Is your sales department dying for branded apparel they can wear to important client meetings? Try presenting them with a branded polo or vest! These are gifts that they’ll enjoy and use, plus they’ll appreciate knowing that you’ve heard their requests throughout the year!

Rewards & Recognition Dollars

Sometimes, a monetary gift really is the way to go! But instead of simply writing your employee an impersonal check, why not use your Rewards & Recognition program to say happy holidays? Not only can you customize it by including a personal note of gratitude and appreciation, but it also gives your employees the opportunity to redeem for a gift card for a number of different stores! Whether they want to treat themselves to something special or use it to help them for holiday gift-buying, rewards and recognition credits give your employees the freedom to buy what they want and the knowledge that they’re being recognized for a job well done. Want to learn more about rewards and recognition programs? Get started here!

Holiday gifts can be a tough thing to navigate, as you want to reward and recognize your employees, but still find something that feels unique to your company and culture (and doesn’t break the bank). Try any of these options and you’ll have some happy employees!

The Recruitment Resolution Every HR Professional Should Make This Year

Courtney Shipshock January 3, 2019

According to an article by Entrepreneur, January marks the beginning of a highly active hiring season. Job seekers are putting the finishing touches on their resumes and signing up for every career fair and job alert under the sun to find their perfect position. But what are you doing to find the perfect candidate?

If you’re an HR professional, you probably know it’s shaping up to be a tough season for those filling job openings. If you want yours to be a success, here’s the resolution you should be making this new year:

This year, HR professionals should be thinking like marketers. How can you do this? Here are a few ideas for finding the marketer within:

1. Use Social Media

We all know that social media can be a great tool for communicating with clients and customers, but it’s beginning to make its way onto the recruitment scene as well. Almost 60% of employees said they found their current position with their company through social media. And why not? It’s a cost-free and effective method of finding candidates for a position that you might have never encountered otherwise. If you aren’t using social media platforms to seek out new hires, make 2019 the year when you start!

2. Find Employee Advocates

A great recruitment strategy should let your company culture shine from the inside out. Your company most likely already markets the products or services they offer. This year, up your game by having employees act as brand ambassadors, speaking on reasons why they love working at your company. Create a strong network of individuals who will both fit into your company’s culture, as well as add to it. Place a strong emphasis on your values and mission statement in the job description.

3. Reach out

You can’t expect job applicants to do all the work. In 2019, we aren’t posting a job opening and waiting for applications to pour in. Instead, we’re putting in the work to find the candidate that is just right. Just like marketers use their content to engage potential leads, you can do the same for potential job candidates. Do your research and understand exactly what individual candidates are looking for in their future role, and then show them why you can offer those things.

In 2019, put your efforts towards attracting the top talent. Get in touch with your inner marketer, and it’ll be a breeze!

2019: What’s In and What’s Out

Courtney Shipshock December 27, 2018

As we cross off another day on our calendar and inch closer to the end of the month (and year!), we’re taking some time to look back on 2018 and beginning to prepare for 2019. We saw quite a bit of change this year in the HR world. A new year means new trends we can use to guide our projects and plans in the workplace. Check out some of the trends we’ll take with us from 2018 and the ones we’ll leave behind.

Leave: Employee Engagement

Take: Employee Experience

In 2018, we spent hours developing programs and testing approaches for engaging our employees – and for good reason. A study found that companies with highly engaged employees outperform their lesser engaged counterparts by 202 percent! We know that engagement is a vital part of productivity for our employees, but in 2019, we’re kicking it up a notch. Engagement should be only one element of a larger concept: the employee experience. This is not just engagement levels, but how companies do culture, benefits, dynamics among employees, and rewards and recognition. (Hint, hint, we can help with that one!) In a year where the employee has the control, create a fantastic employee experience for them and you’ll see the reward.

Leave: Physical Wellness Programs

Take: Holistic Wellness Programs

Any type of wellness program you’ve created for an employee will be appreciated, but in 2019, we’re leaving wellness programs specifically for the body behind. Instead, we’re replacing them with a more holistic approach, which gives equal mention to mental, physical and financial wellness, all of which are vital to creating a wholly healthy employee. To do so, have some meaningful conversations with your employees. Take time to understand what they want out of a wellness program and commit time and effort to find the ways you can fulfill their requests.

Leave: 9-5 Schedule

Take: Flexible Schedule

The 9-to-5 schedule trend has been on its way out for a long time, but in 2019, we’re giving it the final boot. As we ring the new year in, we’re saying hello to flexible schedules, a trend which is here to stay. This means giving new mothers and fathers the time off that they need to welcome their little ones to the world, and then recuperate from doing so. It means creating work-from-home opportunities for those who prefer to work from the couch every once in a while. It means being flexible and adaptable to your employees’ needs, which in turn can reduce turnover, absenteeism, and tardiness for the employer! According to a 2018 Global Talent Trends study, 71% of thriving employees say their employers offer a flexible work schedule. In 2019, expect this number to rise. (And make sure you’re one of those employers!)

Leave: Culture Fit

Take: Culture Add

In 2018, we talked a lot about company culture. What it is, how to create and improve it, and how to find employees that fit into it. In 2019, we’re not worrying about employees that are a culture fit; instead, we’re focusing on finding employees who add to our culture. It’s natural to feel an inclination towards those who are similar to us. However, in only hiring employees who fit into an already established culture, we lose the opportunity to diversify and evolve our culture. A better workplace seeks out employees who can bring along new ideas and beliefs that will stand to enhance a company’s culture. Doing so will a unique viewpoint that wouldn’t have been present otherwise. Keep this in mind in 2019 as you begin the recruitment and hiring process!

2018 was a great year – we opened our minds to new ideas and possibilities in the HR landscape, and they paid off. It’s time to close the books on this year and begin preparing for the next. Make sure to take these new trends with you, and it’ll be another successful year!