March, 2011

Vital Business Solutions Newsletter

WORKFORCE PLANNING

 

With Spring comes renewal, new beginnings, and growth!  If your workforce (all the people working in the company) is growing this Spring, then there are important considerations and important steps to take to grow your workforce.  Workforce Planning is the assessment of your current workforce content and composition issues used to determine what actions must be taken to respond to future staffing needs.  

 

Implementing a new project calls for additional resources, including human resources tools. How successful you are with staffing your business with qualified employees depends on your workforce plan. Below are suggested steps for planning for your workforce:

  1. Make sure your staffing plan aligns with the goals of the contract.
  2. Forecast the future structure of the workforce.
  3. Identify workforce requirements to meet the contract's needs; review scope of work carefully; develop effective job descriptions; and establish hiring criteria based on the job descriptions.
  4. Assess the internal workforce and look for opportunities to transfer or promote existing employees.
  5. Conduct competitive landscaping; know the labor market; scan both internal and external environments to identify barriers to successful hires.
  6. Know the key legislation affecting employee rights; this is required from analyzing your workforce, to advertising a new job opportunity, to interviewing, and hiring and testing candidates.
  7. Familiarize yourself with the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), visa statuses, I-9 requirements and the documents that establish identity and employment authorization, E-Verify and any other requirements for you to remain compliant with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
  8. Establish an organizational profile or prepare a workforce analysis.
  9. Ensure a safe workplace for all employees; develop or acquire training materials to address corporate compliance, workplace harassment, and information security.
  10. Establish a recruitment strategy, retention plan, and even plan for employees  to exit the company.

To summarize, plan carefully and gather data to accurately forecast in order to sustain the the contract goals. Workforce planning is an in-depth process that must be approached with diligence and awareness. We can assist you with Workforce Planning, if you need help with planning for your new workforce. 

 

The Recruitment Process: Steps For The Small Business Owner

Strategy. Source. Screen. Selection. Start

 

The recruitment process needs to be established and communicated to everyone partaking in the process prior to the beginning of any pre-hire actions. When there is a team working on recruiting candidates, each person may play a different role in the recruitment process.  Often, business owners begin at the sourcing stage and make up a process as they go along... and never document it, forcing them to start anew with each new need for an employee. Throughout the process, it is imperative to recruit with considerations given to federal, state, and local laws and regulations.  Below are the five stages of recruiting that will help bring order to filling a position with the most qualified candidate.

 

Strategy

Begin with the date-of-hire in mind. The steps that take a candidate through the process from sourcing to date-of-hire begin here. Decide whether you will use internal recruiters or utilize external vendors or agencies. Ensure the job description is complete, accurate, and lists all of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. If not, develop one... the job description drives the types of candidates that you will receive. Consider environmental barriers and how to remove or work around them. Plan to market the position - Target your market. For whom is this job great? Identify what is in it for the jobseeker. For example, ask yourself: What is attractive about this job? What are the growth opportunities? Develop a plan to work with human resources, finance, and legal, as appropriate throughout the recruitment process.

 

Source

Identify sources to find active and passive job seekers, which include but not limited to online job boards; newspaper ads; niche and professional sites; social media networks including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter; networking; direct mail; and cold calls. Creativity is key when searching for candidates.

 

Screen

Prior to bringing in a candidate for an interview with the manager, the recruiter reviews the resume, and phone screens the candidate. Some employers may administer skills and/or integrity tests at this point. Having a recruiter or a third party vendor screen the candidate allows the hiring manager time to focus on other business matters. It cuts down on both  the candidate's and the manager's time, if candidates are pre-qualified before being invited for an in-person interview. To be fair, it is important to screen all candidates in the same manner. For example, if you administer skills tests for a certain position, then all candidates for that position should receive the same skills test.

 

Selection

At this stage, it is likely that the candidate has completed a job application form, which is usually done online these days. Analyze the application thoroughly. Some employers who use a web-based applicant tracking system, prefer to have the candidate complete the application after a contingent offer has been made. On a whole, the selection process also includes interviewing, drug screening and background investigating.  The candidate will receive a contingent offer or an employment offer, depending on the successful outcome of the pre-employment screening.

 

Start

Once all areas of the pre-employment screening come back successful, the candidate is then hired. The candidate is notified of her/his onboarding and assimilation process, and training is coordinated. Before the first day, the manager should call to welcome the new employee to the company, ensure a prepared workstation, and set up needed equipment. On day one, give a warm welcome to your new hire and introduce him/her to team members and others as applicable. It is a good idea to follow up at certain intervals to make sure the new hire has acclimated to the new work environment and understands the job expectations.

 

Spending the time up front to hire the best person for the job reduces turnover rate. Employee turnonver cost the company money and puts the contract at risk. In addition to the hiring process, the first day experience goes a long way in helping to seal that new work relationship. Wishing you success in growing your workforce!

 

 

HAPPY CLIENT!!  

 

"Vital Business Solutions has provided a high level of quality for the work performed for our company.  Our staff has grown to understand VBS' standard of excellence to demonstrate accountability and produce outcomes that far exceeds the normal.  VBS has provided oversight management, staff development training and project design services.  I highly recommend this company to others in need of improving their organization."

 

Curtis Watkins, President & Founder

LifeSTARTS

 

Hennrietta Smith, President
Vital Business Solutions, Inc.

202-832-1388

www.vitalbusinesssolution.com

The information provided in this newsletter is for awareness only and not intended as legal or tax advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and/or tax or payroll professional on legal and tax matters.
                                  � 2011 Vital Business Solutions

Is your Employee Handbook still relevant for 2011?

We can help you
with your
Policies & Procedures Manuals
VBS can update your Employee Handbook and HR forms.  An Employee Handbook identifies management's objectives, outline company rules and regulations, and identifies the company's expectations.  

Let us know if you need the following documents:
�    Employee Handbook
�    Policies & Procedures Manual
�    Human Resources Forms
�    Job Descriptions
Get everyone on the same page!