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Staffing Insights: Industry Consultant Amy Bingham on Staffing and Recruiting Trends Driving Business Decisions

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The latest numbers are in and everyone is talking: The use of contingent labor is growing in force and workers and their employers are becoming increasingly comfortable with the change. This trend is causing more businesses than ever to invest in the services of staffing professionals equipped with the most advanced recruiting software.

We have Amy Bingham, managing partner and staffing industry consultant for Bingham Consulting Professionals, LLC, speaking with us today about the recent developments in the sector.

The increasing trend of contingent labor
News reports celebrating the increase in hiring are common. However, unlike in previous decades when the nation was recovering from an economic slip, the positions being created are not necessarily permanent, salaried work. Reuters reported that three out of four of the nearly 1 million hires made in 2013 were for part-time positions. This number represents a great opportunity to ensure that recruiters are as efficient as possible with the right recruiting software.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of adults employed part-time was 8.2 million in July 2013. While part-time and contingent labor are different, the increases in both categories indicate a growing trend toward greater employment flexibility in the marketplace.

“I think that one trend [in the staffing industry] is the increased use of contingent labor. The increased adoption of contingent labor services by employers is the result of skittish hiring due to the economy. This has resulted in a sluggish jobs picture, unemployment rates that remain stubbornly high and consumer confidence levels that are up one month and down the next,” said Bingham. “The adoption of the ACA is also increasing costs associated with hiring. All of these factors weigh heavily on employers and when they have the option to shift those costs to staffing agencies they do so, which has boded well for the industry in the past few years.”

Bingham continued on to say that “the staffing industry remains strong, but it is moderating. Most of the national firms have announced their revenue increases over the prior year are down in the low single digits. There is some leveling off, but that is to be expected relative to the wave the industry has been riding for the past few years.”

The adoption of managed services impacts the recruiting industry 
The increased use of contingent labor is not the only trend Bingham sees impacting the staffing industry. According to her observations, the widespread use of management services is also changing how business is conducted and the staying power of the staffing industry.

“Another trend impacting the industry is the widespread adoption of managed services and vendor management services, which continues to exert downward pressure on industry margins,” Bingham said. “I think that employers will continue to rely on the staffing industry to manage their labor costs. [It could be more cost-effective], for example, for a company to break one full-time position into two part-time jobs. I believe businesses will look to creative solutions to manage rising labor costs.”

Generational reactions differ on the switch
Like many things regarding the workplace, the different generations will have mismatched opinions and reactions to the growing presence of contingent labor.

“We will likely see more work being parsed out in contract type positions and project roles, and an increase overall in part-time employment. For an employee that is accustomed to holding a full-time job, it could be challenging to adjust to the evolution to more part-time work,” said Bingham. “I think that generally, Gen Y is not skittish, they are typically very confident and they look to work as a series of experiences. Instead of expecting to hold one full-time job for 20 years – they are much more open and will embrace the changes associated with an increasingly contingent workforce. Aging baby boomers who are looking for more flexibility will embrace this type of work as well. Gen X could be challenged as this group is in the throes of raising families and therefore will be more inclined to seek the stability of full-time employment.”

Changes in the marketplace impact staffing firms
All of the trends previously mentioned are impacting staffing professionals, but mostly on the reactionary front toward employment. However, in the recruiting world, agencies are also changing processes by increasing consolidation. One of the best ways to consolidate is utilizing the right recruiting software.

“I think we are going to continue to see more consolidation among staffing firms and more short-lists of preferred suppliers within their customer base which will increase competition,” Bingham told us. “In the next few years, we will likely see margin compression in professional staffing sectors that haven’t experienced this to the same extent the commercial staffing sector has. We are already seeing this in healthcare, and in industries like accounting, finance and IT. As a result, staffing firms will have to get smarter about how they deliver their services, using technology for virtual delivery models so that they can drive down their costs and reduce delivery costs.”

She continued on to say that “within staffing organizations, more staff training will be required as the market continues to change and the way they talk to buyers of staffing services requires adjustments to effectively take their message to market.”

The importance of selling the staffing service
As employers continue to tighten their figurative belts, it’s important for staffing agencies to perfect sales and operations tactics to gain clients and prove to customers the value of the service. By implementing the right recruiting software, staffing agencies are able to create value to pass onto their customers.

“The staffing industry understands first-hand how the employment landscape is changing, and it is more expensive to employ people today than in the past,” said Bingham. “[It’s therefore important to] craft the right message on a sales campaign and package that message correctly. Staffing firms will need to package their value propositions and take the company message to market in a way that resonates with employers.”

The recession taught many businesses how to make do with less and how to increase efficiency. As a result, it is the job of a staffing agency to prove how services can reduce operational expenses in the long term and show a return on investment.

“A staffing firm can be a significant enabler of workforce management for employers – even more so today,” Bingham said.

Four Tips for Staffing and Recruiting Sales Team Success

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Sales Teams benefit with Bond Staffing Software

How do you go about developing a high-performance sales team?

It’s a challenge that many team leads in staffing face on a regular basis. One solution to this issue is handled at the organizational level with seminars or workshops that produce short term results but may not deliver meaningful long-term change. What is often missed is the powerful long-term impact of a strong coaching culture.

The performance impacts of coaching are a well-researched topic across a number of functional areas. Studies have shown that a strong internal coaching culture will increase employee satisfaction, performance, and retention. Given all of the benefits, it’s surprising that many staffing and recruiting firms don’t spend more time coaching their sales teams.

So what can you do to create a strong coaching culture and in turn improve your teams’ performance? It’s easier than you think:

First, you need to have a PHD.

No, it’s not what you think. By PHD, I mean you need to have ‘pig-headed-discipline’. Whatever path or system you put into place, you need to have the discipline at the management level to remain consistent and follow through. There is nothing worse than getting your team fired up about a new initiative only to forget about it two weeks later.

Second, focus on the numbers.

Any coaching effort in the sales context has to focus on the internal metrics. Your sales metrics will provide the foundation for the discussion. Having that foundation allows you to have a conversation about how you can help your team reach their individual and team goals. That’s what a good coach does; they help put their team in a position to succeed.

Third, be careful with contests.

Often, we think that the best way to boost performance is to have a sales contest. There is a lot of evidence that creating a contest-driven culture actually diminishes teamwork and in the long run won’t improve aggregate performance. As contests that focus on individual results can often lead to conflicts, set up contests that encourage team goals and rewards.

Fourth, be opportunistic.

Don’t think in terms of once-a-week meetings. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to coach and lead every day. Your efforts to create a coaching culture should be both a planned and spontaneous exercise.

These are just four of the things that have been successful for me. There are tons of other ideas and approaches that could work for you. The key thing to remember is to be consistent and use an “all-hands-on- deck” approach. Make sure to incorporate both planned and unplanned methods and certainly leverage your staffing and recruiting software technology to help deliver the message and the metrics. What’s worked for you?

 

Bond’s new AdaptSuite Sales Studio can help your sales team perform better by helping them plan and execute winning sales strategies faster and easier!

RESERVE your seat to attend a special AdaptSuite Sales Studio Webinar on December 4th at 2:00 PM EST

 

Staffing Insights: Mike Cleland, Staffing Industry Operations Consultant, on “Driving Excellence” Via Recruiting Software

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The staffing industry is quickly adapting to meet the changing needs of modern businesses by altering operations and increasing the use of modern technologies like recruiting software. As employment trends continue to impact the recruiting sector, professionals experienced in staffing will find that learning to maneuver and meet clients’ needs in the evolving marketplace may require different things than in years past.

Mike Cleland, founder of Charted Path LLC, and author of the book titled, “Behind the Wheel: Driving Excellence in Staffing Operations,” recently sat down to talk with us about the changing state of the staffing industry and how having the latest recruiting software really makes a difference.

Greater adoption of contingent labor
While it’s no surprise to staffing professionals that there has been increased reliance on contingent labor than in past years, it is important to note that not every industry is using these forces in the same way or frequency. Professional services like IT and healthcare are using contingent labor in a much different way than clerical or administrative services.

“I think the [greater adoption of contingent labor] is impacting different segments in different ways. In the IT staffing area I do think that more consultative staffing companies will be providing greater and greater value as the labor market continues to tighten. In contrast, high volume transactional staffing firms may struggle as the readily available talent pool continues to shrink,” said Cleland. “This is certainly anecdotal, but from an IT perspective, from what I’ve heard, there is more work coming back from offshore companies. If that is the case then there will be more projects and more project-based jobs that have a beginning and an end. Contingent workers will be the answer to this employment situation if that is going on.”

As the labor market continues to shift and the adoption of contingent and part-time labor increases, staffing firms will have to alter behaviors and offer even greater services at affordable rates. To take advantage of this shift, utilizing the right staffing and recruiting software will allow recruiters to stay competitive. According to Cleland, the open talent pool is creating a much more competitive market for recruiters.

“For high-demand talent as the labor market tightens the staffing firms who have recruiters with more traditional networking and sourcing skill will have a greater and greater competitive edge. Tools like LinkedIn are accelerating this trend back to referral-based recruiting because research and selection is being driven by a network of talent,” he said. “On the lower skilled temp sector side of the business, managing an inventory of reliable temp resources is critical and proving to be a greater and greater challenge. Firms that are disciplined in building and managing their candidate inventory will prove to find themselves with greater competitive advantage if the labor market tightens.”

Demand for staffing services expected to increase
With the adoption of contingent labor increasing, the services of staffing and recruiting professionals will play a larger role in employment. Contingent labor offers greater flexibility to both businesses and workers, which is boosting its popularity. To handle this surge in popularity, the right staffing and recruiting software will allow professionals to operate with efficiency in the face of increased demand.

“I think that the contingent trend is going to become more and more important part of the labor pool, which means that staffing has a very strong future, but firms have to continue to improve their people and processes to remain competitive. Either way the demand is not going anywhere but up,” Cleland said. “The underlying uncertainty [of the economy] and labor costs means that not a lot of firms want to hire permanent talent.  In addition, the ACA may also be playing its part in spurring on the use of contingent labor even with the delay of the employer mandate. However, for high demand labor, part of the trend toward contingent labor is driven by the talent who simply prefers contract based work. A lot of those high demand workers prefer project-based work because it tends to accelerate skill set development and provides greater control over their career path.”

Opinion on contingent labor trend differs between generations
Not every generation is on board collectively with the switch to contingent labor. Older generations that grew up with the idea of stable, long-term employment view work in a different manner than younger generations. With younger workers adapting and more companies becoming comfortable with contingent labor, the tides of change are upon the market. Having staffing and recruiting software that allows you to adapt to generational workers allows you to place the right workers in the right position.

“Companies are becoming more comfortable with contingent labor and the culture associated with using this type of labor. It has also become a more acceptable way to procure talent and a more acceptable way to work. This is partially due to the changing generations. Generation X, the people who are moving into or in current management positions have very different expectations of what it means to work for a company,” said Cleland. “As a Gen X, we don’t mind moving from company to company and most people from this generation show a certain amount of movement on their resumes. Statistics show that how many people change careers, not even jobs, during their lifetime has grown and this is very different than what it was 40/50 years ago.”

According to a study by Future Workplace titled, “Multiple Generations @ Work,” 91 percent of Millennials, defined as those being born between 1977 and 1997 (which also includes Gen Y for the purpose of this article), expect to stay in a job for less than three years. This means that the average Millennial will have between 15 to 20 jobs during the course of his or her working life. Another study from social researcher Mark McCrindle claims that those of this generation will change careers five times.

“Gen Y is even more comfortable with this approach to work than Gen X. For Gen Y, jobs are more about an interest and enjoyment than stability. There is no thinking that you’re going to be with a company for 20 years and employers understand this now and they know people are not going to be with a company for long. As a result, businesses are more focused on procuring talent and retaining the right employees because employees are more than likely open to looking for other jobs,” said Cleland. “For the younger generations a job is more about the work. What is being done and is it challenging and interesting [is important to millennial workers and they often believe that if] you ever get bored it is time to move on. This is a very different mentality than baby boomers who have a completely different expectation on work and are more apt to stay with a company for the long haul.”

Cloud-Based Recruiting Software Reduces IT Costs And Headaches For Staffing And Recruiting Industry Agencies

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As staffing and recruiting companies, like many other organizations, look to cost saving measures, the importance of cloud-based staffing software and recruiting software cannot be undervalued. The impact of the Great Recession may be slowly receding and hiring is picking up, but with companies taking into account the need for staffing flexibility, they are looking for recruiters to offer direct services with greater benefits at decreased costs.

Cloud-based staffing and recruiting software is a cost-effective solution for many reasons. Not only does cloud-based staffing and recruiting software drastically improve the efficiency of recruiting professionals because they are able to access all information with any network-connected device, it also eliminates or greatly reduces the need to purchase applications, software, additional servers or employ in-house IT tech staff. This sizable chunk of operational budget funds – a significant non-revenue producing operational expense – is now available to be reinvested in the business or as pure bottom-line profits.

In North America, the adoption rate for cloud services is changing the face of business computing. More than 62 percent of all business have integrated some form of cloud computing system in place, according to a paper from Microsoft. This is because it is recognized that cloud computing solutions offer a wide range of positive features to businesses of all sizes.

If saving money were not enough of a push to switch to cloud-based staffing and recruiting software, then the added security of these measures might be. Staffing Industry Analysts reported that cloud-based staffing and recruiting software provides stability in a way that private programs cannot. Cloud vendors know data security and up-time reliability is critical to the ongoing success and efficiency of their customers and so put tremendous resources into their IT infrastructure and staffing to assure their customers of dedicated levels of performance. Only the largest corporate enterprise computing environments can match the physical security of cloud-based staffing and recruiting software. Additionally, they feature redundant back-up systems to assure 99.9+ percent uptime availability of the staffing and recruiting software.

Even with all of the security measures put in place to protect data, there is mobility to cloud-based recruiting software that is not possible with other options. A recruiter can easily use his or her mobile device, or any of the multiple mobile devices he or she probably owns, to access information about a client or potential candidate for a job. This ability to access information readily and quickly is another benefit for a staffing and recruiting professional. Employees are able to better prepare or source for potential candidates on a whim or access information instantaneously to answer a question immediately.

Finally, cloud-based staffing and recruiting software offers management an easy means to keep their staffing and recruiting software up-to-date while managing their costs. Software updates are made by the vendor so that business operations are not typically impacted.

Three Key Staffing Trends Drive Increased Opportunities for Staffing Agencies

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Staffing and recruiting professionals who have weathered the interesting economic conditions experienced in the past year may already be experiencing some key trends. However, other people may be just beginning to notice the subtle changes to the market which will make having the right recruiting software critical. According to a study from technology staffing firm Yoh (a Bond International Staffing and Recruiting Software customer), 88 percent of major U.S. employers surveyed expect that their 2013 rate of hiring will meet or exceed the rate of 2012. Of the companies that answered positively for increasing hiring within those 12 months, 83 percent predicted that they will increase staffing levels by at least 3 percent, reported the Society for Human Resource Management.

The survey was administered by Amplitude Research during January 2013 and used the responses of 150 human resource executives and hiring managers at some of the largest employers in the nation. Each of the companies surveyed had revenues of at least $750 million and a workforce of at least 1,500 people.

“The optimism evident in our [study] is tempered by persistent economic uncertainty and operational efficiency that has reduced demand for workers,” said Yoh President Lori Schultz in a statement about the findings, according to the source. “In addition, as the workforce grows more complex through, for example, the use of contract labor, a majority of organizations will be left flat-footed since they haven’t adjusted their workforce planning habits to account for this complexity. Now more than ever, systematic workforce planning is crucial to quickly sourcing, recruiting and hiring top performers.”

While there are still concerns over the economy due to the slow climb from the recession, many businesses and staffing and recruiting professionals are finding that the change may be slow, but it is happening.

Here are three key trends you may or may not already be noticing:

1) Increased contingent forces. Almost every staffing and recruiting professional will say that they are seeing an increased number of contingent, temp and part-time work being offered. This trend is being seen in both the service and professional services sectors as employers look for greater flexibility. In the IT sector, the use of contingent labor has proven successful as those workers gain higher salaries and greater control over what projects they work on instead of traditional benefits. Other professional industries are looking to adopt this model to boost employment numbers. As this trend develops, utilizing the best staffing and recruiting software will position your agency for success.

2) Competition is fierce for top talent. Due to the increased usage of contingent labor for projects, companies are finding, especially in certain industries, that there is a lot of competition for workers. For jobs like occupational therapy in healthcare and infrastructure development engineering for IT, there is a dearth of qualified personnel who have the talent, experience and personality for the job. As a result, staffing and recruiting professionals who work in these sectors are being forced to compete, offering these workers competitive benefits and interesting projects to lure them away from other potential jobs. The right staffing and recruiting software will ensure that you are able to stay competitive in these sectors.

3) Companies are struggling with workforce planning. According to the study from Yoh, many companies report that they struggle with workforce planning. Recruiters and staffing professionals outfitted with unified staffing and recruiting software can provide a comprehensive consultation service to these organizations and help meet their needs.

While many of the companies who were surveyed reported that they intend to increase hiring in 2013, only 13 percent had a workforce plan with defined standards and milestones. By hiring a staffing professional, a company can better create a step-by-step workforce plan that could better reduce risks associated with bringing onboard a large number of people in a short amount of time.

Staffing Insights: Bruce Steinberg, Employment and Staffing Industry Analyst, Sees Dramatic Changes Ahead Particularly With The ACA

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A number of trends are impacting the staffing sector, so much so that industry experts are using data and observations from previous years to try and predict what employment is going to look like next year and in the next 10 years. Some trends are making technology adoptions like recruiting software necessary, while others are changing the face of the staffing sector and how it interacts with clients.

To weigh in on the evolution of the staffing industry, we have Bruce Steinberg, Employment & Economic Consultant. With more than 20 years of corporate communications experience specializing in the staffing industry, Steinberg has worked with Staffing Industry Analysts and the American Staffing Association as a director of research.

Let’s take a look into how he views the current state of the industry and what direction it may take to remain competitive.

The aging population and how it is impacting staffing
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the elderly population is expected to more than double between now and 2050. As a result, the number of people over the age of 65, the typical age of retirement, will reach about 80 million or approximately one out of five adults in the nation.

Steinberg believes that this will have a drastic impact on the nation’s economy, the employment sector and the staffing industry.

“I think that one of the key trends that is impacting employment and jobs in general – and ultimately affecting staffing – is how the bell curve of the demographic profile is shifting to older people,” Steinberg said. “The high point of the bell curve indicating the population’s age is getting older, which is changing the nature of jobs and services needed for the economy. The recession may have slowed the percentage of people [leaving jobs] by delaying many people’s retirement, but that is soon going to change.”

Steinberg added that “the number of new workers coming down the pipeline is not as many [as previous decades], which means there will continue to be a shortage of workers, but at the same time, productivity has increased very fast because of computerization. In addition, business models in manufacturing and service industries have changed, and now people can produce a lot more products and services aided by technology… it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds, if the increase in productivity will manage with less workers.”

The state of the economy is impacting employment trends
Recently released employment numbers have everyone talking because according to one report, 77 percent of the jobs created in 2013 were part-time positions, reported The Boston Globe. For some, this figure was highly worrisome, and for others, it indicated a growing trend toward hiring contingent or part-time workers instead of full-time, salaried professionals.

“[Businesses could be using contingent and part-time workers as] a strategy to cope with the ACA. If that’s true or not, we don’t know. It’s what everyone has been saying, and I am certain that some businesses are using that as a strategy, but others are just finding that part-time workers are more efficient,” Steinberg said. “We are in a recovery, and the work and economy has not come back with any great magnitude – businesses at this stage may only need or can only create part-time employees, because of the relative weakness of the economic growth.”

The importance of staffing professionals using recruiting software to help keep desirable, comprehensive services
The changing face of the industry is resulting in a number of trends that professionals will have to learn to adapt to in order to remain current. The creation and implementation of the Affordable Care Act is just one way that staffing professionals can remain current and a vital part of the employment process for clients. Of course, the right recruiting software is also vital.

“Staffing companies have to be very aware of what the job trends are in the markets they serve and look to diversify in the sector they serve as well the variety of the services they offer to employers and businesses,” Steinberg said.

While some people are against the implementation of the ACA and the increasing presence of federal regulations in business, it could lead to a positive situation developing for staffing professionals.

“There are a lot of folks who disdain from heavy regulation on the employer/employee relationship – it’s an additional burden that they have to learn and it can gum up the works. That’s a very strong mindset within the staffing industry and with staffing industry executives. I have a very contrarian view that the more regulation and the more complicated the relationship is, the more reason there is to use a staffing agency,” Steinberg said.

He went on to say that the ACA and other regulations being implemented in the business world, especially concerning employment, could boost the desirability of hiring a staffing firm for many organizations.

“Small, medium and even large businesses are in business, not in the world of employment. For example, if a business is in the business of making widgets, they are experts in that. They are not necessarily experts at being employers. The ACA and regulations could be good for the staffing industry and increase organizations’ reliance on staffing firms because we are the experts in employment.”

How staffing professionals can benefit from the ACA
The ACA might just be a blessing in disguise for some staffing agencies if they can become experts in the act and market a consultation service as part of their brand.

“[While it may be very hard to become an expert in the ACA], it is very important for those in the staffing industry, to become very well versed in it and know how to implement it. Somewhere along the line the ACA will create a variety of new types of jobs and professions for staffing companies to fill,” Steinberg said. “If a staffing company can develop ACA experts, then they can provide those services to businesses, possibly creating a whole new service line.”

Based on these and other trends in employment and staffing, it is increasingly important that staffing and recruiting agencies update their staffing software to enable them to effectively handle changing demographics, job requisitions, and government regulations and reporting.

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Bruce Steinberg offers a range of products, services, and analysis of economic and employment data and can be reached at http://www.brucesteinberg.net

Onboarding a Large Number of Employees in a Short Period of Time

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Bond recruiting software customer Bolt Staffing utilized Bond onboarding partner Efficient Forms and their Efficient Hire/WOTC product to solve a paper intense and time sensitive problem.

Efficient Forms“When we received a call from a prospect that needed 141 people who lived 500 miles away to be put on our payroll within a week, I knew there was only one way we could pull it off: Electronic on-boarding. I had seen the Efficient Hire/WOTC presentation at our annual staffing conference, and at the time, felt we were too small for it to be a cost effective solution. This was a different situation that required us to onboard employees who lived far away. I called Todd at Efficient Forms and he fast tracked us through the set up process and we were using their system within a few days. Within a week, we had everyone onboarded and legally ready to work the assignment. No e-mailing pdfs, no scanning, no faxes. It went smoothly. Had it not been for the ‘can do’ staff at Efficient Hire we wouldn’t have landed this new account.” Joanne Sanders, President of Bolt Staffing Services, Inc.

Efficient Hire/WOTC automates the new hire employee onboarding process and tax credit screening/processing for a number of staffing firms that also use Bond’s eEmpACT and StaffSuite staffing software. Efficient Hire/WOTC uses a custom question and answer process built around the firms’ requirements to gather all necessary information and then completes the required new hire paperwork, including end client specific policies. For example, EHX automates the completion of all a company’s terms, conditions, policies, procedures, direct deposit, employee information, I-9, W-4, State 4’s, and so forth.

With the optional inclusion of Efficient WOTC a company can ensure that they are capturing all of the eligible candidates for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Using the plain English questions of Efficient WOTC during the hiring process, the 8850 and 9061 are completed in good order every time.

About Efficient Forms and Efficient Hire:

Founded in 2004, Efficient Forms, LLC is a privately-held Colorado company that specializes in automated electronic solutions for dynamic and cost-effective forms completion, data collection and process workflow. Their Transaction Origination Platform powers the company’s various industry leading SaaS services by allowing its customers to capture data for multiple forms by using an online one-time-entry “interactive question and answer” process. Its market leading solutions, Efficient Hire and Efficient WOTC, automate the new hire onboarding process for all types of employers.

Efficient Forms is a Bond Technology Partner whose technology enables our recruiting software customers to enhance and extend the capabilities of their software and their business.

 

Staffing and recruiting professionals see uptick in part-time employment hiring

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The latest jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor is painting an interesting picture. Staffing and recruiting professionals may be finding an increase in the number of clients looking to fill part-time positions or offering contract work, and these observations are part of an overall national trend.

Part-time work makes up large portion of recovery
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 162,000 in July 2013 and the unemployment rate decreased slightly to 7.4 percent. The sectors with the highest increase in employment during this month were retail trade, food services and drinking places, financial activities and wholesale trade.

The retail industry added 47,000 jobs in July and has added 352,000 positions over the past 12 months. Food and drinking places increased employment by 38,000 in July and just over 381,000 in the past year. Despite this positive growth, many officials and employment experts are concerned because a majority of the new positions being created are for part-time work.

“You’re getting jobs added, but they might not be the best-quality job,” John Canally, an economist with LPL Financial, told The Commercial Appeal.

The Commercial Appeal reported that part-time work has made up 77 percent of all job growth this year in the nation. In addition, traditionally low-paying sectors have provided 61 percent of all of those new jobs, even though these sectors only represent 39 percent of all U.S. jobs.

“The jobs that are being created are not generating much income,” Steven Ricchiuto, chief economist at Mizuho Securities USA, wrote in a note to clients, according to The Commercial Appeal.

Part-time workers still the minority
Despite the significant rise in the number of part-time workers in the U.S., this group still makes up the minority. The New York Times reported that there are 5.8 million fewer Americans working in full-time positions compared to December 2007, when the recession officially began. During that same time period, the number of workers with part-time positions has increased by 2.8 million.

With an increased share of employed individuals working in part-time roles and more companies offering part-time positions and temp work, it will be imperative for staffing and recruiting professionals to use comprehensive, efficient tools. Recruiting software allows a staffing professional to track the progress of potential candidates through the application process so that they know exactly when a position is filled and the individual who managed to snag the coveted role.

Five best practice tips for social media recruiting and staffing

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As a staffing and recruiting professional, you’re using a number of different technologies to boost your presence and monitor key industry trends. One of those tools is social media, and it is referred to as social recruiting. With social media, a recruiter can grow his or her talent pool and increase the number of candidates stored in their recruiting software database. Social media-savvy workers are often eager to hear about new career opportunities and represent a valuable resource for staffing professionals.

Build effective talent pools using social media

By using social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and Google+, a recruiter is better able to expand his or her reach. As a result, the sea of qualified candidates expands and you are now able to take advantage of the increased number of people available to you. Blogging 4 Jobs, a human resource professional advice website, reported that the best way to increase your brand on social media and build a talent pool is with active engagement. Communities within social media networks exist so that industry professionals can discuss current trends and build relationships. As a recruiter, it’s your job to turn these resources into opportunities for professional relationship growth. Social recruiting relies on you focusing your attention on engaging community members by commenting thoughtfully on topics and introducing new ideas to the group.

Use #hashtags

While hashtags have been incorporated into a number of social media networks like Twitter and Google+ for years, Facebook has just recently added the feature. The organizational tool allows recruiters to monitor key industry trends and to post jobs to further increase the talent pool. For example, Dice.com reported that one recruiter has used the #IT hashtag to increase the likelihood that IT professionals will see job postings and respond to a Tweet with either a direct message, ask for more information or send a resume and cover letter to the designated contact. This tool also allows you to track the progress and trends impacting your industry. Make sure to not overpopulate a Tweet with too many hashtags because that will reduce the readability of the message.

Use Facebook Fan Pages

A Facebook Fan Page is one available marketing and communication tool that allows a recruiter to directly connect to various individuals. The medium allows recruiters to engage with more than 750 million Facebook users from across the world. Just like a corporate blog or website, a Facebook Fan Page allows a recruiting and staffing professional to spread company value propositions and provide potential candidates the information they need to determine if a business or position is right for them. The page provides an audience information so that they are better able to find the right position and it establishes a long-term relationship. In addition, Facebook provides an audience with an open forum to ask questions and demonstrate a transparent front.

Optimize LinkedIn strategies

LinkedIn is highly regarded as the premier social networking tool for staffing and recruiting professionals. This is because the professional networking site allows individuals to place their credentials in a systematic format that is easy to digest for recruiters who are looking to fill positions. Keyword optimization and search techniques enable staffing professionals to browse through dozens, if not hundreds, of potential workers without struggling. Recruiters can use the information found in these profiles to narrow down searches and to corroborate with other research into the skills and past of potential hires.

Spread brand messages

Social media is built on the basics of social communication principles. People like to talk and share what’s going on in their lives – this is true for professional and personal developments. Use Twitter, Google+ and Facebook to talk about the new developments in your professional and sometimes personal life (with discretion) to attract an audience and engage with these people. Use language and various communication tools like video, images and graphics to further demonstrate key brand qualities.

How are you using social media tools to further your staffing goals? The right combination of tools and procedures will help any recruiter or staffing professional increase his or her talent pool and engage an audience. Capturing candidate social media profiles in your staffing and recruiting software can simplify your candidate searches. And that results in greater productivity and faster fills on every customer order.

Healthcare reform is changing employee tracking requirements for the staffing industry

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Healthcare reform is making significant changes to the way small- to-medium-sized businesses are conducting internal affairs besides upgrading to recruiting software. The Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act signed by President Barack Obama in 2010 is making sweeping alterations to the healthcare system, and impacting staffing and recruiting firms. The biggest concern is the requirement for employers to offer health insurance coverage to full-time employees or face paying tax penalties. For staffing companies, it means more tracking of employees.

However, according to the American Staffing Association, the new “look-back” rule that was recently approved by the Obama administration is intended to reduce the penalties a staffing firm could face. As a result of all the confusion, the ASA has created an online calculator and documents that will outline the possible paths a recruiting firm may take to comply with new regulations. The rule requires staffing companies to add or enhance the tracking of their employees to ensure eligibility and compliance. This is something that their staffing software should be able to handle with efficiency so that it does not adversely impact internal staff productivity.

New healthcare act compliance principles released
“The ASA Statement of Principles demonstrates the staffing industry’s firm commitment to compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and its ongoing commitment to the well-being of the individuals staffing firms employ every day,” said Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer. “Staffing firms will work closely with clients and human resource professionals to help them understand how the health care law applies to their use of staffing services. And staffing firms will work closely with their temporary and contract employees to ensure they understand their rights, opportunities, and obligations under the ACA.”

The principles drafted by the ASA are intended for staffing firms to share with clients when a discussion must be had over the additional costs associated with compliance. Employers must remember to keep track of the compliance calendar to prevent the accrual of various fees and taxes due. A Medicare or Medicaid standard has also been added to the list of required compliance standards. As of January 1, 2013, employers were required to cap flexible spending account contributions at $2,500, the withholding Medicare tax increased from 1.45 percent to 2.35 percent on high-income taxpayers and a new 3.8 percent Medicare tax was imposed on unearned income. So far, according to the ASA timeline, these are the only standards put into place.

However, by October 1, 2013, a staffing and recruiting firm and an employer will have to determine who is taking charge of certain responsibilities. In addition, employers will be required to notify current employees and all new hires following this date about the employer’s health insurance offerings. In addition information about whether there is an available insurance marketplace for public health and whether an employee is eligible for either option is required.

What staffing firms will have to focus on determining in 2013
Those are only the changes made this year that are altering the healthcare industry – others are scheduled to start in 2014. What most staffing companies will have to determine is whether the recruiting organization or the client is the employer of the worker. The law does not specify the entity responsible for healthcare coverage options.

“Common-law rules will determine who are employers and employees. Staffing firms should be viewed as the employers if they assume, and properly discharge, the employer responsibilities under the law, but certain types of staffing arrangements may be scrutinized to prevent abuses,” according to the ASA guidelines.

The next year will bring interesting changes for staffing and recruiting firms that are faced with potentially making changes on how they classify workers. Agencies looking for further clarification can consult with the ASA and visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.