Fortunately, there are effective strategies for managing workplace conflict that don’t have to take up too much of your valuable time. This post will discuss ways to navigate work-related issues between employees with ease and efficiency.

Establishing Policies & Procedures

The first step in navigating workplace conflicts is to establish policies and procedures that will help prevent them from occurring in the first place.

Clear expectations should be established for all team members, so everyone knows what is expected of them in terms of behavior and performance. Additionally, it’s important to set up a system where any disputes can be reported promptly and addressed quickly. This could include a company policy on reporting incidents or an anonymous feedback system that allows employees to report any issues they may be having with each other without fear of retribution.

Encouraging Open Communication & Respectful Dialogue

Encouraging open communication between team members is a key factor in preventing workplace conflicts from escalating out of control. Creating an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up about their concerns can help you resolve potential issues before they become serious problems.

Additionally, it’s important to ensure that all conversations between employees are respectful and professional at all times. This means no name-calling or personal attacks—instead, focus on finding solutions through constructive dialogue.

Mediating Conflict & Facilitating Resolution                                                                       

When conflicts arise between two or more employees, it’s essential to intervene as soon as possible—before the situation gets worse or disrupts the entire office dynamic. As the leader of your organization, you should take responsibility for mediating the dispute and facilitating resolution between all parties involved.

Listen carefully to both sides of the story and make sure everyone feels heard before coming up with a resolution that works for everyone involved—this could include assigning specific tasks or roles within the organization or providing additional training if needed. If necessary, you may also need to implement disciplinary action if one employee is behaving inappropriately or not following company policies and procedures.=

Create Solutions Together

Once you have identified what is causing the conflict, you need to work together with both parties in order to create solutions that will benefit everyone involved.

If one party feels like they are being forced into an agreement, this could create more resentment or anger which could lead to future conflicts down the line between these two people or even other employees who were not initially part of this particular issue.

Conclusion

No matter how well you plan ahead, disputes between employees are bound to occur at some point during your business’s lifetime—but how you handle them will determine whether these incidents cause lasting damage or are quickly resolved with minimal disruption to your office environment.

Establishing clear policies & procedures upfront can help prevent conflicts from occurring in the first place; however, when conflicts do arise, it’s important for business leaders like yourself to intervene promptly by encouraging open communication and respectful dialogue, mediating conflict with impartiality, and facilitating resolution through constructive problem solving techniques – all while maintaining focus on what’s best for your business as a whole.

With these strategies in mind, you can navigate workplace conflict with ease.

The ability to delegate

A good manager knows how to delegate tasks effectively. They understand that they can’t do everything themselves and that they need to rely on their team to get the job done. They also know how to assign tasks based on each team member’s strengths and abilities. This ensures that the work is getting done efficiently and effectively.

The ability to communicate

Communication is key in any workplace, but it’s vital for managers. They need to be able to communicate clearly and concisely with their team members so there is no confusion about what needs to be done. They should also be able to give feedback constructively so that their team members can learn and grow from it.

The ability to problem-solve

Problems are inevitable in any work environment. But a good manager knows how to identify problems and find solutions quickly and efficiently. They’re also not afraid to ask for help when they need it. This shows that they’re willing to admit when they don’t have all the answers and are not afraid to seek help from others.

The ability to stay calm under pressure

There will be times when things get hectic at work, and a good manager knows how to stay calm under pressure. They don’t let their emotions get the best of them and instead remain level-headed so that they can make clear, rational decisions. This allows them to lead their team through difficult situations effectively.

The ability to motivate others

A good manager knows how to motivate their team members so they’re always working towards the company’s goals. They provide positive reinforcement when team members do something well and offer constructive criticism when there’s room for improvement. This helps create an environment where everyone is working together towards a common goal.

Conclusion:

When hiring a new manager for your team, it’s important to look for someone with the right skillset. They should be able to delegate tasks effectively, communicate clearly, problem-solve, stay calm under pressure, and motivate others. If you can find someone with all of these qualities, you’ll surely have a successful team on your hands!

A stable income allows employees to sustain their life and affects their work productivity. In the long term, paying a higher salary reaps many benefits for the company. For example, it attracts and retains talented workers, reduces turnover rate, and increases morale and motivation. Thus, a company’s success depends directly on its employees’ salary. Therefore, salary should not be just looked at as an expense, but as an efficient investment.

Here are some other benefits of offering higher salaries:

1. Attracting The Best Talent:

   Every company strives to recruit the best talent in all departments. Offering a higher salary increases the possibility of skilled workers joining your company. A stronger team is always an asset for any company.

2. Better Productivity:

   A higher salary encourages a culture of better output. Employees will put in extra effort when they are satisfied with their pay. They may also encourage others to join your company and attract more skilled people to the team.

3. Employee Retention:

   Better compensation combined with caring management can encourage employees to stay with the company. Work disruption and recruiting costs are reduced.

4. Compensation for high-quality work is fair practice:

   Fair compensation encourages a culture of equality, and makes employees feel valued and appreciated.

A salary is always the main attraction for most employees when they are considering a new job. However, it is not the only factor that contributes to overall job satisfaction. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management shows that 61% of employees claim benefits contributed to their job satisfaction.

Benefits can range from health insurance and retirement plans to paid time off and childcare assistance. By offering these types of benefits, companies can attract and retain top talent. Furthermore, employees who are satisfied with their benefits are more likely to be productive and engaged in their work. Offering competitive benefits is essential for any company that wants to thrive in today’s business environment.

Here are some key benefits that should be a part of your compensation package:

1. Health Care Benefits: Most employees consider health insurance to be the most significant benefit since it directly affects their life. Health coverage assures the employees that the company cares for them and their loved ones.
2. Paid leaves: Paid time off helps balance the employees’ work and personal lives. It also helps prevent burnout and fatigue at work.
3. Retirement savings plans: These are long-term investments that provide security for employees in case of unforeseen circumstances.
4. Flexible Schedule: After the Covid-19 pandemic, many employees feel that working from home is more comfortable for them. Companies are adopting a hybrid work model to offer flexibility to their employees.

Company leaders and HR managers should understand the needs of their employees when planning employee benefits. An excellent salary and benefits package will be the most valued benefits for employees. 

Get in touch to learn more about the successes we’ve had with clients across North America, moreover how we’re able to help you improve metrics across the board.

The manufacturing industry, however, has not slowed down. Instead, companies seek skilled talent to fill their open positions or assist with expansion.

Industry leadership is having difficulty filling nearly two-thirds of all manufacturing jobs. Every day that a role at your company goes unfilled is a day that other employees must take on additional duties. If you can’t bring in new hires, your current employees will eventually burn out and look elsewhere for work.

Because they need to expedite the hiring process, manufacturing companies leverage recruiter services to identify skilled talent.

3 Reasons Manufacturing Companies Leverage Using a Recruiter

Manufacturing leaders understand better than anyone that developing an effective system results from strategic planning, a willingness to correct mistakes, and time.

The commitment to creating a process for attracting, hiring, and retaining highly educated and skilled talent is enormous. Many manufacturers have discovered that recruiters offer:

1. Quick responses. Professional recruiters know where to find passive candidates — the talent who already knows who to do the work because they’re working for your competitors.
2. Laser-focused access to ideal candidates. Your recruiter can help you take advantage of social media opportunities for recruiting by working across multiple channels.
3. Enormous time savings. If you must devote time to identifying and attracting talent, it’s possible that you’re not getting your work done. You have a shop to run.

Recruiters make it their business to know you and your company’s brand. By activating their vast talent networks, they act as an extension of your HR department, completing the talent acquisition process faster than you can do on your own.

How You Can Attract Manufacturing Talent

Even when working with a recruiter, you can still attract top talent on your own with these strategies:

• Streamline the process. Make the process simple, fast, and effective by adopting an applicant tracking system (ATS) software that scans cover letters and resumes for keywords. Automation is a time-saver in the manufacturing industry, and it can be equally efficient to digitize the hiring process.
• Build your brand. Your brand must resonate across social media channels and in training programs. Today’s top talent identifies with philosophically aligned brands.
• Create a talent pipeline. Collaborate with high schools and colleges to create internships and school-to-work programs.

These strategies can position your company positively, helping you attract the talent you need.

Determine the “Why” of Talent Departure

Although no two employees are guaranteed to have the same reason for leaving a company, common themes will emerge during exit interviews. Asking for honest feedback from top performers can be difficult, but these discussions yield invaluable insight. Here is how to do it:

• Thank your departing team member for all their contributions to the company and team.
• Ask them about work accomplishments they are most proud of, which parts of the role they enjoyed, and the reasons for their exit.
• Carefully review their feedback through exit interviews and surveys. Having a core set of questions is helpful.
• Identify areas for improvement to boost the company retention rate and serve your employee interests better.
• Proactively implement the necessary changes to retain top talent.

Exit interviews represent the larger idea that employers care what their team thinks and want to serve them better. You can also collect feedback from employees with an annual survey or suggestion box they can use to make anonymous suggestions for organizational improvements that ultimately boost the company’s retention rate.

Investigate the Ingredients for Top Performance

Certain personality traits may make someone more successful in their role. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some insight into what soft skills or personality traits are an asset to top performance at your company?

When you treat your team members well, they are willing to help you even when they are on their way out. Psychometric testing provides an opportunity to do exactly that by gathering their unique insight. This evaluation tool details the candidate’s background, personality, cognitive strengths, and more to help you build a profile for the role. Recruiters use psychometric tests and personality assessments to learn more about candidates to find the best fit for their unique skillset.

People Remember First and Last Meetings

The departure of elite employees should not affect your operations or relationships. Losing team members is tough, but it is important to remember their contributions and support their decision.

Ideally, the departing team member will enthusiastically train his or her replacement with the company’s assistance.

Regardless, never lose sight of the fact that professional relationships are at the heart of all businesses. Disgruntled employees who feel they were treated unfairly or punished after giving their notice will hurt your company culture and reputation.

Seize the Opportunity to Improve Your Organization

When top talent leaves your company, floundering is not an option. Lean on a recruiter to pinpoint the best candidate and you can continue with the forward momentum your business needs to grow and excel.

Recruiters facilitate the employee search, vetting and hiring process, empowering business owners, managers and others focus on what they do best.   Lean on the industry’s best to identify hardworking individuals who are likely to stay with your company and make an impact.

Ultimately, your employees’ mindset directly impacts your bottom line.

And having a team built around those with a growth mindset could be just the ticket to success. Those with a growth mindset are individuals who will be constantly working to push the business forward. They’re always willing to learn, and always looking for ways to progress – not just their careers, but the way things are done; improving efficiency; increasing output. In a manufacturing environment, it’s attributes like these you should seek out when hiring.

Fixed vs growth mindset

The fundamental difference between these two types of mindset could make a big difference to your business.

Those with a fixed mindset believe that we’re born with a certain threshold for talent. You may be gifted in one area, which is a result of your genes; those things you aren’t quite so gifted at can be worked on, but ultimately there’s a ceiling you’ll hit at some point. A fixed mindset sees limitations to how far they can take a skill.

Those with a growth mindset, on the other hand, look at the world a little differently. They’re the ones who see a hurdle, then work out what they have to do to get to the other side. They see the skills they don’t have simply as something yet to be learnt. They’re constantly looking for ways to progress, develop, improve on an existing skill.

Those with a growth mindset are typically more proactive, and oftentimes their performance at work will reflect this.

3 ways to identify growth mindset at interview

So, how can you spot all of those exciting traits in an interview setting? Well, start by:

Asking questions about their goals and aspirations

While this seems like a pretty standard topic to come up at interview, dig a little deeper. The goals they talk about – are they tangible, or textbook? The aspirations they mention – do their eyes light up as they talk about how they’ll get there, or do they sound defeated and unrealistic?

The way a candidate talks about their future says a lot about the mindset behind those thoughts.

Asking questions about their successes to date

Again, an obvious one. But more important than the successes themselves is the way they talk about what they’ve achieved, namely who and what they attribute their successes to.

Someone with a growth mindset understands where their strengths lie, but may take pride in the wins that didn’t use these skills. They may favour the achievements that required them to step out of their comfort zone and to learn or try something new or different. This makes them progressive thinkers, who are more likely to step up to the plate in times of change.

Asking questions about the challenges they’ve faced thus far

How do they talk about any bumps in the road or things they’ve found difficult throughout their career? Do they take accountability or shirk responsibility? Is there anything they would, could, or should have done differently in these situations, or was it a lost cause?

The way an individual takes on challenging situations says a lot about their mindset. Those with a growth mindset will problem solve, learn, adapt, in order to head things off. Those with a fixed mindset may make excuses or blame others for their failures.

We qualify the talented jobseekers we work alongside with all of the above in mind. Our process is tried and true, whether it’s a specific set of skills, a certain type of experience, or simply a growth mindset that your business needs in its next hire.

Get in touch to learn more about how we can help you.

What is sourcing?

Sourcing is ultimately the actions you take to both seek and attract applicants. It’s the way you engage with the talent marketplace; your methods of outreach. It’s just one part of the extensive recruitment process, but it’s not a small one – it encompasses not just how you find them, but how you then capture their attention and create a channel of communication.

Needless to say, it’s an important piece of the puzzle. Which makes the metrics which surround it both fascinating and extremely useful for executing an effective campaign.

Key candidate sourcing metrics you should be tracking

The sourcing metrics you should be tracking will help you streamline your recruitment process and ultimately hire better, faster. Here are some items to think about:

Your most effective sourcing channels

Sourcing channels are – well, exactly that: the places you find your candidates. This might include online job boards, social media, word of mouth, employee referrals and more. You should be monitoring and collating data around where applicants come from in general, moreover where your most relevant, experienced and successful hires are found.

By analyzing and picking out the ways which work best, you’ll be able to improve conversion rates – and ultimately, put your recruitment budget in the right places.

Sourcing productivity

A great sourcing strategy on paper doesn’t mean an effective one in practice. You’ll need to measure how much effort is undertaken on your team’s part to actually get hold of the applicant once they’ve put their name in the hat – how many times they try to reach out before communication is initiated, how many emails are sent, how much time spent chasing down candidates, etc etc. The activities which go into the process itself will point out areas which need revising and/or improving.

The speed of the candidate journey

Leading on from the previous metric, which covers the activities which denote how long the process actually takes. When did this candidate apply for the job, and how much time has passed between then and their job offer being made? Our next of the key sourcing metrics is knowing how long it takes you to hire.

Track the speed at which you’re able to bring talent through the process, taking particular note of any blockers and barriers which are slowing things down. The faster you can process talent, the more likely you are to secure them.

Finally, those all-important conversion rates

Of course, the final but arguably most important sourcing metric you should be tracking: conversion rates! How many of the applications received for your job are actually relevant? Of those, how many do you manage to move to interview stage? From there, how many make it to the second round? How many offers are made (if filling multiple positions, as so many of our clients in the manufacturing space are) and, of the offers made, what percentage are accepted?

It’s important to know if your recruitment campaign is efficient and works well, but it’s also crucial to understand whether you’re making competitive job offers and finding the right level of talent.

Understanding your key candidate sourcing metrics

It’s part and parcel of what we do here at NLG. As a dedicated staffing solutions partner, whether you’re looking to fill one role or a hundred, we’re well versed in understanding what makes a campaign work.

To learn more about how, get in touch today.

Needless to say, it’s an undertaking you’ll need to be prepared for ahead of time.

Which is why, in many cases, it’s already too late. When hiring becomes a definitive need instead of a would-be-nice or even a slightly more urgent must-do-soon, your chances of a successful hire with longevity become far more narrow. Not only that, you’re now in a potentially tight spot with critical business outcomes on the line – all of which could have been avoided.

At this point, it’s too late to start recruiting. Of course, that’s exactly what you still need to do – but it won’t be easy. Here’s why it’s already too late to start recruiting.

You’re feeling the effects of this individual’s absence

While we as business leaders can’t see every upcoming hurdle and plan for every eventuality, what we do need to be is cognizant. Cognizant of the workforce we have, the gaps we see, and the potential challenges posed should someone in a specific role or responsibility leave. If you’ve been unable to get down to doing some solid succession planning and a crucial member of the team ups and leaves unexpectedly, it can be tough to manage. Things only get worse as, while you’re busy scrambling to fill the space left and ensure that productivity doesn’t decrease in their absence, hiring either doesn’t get the focus it needs to find the right person, else it takes a backseat altogether. If you’re already feeling the effects of there being no person able to fulfil, if even for the meantime, the duties of the job you’re trying to replace, this recruitment campaign could prove to be a tricky one.

You misjudged the talentscape and your person isn’t available

You know how we’re always preaching about how candidates need to do their research ahead of an interview? You, the employer, also have a responsibility to know what you’re coming into. The talent marketplace is an ever-evolving, fast-moving place. Skills shortages happen unannounced. The keys that keep you competitive come and go in popularity, requiring constant adaptation. Whatever the reason, the fact of the matter is, you’ve begun a recruitment campaign and swiftly found that the person or people your business needs simply aren’t available. Whether they’re not looking, non-existent, or simply not interested in your offering, this slip in judgement means that you’re already late in the game.

You find yourself ready to recruit, but you’re not sure who for

At this point, it may be that you’ve survived without backfilling a role for a while but know you need something different altogether. It could be that you simply find yourself in a position financially to add talent to the team, but are unsure of what will take things to the next level. The fact is, if you don’t know who you need to hire, your campaign will simply be more ineffective.

With efficiency in mind – both in terms of time and costs – coming into a hiring campaign with moving goalposts just isn’t going to perform.

And that’s really part of the beauty of partnering with an agency like ours. With recruitment being what we do year-round, through changing seasons, shifting talent pools and ever-evolving markets, you could say we’re always ready. We’re never too late to the game – we’re always in it.

Get in touch to talk recruitment solutions by NLG today.

But today, we’re not talking about sustainability in the physical sense. Sustainable recruiting is far less tangible; it’s a strategy, and one which you should be thinking about if you’re not already.

Making a new hire shouldn’t be a snap decision, but a well thought-out process with your long-term goals in mind. Sustainability means to get the most out of things – so why should your biggest asset (that’s you’re people, of course) be any different?

Here’s a rundown of your guide to sustainable recruiting for the rest of 2021 and beyond.

What is sustainable recruiting?

Sustainable recruiting means looking at least three steps – or months, even years – ahead. Sustainable recruiting is a little like succession planning, only from the opposite side. It’s about making a hire whose impact will be significant today, but with their next few steps already in mind.

Retention of top performers is the key to any sustainable business. Sustainable recruiting ensures that you have the top talent on board, then performing, then moving into another position which challenges them and continues adding that same value, if not even more, to your organization. Sustainable recruiting means getting the most out of each and every staff member.

How do I go about launching a “sustainable” recruitment strategy?

Realistically, much of the process of sustainable recruiting happens before your job goes live on your careers page. It’s all about the planning.

When you sit down to set out what it is you need when hiring, think further than the current needs of the business. Think about the long term goals, whether financial or otherwise. Think about challenges you were facing when this job became available, and whether you might be able to find someone who can help change those. Consider what the team wants to achieve in the coming months and find someone who you can see helping along that path. You’ll find that this thorough planning helps you identify the key skills and attributes which will carry through the background, experience and personality of the eventual successful hire.

Questions to ask when launching a sustainable recruiting strategy

While we’d never say that living in the moment isn’t the way to go, in some cases it makes sense to think ahead. Here are some questions to ask yourself as an employer before, during, or after every interview you conduct:

• Does this individual’s skills not just complement but also expand those on our existing team?
• Does this person embody the values and principles that our business holds in high regard?
• Do we see a strong fit with the company culture?
• Can we see a long-term commitment from this individual? Does their background denote stability?
• Do they have the capacity to learn new skills?
• Do they have the desire to progress?
• Do their long-term career goals match with the path we’ve set out for this position?
• Can we provide them with a path which fits their needs and wants in terms of development?

Essentially, sustainable recruiting is about more than just what you need here and now; it also means finding a match between the journey you’re on, and that of who you need along for the ride.

Your sustainable recruiting strategy for 2021 and beyond

Having a strong staffing partner you can trust to talk through the long-term hiring strategy, the short-term business needs, and everything which happens in between, couldn’t be more important. We’re helping manufacturing businesses across North America build sustainable recruiting strategies to see out the remainder of the year, whether you’re looking for long-term hires or highly skilled temp workers to meet your needs.

To talk more about how, get in touch today.

But how to make it a priority for the workforce at large remains a difficult challenge for many employers today to approach. What constitutes a business-critical concept for the senior management team doesn’t always hold the same pull for individual employees or, sometimes, even the department they work within as a whole.

Knowing how to make health and safety a priority for staff in manufacturing will not only improve your overall bottom line – it will also show you’re a business with its heart in the right place.

Here are our top tips on how to how to make health and safety a priority for staff in manufacturing.

Connect health and safety with the goals of your employees

One way to motivate your workforce to prioritize the important aspects of work is to connect them to their own goals and objectives when it comes to their career. A business running an efficient operation with regards to health and safety is one which will be outpacing its competition. That means growth, which means the opportunity for progression and development for your staff.

By interweaving the ways that maintaining impeccable health and safety practices contribute to this, you can be sure they’ll take notice. Perhaps they could be kept in the loop with incident numbers, or the speed at which they’re responded to; maybe you could maintain that concise reporting is an attribute you look for in future leaders of the business.

However you go about it, make health and safety personal. Then watch as your employees make it their personal responsibility.

Make health and safety quantitative – then use it as an incentive

Health and safety is, without a doubt, all about your employees’ wellbeing at work. But, unfortunately, with a busy and committed team, you can find that oftentimes this isn’t enough to keep it at the forefront of their minds all the time. By making health and safety more about successful business outcomes, you make it relatable to their professional nature.

Break “health and safety” down into numbers. The number of incidents, to begin with. The average time it takes to respond to an incident. How many incidents are solved on site, how many require further medical attention, and so on and so forth. Once you have your data, you have a tangible target – so use that as a means to incentivize your staff to improve on it.

Whether you set company-wide rewards for reaching goals or individual targets for a more personal incentive, it could be the driving factor to make healthy and safety a priority for staff.

Use regular toolbox talks and meetings to keep it current

How to make health and safety a priority for staff in manufacturing? Talk about it, a lot.

When you reiterate its importance again and again, it’ll become more important to them. We’re not saying you should be having “meetings about meetings”; that’s not what this is about. But what we’re saying is, one key way to keep health and safety at the forefront is to… Well, practice what you preach. Keep it at the forefront!

The unique exposure and longstanding experience in the manufacturing industry is what makes NLG a recruiter of choice in this sector. To talk more about staffing services, or to simply chat employee engagement and talent trends, get in touch today.