Dress code in the workplace can be a tricky topic. Whether you work for a large or small company, you have most likely addressed this subject at one point or another. Questions surrounding this topic that may come up include, how do we decide what the dress code is? Or, why is a dress code important?
The dress code is established based on the kind of work your organization does and who/what they will be encountering every day. The dress code may change from day to day depending on your activities, but each organization should create a baseline for their employees. Here are a few reasons why dress codes in the workplace are important.
We spend a third of our day at work, so if we are experiencing mental health issues at home, they are sure to be present in the workplace as well. We all have a responsibility to support employees and create a healthy working environment.
1. Management sets the stage. Organizations have a great opportunity to positively affect a host of issues, including employee mental health. At a high level the management team is responsible for setting the tone for creating a positive environment. For example, if management regularly complains about employees being out for routine check-ups or personal matters, an employee is likely to feel less comfortable for taking time off to address mental health related issues. Employees should feel they have the support of management to address mental health concerns.
2. Resources and ease of access. Aside from creating an environment of support, providing employees with an employee assistance program (EAP) is a valuable resource. This type of program can help employees deal with stressors, personal issues, substance abuse, and many other issues. If you provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), make the information readily available and ensure managers are aware of the resource as well. In some instances, FMLA or a leave of absence may also be helpful, and management should have policies and procedures in place.
Agriculture professionals from in and around the Kansas City area gathered on April 3, 2019 in Overland Park, Kansas to discuss their top talent acquisition challenges. The peer networking group was compromised of 23 representatives from 18 different companies of all sizes representing 16 different industry types. The diverse atmosphere and backgrounds made for a great conversation about the challenges each company faces daily when it comes to recruitment.
Among the numerous topics that were discussed in each group, 3 key issues rose to the top. Retention, Remote Locations & Transportation and Career Pathing. While some of the organizations participating differed in industry type, they could all relate with these topics.
It’s no surprise that this topic quickly rose to the top for each representative. As we talked through this issue, many suggestions were given, and experiences were shared. Several shared the use of their employee dashboards. These technologies allow employees to take training classes, set yearly goals and communicate with their manager or supervisor. Other specified technologies were also introduced that allow manufacturing training, job qualification and even interview training for supervisors.
Mentor programs were popular among the conversation as well. Pairing entry-level employees or interns with a long-time employee or supervisor kept retention rates at 92% for one company. These types of programs allow the new employee to adapt to the company culture and give them a sense of acceptance and belonging they may be looking for.
What’s the most discouraging aspect of the job application process? Crickets! Candidates said, “no response from employers” was the most likely cause of a negative experience. Digging deeper into employers’ responsiveness in the 2018 Candidate Experience Survey, AgCareers.com asked candidates how often employers notified them about the receipt of their application. Unfortunately, one-third of respondents said they “rarely” or “never” heard from employers with a confirmation receipt indicating follow-up.
When a company doesn’t respond to an application, we asked candidates how this impacts their decision to apply for future openings with that company; the clear majority (87%) indicated a company’s lack of response was likely to impact their decision. Forty percent said a company’s lack of response made them very unlikely to apply to future openings.
And who’s more affected by lack of response? We found that employed candidates, passive candidates, and those that took longer to apply were significantly more impacted by a lack of response to their application materials.
It seems that the list of HR policies is ever-growing. While some workplace policies are mandatory, some workplace policies can be put into places as the result of an added benefit offered to employees. If you are considering adding a new benefit that is “off the wall” in nature, there are a few fun options you might consider.
Flexible Working Hours Policy
A flexible working hours policy allows employees the creativity of deciding which hours within the day fits their schedule best. Often times, a flexible working hours policy will contain core hours in which the employee must be at work or working and allows them the flexibility of when they will complete the rest of their work week. This policy can be great for locations with longer commutes or high traffic areas, allowing employees to maximize their day.
Behind only communication, the interview process is the second most influential candidate experience. AgCareers.com asked job seekers about their experiences in the 2018 AgCareers.com Candidate Experience Survey. Candidates will evaluate potential employers during the interview, with a direct impact on offer acceptance rates.
Talent Board has consistently found the top reason candidates drop out of the recruiting process is their perception that an employer disrespected their time during an interview. This can be caused by a manager running 30 minutes late to an interview, an interviewer being ill-prepared, or the actual job not being as advertised. The AgCareers.com survey found that ensuring the actual job description properly aligns with the job posting had the most influence on how the candidate will evaluate the interview.
The Interviewer
Sufficient preparation by the employer is imperative to make sure the interviewer asks relevant questions, the second most influential factor in creating a positive interview experience. Interviewers’ personalities and knowledge also are influential.
Make sure your interviewer can passionately discuss and demonstrate your organization’s core values, mission, and vision. The interviewer should be able to tell the candidate how the role their interviewing for fits into and impacts the organization overall. Plus be ready to discuss continuing education, development programs, mentors and advancement opportunities.
Conflict, tension, …whatever you want to call it. Not a favorite for many, but it certainly has its place. It moves the needle. It draws light to areas for improvement. It can draw relationships closer together. You can find it most anywhere.
Learning how to work through conflict can ease the angst. Whether you are having problems with an employee at work or have recently gone through a big change you aren’t liking or having problems at home with a loved one, these three simple things can help you navigate and get a grip on conflict. Take conflict from a negative and turn it into something productive.
1. Stop telling yourself stories – our brain has a way of taking something small (or big) and making it bigger in our minds. You know what I’m talking about. You tell yourself what the other person is thinking, why they are acting this way, and what their feelings and intentions are. We make it up in our heads and I’d venture to guess that at least 8 times out of 10, our story is way more dramatic than it really is. The truth is you don’t know any of these things until you talk about it!
Recruiting for your employer is a well-earned honor. It takes a special person to be able to sift through applications, interview candidates, and determine if that person will be a good fit for your company. What if they get a better offer somewhere else? What if they don’t really have the experience you were hoping to hear about? Or what if your job post gets zero applications? Fear not, we’ve got you. And we have all the answers to assist your recruitment strategies.
We have been supporting a community of 200,000+ industry professionals through career transitions for 20 years. We have the experience, connections and resources to enhance your recruitment strategies to help you find talent perfect for your specific company. Below are 10 ways AgCareers.com can do more for your recruitment strategies.
“I wanted to stop by and tell you something, but I don’t want you to say anything.” Sound familiar? As an HR professional, it is sometimes hard to know who to tell and who not to tell. It can also be just as tricky to know how to properly safeguard information so that only those that need to know, do. So what’s actually considered confidential?
The answer? Much of it. Much of the information kept within HR should be confidential. Employee records must be maintained in such a way that only certain HR employees have access to employee data and information should be closely guarded through proper security measures. What does this mean? If records are electronic, access should be thoroughly safeguarded and if information is paper, it should be guarded via lock and key. Health information must also be maintained with a high degree of security and are generally to be stored separately from an employee’s file. An audit of employee files and safeguarding practices should help you gauge the strength of internal controls around employee information.
Generation Z has been entering the workforce over the past couple of years. Just when you feel you have a handle on Millennials (born between 1981-1995) in the workforce, here comes Generation Z (born between 1995-2010). Work environments have changed over the past decade to help create cultures where Millennials thrive. However, Gen Z’s needs can be quite different, which may cause your company to re-think things, as Generation Z takes up a greater percentage of your employee base and will have different workplace expectations.
Approximately 73 million people make up Generation Z in the United States. This means Gen Z accounts for about 25 percent of the U.S. population. They are a larger group than Millennials and Gen Xers. Although Gen Z’s demographic profile is still being defined, they will have a big impact on the workforce because of the number of their generation alone. Learning more about Gen Z and their workplace expectations will help your company adapt and change more strategically as you continue to hire more from this new generation.
A similarity Gen Z has with Millennials is that they are very comfortable with technology, primarily because it has always been a part of their lives. They are used to immediate gratification through smartphones, Google searches and Amazon purchases. However, most of them have experienced their parents’ job loss and insecurity one or more times, which causes them to view work differently and have different expectations than Millennials.
