Employer benefits and resources for hiring veterans

November 11, 2010

According to the U.S. Census Bureau there were 21.9 million military veterans living in the United States in 2009.  Of that number the Bureau reported that only 9.8 million veterans aged 18 to 64 were in the labor force.

The Department of Veteran Affair’s Veteran Benefits Administration’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR & E) Program is a national employment resource for employers.

The VR & E Service provides effective vocational rehabilitation services to veterans with service-connected disabilities. Enabling our injured soldiers, sailors, airmen, and other veterans with disabilities for a seamless transition from military service to a successful rehabilitation and on to suitable employment after service to our Nation.

Learn more about the VR & E Service and the various programs and tax credits available to employers who hire veterans especially disabled veterans.

One such program, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a tax credit for businesses that hire individuals from certain qualified groups, of which one is disabled people who completed or are completing rehabilitative services from a state or the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. 

The Department of Labor offers an informative fact sheet about the target groups covered by the WOTC.   The credit can be as much as $4,800 for each new disabled veteran hire and the employer may hire as many new individuals who qualify for these tax savings.

To find qualified veterans to hire:

  •  locate the VR & E Office in your state use  this link  to the Department of Veteran Affairs “Facilities Locator & Directory” web page. Scroll down the page and click on your state. Under “Veterans Benefits Administration” click on the Regional Office. You will find the address and phone number to contact the Regional Office. When you make contact ask for the VR & E Service Officer or VR & E Service Employment Coordinator.
  • You may also send an   email  indicating your interest to hire a veteran from the VR&E Program, a description of the position and the best means to contact you. Your email will be directed to the appropriate VR&E Service Office and you will be contacted.
  • Visit the National Resource Directory for a thorough list of programs available to help employ veterans.

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Posted by HR Diva

The importance of exit interviews

July 8, 2010

Exit interviews are an invaluable tool in learning how to retain the best talent for your organization. This type of interview—which can be done in person, via questionnaire, or both—is best conducted by a trained human resources (HR) professional, but it’s worth doing even if you are a small organization. Not only will exit interviews help to uncover areas that need attention, the documentation it produces can help prevent costly litigation should a disgruntled former employee file a formal complaint.

If you are unable to conduct an interview with an exiting employee, try asking the person’s co-workers; they usually have a pretty good idea why their team member quit or how she felt about her job.

To make exit interviewing useful to your organization, it must be applied consistently—with the same questions— so that trends can be indentified and acted upon. Exit interviews are only worth doing if your organization is prepared to make changes based on whatever data is gathered.

Sample Exit Interview Questions

  • What are your primary reasons for leaving?
  • What did you find most satisfying about your job?
  • What did you find most frustrating about your job?
  • What improvements could you recommend about your job, the working conditions, management support, etc.?
  • Would you consider returning to this company in the future?
  • Would you recommend this company to friends or family?
  • Is there anything the company could have done to prevent you from leaving?
  • What do you think it takes to succeed at this company?
  • What does your new employer offer that’s different from this company?

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Employee turnover costs more than you think

July 1, 2010

A certain amount of employee turnover is normal (and healthy) in most organizations. Yet, high turnover rates can severely reduce a company’s productivity or even put a small business out of business. Although you probably worry more about payroll, supplies and equipment, understanding the true cost of turnover is essential—and it’s probably higher than you think.

Turnover costs vary according to position and industry.* Estimates range from 25 percent of an employee’s annual salary, for a minimum-wage worker, to 400 percent for a top executive. Even if we assume a conservative, average turnover cost to be equal to 100 percent of someone’s salary, can you afford to give away 12 months’ worth of pay just to replace an employee? Most small to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits can’t—they struggle to make payroll as it is.

The average turnover rate in Hawai‘i is 21 percent. So, let’s take a typical local business with 25 employees and an average salary of $40,000. If the company’s annual turnover rate is 20 percent, or five employees per year, the estimated effective cost of that turnover is five times $40,000 for a total cost of $200,000. That’s a hefty price tag for most small businesses.

However, you can do something about turnover—starting with the first three secrets presented in this blog. Keeping turnover low helps increase your business’s chances of success. Also, reducing turnover has been shown to improve both team productivity and the customer experience.

*Studies have been conducted nationally and globally by organizations such as Watson Wyatt, the Saratoga Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

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Secret #3 Hire slow, fire fast

June 24, 2010

If you’re striving to get the right people on the bus and hiring them based more on fit than skills, then it only makes sense to exercise patience during the recruiting and hiring process. Yes, it can be painful to leave a position unfilled for longer than you’d like, but the cost of a bad hire is usually not worth the misstep. Similarly, the longer you wait to let a bad hire go, the harder and more costly it becomes.

When in doubt, keep recruiting and interviewing. The true cost of a bad hire and its impact on an organization can be excessive. For instance, the overall cost of replacing a knowledge-worker after only 90 days on the job is typically estimated to be equal to 150% that employee’s annual salary.

Download the ALTRES white paper “HR Secrets for Hawaii Employers” for strategies on successfully hiring the right person.

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Posted by Biz Dev

Free help finding the job.

June 21, 2010

When searching for a job, don’t overlook a vital resource: local staffing companies — organizations who specialize in helping businesses and jobseekers find one another. Their services are usually paid for by the business client, so jobseekers never have to pay a fee. In turn, staffing companies save businesses time and money by delivering prescreened and prequalified job seekers.

Staffing companies also receive job orders from hundreds of different companies, so one interview with a staffing company means you’re considered for hundreds of jobs.

They assess your skills and match you to the perfect opportunities, but they do so much more. They also offer training, plus provide help with resumes, cover letters and interview techniques.

If you’ve recently graduated from trade school or college, consider working temporary assignments with a staffing company. Why? You could get your foot in the door of companies who may not be hiring.

Accelerate your experience and work skills by working temporary assignments with various companies and industries. Try out many companies to see what you like without tarnishing your resume.

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Posted by HR Diva

HR Secrets for Hawaii Employers (Part I of II)

June 10, 2010

 

HR Secret #1: Get the right people on the right seats on the bus

 

In his influential book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t, Kim Collins used the analogy of riding a bus. Business leaders are the bus drivers, the bus is their organization, and the passengers on the bus are their team members.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but according to Collins, the first thing a leader needs to decide is not where the bus is going, but rather, who will be riding on the bus. Making sure that every rider on the bus is dedicated to the other riders on the bus and to doing their best to reach the destination is of utmost importance. Sometimes that means people will opt to get off the bus. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

The right people on the bus will be nimble and able to adapt to changing circumstances—even a change in direction. They are also self-motivated. Keeping disengaged people on the bus, however, will prevent a good company from ever becoming great.

Download the ALTRES white paper “HR Secrets for Hawaii Employers” for strategies on successfully hiring the right person.

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Retaining and Inspiring Top Talent During Tough Times (Part II)

June 3, 2010

When economic downturns don’t show any signs of improvement, it leaves companies—and employees—wondering what’s next? The honest answer is, no one knows. And for the people who work in your organization that may be the most stressful part. Uncertainty breeds fear. And fear breeds discontent. When people are unsure of their future, they fill their minds, and waste time, with irrational fears and “what ifs.” Here are some more ways to retain your best employees during these challenging times:

Invest in One-to-one Management.

Schedule one-on-ones with each of your team members. Review the current situation, improvement plans being enacted, and the challenges and opportunities ahead. Outline clear expectations for the employee’s performance and the outcome that will occur if that performance is achieved. And if layoffs are likely to occur, clearly delineate the situation that will trigger the cuts and what must occur to avoid them.

Define Career Paths.

As part of your one-on-one meetings, invest time to help people review their career plan. Ask people what they want and how you can help them accomplish it. By focusing attention on an improved outcome, you create the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.” In the process you change the focus from challenges to opportunities.

Offer Market Pay.

While this may not be the ideal time to consider increasing personnel expenses, don’t shortchange yourself by under-compensating your staff. Evaluate your pay and benefits package to ensure it’s competitive. While money alone typically won’t spur high performance, a compensation package that is perceived as being unfair will create resentment.

Keep the Department Focused.

When people feel stressed, big projects can become overwhelming. To keep the work manageable, break big projects into phases and tasks that are less intimidating. As
a manager, your role is to maintain focus on corporate objectives while encouraging employees to concentrate on the next task to be accomplished. Also, create positive reinforcement by celebrating milestones as they are accomplished.
 
Actively “Re-recruit” Top Performers.

If you don’t already do this, this practice may sound strange. But think of it this way…your company surely invests in marketing to existing clients. Why? Because it costs five times more to get a new customer than to retain an existing one. The same is true of employees. Top performers are incredibly expensive to replace. Rather than take chances, be proactive about keeping them satisfied.

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What you should know about the HIRE Act

May 27, 2010

The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, which became law on March 18, 2010, offers temporary payroll tax breaks to employers for hiring previously unemployed individuals. It also extends a business tax credit for retaining those qualified individuals for at least 52 weeks. 

Below are details of the new law:

Reduced Social Security Taxes for Employers
The new law offers a temporary tax holiday from the 6.2% Social Security payroll tax on “qualified individuals.” Here are the basic rules:

  • Qualified individuals must be hired after February 3, 2010 and before January 1, 2011.
  • In order for an employer to claim the tax exemption, each qualified individual must certify by signed affidavit that the individual was not employed for more than 40 hours during the 60-day period prior to the start date of employment.
  • The tax exemption applies to wages earned from the enactment date (March 18, 2010) through December 31, 2010.

Business Tax Credit
Under the HIRE Act employers are also eligible for a $1,000 business tax credit for each qualified individual retained at least one year (52 consecutive weeks). This tax credit would be claimed on the 2011 business income tax return. Please consult with your tax professional for guidance on claiming this credit.

Click here to view the official HIRE Act news release from the IRS.

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HR Secrets for Hawaii Employers (Part II of II)

May 20, 2010

HR Secret #2: Hire for fit, train for skills

Practically all employees are hired on skill set and fired on “fit.” In HR terms, this is putting the cart before the horse.

Job candidates are much more likely to stay with your organization and be successful if their personalities and values match the culture of your team and/or organization. By comparison, if you hire your employees primarily on skills and work experience, chances are your turnover rates will be higher than average.

The concept of hiring for fit and training for skills is predicated on the idea that most employees can always learn and develop new skill sets. Yet, if an employee doesn’t “fit” your organization, it doesn’t matter how much training and development you throw at the person—the overall effect on the business can be disastrous. With even one employee that doesn’t fit, team morale and productivity can suffer dramatically. Customer service can be impacted negatively. And the longer the wrong person is on the bus, the more expensive it gets to replace that employee.

Download the ALTRES white paper “HR Secrets for Hawaii Employers” for strategies on successfully hiring the right person.

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Posted by Biz Dev

Reference Checking 101

April 1, 2010

“I’m sorry. But all I can do is verify this person’s name, title and dates of employment.”

Getting an honest and reliable reference can be a real challenge. Cautious HR departments do not want to release information. Supervisors don’t have the time to chat. And all too often, the references provided are afraid or unwilling to give honest feedback.

So how do you get a good reference check?

The basics.
These are the standard questions you should ask:

  1. “How long did the candidate work with you?
  2. What was her/his position?
  3. Can you describe the job responsibilities?
  4. What kind of work relationship did you have with the applicant?

Unexpected questions.
Here are some unexpected questions that can initiate a conversation. By asking surprise questions such as these, you’ll be able to discover a lot more about a potential candidate’s past performance.

  • Did [candidate name]  ask your permission to be a reference for him/her?
  • What did he/she learn during his/her time with your company?
  • What do you think would be the ultimate job or career for this candidate?
  • What circumstances frustrate him/her the most?
  • How well does he/she deal with stress?
  • How did the candidate respond to your management style?
  • If I describe the position we are hiring for to you, could you describe how good a fit you think (name) would be for the position?
  • What do you feel were the candidate’s strengths?
  • What do you feel were his/her weaknesses?
  • What was this person’s biggest accomplishment while working for your company?
  • Can you describe this person’s experience working as a member of a team?
  • Would you rehire this person?
  •  Is there anything I haven’t asked that you would like to share with me?

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