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6 Skills to Master in Your First Year Out of College

1. How to Write a Resume

Resumes are like the windows into your job seeking souls, or a window into what you did before this job. Either way, they’re important. Whether or not you think you are a resume “expert,” every position requires a little tweaking of the resume. So, it doesn’t matter how good or bad you think your resume is, there are hundreds of ways to create or improve one that looks totally professional. Here are some previous blogs about how to do just that:

Resumes that Make Employers Take Notice
Bad Resumes are like Celebrity Train Wrecks
Interviewing: Recent Grad Edition

2. How to Budget

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I’m still working on this one myself, but learning how to budget your money is crucial in the year after you graduate. Through college, you were generally guaranteed a place to live and could beg your friends into giving you their leftovers, but now you might be out on your own. If you are (or if you’re trying to be) it could be time to actually log your spending/savings so that you’re not left out in the cold. If you don’t want to take my word on it, maybe read the Forbes take on it.

3. Taking Care of Yourself

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And that means getting in and out of bed at a reasonable hour. This is probably the easiest and hardest part of graduating college. Sure, you had to learn how to “cook” and maintain decently healthy living habits, but now it’s the time where you actually have to pretend to know how to be an adult. This means exercising, knowing where the produce section of the grocery store is, and hopefully having more than just alcohol and ketchup packets in your fridge at any given time.

4. Creating and Maintaining Professional Relationships

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It’s easy to fall into the routine of seeing the same people everyday, and if you’ve just graduated, it’s even easier to forget the difference in experience levels. Creating professional relationships are simple; just show and give respect where deserved, but maintaining the professionalism is a little more difficult. If you already have a job or want to study how you can become a functioning member of work culture, you can check out these blogs:

Work Social
What is a Mentor & How do we Find One?
4 Steps for Job Seekers to Engage New Employers

5. Interviewing Well

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Lucky for you, ExactHire has multiple blogs on how to do just that! Here are a few that you should definitely check out in order to find success at every turn, or interview.

Haven’t Landed a Job Yet? Maybe Because You Do Things Like This…
Tips to Stand Out While Job Hunting
How to Close Your Final Interview

6. Having an Opinion

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This may seem like an obvious skill to have mastered, especially after you ruled the classroom with your deep and probing thoughts; but what happens when your opinion on Jane Eyre’s choice to return to blind Mr. Rochester is no longer relevant? Answer: you form new opinions. Just as you had to do your research for that research project your senior year, you have to research your new job. The more you know and understand about the company, the easier it will be to give your own input. Though it may seem scary at first to have different thoughts than those around you, stick to what you know, show that you care, but always be open to new and other opinions.

Image credit: PUSH FOR HELP by Jonahthan Nightingale (contact)

Vermont “Ban the Box” Legislation

in Hiring Process, Workforce Management/by Nancy Meyer, SHRM-CP

As the movement to eliminate potential employment barriers for individuals with a criminal record continues, Vermont is the newest state to pass legislation to “Ban the Box” in the early stages of the application process for public and private sector employment. “Ban the Box” AKA “Fair Chance Policy” aims to reduce recidivism rates and future incarcerations of prior offenders. The policy will help individuals with criminal records “have a fair chance” to be actively considered for employment opportunities despite having blemished records when they are applying for jobs in their attempt to attain employment.
Vermont Governor, Peter Shumlin, signed the legislation on May 3, 2016; however, this legislation does not become effective until July 1, 2017. The time delay will be implemented so that employers will have adequate time to adjust employment processes to comply with this law. The bill, H.261, prohibits employers from asking criminal conviction related questions initially on a job application. Employers are still allowed to ask questions about convictions later in the hiring process. Certain exemptions exist on this law, please consult your company’s legal team for more information on the exemptions and criteria to qualify.

Upcoming “Ban the Box” Legislation

Vermont “Ban the Box” legislation is only the latest to be adopted a state. Currently, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Illinois, New Jersey and Oregon all have statewide Ban the Box legislation for public and private employment. Other states, cities and municipalities have enacted localized or public employment related legislation related to the Ban the Box concept. To keep abreast of states and cities who enact “Ban the Box” legislation, the National Employment Law Project (NELP) has an interactive map that provides an overview of the current legislative status. For the actual legislation, you will need to go directly to the state or city government website to access the passed law(s) in its comprehensive language.
Employers need to be aware of the legislation that exists and what legislation is pending to be prepared for the potential impact on their organizations. If your organization currently has hiring practices in multiple states and cities, or posts job listings nationally, it is important to be cognizant of the locales’ legal expectations and determine if you need to alter verbiage on your employment application(s) and/or change specific steps in your hiring practices to be compliant with “Ban the Box” legislation.
Please note: The ExactHire team is not legal counsel, and we do not offer legal advice so any questions regarding your company’s eligibility for exemption with the “Ban the Box” legislation and/or proper verbiage for your company’s employment application(s) should be discussed with your company’s legal counsel. To learn specifically how Vermont’s H.261 affects your organization’s hiring practices, please contact your company’s legal team.

ExactHire Clients

At ExactHire, we take pride in doing our best to ensure our clients’ satisfaction is the highest possible. We do whatever we can to resolve clients’ current needs and identify potential needs. After you speak with your legal counsel, and if you and your legal team decide changes need to be made to your employment application(s) to comply with legislation, the ExactHire team can work with you to create a new application with the verbiage you specify for compliance. Also, please know that one of the benefits of using ExactHire’s HireCentric software as your applicant tracking system is that you can create multiple employment applications, each specific to your needs. If you are an existing client looking for more information about updating your current employment application(s) and/or creating additional employment applications, please email support@exacthire.com, and let us know your needs.

Learn More About ExactHire Solutions

If you are not yet an ExactHire client, for more information about HireCentric ATS, please visit our resources page or contact us today.

New FOX TV Pilot “HR”…Will It Be A Hit?

in Workforce Management/by Tom Branson

I just finished reading a post discussing a new sit-com pilot on FOX with the working title HR. I’ll link to that article a little bit later, but for now let’s consider what this new show might mean to the world of Human Resources.

I certainly support the idea of a new comedy based around the Human Resources profession–no loss for material there. But I can’t help but wonder if HR will be short-changed. Now before you think that I’m just being a Debbie..er Donnie Downer, hear me out.

Workplace Comedy

People spend the majority of their waking moments at work. Sadly, for many it’s anything but funny. It’s dull, boring, and monotonous. Only 48% of U.S. workers are satisfied with their jobs according to The Conference Board–a nonprofit research organization that has conducted the Job Satisfaction Survey since 1987.

So why are workplace comedies so popular? I think Bob Newhart explained it well, “Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it, and then move on.”

When weary workers arrive home to ultimately plop in front of a screen, they’re looking for something. They want to escape. They want to get distance from their day. This can be done countless ways, but workplace comedy provides the opportunity to both escape and laugh at oneself. And for many, that is more than entertainment, it approaches a type of therapy.

So I know that I won’t find many sympathetic souls to join me in questioning the idea of HR as comedy. In fact, at first blush, the profession may seem to be tailor made for it. Even HR professionals themselves would likely agree that their jobs can frequently incite laughter, or at the very least amusement. People do funny things, and at work HR is there to…document it.

However, there is a risk that the Human Resources profession could–as often occurs–be unfairly painted with a broad brush. Frequently, HR is seen as the rule maker, rule enforcer, and both the source and destination for workplace grievances. Sure, a comedy could succeed in laying bare the hilarious truths and absurdities that HR silently, compliantly deals with–and that’s a great start–but what about the genuinely positive role of HR in the workplace? How is that story told?

The Other Side Of The Coin

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to be a buzz kill here. A sit-com is not a social movement or cause. There is no requirement that it simultaneously function as a PSA either. Its goal is to maximize the number of people tuning in to laugh on a weekly basis.

But in looking back at some popular workplace comedies, yes, they were hilarious, but they also treated the professions they satirized with dignity. Think of TV series like M*A*S*H, Taxi, WKRP In Cincinnati, and Cheers. These shows produced a ton of laughs, but they also developed depth in characters, especially the lead roles. In this way, these comedies became something more for the viewers.

Of course, there are other workplace sitcoms with well developed characters, but these weren’t alone in portraying the dignity of a profession to the masses. These sit-coms were counterbalanced by a TV drama that focused on the same profession. For instance: Scrubs could be over-the-top zaney because ER was grounded; Night Court brought humor to the courtroom, while Matlock brought justice; and the motley team of detectives in Brooklyn Nine-Nine are a nice reprieve from Law & Order: XYZ.

Where Will “HR” Land?

As I said, a comedy around the HR profession should have no trouble providing hilarious stories. I will be watching the pilot episode, and I hope the show is funny and ultimately lands a series. But more importantly, I hope that this show succeeds in creating characters who portray the positive aspects of Human Resources professionals.

Yes, let’s laugh at the self-martyring employees, office pranks gone awry, and innocent, but thoughtless and inappropriate, workplace behavior. But let’s also see the real humans behind these HR roles, the ways in which they are trying to enhance the lives of employees, provide guidance on difficult personnel matters, and how they are trying to make the workplace less dull, boring, and monotonous.

If we can walk away from the pilot episode of HR with a dozen laughs and a greater appreciation for the work of Human Resources professionals, then I think FOX may have a very promising comedy in its hands. To learn more about HR, you can check out the SHRM post here. It gives you a detailed overview of the concept, the cast of characters, and a fun discussion about possible plots for this new show–it’s a fun read.

ExactHire provides hiring software for small- to medium-sized businesses that enables Human Resources professionals to spend more time with people and less time on process.

Monday FunDay: Love Is Spelled…B-I-N-G-O

in Workforce Management/by Tom Branson

While the ExactHire team has enjoyed a somewhat mild winter this year, February in Indianapolis is still a time to hunker down and indulge in some tried and true indoor activities. February’s Monday FunDay was no exception.

ExactHire’s Fun Committee (Yes, that is the official name; and, yes, I am a member of it.) channelled childhood memories of Valentine’s Day parties for this month’s event. What ideas came to mind?

Cupid…a Nerf bow and arrow contest perhaps?
Greeting Cards…ExactHire craft time, anyone?
Candy…why not another sugary treat exchange?
BINGO…saaaaay whaaat?

One childhood memory our committee had was of classroom bingo set to a Valentine’s theme. This means that the board contains words of love, affection, and secret admiration. And the markers are pieces of cheap, questionable candy. A fine memory indeed. But what could we add to this event to take it over the top?

Winner takes The Golden Vase, of course. Bingo! We had our Monday Funday competition.

The following story is based on real events and names. The emotions, actions, sounds, and details in general have been changed to dramatize an otherwise pleasant game of bingo. Reader discretion is advised.

Dawn

The morning leading up to February’s FunDay showdown was tense. The previous month’s event saw Jess triumphantly reclaim the Golden Vase back from Jeff, who had been parading the trophy around since the New Year began. But Jess’s return to glory was not universally acclaimed.

You see, some members of the team took issue with Jess’s victory in the January competition, which was billed as a snowball toss, but in actuality resembled a game of beer pong (minus the beer). “Weeks of preparation wasted!” The disgruntled losers had cried.

And so chit-chat was minimal while we worked through the morning’s company-wide meeting. Game faces were firmly fixed as we ate our lunches in silence. The ExactHire team had a game, and bingo was it’s name-oh.

B…I…N…G…O.

The game got off to a rocky start when it was quickly realized that very few of the words being drawn matched any of the words on our boards. Boos and hisses snuck out the corners of anonymous mouths. An uneasiness settled over the conference table.

Sensing the unrest and impending fisticuffs, Darythe (Fun Committee Chair and Bingo M.C.) promptly tossed her “random word” list and grabbed the “winning words” list. A fateful decision!

For as she uttered the words, Jeff–the promenading pariah from January–smiled with glee, marking box after box, and coming oh so close to completing his B-I-N-G-O.

But Jess and Randi were also quickly putting together winning lines of their own. Two-time champ, Allen, was in the mix too. Meanwhile, I was questioning the legitimacy of my board.

It seemed to be neck and neck–as far as bingo goes. Giddy giggles and nervous flailing of hands began to accompany each call. The winner would soon be named. And then, it happened.

“BINGO!”

The Aftermath

Jeff stood, hands outstretched above his head, a beaming, triumphant smile. Following his “YES! Whoo-hoo,” the room went silent. Jeff’s eyes glazed over with visions of the Golden Vase.

One-by-one, the ExactHire team members filed out the door, heads lowered, sour tastes in their mouths–likely due to the questionable candy. Only Jeff remained. A man alone with his vase.

“Sweet,” he softly remarked.

Yes, Jeff, if only for the bitterness of defeat.

Monday Funday is one way in which ExactHire seeks to build and grow a fun work culture. Each month–on a Monday of course–we recognize the workiversaries and birthdays of our team. We also participate in creative competitions that sometimes turn fierce.

We will share recaps of these events via our blog in an effort to spread the word that Monday can be a fun day. But we also want to know how you have FUN at your workplace too. So add that in the comment section below. Our Fun Committee is always looking for ideas!

Recent Golden Vase Winners

5 Tips for Making the Holidays an Employee Engagement Extravaganza

in Workforce Management/by Randi Renee Doerr, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Employee engagement comes in many forms. Many organizations look at it as a top-down activity, where perks are given to the rank and file staff by the executives or directors. But another form is one that meaningfully involves everyone across roles and departments.

ExactHire has solidified its monthly tradition of seasonally-themed and friendly inter-office competition. November’s version of this much anticipated event didn’t disappoint and was not surprisingly focused on giving thanks, eating food and taking out turkeys. Wait…what? Read on for details folks.

For those of you who weren’t able to join us for the spirited activities on Monday, November 16th, I thought it would be fun to give you the breakdown in a few quick snippets below. Gobble, gobble! Let’s get to it…

#5 – Deck Your Office Digs With Turkey Swag

To get into the spirit, a handful of us conspired to bring in an eclectic collection of autumn- and Thanksgiving-inspired decorations to make the conference room extra special and lively for our annual November potluck lunch. I think we struck a reasonable balance between really hitting the mark vs. making it look like the seasonal aisle at Michael’s or Jo-Ann’s threw up on our conference table. I mean, we even had a cornucopia!

#4 – Eat: Pre-Game, Main Event & Post-Game

Arguably, November is the easiest month in which to host an office pitch-in because you don’t have to worry about coming up with a clever theme. Yes, potluck sign-up sheets are old hat for us at ExactHire since we embrace the paperless nature of our business by using a shared Google Doc file to state our name and our favorite Thanksgiving-appropriate food converted into a portable version (courtesy of a crockpot). Especially on a Monday Funday, the nibbles started early with the pre-game warm-up followed by the main meal in the company of each other. A few people might have kept sneaking the chocolate-caramel brownies later in the afternoon, too.

#3 – Document the Day & Spread the Joy

Wondering about the picture, aren’t you? What better way to pay homage to a momentous meal than to embrace the power of the trytophan? But speaking of giving thanks and spreading cheer, one of my favorite ExactHire traditions is our annual Thanksgiving card to clients.

We’ve had fun putting together the design for the cards in past years as they’ve always depicted the members of our team in what we hope is a comedic way. This year, however, we wanted to try something new that could reach even more people — a video. We used Funday as center stage for producing our first (dare I say) annual Thanksgiving video card. The collaborative effort involved in the video production helped us engage in the day’s festivities even more…from the decorations to the personal video messages of thanks to the staged post-meal napping.

#2 – Shoot Some Turkeys

We can’t forget the competitive part of Monday Funday. When we all battle it out for the coveted golden vase and personalized certificate of achievement. November didn’t fall short with a bowling pin-style shooting range of thoughtfully (okay, maybe hastily) colored paper turkey drawings each assigned various point totals. Each participant was given two practice shots before taking six official shots to try and accumulate the highest point total. You may be wondering about our weapons of choice? Well, fellow teammate Darythe was kind enough to supply us with some sharp shooting tools courtesy of her daughter. They were from the Nerf Rebelle line in case any of you want to bring this contest to your own organizations.

I was up first and feeling pretty good about my chances, but was very quickly rousted from contention by pretty much every single other co-worker…except of course, Darythe, who ironically came in last despite owning the goods. The official standings:

Darythe – 70
Jess – 85
Tom – 100
Susan – 135
Christa – 150
Jeff – 185
Randi – 200
Allen – 250 (for his second Monday Funday win!)

#1 – Spend Quality Time With Great Teammates

It’s easy for people to be too busy to really talk to their co-workers these days. I’m sure many of us are guilty of taking lunch at our desks, heading off site to meet others outside of the company all the time or just huddling in our own offices/cubes to finish a big project for hours on end. Our Monday Fundays give ExactHire employees a built-in opportunity to stop talking shop for a bit and get to know and appreciate each other. Fostering that kind of synergy pays dividends when it comes to group projects and resolving challenges in the workplace. We highly encourage you to try similar stress-reducing, culture-building activities in your organization.

I think it is safe to say there is no “case of the Mondays” here!

Recent Golden Vase Winners

Monday Funday

in Workforce Management/by ExactHire Hiring Pros

Case of the Mondays, anyone? Mondays get a bad rap for being the first day of the week and being somewhat mundane in general. Everyone is back in the office to regularly scheduled meetings and phone calls instead of enjoying weekend fun with friends and family. Blah!

Luckily, I work at a company that believes in building and growing a fun culture. I was recently named the Fun Ambassador here at ExactHire, and my Fun Committee includes two other coworkers. We decided to recognize the workiversaries and birthdays of our team on a monthly basis during Monday Fun-day ‘Funventures’.

Monday Funday

Last week, we celebrated our first monthly–nay, inaugural– “Monday Fun-day”, and we set the standard high. Glorious cupcakes were secured from a local bakery, helium balloons were brought in for a burst of color, and musical comedy was provided in the form of a couple Jib-Jabs in honor of our workiversarian and Birthday Boy.

The highlight, however, was an office chair race. The racetrack was defined with rainbow duct tape that was placed around the kitchen area of the office and down the hall. We had 9 participants (3 employees not present) and 1 clear winner who finished with a time more than one second better than 2nd place. And–importantly–no injuries!

A Case for Culture

Of course, not every organization can or wants to host monthly office chair races–we just happen to be wired for this. But as employers seek to hire the best talent, it’s becoming more important that they find ways to differentiate themselves from other employers. For some, this means office chair races; for others, perhaps a zipline adventure. Regardless, creating time for employees to blowoff steam and have FUN together is an effective approach to creating a working environment where people want to work. This helps in hiring talent, and it also helps in retaining employees.

Let us know how you have FUN at your workplace by adding a comment below. Our Fun Committee is always looking for ideas!

Official Office Chair Race Results

Allen 08.98
Tom 10.70
Randi 12.59
Jessica 12.93
Susan 12.96
Darythe 13.10
Christa 13.49
Jeff 14.03
Eric 17.16

Stay tuned to see more ExactHire Funventures!

Feature Image Credit: 4/365 monday
by Robert Couse-Baker
(contact)

A Simple Onboarding Cheat Sheet

in Workforce Management/by Christa Wynk

As summer comes to an end and everyone’s schedule gets hectic with school, fall activities and new work projects, finding ways to simplify and focus at work are a must! There are countless tips out there for enhancing your employee onboarding process (think employee retention), but here is a quick “cheat sheet” to make sure you’re doing the big things–and a few little things–that make the process easy and effective.

Complete New Hire Paperwork…Painlessly

Just like starting school or with any new job, there are a lot of forms to be filled out. Going paperless will help you get through these quickly and easily. Onboarding software makes this process streamlined and painless for all involved.

Ready New Hire Workstation…Before The First Day

When a new employee arrives, make sure they feel at home with their work area, not just sitting in an empty cubicle. Have office supplies ready and laptop and any other hardware already set up so that they are not just sitting around watching you get these items together. This will show that you are excited about their arrival to the team!

Inform Staff About The New Hire…All Staff

Make sure every member of your staff–regardless of role–is aware of the new hire’s arrival. Encourage interaction and support of the new hire so that they will feel part of the team immediately. This will be a positive for everyone. The sooner a new hire is comfortable and acclimated, the more efficient the organization can be!

Welcome New Hire To Your Organization…Social, Fun

Be fun! And be yourselves! Host a carry-in lunch, or order in bagels the first day to help break the ice. You want the new hire to enjoy open conversations (this is easy to do over food!), rather than feel bombarded with inquiries. Also, invite current employees to celebrate the new hire via company social media pages. They can post with fun hashtags #newhire !

Provide Ongoing Support…Resources to Thrive

Resources for learning the job in the first few weeks, as well as for continued professional development, are vital for new hires. Also, have a plan of attack for the training period, and be able to provide an outline or schedule of this plan to the new hire. They will feel more at ease with what to expect during the first few weeks. And after the first few weeks, be sure to keep new hires informed of opportunities for continued improvement through professional development and job evaluations.

Hopefully this list helps you do the bigs things (and a few small things) to effectively onboard new employees. Great onboarding will lower costs and boost moral within your whole organization, so it’s worth your investment.

To learn how onboarding software can compliment your current onboarding process, visit ExactHire to checkout a demo, or contact us to learn more.

Getting The Most From Your Work Commute

in Workforce Management/by Tom Branson

Hello. How ‘bout that ride in.

Every weekday morning, millions of Americans take to their cars and head to work. According to a study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, workers from the 30 largest U.S. cities spend an average of 4.33 hours commuting to and from work each week. Those working in New York City lament the longest work drive in the nation at 6.65 hours per week. That’s a lot of time on the road that can leave motorists and their employers paying a heavy toll.

Mental Health

Ever been stuck in traffic and taken a quick look at the faces of your fellow drivers? Well, stop! Keep your eyes on the road. That’s how accidents happen.

Now, ever been a passenger in a car and observed the drivers’ expressions while in traffic? You might notice a lot of grimaced or yelling faces mixed with dejection, boredom, anger, and anxiety. Sure, there are smiling and laughing faces, but those are few and far between. The majority of drivers are stressed, and they’re taking it with them to work.

The University of Montreal’s School of Industrial Relations found that commute times of more than 20 minutes can lead to “professional burnout” for many employees–disillusionment, cynicism, and general unhappiness with their workplace. And a study from the U.K.’s Office of National Statistics found that commuters, when compared to non-commuters:

felt less satisfied with their lives,
rated their daily activities as less worthwhile,
reported less happiness and higher anxiety than non-commuters.

Mental and physical health will often, if not always, impact one another. So it should come as no surprise that employees who face long, stressful commutes, also suffer from physical ailments.

Physical Health

A 2012 report by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that greater commuting distances are associated with decreased cardiorespiratory fitness, increased weight, and other indicators of metabolic risk. Additionally, the cramped quarters of a car present the perfect setting for back and neck pain. This is to say nothing of the spikes in blood pressure that may occur thanks to:

That guy who cut you off
That guy who’s driving too slow
That guy who doesn’t use a signal
That guy who’s tailgating

Yeah, you know those guys. They’re a real pain.

Strategies to Overcome the Effects of Long Work Commutes

Fortunately, a long daily commute doesn’t have to be a life sentence of pain and stress. By realizing that long commutes can be hazardous to your physical and mental health, employees and employers can be proactive in combating the negative outcomes–and maybe even add some positive ones.

What Employers Can Do

Telecommuting: In addition to cutting down or eliminating commutes, telecommuting has been shown to increase employee productivity, retention, and satisfaction, according to a study in the Harvard Business Review. For those reasons and others, telecommuting is a rising trend among employers in the United States, where nearly 24% of workers state that they work some hours from home (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011).

Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA): Often times, work commutes cause employees stress and anxiety because some days they are challenged to fit everything into the day. Whether it be doctor’s appointments, childcare, volunteer commitments, or car maintenance, these commuters are feeling the time crunch –and that 20-minute traffic delay doesn’t help.

Employers who offer employees flexibility to work where and when they prefer also provide them with the autonomy to manage their daily schedules in the most effective manner. As with telecommuting, research has shown that productivity and absenteeism are positively impacted by a FWA (SHRM, 2014)

Fitness Space/Classes: Employers can seek to provide employees with resources to alleviate stress too. This can be as simple as providing a quiet room for meditation or, at larger office spaces, access to a fitness facility. Professionals–for mental or physical health–can be invited in to teach crash courses in stress-relieving techniques, such as yoga, mindfulness, meditation, tai chi, or high-intensity cardio workouts.

What Employees Can Do

Change Your Perspective: Before getting into the car, realize that more than likely you will encounter traffic, delays, and idiot-drivers. By simply taking the time to set realistic expectations for your drive, you’ll be less likely to become stressed by delays and the antics of your fellow-drivers.

Podcast or Audio Books: Get a jump on your workday by listening to a podcast for professional/personal development. Or, if you can’t find the time to read for pleasure, why not spend your commute listening to a book? These approaches will have you looking forward to your commute, and the delays may not seem so bad.

Mindfulness: There are many resources available for practicing mindfulness. If you are not familiar with the practice, read up on it and consider using your commute as an opportunity to practice it. In essence, you will seek to be present in the moment of driving–not using past experiences to explain the present, or worrying about future, possible outcomes that may result from the present–just relaxed, with your attention on the drive. You’ll arrive to work fresh and stress-free.

Getting The Most From Your Work Commute

Commuting to and from work is a necessity for most employees. And although more and more employers are offering telecommuting as an option, it is not likely that your work commute will completely go away anytime soon. To combat the negative impact of commuting to work, both employers and employees must take a proactive approach to managing employee stress inside and outside the workplace.

Eliminating unnecessary employee stress is one of the best ways for organizations to retain employees; it’s also one of the best ways to hire them. ExactHire offers hiring technology that eliminates stress for HR Departments and provides job applicants with a transparent, seamless, stress-free experience from application to onboarding.

Image credit: Los Angeles Traffic by Luke Jones(contact)

My Work Team Rocks – And Why It Matters To You

in Workforce Management/by Randi Renee Doerr, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Recently I took a week’s worth of holiday time. It was used to recharge my mental health and reestablish bonds with my loved ones, as most holidays are. Our plans called for a canoe camping trip in the Ozarks. No internet. No phones. No radio. No electricity. Just us and the outdoors and any other people (or animals) we might happen to encounter along the way.

It’s common to hear people lament how stressed they will be about work when preparing to leave for a vacation; or, how swamped they’ll be when returning. Others may even ask, “Are you going to be able to enjoy your time away and not be concerned with being unable to ‘check-in on things’?”

My own answer to that question: Not at all. My work team rocks my world!

Teamwork at ExactHire

ExactHire has a solid, successful plan in place for shifting work when someone on the team goes on vacation. The team believes in the philosophy that a recharged team member makes a successful team member. We shift the workload while someone is out of the office and for a few days upon their return. Because this is an important part of our company culture, vacationing employees return from their breaks refreshed and ready to produce attentive, quality work.

Yes, it may take us an extra hour to respond to requests while someone is out of the office; or, the special projects we work on behind the scenes might get put on hold. However, we have prioritized and planned in advance, making the entire team aware of expectations. At a minimum, some combination of two people on the team are trained on how to do every task our staff executes. This is how we keep things running seamlessly while someone on our team is on holiday.

This type of team environment rocks! As a client or a potential client of ExactHire this should be important to you. We want you to know you will always be in good hands, and there will never be a moment when you are left without because someone is on vacation.

If you’re ready to begin work with the ExactHire team, visit our resources section to explore our hiring software solutions or contact us today. Or, check out some fun ways to improve culture and bring your own team closer together.