Video: Ensuring Your Company has Strong Leaders, Not Bosses

Are leaders born or made? It's an interesting question that produces a plethora of answers. But here's something that isn't up for debate: People are naturally attracted to leaders.

Click to watch the video.

Leaders possess capabilities that can inspire others to become their best, something that business owners eagerly seek in the people they hire and the individuals they currently employ. When you recognize leadership qualities in your workforce, you can't afford to let them get away. As a result, companies are always looking to identify leadership skills within potential hires to ensure they have a strong base of leaders that can drive the organization forward. These skills include the ability to motivate staff and drive innovation, while doing so with a sense of integrity, transparency and diplomacy.

A great way to gain insight on whether someone is more of a boss or a leader is to do your homework during the hiring process. For example, if you're interviewing an applicant for a management opening, asking them a few questions about how they led various projects or initiatives will tell you a lot about their leadership style.

Additionally, calling one or two of the candidate’s references can give you an idea of whether the person was highly regarded for their leadership capabilities in their previous position. The length of their relationship can also provide insight.

“When candidates portray admirable leadership qualities in the interview process, appointing them to supervisory roles can help motivate your other staff members to perform well or seek to become leaders in their own right,” said Nancy Halverson, general manager for MRINetwork.

For the most part, employees think rather highly of their managers. In fact, a 2016 poll conducted by CareerBuilder, found nearly two-thirds of respondents gave their bosses an "A" or "B." However, in those instances where bosses received an average or failing grade, it frequently led to employee losses. Almost 40 percent of respondents in the poll said they'd left at least one job due to the management style of their bosses.

In short, as noted in a report by the Society for Human Resource Management, dissatisfied workers don't leave their jobs - they leave their bosses.

How do you ensure you have leaders who inspire instead of bosses who discourage? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Leaders avoid micromanaging and consider others their equals

As discussed in The Muse, even though managers may be authority figures, they shouldn't see themselves as "better than" the workers who are in their charge. The best managers view their relationship as more of a partnership, rather than a one-way street where the manager directs and workers perform. Additionally, leaders give their staff autonomy, adopting a more "hands-off" approach to management. In the 2016 CareerBuilder survey, respondents who gave their managers a high letter grade were more likely to work for leaders who they didn't consider to be a micromanager.

2. Leaders take a genuine interest in their team members

Employees have lives beyond the office, spending their time with family members, friends, projects at home or activities within their community. Leaders aim to get to know their team on an individual basis, forming a more personal relationship while at the same time learning about qualities that can contribute to the growth of the business, like expertise that isn’t currently be utilized, or traits such as patience or perseverance that would lend themselves well on a special project. Knowing someone at an individual fosters trust and encourages people to give it their all.

3. Leaders prioritize relationships and results

Managers in leadership positions are responsible for ensuring work is completed effectively so growth never ceases. Overbearing bosses may still be able to achieve solid results, but it may produce diminishing returns if employees are at their wits' end and ultimately decide to quit in search of greener pastures. Leaders recognize the value of relationships. They prioritize finding solutions to issues that may be troubling workers and ultimately impeding their work output. Leaders also put greater emphasis on results that are achieved through demanding yet, reasonable processes rather than processes that are tedious and unnecessarily taxing.

“Whether it comes naturally or develops over time, leadership is an indispensable asset that can help your business reach its goals,” said Halverson. “Fostering strong leadership and leveraging it to drive the organization forward can be the difference between a run-of-the-mill operation and a truly extraordinary one.”

The Trevi Group 
www.TheTreviGroup.com 
"Executive Search for Technology Professionals"

BLS Employment Situation Report for May 2018

Considerable spikes in employment characterized the U.S. economy in May - more than enough to offset an April jobs report viewed as underwhelming in numerous respects. According to the latest Employment Situation Summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfarm payroll employment in America rose by 223,000 through May. This was nearly 100,000 more than the 159,000 positions created during April (according to revised figures) and ahead of numerous economic analysts surveyed by both Bloomberg and Reuters, who predicted median gains of 190,000 and 188,000 jobs, respectively.

Additionally, the unemployment rate fell to 3.8 percent from the previous month, which, at 3.9 percent in April, was the lowest rate seen in almost 20 years. May's figure represents an almost half-century low.

Retail trade, the dependably robust field of healthcare and construction led the way for job increases, respectively gaining 31,000, 29,000 and 25,000 jobs in May.

Professional and technical services added 23,000 positions for the month, transportation and warehousing created 19,000 jobs and manufacturing continued its trend of expansion driven by durable goods production, with 18,000 roles added to its ranks. Mining brought up the rear in terms of statistically significant employment gains for May, creating 6,000 new positions largely in the niche of support services.

Job growth in other industries such as wholesale trade, information, financial activities, leisure and hospitality, and government was relatively unchanged.

Other indicators within the May BLS report, such as wage growth, provided stronger evidence of sustainable expansion than what were seen in April. Average hourly earnings increased 8 cents to reach $26.92, representing a 0.3 percent uptick that outshone April's 0.1 percent jump. Additionally, while April's decline in the labor force participation rate - to 62.7 percent from 62.8 - made it clear that some of 2018's earlier unemployment decline came from people who stopped actively looking for work, May had no movement in this metric, indicating that the U.S. gained at least enough positions for labor force participation to break even.

Michael Feroli, the chief U.S. economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co., provided a balanced examination of the employment report's conclusions in an interview with Bloomberg.

"Demand for labor remains pretty vigorous," Feroli told the news provider. "There isn't a whole lot to dislike in this report." He then admitted that the rate of expansion was likely too strong to continue quite as it had, saying, "Job growth is running in excess of the sustainable pace of the demographically determined supply of labor. This report, in and of itself, definitely strengthens the case for four hikes by the [Federal Reserve] this year. The question is, will policymakers have the confidence that global developments won't adversely affect U.S. growth?"

In its direct statements, the Fed remains noncommittal thus far regarding the specific schedule of federal benchmark interest rate hikes, but Feroli's opinion echoes the belief of many on Wall Street and the broader American financial sector who expect three more increases by 2018's end. Current inflation stands just below 2 percent, the desired level for the national bank, according to Reuters.

The White House's controversial imposition of metals tariffs on previously exempt trade partners including Canada, Mexico and the European Union, as well as other global socioeconomic unrest, could be problematic in the near future for the U.S. Yet at present, American domestic labor occupies an undeniably strong position based on the latest numbers.

The Trevi Group  |  www.TheTreviGroup.com  |  "Executive Search for IT Professionals"

Video: The Importance of Strong Employer Branding During the Interview Process

In today's competitive hiring landscape, companies need a cohesive and well-defined brand to help them stand out from other businesses that are also hoping to attract top talent.

Many companies spend considerable resources developing their corporate website and social media presence to reflect their brand. However, what some organizations don't realize is that a company's employer brand - their reputation as an employer - can be observed as early as the interview process. If your interview process reflects and strengthens your company's brand - instead of detracting from it - you can gain a competitive edge in recruitment.

Click to watch the video.

Here are some ways that companies can strengthen their employer branding through the interview process:

Revamp your careers page

Nearly every company has a careers/jobs page on its website, or even a separate careers site, but few take the time to create one that spotlights their employer brand. Don't miss this important opportunity to reflect your organization's mission and values through the copy, voice and design of the site. This can be further demonstrated by highlighting top performers within the organization, allowing jobs seekers to learn about featured employees' career growth and overall experience working for the company. Ultimately, every element of the careers page/site and its linked job descriptions should mesh with your company's brand.

Your company website and company review sites such as Glassdoor play an increasingly important role in the way candidates assess your organization. The 2018 MRINetwork Reputation Management Studyfound top methods for evaluating an employer brand were employee referrals (59 percent), company website (56 percent), Glassdoor (38 percent) with employee testimonials ranking 4th (at 28 percent). “Your employer and external brands need to be closely aligned in order to present your organization consistently and effectively,” advises Vince Webb, vice president of marketing for MRINetwork. “If there is a disconnect between how you present yourself to the outside world and how your employees view the company, your brand will suffer from a confusing message that fails to attract top candidates.”

Use technology to make scheduling and follow-up easier

If the interview scheduling process is too complicated or it takes a long time for a hiring manager to contact applicants to set up an interview, top candidates can develop a negative perception of your business. To prevent this, some companies are speeding up the process by using technology to make interview scheduling easier.

For example, PricewaterhouseCoopers started using a new online platform that enables candidates to select a time for their interviews, as a LinkedIn Pulse article explained. The platform features a calendar that notes the availability of internal interviewers and then auto-updates after candidates choose their time. Before the process, it took an average of six days to schedule an interview. The online tool, however, has shortened it to just one day.

An efficient, streamlined interview process that engages candidates and keeps them in the loop on the status of their application can also help companies create a more positive applicant experience and, in turn, a more positive employer brand. According to the Reputation Management Study, almost half of candidates (47 percent) feel lack of communication through the interview process is one of the biggest turnoffs during the interview process. “The details of the interview coordination and process reveal volumes about operating priorities and corporate values,” observes an applicant that responded to the Study. Ultimately astute candidates want a hiring experience that’s high-tech, but also high-touch and personal. If they’re left hanging in limbo, they’re likely to move on.

Ask more relevant interview questions

Scrap the cookie-cutter questions during interviews and instead see the conversation as a way to share insight with the candidate on your company's culture. Ask questions that require critical thinking and that relate to your company's mission and values to gain a better sense of whether the candidate is a good fit for the role. For example, you can ask interviewees to describe a time they overcame a work challenge that is relevant to your company's ethics. Or, if collaboration is important to your organization, you can ask them about whether they prefer to solve problems on their own or with the help of others.

It’s also important that everyone involved in the interview process has the same understanding of the position’s requirements. Thirty-six percent of candidates in the Reputation Management Study said that discovering discrepancies among interviewers about job duties was the second biggest turnoff they encountered while interviewing. “Consistency is critical,” said an employer responding to the survey. “The messages that are portrayed during the interview process are such an important piece of the selection process that we’ve hired an HR manager to focus on that aspect in our hiring processes.” Ultimately, the bottom-line requirements of the job should be discussed among the interviewing team in advance, to ensure that candidates will be asked job-related questions built around critical job competencies. Interviewers who have a clear picture of the skills that the candidates need to have in order to be successful are more likely to identify the best person for the position.

Create a positive interview environment

When candidates come into your office to interview, be sure they're entering an environment that's indicative of a positive work culture. Ensure hiring managers or HR professionals start the interview on time, they have already reviewed the candidate's resume and drafted pertinent questions before the interview begins. Leave ample time for the interview to avoid a rushed experience, and be sure to cover issues that are important to sought-after candidates.

Creating a positive interview environment also means selling candidates on the things that make your organization great. Applicants are very clear about the factors that influence their perception of your employer brand. The MRINetwork Study revealed that emphasis on work-life balance and advancement opportunities were highly ranked, at 47 and 40 percent respectively.

“Companies that offer flexible work arrangements and career pathing programs create an employee-centric vibe where staff feel they are a top priority,” says Anne Hayden, vice president of human resources for MRINetwork. “Promoting these types of offerings to candidates, is just one more thing your team can do to leave a lasting impression during interviews.”

The interview process is a critical opportunity for companies to present a strong, unified brand identity. Organizations that fail to recognize the importance of their employer brand and the need to monitor it accordingly, are likely to find themselves losing out on the best talent while companies that have great employer branding and offer an excellent candidate experience have no problem attracting the best and brightest.

The Trevi Group  |  www.TheTreviGroup.com  |  "Executive Search for IT Professionals" 

BLS Employment Situation Report - for April 2018

Nonfarm payrolls in the U.S. added 164,000 jobs in April 2018, according to the latest release of the Employment Situation Summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While below expectations of just over 192,000 new jobs, this expansion of the labor force exceeded the previous month's figures, even when accounting for upward revisions bringing the March total to 135,000 new positions as opposed to the original 103,000.

Additionally, the unemployment rate slid to 3.9 percent during April. Reuters reported that this new percentage represents the lowest unemployment figure seen since December 2000.

When unemployment fell to 4.1 percent more than six months ago, that contraction itself represented a near-record low and provided strong evidence of how robust the American job market has been in the last few years. The metric's stability at this level for nearly half a year was arguably even more remarkable. As such, April's added drop in the joblessness rate could back up some economists' predictions that the second quarter of 2018 will feature better performance across multiple economic metrics than what was seen in the year's first quarter.

Professional and business services led the pack in terms of job growth-producing industries, with 54,000 jobs added in April. No other sector even came close to this level of employment gains.

In the runner-up spot, manufacturing saw the creation of 24,000 roles, stemming in no small part from the continued strength of the durable goods production market. Healthcare, which has been the American economy's brightest star almost without interruption for the past two years, also added 24,000 jobs. The mining industry rounded out April 2018's contingent of fields with noteworthy job growth, with the creation of 8,000 positions. No other fields experienced any statistically significant addition or subtraction to their ranks of employed workers.

Feelings among economic analysts and business leaders regarding the overall American economic situation appear generally positive, if tempered by a number of tangential figures and factors. In a note released ahead of the report, Wells Fargo Securities senior economist Sam Bullard expressed this sort of guarded optimism.

"We believe the U.S. labor market remains on solid footing," Bullard stated, according to the news provider. "That said, as labor market conditions continue to tighten and the pool of skilled workers on the sidelines continues to shrink, future monthly hiring gains are likely to slow from the current hiring pace."

Numbers responsible for uncertainties regarding the labor market include the labor force participation rate, in which the BLS identified a slight decline, falling to 62.8 percent. Some economists consider this metric a better barometer of American employment due to its measurement of people who are actively working and its ability to account for individuals who've ceased seeking work in any measurable manner.

Lower than expected wage growth of 0.1 percent may also have contributed to any sense of unease experienced by company leaders, economic experts and workers.

On the other hand, Bloomberg reported that any further drop in the U.S. unemployment rate may prompt the Federal Reserve to view the figure as unsustainable in the long run, thus necessitating further hikes to federal benchmark interest rates - perhaps beyond the increases already expected to occur in 2018. The first of these is tentatively scheduled to take effect sometime in June. Also, expected surges in consumer spending and the possibility of tax cuts provide further hope of continuing overall positive performance across the American economy.

The Trevi Group  |  www.TheTreviGroup.com  |  Executive Search for IT Profressionals

A growing need in the field of cybersecurity engineering

With the rise of cybercrime, which continues to be a rampant threat to government, companies, institutions and individuals, a new role has emerged: cybersecurity engineering. The need for individuals with skills in software and systems engineering, as well as operational security, is growing and as a result, universities and government are being called on to act accordingly.

The need for cybersecurity engineers:
As the Cybersecurity Jobs Report 2018-2021 from Cybersecurity Ventures concluded, within the next three years there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally. The cost of cybercrime has steadily risen from $3 trillion in 2015 to an expected total of $6 trillion by 2021. Leaders in the industry have been unable to keep up with demand, due to a lack of qualified applicants.

"By 2021, cybercrime spend is expected to reach $6 trillion."

The big reason for the lack of skilled workers and available candidates, which is causing the cybersecurity industry to lose out big time, is the booming tech industry, Venture Beat reported. The majority of qualified candidates are skipping further education and training to instead hop on board with innovative startups in Silicon Valley. This leaves the cybersecurity industry with virtually no unemployment and a concerning skills gap.

Competitive compensation and lots of choices:
As eSecurity Planet reported, due to the dire need for skilled workers, active job seekers vying for a shot in the cybersecurity engineering sector can be guaranteed lots of career options and a salary well above that of their peers in other IT industry roles. 

Though hands-on experience and IT security certifications applicable to cybersecurity are preferred, it is likely that organizations will begin to offer on-site training in an effort to fill quotas. However, it is also worth noting that because cybercrime tactics and threats are continuously changing, skill development will need to evolve on a per-need basis as well. As eSecurity Planet highlighted, skills guaranteed to be useful for aspiring cybersecurity engineers include:

• Access/identity management
• Application security development
• Audit and compliance
• Firewall/IDS/IPS skills
• Analytics and intelligence
• Intrusion detection
• SIEM management
• Advanced malware prevention
• Incident handling and response
• Cloud computing/virtualization

Those individuals who can meet the needs of these ventures companies that are struggling with a lack of qualified cybersecurity engineers can reap a highly competitive profit. Cybersecurity engineers are in high demand.

Enhancing education to fill the gap:
In March, leaders and cybersecurity experts from across the country gathered at the University of Florida to discuss the latest trends, needs and developments in the field, the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering reported. Moving forward, there was agreement that collaboration between industry, academia and government is essential to the future of the industry.

Understanding that they are losing top candidates to the tech industry, organizations across the cybersecurity sector are turning toward college and university programs, that are actively improving and offering relevant coursework, to develop and hire right-fit employees. Venture Beat was quick to caution, however, that universities are best guided to wait on revamping or creating cybersecurity master's and Ph.D. programs until they have a complete understanding of the industry needs.

The next few years will be indicative of the future of cybersecurity engineering and how the industry will react to the skills gap. One thing is for sure - there are more than enough job openings in the field.

The Trevi Group  |  www.TheTreviGroup.com

How Important is Social Media in the Hiring Process?

Remember when screening a candidate past the interview stage was limited to references and a credit, background or drug test? The growth of social media has introduced another dimension to the hiring process - that while on the surface appears positive, can present challenges in gaining a clear picture of a candidate - both socially and professionally. As social media is increasingly being leveraged to evaluate candidates, employers will need to determine what policies they will put in place to ensure consistency in the hiring process.

According to the 2018 Reputation Management Study conducted by MRINetwork, nearly half (48 percent) of candidates believe their social media presence is important or very important to potential employers. “They are aware that employers can now learn a lot about them prior to meeting with them, or even before contacting them, as they seek out candidates who have the skills and personalities that will be beneficial to their organizations,” says Patrick Convery, marketing manager for MRINetwork. “Consequently, many job seekers are putting more of their social media profiles on private, or even setting up separate professional profiles, so their information can’t be shared with the public.”

While many employers casually review candidate social media profiles, the survey reveals that 18 percent are formalizing the process, and another 17 percent say they’re considering doing so in the future. But what are they looking for? Although they want to learn something about the candidate's social life or the choices they make - 39 percent of hiring managers say questionable content or behavior is the No. 1 thing they look for - they are also looking to see if the job resume is consistent with the information posted on social media by the candidate. “LinkedIn and Facebook users typically add their place of work, the college they graduated from, their hometown, and where they’re currently living,” observes Convery. “Prospective employers can check this information to be sure that the candidate’s resume is lining up correctly with their profile information.”

The Pitfalls of Overreliance on Social Media in Hiring Decisions

Not everyone updates their social media to their current situation and there are still some candidates who do not yet have a social media presence. As employers check out candidates, they may inadvertently ignore someone who is a perfect fit simply due to their lack of a social media presence or inconsistent updating of their information. “If social network users have their profiles set to private, as is becoming more common after recent breaches in security, this means they don’t want the world seeing what they post, which results in an absence of the kind of data employers are looking for to screen job applicants,” says Convery.

Another risk that employers face when using social media information in the hiring process is a legal one. Employers have to be aware of the types of information they are selecting to use in the hiring process; it can be problematic to assess candidates based on their race or gender since this information is protected legally and cannot be taken into account when hiring, according to the Chicago Tribune.

CAUTION - If you learn of a candidate’s protected characteristic(s) (including age, sex, race, color, religion, and national origin) by reviewing the candidate’s social media sites, you may not allow that to influence your willingness to recruit that candidate. Likewise, you should not share that information with your team.

Creating a Consistent Policy on the Use of Social Media in Hiring

If your company reviews social media profiles, it’s best to establish a policy around the use of candidates’ online information in the hiring process that clearly outlines when online searches should and should not be used. “By identifying positions for which searches are an important element of the process, you can develop a standard approach for how these searches will be conducted and how the information will be used,” says Anne Hayden, vice president of human resources for MRINetwork.

Hayden advises that you consider how to incorporate the following components into your policy:

• Clarity on the rationale for the use of searches
• Transparency for those using the policy and for candidates who are the subject of searches
• Consistency in terms of how searches are conducted and who conducts them
• Openness about what impact the findings will have on candidates

“When done correctly - and legally - looking at a candidate’s personal profile can be a great hiring tool, but you will still gather the best insights from the personal interview,” concludes Hayden. “Asking the right questions and encouraging an honest dialogue can help you get to know a candidate better than their latest post on Instagram and prevent you from passing up a great new employee.”

The Trevi Group  |  www.TheTreviGroup.com

MRINetwork Ranked Among Top Executive Recruiting Firms by Forbes.com in 2018

For the second consecutive year, Forbes.com, a leading source of reliable business news and analysis, enlisted the services of research firm Statista to identify America's most well-respected recruiting firms. Statista compiled two lists of search firms: "Executive Recruiting," those firms focused on roles with at least $100,000 in annual pay; and "Professional Recruiting," firms specializing almost exclusively in positions of under $100,000 in annual pay.

To determine the best recruiting firms, Statista surveyed 30,000 recruiters and 4,500 job candidates and human resources managers who had worked with recruitment agencies over the last three years. Respondents were asked to nominate up to 10 recruiting firms in the executive and professional search categories. Firms could not nominate themselves; last year's findings were considered. More than 14,500 nominations were collected, and firms with the most recommendations ranked highest.

The results are in. Again this year, MRINetwork (identified as Management Recruiters International, Inc.) was ranked in the top 10 out of 250 firms in the Executive Recruiting category. Click here to read the Forbes.com article and see the full rankings list.

Forbes reporter Vicky Valet noted in her article, that relationships are key to MRINetwork’s top ranking. She interviewed Nancy Halverson who commented, “The best recruiters have life-long relationships with candidates and customers. It’s not uncommon for a superstar recruiter to follow a candidate through their entire career … it’s not a transactional business.”

This prestigious ranking recognizes the caliber of the talent and the value of relationships that MRINetwork professionals deliver throughout the year. 

The Trevi Group | www.TheTreviGroup.com

BLS Employment Situation Report for March 2018

The pace of job growth in the U.S. slowed down somewhat during March 2018, by comparison to the month before. On a general level, indicators for this period continued to exemplify the sustained boom of the American economy. Nevertheless, some concerns exist among business leaders and economic experts regarding what the reduction in pace might signify, particularly for trade in the near future.

According to the latest edition of the Employment Situation Summary released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfarm businesses in the U.S. added 103,000 jobs. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, remained static at 4.1 percent for the sixth month in a row. This newest figure does represent a drop of some magnitude when placed next to the 326,000 positions (revised from a preliminary total of 313,000) that American companies created in February 2018. Bloomberg reported that it fell short of the median prediction issued by the financial news network's economists, who thought the various industries of the U.S. would add 185,000 jobs.

Industries most responsible for the gains that did occur in March included professional and business services, healthcare, manufacturing and mining. The former led the pack with 33,000 jobs added, continuing on a growth path that has spanned 2018 thus far. Stemming largely from increased employment in the creation of durable goods, manufacturing created 22,000 positions, in another month of recovery for a field on the rise since 2017 after a few years of sluggishness. Healthcare also added 22,000 jobs, and mining rounded up the notable sector-by-sector expansions in employment for March with 9,000 new positions on its payrolls.

Construction and retail trade both experienced drop-offs in their payrolls, with 15,000 and 4,000 jobs lost, respectively. However, because these declines followed up considerable surges in February - the former added 65,000 jobs that month, while the latter created 47,000 - they should bring little to no detriment to either sector in the long run.

Wages for March 2018 went up 2.7 percent on a year-over-year basis, while average hourly earnings rose 8 cents between February and March of this year, BLS figures found. This increase is seen as one of the most positive figures in the latest Employment Situation Summary, as previous months in early 2018 and late 2017 saw static or slow wage rises despite all of the robust additions to companies' labor forces. March also saw the year's first hike of interest rates by the Federal Reserve - one of the initial actions by newly appointed Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

The Washington Post reported that most concerns regarding the American economic picture center around the recent tariffs the White House imposed upon steel and aluminum imported to the U.S., leading to inventory shortfalls and rashes of abrupt materials purchases. The construction and manufacturing industries, which have historically used a considerable amount of foreign steel, could see impedance to their operations based on price fluctuations and other effects of trade disputes regarding these metals. In its latest Report on Business, the Institute for Supply Management cited respondents to its queries for elaboration on these matters:

"Accurate, long-term planning has become incredibly difficult, as distributors that historically held costs for at least 30 days are now, in some cases, committing to only seven days, as prices can change drastically in that time," the ISM report stated.

However, the big picture of the U.S. economy is likely a fairly bright one due to wage gains and increases in figures like the labor force participation rate, which rose to 62.9 percent in March 2018. This increase represents an 0.2 percent uptick from the previous month and another positive step on the path toward pre-recession labor participation figures of 66 percent or greater.

The Trevi Group | www.TheTreviGroup.com | "Executive Search for Technology Professionals"

Video: How company benefits and incentives can drive employee engagement

Recruiting and retaining top talent has a lot to do with the benefits and incentives offered at your company. Today, it can be difficult to discern what it is that really attracts employees, and then what continues to motivate them once they've been hired. There needs to be a balance between over-the-top perks like unlimited vacation days and a good package of traditional benefits like a 401(k).

Click to watch the video.

No matter which direction your company chooses to take, benefits and incentives can help drive employee engagement. Here's how:

Encourage work - life balance

Citing data from the Corporate Executive Board, covering the majority of Fortune 500 companies, Inc. reported that workers who feel good about their work-life balance generally work 21 percent harder than their counterparts who don't feel fulfilled in this area. Research has shown that work-life balance can lower absenteeism and reduce stress among employees.

There are a number of incentives you can offer employees that help to encourage work-life balance and drive engagement and productivity, many of which won't cost you a dime. Consider allowing a work-from-home policy that grants employees one to two days per week or one Friday per month. As Inc. explained, job satisfaction and output increase among those working remotely. Similarly, encourage employees to choose their own office hours, within certain parameters. This provides the opportunity for staff to work out in the morning if they prefer, or get their kids to daycare on time.

“Once a novelty, flexible and remote work options have become the norm in many workplaces,” Anne Hayden, vice president of human resources for MRINetwork explained. “Data has demonstrated that providing the means to create a positive work-life balance can increase engagement as well as output.”

Additionally, opportunities and incentives that promote work-life balance have been found to improve retention, thus, reducing time and costs spent on recruiting and training. As a report from the Center for American Progress highlighted, turnover can amount to more than one fifth of the annual pay of your employee. Additional cost-friendly options include providing work flexibility or more time off. Other incentives that encourage work-life balance may be things like gym memberships, wellness days or time off to volunteer.

Establish incentive programs

Ultimately, one of the main things that employees want is for their hard work to be recognized. As the American Marketing Association explained, recognizing the productivity, innovation and time commitment of employees can help to drive engagement. Praising great results and success in the field should be always be done, as it can encourage employees to continue their hard work. Implementing monetary programs for a job well done on both an individual and team level can help increase motivation and productivity as well.

“When praise is organic and genuine, employees are much more likely to feel connected to the work that they do and thus, continue to remain engaged,” said Hayden. “Going beyond verbal recognition, other forms of compensation for hard work can help drive success.”

The AMA added that competitive compensation can keep your employees on their toes and increase performance. The combination of encouragement and monetary incentives can go a long way.

Leverage 'bonus' perks

Many companies see perks such as catered lunches on Wednesdays, office happy hours on Fridays and free fitness classes as replacements of more traditional benefits. If you're worried these incentives will break the bank, distract employees from their work or aren't necessary because of the well-rounded benefits package your company offers, think again. If you want to drive engagement and see lots of smiling faces in your office hallways on a regular basis, consider implementing low-cost 'bonus' perks.

These can include things like flexible hours, fresh fruit and snacks in the kitchen and even an in-office shower and towel service to promote work-life balance, The StartUp explained. Other tactics such as nap areas, game rooms and office bars can drive social connections among different teams.

"Employee perks can at first appear to be bait on the hook - purely there to catch the biggest fish," wrote Alex Holderness in The StartUp. "But the truth is that a well-designed employee perk package can help the employer day-to-day as well."

Happy employees, who actually have fun at the office, are more likely to feel connected to a company, its goals and its mission. Even small, inexpensive gestures like donuts in the middle of the week can go a long way in helping employees feel valued, which translates to engagement and productivity.

Moreover, driven employees who are passionate about the brand, can be great ambassadors who promote the company culture and your employer brand. An office filled with satisfied workers is apparent immediately, just as a space filled with unmotivated, unhappy employees is as well.

“By implementing strategies that promote work-life balance, offer incentives for hard work and improve the office perks offered, you can create an environment of highly engaged, motivated employees,” concludes Hayden. “Big changes start with small adjustments. Start improving your day-to-day workplace policies today.”

The Trevi Group  |  www.TheTreviGroup.com

Employment Summary for February 2018

The rate of job growth in the U.S. has been robust over the past several months as 2017 transitioned into 2018. Yet the expansion seen during February 2018 defeated expectations by a considerable margin. According to the latest edition of the Employment Situation Summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfarm businesses in America's private sector added 313,000 positions during the month. This figure was far ahead of estimates from a Bloomberg survey of prominent economists, who had predicted a gain of 205,000 jobs - strong, but still considerably less than the final tally.

Meanwhile, unemployment held steady at approximately 4.1 percent. February 2018 marks the fifth straight month during which U.S. unemployment has come in at that low of a figure. Additionally, an uptick in the rate of labor-force participation of 0.3 percent could indicate that not only is the growth of recent years strong, but it could also be sustainable for months to come.

For the most part, the industries responsible for the latest job gains were those that had boosted growth for much of the past year: healthcare, manufacturing, retail, construction and professional services. Construction led the pack among these in terms of positions created during February, with 61,000 new roles added, while retail trade saw 50,000 new jobs join its payrolls - a figure identical to that seen in the field of professional and business services during the same period. Manufacturing, for its part, added 31,000 jobs, and healthcare came in with 19,000 new roles for February 2018, a figure less than that of previous months but still indicative of that sector's overall strength as a job creator.

Two industries that had not seen significant positive traction but remained static for much of last year saw significant increases in their payrolls during the last month. Financial activities added 28,000 jobs, largely due to the subcategories of credit intermediation and insurance. Mining, which saw considerable declines in its labor force during 2016, has since added 69,000 jobs, with the latest 9,000 of these created during February 2018.

Average hourly wage gains experienced a slight slowdown in February after a strong January, increasing by only 4 cents as opposed to the previous month's growth of 7 cents. However, Ryan Moody, an economist at Moody's Analytics, explained in an interview with Bloomberg that stronger, more sustained wage growth would soon be possible. "All the ingredients are in place for wages to accelerate, but it's going to take time," Moody told the news provider. "There could still be some shadow slack. As the unemployment rate goes lower, wage pressures are going to build."

In sentiments that haven't changed over the past several months, Bloomberg reported that economists and business leaders expect the Federal Reserve to implement the first of at least three increases to federal benchmark interest rates during its meeting that begins March 20.

Finally, The New York Times noted that the strength of February's job gains could put a damper on the White House's plans to implement a variety of restrictions on foreign trade, most recently tariffs on steel and aluminum. Construction and manufacturing, both of which contributed significantly to the month's expanded job growth, depend on both of those materials to considerable degrees, sometimes in specialized varieties that are not available in the U.S.

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