Employment Summary for September 2020_

The U.S. economy added 661,000 non-farm jobs in September, below the 800,000 job growth expected by economists surveyed by Dow Jones. While millions remain unemployed, September’s activity means that approximately 12 million jobs have been recovered since the mid-March economic shutdown that saw about 22 million layoffs. September marks the first month since April that net hiring was below 1 million. Unemployment at 7.9% is now in line with previous recessions.

“Our Network of over 325 executive recruitment offices remains cautiously optimistic about the job growth reflected in today's report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRINetwork. “Technical, managerial, and executive talent is in peak demand across a range of industries including construction, financial services, and healthcare. We’ve also seen a recent lift in legal and security tech opportunities. Across sectors, organizations are looking for leaders capable of thriving in, and in many cases driving, a culture adaptable to the present changing business and political environment.”

The BLS reported total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 661,000 in September, and the unemployment rate declined to 7.9 percent. The number of unemployed persons fell by 1.0 million to 12.6 million. Both measures have declined for 5 consecutive months but are higher than in February, by 4.4 percentage points and 6.8 million, respectively.

"These data are consistent with a labor market that is rebounding, albeit at a slower pace than a few months ago, which should be enough to support consumers and consumption," said Sameer Samana, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo in comments to Fox Business. "While risks remain, such as election and COVID-19-related uncertainty, we believe investors should continue to remain fully invested."

In September, 22.7 percent of employed persons teleworked because of the pandemic, down from 24.3 percent in August, perhaps reflecting a trend of employers opening places of work as commuting restrictions were eased.

According to the BLS, these improvements in the labor market reflect the continued resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed due to the pandemic and efforts to contain it. In September, notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, in retail trade, in healthcare and social assistance, and in professional and business services. Employment in government declined over the month, mainly in state and local government education.

CNBC reported that while the third quarter is likely to see unprecedented growth in GDP after the historically sharp slowdown in Q2, “weekly jobless claims are still too high to call the recession over,” said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist for MUFG Union Bank.

As reported by the BLS, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 318,000 in September, with almost two-thirds of the gain occurring in food services and drinking places (+200,000). Amusements, gambling, and recreation (+69,000) and accommodation (+51,000) also added jobs in September.

Retail trade added 142,000 jobs over the month, with gains widespread in the industry. Clothing and clothing accessories stores (+40,000) accounted for about one-fourth of the over-the-month change in retail trade. Notable employment increases also occurred in general merchandise stores (+20,000), motor vehicle and parts dealers (+16,000), and health and personal care stores (+16,000). Employment in retail trade is 483,000 lower than in February.

Employment in healthcare and social assistance rose by 108,000 in September, down by 1.0 million since February. Healthcare added 53,000 jobs in September, with continued growth in offices of physicians (+18,000), home healthcare services (+16,000), and offices of other health practitioners (+14,000). Social assistance added 55,000 jobs, mostly in individual and family services (+32,000) and in child day care services (+18,000).

Professional and business services added 89,000 jobs in September. Employment increased in services to buildings and dwellings (+22,000), architectural and engineering services (+13,000), and computer systems design and related services (+12,000), representing gains of 910,000 since April.

Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 74,000 in September. Within the industry, job gains continued in warehousing and storage (+32,000), transit and ground passenger transportation (+21,000), and couriers and messengers (+10,000). The industry has added 291,000 jobs since May; employment in transportation and warehousing is 304,000 lower than in February.

Among other sectors where MRINetwork offices provide executive recruitment services:

• Manufacturing added 66,000 jobs over the month. Durable goods accounted for about two-thirds of the gain, led by motor vehicles and parts (+14,000) and machinery (+14,000).

• Financial activities added 37,000 jobs in September. Job growth occurred in real estate and rental and leasing (+20,000) and in finance and insurance (+16,000).

• Employment in information grew by 27,000 in September.

• Construction employment increased by 26,000 in September, with growth in residential specialty trade contractors (+16,000) and construction of buildings (+12,000).

Government employment declined by 216,000 in September. Employment in local government education and state government education fell by 231,000 and 49,000, respectively. A decrease of 34,000 in federal government was driven by a decline in the number of temporary Census 2020 workers. Partially offsetting these declines, employment in local government, excluding education, rose by 96,000.

“Today’s resilient leaders must strive to navigate uncertainty, promote flexibility, and shift organizational priorities in order to build a solid foundation for the new world of work. This is a good time to recall the words of naturalist Charles Darwin that ‘it is not the strongest of the species that will survive, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change,’” said Miller.

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

Preserving Company Culture in a Remote World of Work_

For many businesses, working the “9-to-5” in a centralized office is a thing of the past — at least for the time being. Even when you and your people are able to physically return to your workplaces, you’ll most likely find that practices such as working remotely continue in some form.

”Adapting your company culture to effectively support remote work is one of the most important things you can do to set your company up for work-from-home success or just for the future of work in general,” says Nancy Halverson, SVP Global Operations at MRINetwork. ”With proper planning and execution, you can leverage remote work as an integral part of your business strategy.”

Halverson notes that one of the dangers inherent in remote work is the loss of employee connection. People can feel isolated and out of touch with the company culture and values. She advocates taking proactive steps that not only prevent that from happening, but also strengthen and enhance your employees’ alignment with your culture and values.

Establish a results-oriented environment.  Creating and communicating clear objectives and key performance indicators for your team members to achieve is critical to a productive remote culture. They must clearly understand what the expectations for success include and have the tools to track and report their productivity. Even if you can’t be physically present, you can stay close through consistent communication and encouragement. Discuss work styles, resources and support needs to determine how you can empower individuals to be more autonomous.

Be inclusive. Successful cultures involve the collaboration of all stakeholders working together to determine their shared values and ideals. This can be difficult for remote teams. “Going to an office provides many opportunities for people to come together and create the type of working environment they want,” says Halverson. “For remote teams, those opportunities are fewer because of factors like different time zones, no physical presence and interactions dictated by technology.”  That means remote teams must be deliberate about inclusivity. Schedule regular time for co-workers to chat, get the team together in the same location when you can, support multiple channels of communication and encourage group work and collaboration.

Support your employees’ health and well-being. Employees who don’t normally work from home may be thrown off their routines. When kids are home, things are even more complicated. It takes time to build healthy routines up again in a different environment. You can help employees by encouraging them to practice healthier behaviors. Encourage senior leadership to share what they’re doing to stay healthy while working from home. Check in with your employees often. Ask how they’re doing. During a time of increased stress, co-workers can provide support and make them feel less alone.

Look for signs that your culture is healthy. Even if your employees aren’t coming into the office, you can take note of the way they act in videoconferencing meetings. Do they seem happy? Are they engaged? Are you picking up signs of discontent? When your team members are truly committed to your values, they do good work that reflects their loyalty to the company. You can see it when they propose ideas or offer solutions, demonstrating their desire to give back to an organization that is supportive of them. “You’ll also get positive feedback and referrals from clients and vendors,” says Halverson, “or job candidates may refer to your culture as a reason for wanting to work for your company.”

You may ultimately find that you have happier employees due to their flexible work environment. It takes time and conscious effort to build out the processes, structure, and culture needed to accommodate remote workers. As more of the world makes this transition, it also provides opportunities for organizations to adapt and evolve as they embrace the new world of work.

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

Employment Summary for August 2020

Showing signs that the U.S. economy is settling in for a slow and steady recovery after a three month stretch of a rapid rebound, the U.S. economy added 1.4 million non-farm jobs in August and unemployment fell to 8.4 percent in U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data reported today. The job growth slightly exceeded economist forecasts and represents a solid gain but the smallest in four months.

“Today’s report reinforces the cautious optimism our Network of over 325 executive recruitment offices have about ongoing demand for top talent through the balance of 2020,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRINetwork. “The positive momentum in U.S. job creation reinforces our Network’s decision to invest in the digital tools and education that talent advisory and search firms need in the changing world of work to accelerate growth in their businesses.”

The BLS reported total non-farm employment rose by 1.4 million in August, and the number of unemployed persons fell by 2.8 million to 13.6 million. Both measures have declined for four consecutive months but are higher than pre-virus February by 4.9 percentage points and 7.8 million, respectively. The labor force participation rate increased by 0.3 percentage point to 61.7 percent in August,1.7 percentage points below the February period.

“We are still moving in the right direction and the pace of the jobs recovery seems to have picked up, but it still looks like it will take a while – and likely a vaccine – before we get back close to where we were at the beginning of this year,” said Tony Bedikian, head of global markets at Citizens Bank in comments to Fox Business.

In August, 24.3 percent of employed persons teleworked because of the coronavirus, down from 26.4 percent in July indicating an uptick in the rate of return to a workplace environment.

According to the BLS, notable job gains in August included government employment, largely reflecting temporary hiring for the 2020 Census. Notable job gains also occurred in retail trade, in professional and business services, in leisure and hospitality, and in education and health services.

“Employment growth is still set to lag the recovery in broader economic activity over the coming months given its greater exposure to the services sectors worst affected by the pandemic,” noted Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics in comments to CNBC. “Nevertheless, the August data illustrate that, despite the earlier surge in virus cases and more recent fading of fiscal support, the recovery continues to plow on.”

Employment in government increased by 344,000 in August, accounting for one-fourth of the over-the-month gain in total nonfarm employment. Job gains in federal government (+251,000) reflected the hiring of 238,000 temporary 2020 Census workers. Local government employment rose by 95,000 over the month. Overall, government employment is 831,000 below its February level.

Retail trade added 249,000 jobs in August, with almost half the growth occurring in general merchandise stores (+116,000). Notable gains also occurred in motor vehicle and parts dealers (+22,000), electronics and appliance stores (+21,000), and miscellaneous store retailers (+17,000).

In August, employment in professional and business services increased by 197,000. More than half of the gain occurred in temporary help services (+107,000). Architectural and engineering services (+14,000), business support services (+13,000), and computer systems design and related services (+13,000) also added jobs over the month. Employment in professional and business services is 1.5 million below its February level.

Employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 174,000 in August, with about three-fourths of the gain occurring in food services and drinking places (+134,000). Despite job gains totaling 3.6 million over the last 4 months, employment in food services and drinking places is down by 2.5 million since February as coronavirus restrictions mandate limits on facility capacity.

In August, employment in education and health services increased by 147,000 but is 1.5 million below February's level. Healthcare employment increased by 75,000 over the month, with gains in offices of physicians (+27,000), offices of dentists (+22,000), hospitals (+14,000), and home healthcare services (+12,000). Elsewhere in healthcare, job losses continued in nursing and residential care facilities (-14,000). Employment in private education rose by 57,000 over the month.

Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 78,000 in August, with gains in warehousing and storage (+34,000), transit and ground passenger transportation (+11,000), and truck transportation (+10,000). Employment in transportation and warehousing is down by 381,000 since February.

Financial activities added 36,000 jobs in August, with most of the growth in real estate and rental and leasing (+23,000).

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

Why Interim Staffing Makes Even More Sense During Times of Crisis

A brief review of the history of interim staffing throws light on the evolution of the industry. Three “black swan” events were major disruptors that contributed to the thriving business it is today, according to Tim Ozier, Sr. Director of Sales at MRINetwork:

• Y2K in 1999. “I guess this wasn’t a true ‘black swan’ event in that it was predictable, but it caused massive turmoil and disruption for companies all over the world. It was a super-charging event for contract/interim staffing,” says Ozier. “Companies needed IT expertise to manage the challenging transition, and this transformed the sector from supplying primarily lower-level employees to engaging high-level IT professionals. That was the start, and it’s never slowed down.”

• Recession of 2008. As the recession lingered, companies were faced with the painful process of laying off thousands of permanent employees. “It was expensive, lowered morale, and it created bad publicity,” recalls Ozier. “But many of these companies came out of the recession with greater profitability because of the reduction in fixed costs such as benefits, vowing that they were not ever going to go through this again.” They reassessed their talent access strategy, opting for enough full-time people to cover baseline business and supplemented by contractors that allowed them to flex up or down as needed.

• COVID-19. The inherent flexibility of interim staffing is a lifeline for companies that have had to change the way they do business to survive during the pandemic. “Today’s contractors are high-level and greatly needed, so the coronavirus has had much less of a negative impact on the sector,” says Ozier. “IT has been the least impacted, and other industries have experienced a rise in the use of contractors, notably insurance and logistics.”

Integrating interim staffing into a talent access strategy is always smart, but the current economic climate makes it even more so. Committing to new, full-time employees without the ability to meet them in person during the pandemic can be unnerving, so this is a good time to make interim staffing a key element of your talent access strategy. “You can start the candidate as a contractor until travel is allowed for in-person interviewing,” advises Ozier. “It also allows the potential employee to check out you and your company over the course of the interim contract.”

In reassessing their current skill sets at this time, many companies have discovered that they need to bring different strengths to their leadership teams. Factors like remote working and economic and labor market changes are shifting priorities and may require different approaches. “Often, the right interim employees can help forge solutions to the challenges a company faces in the midst of a crisis like the pandemic,” says Ozier. “They bring fresh ideas to the table while helping teams to become more adaptable and innovative.”

Aside from taking care of immediate duties, deploying contract employees can encourage companies to broaden their comfort zone to change things that are no longer working and find new ways of doing them. They are accustomed to coming into a new environment and quickly assessing what needs to be done and creating a plan for accomplishing it. Although there’s no handbook for dealing with a pandemic, their past experience as contractors helps to hone their problem-solving skills.

“Implementing a flexible staffing strategy that includes contract employees in the mix — no matter what industry you’re in — is a key component of dealing with the current crisis,” Ozier believes. “Companies can cost-effectively staff up or down — and back up or down again — to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing business landscape.”

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

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Employment Summary for July 2020

Despite recent COVID-19 spikes the U.S. economy added 1.8 million jobs and unemployment fell to 10.2 percent providing support to the optimism reflected in the continued financial market rally. Economist forecasts had anticipated a weaker rebound with an addition of about 1.4 million jobs. Instead the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported stronger recovery associated with continued resumption of economic activity.

“The world of work may look different as we emerge from the pandemic,” said President and CEO of Management Recruiters International (MRI) Bert Miller, “but the fundamental demand for highly qualified people to reinvigorate the economy and provide the goods and services we all need will be higher than ever. We continue to see talent needs as our global Network of recruiters respond to our clients in the executive, professional and technical sectors. We anticipate even higher activity as effective virus treatments become a reality. Skilled American workers have always been and will continue to be the driving force behind our recovery.”

The BLS reported total non-farm employment rose by 1.8 million in July, and the number of unemployed persons fell by 1.4 million to 16.3 million. For the first time since the pandemic-driven shutdown of the economy, unemployment for a large segment of the non-farm payroll — adult men — fell below the 10 percent barrier at 9.4 percent.

According to the BLS notable job gains in July occurred in leisure and hospitality, government, retail trade, professional and business services, other services, and health care. The BLS also noted that the number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) declined by 619,000 to 8.4 million in July, reflecting a decline almost 700,000 in the number of people whose hours were cut due to slack work or business conditions.

“What the data continues to tell me is that we’re making progress from the pain that was most acute back in March and April. So we continue to have this recovery, but it’s uneven,” said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist for the U.S. SPDR business at State Street Global Advisors in comments to CNBC. “We still have a lot of wood to chop here, but we’re moving in the right direction.”

“We have seen a very troubling increase in COVID-19 cases in many states that had reopened for business, but we continue to be cautiously optimistic that the overall U.S. economy has turned a corner, and that the solid job gains announced today will be sustained," said Tony Bedikian, managing director of Citizens Bank in an interview with Fox Business.

Employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 592,000, accounting for about one-third of the gain in total nonfarm employment in July. Employment in food services and drinking
places rose by 502,000, following gains of 2.9 million in May and June combined. Over the month, employment also rose in amusements, gambling, and recreation (+100,000).

A July job gain in federal government (+27,000) reflected the hiring of temporary workers for the 2020 Census.

In July, retail trade added 258,000 jobs. Employment in the industry is 913,000 lower than in February. In July, nearly half of the job gain in retail trade occurred in clothing and clothing accessories stores (+121,000). By contrast, the component of general merchandise
stores that includes warehouse clubs and supercenters lost jobs (-64,000) following robust gains in recent months.

Employment in professional and business services increased in July (+170,000). Most of the July gain occurred in temporary help services (+144,000).

Health care added 126,000 jobs, with employment growth in offices of dentists (+45,000), hospitals (+27,000), offices of physicians (+26,000), and home health care services (+16,000). Job losses continued in nursing and residential care facilities (-28,000).

Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 38,000 in July, following an increase of 87,000 in June. In July, employment rose in transit and ground passenger transportation (+20,000), air transportation (+16,000), and couriers and messengers (+9,000).

Manufacturing employment increased by 26,000 in July. An employment gain in motor vehicles and parts (+39,000) was partially offset by losses in fabricated metal products (-11,000),
machinery (-7,000), and computer and electronic products (-6,000). Manufacturing has added 623,000 jobs over the past 3 months.

Financial activities added 21,000 jobs in July, with most of the gain in real estate and rental and leasing (+15,000).

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

Effective Leadership in Times of Crisis

The coronavirus pandemic has placed heavy burdens on business leaders. The sheer size of the outbreak and its unpredictability generate fear among employees and make it challenging for executives to respond effectively. But during a crisis like COVID-19, people look to their leaders for direction and compassion; they need to have confidence in their ability to navigate the company into the future.

“If we truly believe that people are our most important asset, then we must lead them and communicate with them while providing an organization they can believe in,” says Bert Miller, President and CEO of MRINetwork. “In times of crisis, people need a solid anchor. They need their leaders to distill what’s happening for them so that they understand the why of what’s behind decisions that are being made. It’s important to show that leadership cares for the individual, the company and the community.”

Beyond caring, leaders must show they have a plan. “Timing is important, and you don’t need to have everything determined,” says Miller, “but you do need to be calm, confident and transparent about what is driving decisions. A leadership team that looks ahead proactively, and responds rather than reacts, goes a long way toward helping people in volatile times.”

COVID-19 has already changed the way we live and work. At the same time most companies are still trying to determine the long-term impacts on their business, they also have to inspire trust in their workforces, who are trying to function and perform while struggling to cope with what is happening in their daily lives. “To inspire trust, you have to have something of a trust bank built up in the past that confirms trust as a core value,” Miller believes. “The ability of leaders to address people’s needs, especially in a crisis situation, is the foundation of trust.”

Miller has spent more than 25 years helping companies strengthen their workforces with top-level performers; his advice to companies in crisis today is gleaned from what he’s learned from some of best business leaders in the world:

• Know what’s happening in your organization. Gather feedback from all areas and all levels of the organization.

• Put your most visible leaders on the front lines based on compassion and caring, essentially EQ. Workers will remember the faces and voices you empower to lead during this time. Be sure those voices are not only smart and accomplished, but also compassionate and caring.

• Integrate your company’s purpose and values into every communication and initiative. Shared purpose and values give employees the sense of connection they need right now.

• Tell a story, don’t just circulate the data. People are wired to find meaning and respond best to stories and analogies during times of great stress. They want to have insight into the larger story.

• Make sure all communication is consistent. Leaders throughout the organization have to be on the same page so pay attention to the tone and the principles behind every communication.

• Now is the time to rethink remote workforce capabilities for at least some of your workforce.  Although setting up new ways of doing things might not seem like a good idea during a crisis, the current situation leaves many companies with no other choice. Determine how you can help your people make full use of technology to do their jobs and provide other resources they need as they embrace an altered world of work.

Miller’s final piece of advice to leaders: “Focus your team’s attention - don’t let the current crisis distract them and provide as normal of an environment as possible in abnormal times. Pivot as needed and ensure leadership is aligned on your business’s objectives,” he says. “Consistently focus some of your attention on getting your organization and your workforce to the future.”

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

Employment Summary for June 2020 (from BLS Report)

Following strong May results, the hiring recovery continued to gain momentum with much better than expected job gains in June. The U.S. jobless rate fell 2.2 percentage points to 11.1 percent and payrolls rose by 4.9 million as businesses continued to look to a future free of pandemic-induced supply chain disruptions and its drag on overall demand.

“Today’s employment data adds support to a business trend our Network of almost 400 executive recruitment offices have reported. We continue to see month-over-month improvements in client demand for professional, technical, executive and managerial talent,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRINetwork. “In spite of travel barriers and limitations on face-to-face interviewing, companies are recognizing the need to strengthen their organizations by hiring talented people who can thrive in the new world of work which is emerging from the coronavirus-impacted economy.”

Forecasts for the June jobs report had been wide ranging with a consensus 2.9 million new jobs. Analysts remained more uncertain than normal after the surprising gain of 2.5 million jobs versus a consensus of a decline of 7.5 million jobs in May. “We’ve got big forces at work here,” said James Sweeney, chief economist at Credit Suisse Group AG in comments to Bloomberg. “In addition to the return of workers and the (May) misclassification, more recently you have the new wave of infections slowing the return. So, this is tricky.” The June jobs report is also expected to influence congressional debate over the dimensions of an anticipated federal coronavirus relief bill.

The BLS reported broad improvements in the labor market reflecting the continued resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed in March and April due to the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to contain it. In June, employment in leisure and hospitality rose sharply. Notable job gains also occurred in retail trade, education and health services, other services, manufacturing, and professional and business services.

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 4.9 million in June, following an increase of 2.7 million in May. These gains reflect a partial resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic in April and March, when employment fell by a total of 22.2 million in the two months combined. In June, nonfarm employment was 14.7 million, or 9.6 percent, lower than its February level.

Commenting on the June results to Fox Business, Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at Glassdoor noted the better-than-expected report provided a “powerful signal of how swiftly U.S. job growth can bounce back and how rapidly businesses can reopen once the nation finally brings the coronavirus under control - a reason for optimism in coming months.”

Also commenting on the June jobs report and noting the current resurgence of coronavirus cases, economist Thomas Simons of Jeffries added, “There's continued risk that a second-wave could reverse some of these job gains in July, but that should not take away from the strength of the June data.”

In June, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 2.1 million, accounting for about two-fifths of the gain in total nonfarm employment. Over the month, employment in food services and drinking places rose by 1.5 million, following a gain of the same magnitude in May. Despite these gains, employment in food services and drinking places remains down by 3.1 million since February. Employment also rose in June in amusements, gambling, and recreation (+353,000) and in the accommodation industry (+239,000).

Employment in retail trade rose by 740,000, after a gain of 372,000 in May. On net, employment in the industry remains 1.3 million lower than in February. In June, notable job gains occurred in clothing and clothing accessories stores (+202,000), general merchandise stores (+108,000), furniture and home furnishings stores (+84,000), and motor vehicle and parts dealers (+84,000).

Professional and business services added 306,000 jobs in June, 1.8 million below its February level. In June, employment rose in temporary help services (+149,000), services to buildings and dwellings (+53,000), and accounting and bookkeeping services (+18,000). By contrast, employment declined in computer systems design and related services (-20,000).

Construction employment increased by 158,000 in June, following a gain of 453,000 in May. These gains accounted for more than half of the decline in March and April (-1.1 million combined). Month-over-month gains occurred in specialty trade contractors (+135,000), with growth equally split between the residential and nonresidential components. Job gains also occurred in construction of buildings (+32,000).

Financial activities added 32,000 jobs in June, with over half of the gain in real estate (+18,000).

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

How will remote work affect the employee experience long term?

Even as restrictions ease and businesses reopen, it seems almost certain that the workplace has been permanently altered. Although many people will physically return to their places of work, many may not do so or at least not every day. The work week for information-based jobs will likely evolve into a hybrid of work from home and work at the office; work is more than ever what you do - not where you go.

This transformation will have a profound effect on employee engagement and experience. Leaders must ensure that their companies are giving their employees everything they need to stay productive in a positive environment - regardless of their location. So what steps can your business take to give your people what they need in this transformed world of work?

Provide clear leadership. From the top down, an environment of respect, trust, transparency and mutually understood expectations is imperative to the success of remote work. Especially when times are difficult, straight talk from leadership about the reality of what’s happening and what it means to the individual and the business alleviates some of the stress of uncertainty.

Assess your digital preparedness. Leveraging digital technologies is critical to managing your remote workforce and requires careful planning, execution, and organizational agility. “All your business systems should be easily accessible, available across a spectrum of devices, and with sufficient levels of network security appropriate for an individual firm,” says Nancy Halverson, MRINetwork SVP, Global Operations. “Your people need a seamless digital platform that they can access from anywhere for functions ranging from onboarding to training to meeting with their teams.” She also recommends the use of video. “Video chat tools like Zoom, GoToMeeting and Google Hangouts are a great way to hold video meetings without losing nonverbal, visual cues. Our recruitment network has seen a significant uptick in remote interviewing via video for even senior-level white collar jobs indicating how far remote management skills have gained footing in the business world.”

Continue to develop your employees. This means not only measuring and assessing employee performance but also looking at whether they are getting sufficient training to perform well. Are they receiving adequate coaching and mentoring from their supervisors? Do they have the tools they need not only to do their work but also to grow and improve? “Encourage your team to take control of how and when they do their work so that they feel empowered,” advises Halverson. “Develop a culture that promotes the exchange of feedback between employees and managers.”

Communicate, communicate, communicate. Keeping remote employees informed and in the loop assures them not only that they are an integral part of a larger organization, but also that the organization has a vested interest in their well-being. Don’t assume that because you hear no complaints from them - or from your customers or clients - that no problems or concerns exist. Encourage their questions and concerns so that they raise issues they face quickly and proactively. You’ll be able to solve problems more efficiently and keep your people feeling satisfied and appreciated.

“The responsibility for good communication works both ways,” observes Halverson. “Good remote workers understand the importance of reaching out to their team members. So keep an eye on the interaction among them to be sure that they are sharing the context and relevant details their colleagues need from them.”

Promote well-being. Working remotely can be lonely, leading to feelings of disconnection among team members and difficulties in protecting your company’s culture. “Make helping your people maintain a healthy work-life balance a priority,” says Halverson. “Provide access to resources and discussions around topics like mental health, meditation, and exercise.”

Companies that look after their employees have engaged workforces. And that translates into workers who are committed and productive, even when they’re working remotely.

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

Employment Summary for May 2020 (BLS Report)

The financial market rally in recent weeks proved to be prescient as the U.S. jobless rate fell to 13.3%, and payrolls rose by 2.5 million, suggesting jobs are rapidly returning the coronavirus-hobbled economy.

“Our Network managers, in almost 400 executive recruitment offices, anticipate upticks in sequential professional, technical, executive and managerial hiring demand in the second half 2020 that might indicate continued steps in a positive return towards recovery,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRINetwork.

The mandated shutdown of a large segment of the U.S. economy, to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, had been expected to result in significantly higher unemployment levels. Economist forecasts had called for a decline of 7.5 million in May payrolls and a jump in the unemployment rate to 19%. Instead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shocked many experts. Over the next days and weeks analysts will be exploring impacts of initiatives like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help explain the unexpected improvement which wasn’t limited to the U.S. figures. North of the border, Canadian employment rose 290,000 in May, compared with forecasts of a 500,000 slump, its statistics office reported.

The BLS reported total non-farm employment rose by 2.5 million in May, and the unemployment rate declined by 1.4% to 13.3%. The total number of unemployed persons fell by 2.1 million to 21.0 million workers. When viewed versus data in the pre-coronavirus period, the number of unemployed persons is up by 9.8 percentage points and 15.2 million, respectively since February.

“Barring a second surge of Covid-19, the overall U.S. economy may have turned a corner, as evidenced by the surprise job gains today, even though it still remains to be seen exactly what the new normal will look like," said Tony Bedikian, head of global markets at Citizens Bank, reported Fox Business.

“May was this transition month. The layoffs were very high, but in the latter part of the month, rehiring started. This employment report is probably the peak of the disaster in the labor market,” said Ethan Harris, head of global economics at Bank of America, reported CNBC.

According to the BLS, large employment increases occurred in May in leisure and hospitality, construction, education and health services, and retail trade. Government employment continued to decline sharply.

Employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 1.2 million, following losses of 7.5 million in April and 743,000 in March. Over the month, employment in food services and drinking places rose by 1.4 million, accounting for about half of the gain in total nonfarm employment. Construction employment increased by 464,000 in May, gaining back almost half of April's decline (-995,000).

Employment increased by 424,000 in education and health services in May, after a dramatic decrease of 2.6 million in April. Healthcare employment increased by 312,000 over the month, with gains in offices of dentists (+245,000), offices of other health practitioners (+73,000), and offices of physicians (+51,000). Elsewhere in healthcare, job losses continued in nursing and residential care facilities (-37,000) and hospitals (-27,000).

In May, employment in retail trade rose by 368,000, after a loss of 2.3 million in April. Over-the-month job gains occurred in clothing and clothing accessories stores (+95,000), automobile dealers (+85,000), and general merchandise stores (+84,000). By contrast, job losses continued in electronics and appliance stores (-95,000) and in auto parts, accessories, and tire stores (-36,000).

Professional and business services added 127,000 jobs in May, after shedding 2.2 million jobs in April. Over the month, employment rose in services to buildings and dwellings (+68,000) and temporary help services (+39,000), while employment declined in management of companies and enterprises (-22,000).

Financial activities added 33,000 jobs over the month, following a loss of 264,000 jobs in April. In May, employment gains occurred in real estate and rental and leasing (+24,000) and in credit intermediation and related activities (+7,000).

In May, employment continued to decline in government (-585,000), following a drop of 963,000 in April. Employment in local government was down by 487,000 in May. Local government education accounted for almost two-thirds of the decrease (-310,000), reflecting school closures.

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MRINetwork Recognized by Forbes as One of Nation's Top Talent Access Firms

Over 18,000 HR decision makers and candidates who utilized a search firm in the past year, as well as thousands of recruiters surveyed by Forbes, recognized MRINetwork as among the elite top 20 of the country’s 15,000 search firms.

We are proud to receive this designation for the fourth consecutive year, and are most grateful to our talented professionals, whose focus on meeting both candidate and client needs earned this prestigious recognition. Here is the list of top Executive Recruiters.

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 salary. Firms with the most recommendations from the thousands of respondents were ranked in order of votes received.

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