People in a people business
People in a people business
The pandemic is now defining the way we communicate, not only on a day-to-day basis but also in the way we communicate within the work place.Remote working is now the norm (previously most companies only used to offer this as a means of flexible working). It also requires a different mind-set as it needs greater discipline to avoid the pitfalls of team members feeling isolated.Now we are using applications such as zoom to run our day-to-day working lives, how do we get the best out of this new form of communication in order that we achieve the best results we can. A lot of this happened for companies without any form of transition - the good news id it’s new for a lot of us! Here are a few ideas we have been using on how to effectively communicate with our remote working team;A great many of us (including UEA) are used to working together as a tight knit team in an office environment - we are now separated, so first of all its essential that everyone has a sense of belonging - we are not together physically but we remain connected!Set your team up for success - give everyone clear and measurable goals so individuals know what they are striving to achieve. Make these goals clear and without ambiguity. These can then be evaluated and discussed in regular update and feedback meetings. Remember to praise good news stories!Communicate often - morning, and if possible afternoon and/or close of business. Everyone can feedback on achievements, areas of difficulty and then the whole team is able to support, give praise, empathy as well as advise on areas of concern.Managers need to be available to lead and motivate at all times - now more than ever! Check in with your team often - they will appreciate it.If you have large teams - can any individuals who are struggling have a “remote buddy”- someone they can call and voice concerns or bounce ideas on?Frequent individual check-ins also gives an opportunity to speak up – someone may not have decided to raise a problem in a ...
COVID-19. The pandemic that has caused the world to come to a halt before our eyes. For the first time since the 1900’s we have seen all of our luxuries been taken away, our shops, bars and work places. The pandemic has affected many people’s lives both good and bad. We have lost our freedom but have gained a gift you can’t put a price on - free time to spend either with our loved ones, talking or calling them. It is very important to keep in touch with friends and family during these times - if anyone needs some guidance or help, our phone lines are always open!In the UK an additional 1.5 million people have been given the chance to work remotely. Here at Uxbridge Employment Agency we have taken advantage of modern technology and have transformed the way we work in order to be as safe, productive and happy as we can. We have all connected up to our office computers from home, connected the main phone line to our mobiles and have all the information we need stored online on our laptops. During this time we knew it was key to stay connected and stay positive so we have regular morning meetings, these discuss our successes and our plans for the day. This has put an exciting spin on working from home which has kept us all motivated during these confusing times. One of the ways COVID-19 has affected UEA in a positive way is that we have reached out to hundreds of clients, candidates and potential job seekers in order to try and help as many people as we can. We have always celebrated the little wins, however now more than ever we appreciate when we call someone to check in on them and we get the same positivity back. As a team we realised that the world needs positivity more than ever, so we have contacted as many people as we can to try and shed some light onto someone’s day. We have also taken this time to work through our to-do lists and still power on to help our lovely candidates find jobs. Working from home has allowed us all time to focus on exactly what needs ...
Before I was granted my work experience placement at Uxbridge Employment Agency, I had to call my supervisor (Lauren) and ask whether or not I would have to have an interview. Luckily Lauren said that I didn’t have to have an interview but instead wanted to discuss everything on the phone, which I was NOT prepared for! We spoke about what hours I would work, what to wear, when my lunch break was and suddenly I was no longer nervous and felt more confident about working here.When told I was going to file and photocopy – honestly, I was not enlivened. But it turned out to be the best two weeks of my life. The work ethics and characteristics of everyone are truly amazing! Laughter fills the office as well as sudden outbursts of singing every 10 seconds – all whilst getting their work completed.Proud of their 50 year heritage – they really know their clients (first and second name!), when a job comes up, “Oh! Joe Bloggs would be perfect for that job!” and are always delighted when a client gets placed. Trying their best to place everyone to their suited salary in their expertise! If you’re looking for a job – Uxbridge Employment Agency is the location to head to!Being treated so well, I am truly appreciative for the experience I had learning how to: arrange interviews, send tests, adding documents to the database, sending references. But I think the two things that will benefit me the most were observing an interview and learning how to write a proper CV. Top notch tip: Use a small font.My initial few days I was doing everyone’s FOJ’s (mostly Joanna’s) adding clients to Bond and learning my way around the computers and the unpredictable printers. As well as recognising everyone who worked there, what they do, how they work and just across the board having a laugh.My second and final week flew by so quickly, making up a total of 140 candidate packs and printing out papers for a job fair. I was also taught how to produce posters for jobs and how to televise a job onto a ...
Is your workload growing out of control? Have you fallen behind project deadlines? Have you just secured an epic order for Christmas and are worrying about having enough people in place to honour it? Is it time to breakdown OR is it time for a temp! So what makes it work?Flexibility, Scalability, Availability (basically the “bilities”) - Looking for someone to start tomorrow? Have an event or project that requires additional resource? Temporary workers allow you to quickly adapt to such situations. BREATHING SPACE!!! This must be the most desirable of options at present! In this crazy fast paced world couldn’t we all do with a bit of this! When considering recruiting for permanent staff, a fill-in temp can buy you breathing space, reducing the pressure of making a snap decision just to get a “quick fit”! Plus, your new permanent hire will also be mightily pleased that they are greeted with a pretty clear desk on arrival, the temp having kept things up to date, so they are ready from the get-go J possible even a handover!Maintaining control of costs - most hiring managers and bosses are very keen on controlling their headcount as it forms a basic control on the commitments in permanent hiring within the business. Anyone responsible for the management of personnel will shiver at the thought of committing to large headcounts without the any guarantee that their workload will be maintained. So why not lessen this load by hiring temporary workers to assist when there are spikes in workload, knowing you have the flexibility of ending bookings should the workload lessen. Try before you buy - hiring decisions are probably one of, if not, the most expensive decisions any company will make so making the right decision is vital. If you have the opportunity why not “try before you buy” and have a period of employment where your prospective team member starts by temping with you to ensure the ...
