The hiring process can be rigorous, tedious and long. After all, you want to find the best candidate for a particular job. But when it comes down to it, finding and hiring good employees isn't enough; you also need to retain the valuable employees by fostering a positive work environment. Simple employee retention methods are cost effective, they build your reputation as a company, and they help productivity. When companies have a high turnover rate, they'll find that there are vast gaps in knowledge transfer between old and new employees. If it takes a few months for an employee to get the hang of their daily tasks, and you have a new staff every 6 months or year, your entire staff is essentially stuck in the training phases and never actually reach their fullest potential. Here are some ways you can retain your employees.

Create A Work Environment Of Trust
The first and probably the best thing you can do as an employer is to create an environment of trust. When employees trust each other and their superiors, they're more likely to be open, collaborative and forward-thinking when it comes to overall processes, resulting in increased efficiency. Employees will also feel less reluctant to call attention to budding issues in the workplace that management may not even be aware of. When employees feel that they are able to speak their minds without fear of repercussion, it improves their morale, boosts confidence and fosters creative problem-solving.

Maintain High Morale
The fact that high employee morale = higher productivity is indisputable at this point. This philosophy manifested itself in many ways in the modern workforce. For instance, some tech giants, and even many smaller companies, have gone through great lengths to make office life not only easier, but enjoyable. Some of the more famous amenities provided include cost-free, on-site daycare for employees' children, free food, on-site fitness centers, flexible hours, etc.
While not every company can have a beer-stocked fridge available to their employees, the point still stands that employers are starting to realize that happy employees = productivity. To you, that may mean having quality social time, providing free meals periodically, encouraging team activities or any number of fun, creative solutions that align with your company's core values.

Reward Good Work And Offer Learning Opportunities
This goes hand-in-hand with improving employee morale. By acknowledging and rewarding your team's efforts, individually or as a group, you're encouraging them to do their best work. Research suggests that up to 78% of workers say that being positively recognized for their work motivates them to keep doing their job. Keeping employees engaged and passionate about their jobs is crucial to retaining them. Here are some suggestions:

• Create continued learning opportunities - if employees are unable to learn new skills, their day-to-day can get stale. By giving them avenues to learn new methods or hone their skills, you'll not only keep them engaged and challenged, you may also benefit from their newfound abilities.
• Privately thank individuals - for large achievements, maybe a company party is warranted. But for smaller, individual achievements, pull aside the employee(s) and let them know that you appreciate their efforts.
• Publicly recognize overall efforts - sometimes public recognition is beneficial. Figure out a creative way to thank your team or individuals for their great work in front of the rest of the employees. For example, some companies organize their own little 'award ceremony' each year.
• Monetary incentives - raises and bonuses show appreciation and trust for employees. They may not be right for every situation, but they are certainly appreciated when big projects are completed or when continued excellence is exhibited.

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Provide Feedback To Your Employees
Whether a project is well done or gone awry, it's important to tell your employees how they did a good job and what can be improved next time the situation arises. By giving constant feedback, you're motivating people to grow and do their best all while giving them new learning experiences. And if something doesn't go as smoothly as it could have, sit down with the employee(s) to talk it through in a calm and casual way. Explain to them what could have been done better and take the opportunity to remotivate them without getting heated. It's rare that somebody enjoys doing subpar work, so unless they repeat the same negative behavior ad nauseum, try not to admonish. Turn it into a personal growth opportunity.

'Tis the season! As the snow slowly starts to fall and the trees become bare, we know the holiday season is nearly upon us. Companies of all industries begin to brace themselves for a massive influx in sales -- between Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and other holiday shopping, the public is ramping up to spend their hard-earned cash to make the lives of others around them a little brighter. In order to fill increased public demands, most businesses need extra staff. But they only need the extra staff for a limited period of time -- they can't afford to permanently hire so many fresh new faces. So what can they do? Well, that's where temp workers become the most valuable.

What is temp work?
Temporary employment, aka temp work, is exactly what it sounds like: a job that lasts for only a limited period of time. That timespan is dictated by the company and is entirely dependent on their needs. They might offer a temp position that lasts only a few days, weeks, or even months or years depending on the project. Temp work is most commonly implemented for seasonal employment or for additional assistance with a project. But during the rush of the holiday season, many companies will hire from October until January.

Why should you hire temporary workers during the holidays?
The beauty of temporary employment is that you don't need to make any commitments when it comes to your seasonal hires. Whether you need more helping hands at the registers or a boost in manpower at the warehouse, a few temporary employees here and there will help you get through the inevitable holiday chaos. They'll help things to run much more smoothly -- and the best part is that you don't have to retain them after the dust settles in the new year. Go back to the way things were or, if you find that any of the workers exceeded expectations and would make a valuable team member, you can always hire them on permanently. Think of temp employment as a sort of "trial run" of new staff. Don't like what you see? You don't have to keep them. But if you do like what you see and have it in your budget for another employee, feel free to hire them full-time. It's completely up to you.

How do I hire workers for the holidays?
So, this sounds fine and dandy, but how do you get started? Well, Summit Staffing has over 30 years of experience in temp and permanent staffing throughout the Midwest. We serve companies in a variety of industries and place numerous positions including, but not limited to:

• General Labor
• Forklift Operators
• Shipping & Receiving
• Assembly/Packing
• Warehouse/Inventory
• and more!

Our pool of experienced workers allows us to fill any position you may need quickly. All you need to do is get in touch with one of our staffers to get started! Don't fret the holiday season -- we can provide all the support you need to have a smooth operation during the most hectic of holidays. Give us a call today.

​It's getting closer to that time of year again. As the temperatures drop, so do bank account balances from holiday gift shopping, Black Friday spending sprees, travel and more. Experts estimate that 2018 holiday spending in the United States could reach up to $1.1 trillion, accounting for a quarter of retail sales this year. There's no doubt that the vast majority of Americans will spend a lot of their hard-earned money in the next few months to bring joy to their family and friends, but it's not always easily affordable. Some people might even dread the holidays because they know it will drain their checking account. It doesn't have to be that way -- here's how.

Find A Temp Job
Temporary employment is a great way to make some money during a career transition, as a way to try out a new industry or even to make some extra money during seasonal employment. Temporary jobs are exactly what they sound like: employment that lasts for a designated period of time. Whether that means the position is seasonal, or simply because companies just need additional assistance for a particular project, is completely at the discretion of the employer in question. But the fact of the matter is that the holidays are crazy busy for many industries, not just retail storefronts and ecommerce sites, so many companies need a lot of extra staff from October to January each year. That's why they turn to us.

What Type Of Industries Hire During The Holidays?
During hectic holidays, companies are in need of extra staff to stay efficient and provide quality goods and services to consumers. During the month of October, Halloween decoration manufacturers, candymakers and costume creators need temp employees to help run the show. Once November hits, things start to really ramp up. Many warehouses and factories need forklift operators and delivery drivers to take care of the extra stock that will inevitably be sold out during Black Friday. And of course, during the month of December, last-minute Christmas shopping gets wrapped up, affecting industries across the board. Delivery drivers, warehouse/inventory workers, general labor, assembly and packing all see a boost in employment numbers during this time.

Get A Head Start
Get started with a temporary position now. Summit Staffing has provided quality temporary employment opportunities to job seekers during the holidays for over 30 years. We have exclusive access to a wide variety of positions in a number of different industries. Most of the time, these companies don't even bother posting the hundreds of open positions online because it's far too tedious and time-consuming. So they turn to us to supply them with a qualified labor force. If you're looking to make some extra money on the side, we can help.

So whether you're between jobs or simply wish to make some extra spending money during the holidays, get in touch. Our staffing experts are dedicated to finding the right worker for the right job; and with plenty of temporary, seasonal job openings, we'll be happy to help you find some extra income this holiday season. Just give us a call!

Have you ever considered working in manual labor? Desk jobs aren't for everybody and that's okay. If you find sitting 8-10 hours a day boring, then a manual labor job could be right for you. It's no secret that sedentary lifestyles negatively affect your health -- and if you like to stay active and have tons of energy, then perhaps ditching the all-too-common 9-5 office life is the right move for you. Manual labor allows you learn new skills that strengthen both mind and body, that are also applicable to both professional and personal life. Here are a few things you can expect with a manual labor career.

Burn Calories Through Exercise
The first and most obvious benefit of working a manual labor job is, well, exercise. It only comes natural that being on your feet, moving, lifting, and doing general physical activity all day will burn calories, contributing to weight loss and reducing the risk of obesity-related conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and more. That's not to say that taking a manual labor position will suddenly replace regular exercise or magically cure you of all ailments, but physical work undoubtedly offers more opportunities for burning calories than sedentary, posture-destroying office lifestyles. 

As with any physical activity, injuries can happen. But doing some quick daily stretches before and after your shift and following safety guidelines for the workplace will keep you out of any serious physical harm's way.

Develop A Better Work Ethic
Anybody that's worked in physical labor will tell you that one of the greatest things they learned was the value of a dollar. When you're working 8-10 hours doing physical activity, that paycheck feels much more "earned" in a way that an office lifestyle doesn't match. You'll feel a great sense of accomplishment because much of the time, the final product of your efforts is tangible, giving you the opportunity to take more pride in your work. It builds character and promotes self-discipline and self-reliance, which carries over into home life as well.

Improve Cognition
Sure, lifting, walking, carrying, and a variety of other common activities that come with blue collar work builds muscles through exercise. But it also has a positive effect on the brain. Exercise has been proven again and again to improve mood, help with depression, deter cognitive disabilities such as Alzheimer's and dementia, and gives a generally positive outlook on life. Adopting a more positive attitude makes life generally more enjoyable and impacts personal relationships and your home life in a good way.

These benefits and more are apparent throughout manual labor positions, whether landscaping, working in a warehouse, doing maintenance or shipping & receiving. Summit Staffing has more than 30 years of experience finding the right candidate for the right position and a variety of manual labor positions around Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. If you're ready to take the next step in your career, get in touch!

​Job searching is almost never fun and it's hardly ever easy. But what if you were able to try out different jobs at different companies for a limited period of time, while making money, with no strings attached? Well, that's what temporary employment is for. Temporary employment, aka temp jobs, are a great way to get introduced to a certain positions or industries without making a full commitment to any one company. Temp work has been on-the-rise for the past few years because, just like employees, companies have embraced the "try before you buy" attitude when it comes to hiring. There are many advantages to being a temp worker -- here are just a few of them.

What does temp-to-hire mean?
Temp-to-hire positions are jobs that only last for a limited period of time. Depending on the company and the industry, this could mean it's limited to a few days, weeks or even years. Really, the parameters are set by the business, but traditionally temp jobs are used for seasonal work or to get outside help on individual projects.

Another common practice is that companies will hire a temp worker to fill a position as a sort of test run. In other words, the company will hire one or more temps until they find the ideal candidate to fill that role permanently. This creates an incentive for the temp employee to excel in their work to prove that they are worthy of becoming a full-time worker if they so desire.

Test the waters with no strings attached
The flipside of this is also true. It's important to keep in mind that employment is a two-way street, even if it may not feel like it at certain times. A person might be the right fit for a company, but the company also has to be the right fit for the person. Otherwise, dissatisfied employees become disillusioned with their work and they're left feeling unfulfilled. The beauty of being a temporary worker is that you're able to put your skills to the test without worrying about severe repercussions. You have the opportunity of having a "free trial" in a role and industry. Treat it as a unique learning experience -- hone your existing skills and pick up new ones. Ask lots of questions and soak up all the knowledge possible because your temp experience will prove very valuable in the future. 

You're able to try the job out and if you don't like it, no harm no foul. Move on after the designated time period and try a different role with a different company. But if you find that you really love the temp role and you can see yourself becoming full-time in that position, you're able to put your nose to the grindstone and show your employer that you're invaluable so they will consider hiring you permanently.

Make connections in relevant industry
Part of being successful in any field is integrating yourself and networking with your peers. Temp work gives you the opportunity to meet a spectrum of people in many different settings. As you work with/for them, you're able to establish some credibility for yourself (assuming you do a good job) so that even if you don't wind up getting hired permanently, you will have built valuable connections that will come in handy in the future. Plus, if you do do a great job during your time as a temp worker, those peers and employers will be more willing to give you a good reference when you interview for the permanent position you desire.

Temp work is also a great resume builder. Having consistent and relevant experience, even if it's at different companies, is a valuable characteristic to most employers. They will see that you're multifaceted, integrate quickly into company culture and able to understand and meet project goals and deadlines. 

The benefits of temp work are numerous -- through your experiences you're able to form valuable industry relationships, you'll accurately assess what you desire in an employer and the type of position that most fulfills you, you'll build your resume and acquire helpful, newfound skills for the future. Oh and of course, you'll be making money all the while. So if you're looking to break into the workforce or even if you're just considering a change in industry, give us a call to see what positions we have open. Use the Summit advantage -- we find the right candidate for the right company and vice versa. Get started now!

Job hunting is never easy. Applications, phone calls, resume/cover letter writing, aptitude tests, multiple interviews -- oh my. Your blood pressure probably increased just from reading about it. But once you've run the gauntlet, conquered the competition and landed the job, you'll feel like you're on top of the world. It was all worth the stress and time. But don't forget: getting the offer is just the first step. You actually have a job to do now. You've already proven your qualifications to management, but you need to make a great first impression in practice both to your boss(es) and coworkers. Here are some easy and effective ways to make the best first impression during your first day on the job.

Wake Up and Show Up Early
They say the early bird gets the worm, so assert yourself at the top of the pecking order by getting to work early. Showing up on time is quite literally the first thing you can do successfully -- or unsuccessfully. Arriving early shows initiative and that you take the job seriously. Tardiness can be seen as laziness and unpreparedness to many employers; and you don't need anything working against you before you even begin to work.

Go to bed early the night before, wake up early, and leave earlier than you think you should. You'll probably have an idea of how long your commute is, from the in-person interviews, but unexpected obstacles do to happen -- anticipate them as best as possible.

Show Curiosity and Enthusiasm
Exhibiting positivity and enthusiasm for your new job is crucial on the first day. As a preface: there will undoubtedly be a LOT of new information to remember -- names, procedures, administrative work, etc. Don't be afraid to take notes on anything and everything that happens on your first day. Be engaged and mindful. (And try extra hard to remember the names of those you'll work closest with.) Nobody will expect you to remember every last detail on the first day -- much of it will come naturally through time and experience. But showing excitement and asking poignant questions shows that you're ready to give it your all. People won't mind reiterating information to someone who genuinely cares. Showing surliness, apathy or anti-social behavior will breed resentment among your coworkers and superiors and people may not be as eager to help out when needed.

Assimilate With the Staff
First days are almost always uncomfortable. It's easy to be stressed and shy, but when you begin a new job, a great way to make good first impressions is through positive social interaction with your coworkers. It may require you to leave your comfort zone, but taking the initiative to get to know the team will show your bosses that they've chosen correctly by hiring you. Getting to know and getting along with your new coworkers shows that you can smoothly transition into the company culture and that you'll (hopefully) remain a valuable asset and a positive force to the team. One of the best ways to do this is to ask coworkers to go out to lunch. If you can help it, don't bother packing a lunch that day -- instead, invite your team to break bread. This is prime

get-to-know-you time that will teach you about those around you and will give you ample opportunity to show your fun side.

All of these will land you in a positive light during your first day on the job. All in all, just be relaxed, have fun whenever possible and don't be afraid to ask questions and get to know people (nothing too personal, of course). Ultimately, being friendly, approachable and competent will go a long way in the future.

Conducting the hiring process by yourself is tedious and time-consuming. You need to create a posting, put it on the internet via job boards, social media, etc., sift through the hundreds of applications and narrow down the candidates. That alone can take weeks and you haven't even spoken to an applicant yet, let alone started the interview process. This is where staffing companies can pick up the slack for you. There are many advantages to hiring a recruiter to do the dirty work, not the least of which is time saved. Here are just a few advantages a company such as Summit Staffing can give you:

Take a Load Off
When you trust in a recruitment company, there's no need to get distracted by creating job postings, ensuring they get posted to the proper job sites, filtering the resumes and then conducting interviews. When you need a position filled, we do all the work for you. Simply give us the job description and we'll screen resumes and conduct interviews in order to send you the most qualified candidates for a second-round interview. The process is much quicker than doing it yourself. Plus, there's no need to dedicate resources or employees to lengthy screening processes. We all know that time is money; and we'll help you save a lot of both.

A Qualified Candidate Pool
We interview many, many people and keep their resumes on-file. This means that we have exclusive access to a large pool of already-qualified candidates, eliminating the need for job post creation and sifting through resumes. This saves you a lot of time by ensuring that anyone we send to you is already qualified professionally. Need a worker with a specific certification? Not a problem. Do they need a minimum of 5 years of experience? It's already taken care of. At that point, it's a matter of whether or not you decide the candidate is the right fit at your company. If you decide not to hire a candidate, it's not a problem -- we'll send you exclusive, qualified workers until you find the perfect one for the job.

No Worker? No Cost.
Worried that you'll invest a lot of money for no reward? Put those fears to bed because you're only charged once YOU decide to hire the candidate. This is beneficial for two reasons:

1. You're free to consider as many candidates as you please without worrying about racking up a tab
2. Since we're paid upon the candidate's hire, it keeps us motivated only to send you the ones we deem most qualified

It's mutually beneficial for us to send you qualified candidates, so you can be assured that we don't want to waste anyone's time with subpar applicants. We don't like to take risks when it comes to hiring -- if you're not happy, we're not happy.

Summit Staffing has been a leader in industrial market staffing for over 30 years. We're here to help make your business more efficient by saving you time, effort and headache. Our experienced staff is ready to customize a workforce that's focused on supporting your business' goals and creating sustainable relationships. If you're ready to experience the Summit advantage, get in touch today!

You updated the resume, you filled out piles of job applications, went through an exhausting gauntlet of interviews and finally got the job. Congratulations! It's always a great feeling to know that you have financial and professional security after a stressful job search -- you can finally relax for a bit. But don't forget that this is only the beginning and now you actually have a job to do! In order to make a great impression, you'll need to do some preparation leading up to and on the first day.

Do Your Research
Know the company and your position in and out. You should know these things by the end of the interview process, but do a bit of research as a quick refresher. Feel free to call or email your new bosses or colleagues with questions about the job if you have them. It shows that you take initiative and that you're excited and engaged about your new role. Additionally, look up some best-practices for the position you're taking on to ensure you're up-to-date on the industry standards. You probably have an idea of the company's culture from the interview(s) assuming they were on-site, but if you didn't, try to get to know their culture from their website.

Reevaluate Your Skills
Brush up on skills that will be required for your position. If you've been out of work for a while, you may need to research some industry standards, read up on tools and equipment you'll be using and safety gear. Keep in mind that despite the skills you already possess, the majority of a new job will be a learning experience. Your current skill set and knowledge are foundation, not the end-all-be-all of necessary qualifications.

On The First Day
Come in with an open mind, ready to learn -- ON TIME or, better yet, early. Being punctual is the easiest way to show that you're dependable. Being late is the easiest way to be disrespectful.

Pay close attention to the instructions your superiors give, observe your surroundings and get to know your colleagues and how their roles may require your cooperation. Ask a lot of questions -- it shows enthusiasm, engagement and you'll learn helpful information. Particularly in the labor industry, it's crucial to listen to safety procedures and know the equipment. If you're unsure of something, speak up. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Don't deny lunch offers. If coworkers or bosses ask you to eat with them or go out to a local restaurant, take them up on the offer. What better way to get to know someone more personally than to break bread with them? Showing colleagues that you're personable and sociable early on will make you more of a pleasure to work with.

Take all of this advice into account after you accept your new position and you'll be seen as a valuable employee straight out of the gate. Good luck in your new job (though you probably won't need it)!

It's no secret that office jobs and manual labor jobs are vastly different. It's natural, then, that labor employers seek different personality traits and skill sets that differ from traditional white collar workers. If you currently are or are a soon-to-be labor employment candidate, it's important during the resume and interview phases to highlight these qualities:

Motivation
Any job can be stressful or intense, so it's important to realize what keeps you motivated during crunchtime. Labor positions come with a different type of stress -- they can have long hours or be physically strenuous -- so staying motivated through the entire day is extremely important to an employer. Interviewers might ask you to narrate a difficult project at a past employer and may ask what kept you going through all of it. Is it that you take pride in your work and love seeing tangible fruits of your labor? Is it simply putting food on the table? Your answer matters, so think about why you love your work and let your passion shine through.

Practical Knowledge of Tools and Industry
Depending on the position, certain certifications or licenses may be required. Before you even apply, make sure that you have the correct qualifications -- if you don't, see what it takes to get certified. Even if a job doesn't require any certifications, your knowledge of the trade will be apparent when you're being interviewed, so do your research! Know what tools are most commonly used for the position and know how to use them safely. There will always be some element of on-the-job training, so while sometimes it won't be necessary to be an expert, some base knowledge is always a plus.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Employers need to know that you'll work well with the rest of the team to get your job done. Bringing diplomacy when there are workplace conflicts is an admirable skill to have, so if you have experience in this area, have an anecdote at-the-ready -- a popular interview question is, "when was the last time you had a problem in the workplace and how did you solve it?" If you can showcase that you have creative problem solving skills, you'll be on the fast track to employment.

Physical Ability
It can be relatively hard to gauge physical abilities when only sitting face-to-face, but there are some ways you can let your potential employer know that you're able to carry out the job. For example, sometimes an interviewer will ask about your personal hobbies to get a sense of your personality. Mention something that indicates you're physically capable of handling the job and that you have good hand-eye coordination -- hiking, sports, working out -- anything. They need to know you're strong enough to make it through the day without collapsing. Sometimes they'll be up front and ask to your face if you're physically capable of handling the work. If this is the case, reassurance and an anecdote from a past work experience is always positive.

Of course, every job is different and will demand different qualities, but the above ones are essential in most labor positions. Do your research and know what will be expected of you while on-the-job in order to make your next job hunt the shortest one you'll ever have!

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