The holiday season is the opportune time for employers to thank their hardworking staff for a long year of goals met and revenues earned. However, offering cash bonuses can get very pricey when multiplied by the number of employees. That’s when the organization should consider holiday incentives that won’t break the bank. Here’s a look at some non-cash holiday perks you can offer to your employees this year.

10 Holiday Incentives that Don’t Involve Cash

1. Free Catered Meal – All employees like to eat, therefore you can make the holidays a fun time by offering a catered lunch that includes all the best fixings. As an alternative, pick a specific day each week to bring in baked goods and gourmet coffees for breakfast.
2. Entertainment Discounts – Chances are your employees will be entertaining holiday guests this time of year, therefore they will need ideas for a night out on the town. Why not make this easier for employees by offering discounts to local entertainment venues, like movies, plays and museums?
3. Corporate Gym – The holidays can be a stressful time and especially for those trying to lose weight or maintain health, therefore you can easily designate a special area in your building for a small in-house gym. Add a treadmill, exercise bikes, and some hand weights and benches for a great way to give the gift of health to your employees.
4. Special Parking Spot – The holidays can be a time when some employees feel dragged out. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a parking spot close by to ease this stress? Make a list of employees and each week designate a special parking spot near the front of the building that’s normally reserved for management.
5. Wall of Fame – All employees deserve some recognition, and the holiday season can be a great time to raise morale with an employee wall of fame poster. Add photos of your employees doing remarkable things and give them kudos at the weekly staff meetings. You can also create an online version of this.
6. Flexible Schedule – During the holiday season, many employees may find it difficult to experience work-life balance. Therefore, one of the best incentives you can offer is more flexibility with work hours. Give employees the option to work remotely at least once a week.
7. Floating Holiday – Giving employees the choice of when they would like to take a day off, no questions asked, is a valuable incentive for those who need some down-time once in a while. Announce  that you are adding one additional paid day off that must be used by the end of the year.
8. Updated Office  – A spiffy, improved work environment can be a nice incentive for employees during the holidays. Add some new soft seating and tables, and replace any worn out office equipment with more ergonomic work stations.
9. Onsite Massages – This non-cash incentive is easy to arrange and manage, plus it produces happier employees who are less stressed, and more productive.
10. Achievement Certificates – Although you should be giving praise to your employees all year long, the holiday season is a great time to start a recognition program with printed certificates of achievement in a holiday theme. Present printed certificates at staff meetings and make sure employees are recognized in front of their peers often.

Come back often to The Rick Rice Report often for more ways to provide perks and incentives for your employees. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

Recruiting today takes a combination of time tested methods and modern techniques. Very often, your current employees can be the best source of new hires in the form of referral programs and incentives. Why? Because your current employee base is likely made up of brand ambassadors who know how great your company is to work for. They also understand what it takes to be successful in your corporate culture and they generally have personal networks of professionals who would also fit well here.

So, how do you encourage your loyal employees to refer their colleagues to you for current and future work opportunities? Learn how to inspire your employees to bring their friends and partners on board.

Create a Great Corporate Culture

You want good people, right? Then your company must go the extra mile to entice the right people to your door. This includes your current employees who should become raving fans of your corporate culture and business brand. Once you accomplish this, your employees will be glad to refer their friends and colleagues to your door.

Provide Referral Incentives

Nothing gets in-house referrals better than a generous employee referral incentive plan. Offer a cash reward or a percentage of a new hire salary to your current employees, but stipulate that the new hire must stay on the job for at least 90 days from hire. Remind employees often of this way to earn more by referring more.

Launch Recruiting Events

Each year, focus on staffing efforts through scheduled recruiting events. Stimulate employee referrals by offering an added bonus for sending potential clients to you in advance of each event. This can give your business a boost as you’ll have more time to screen and evaluate these referrals, and your employees can help with the orientation process.

Hold Department Competitions

Want to give your team building an advantage? Create a little competition in your company by setting goals for each department to refer a specific number of candidates to your recruiting department. Put up a wall chart and track this progress. The winning department gets a special incentive at year end – cash or a celebration.

Remember, communicate to your employees often of the advantages of referring their best colleagues to your company. Make this an easy and confidential process for all employees. You’ll soon find that your teams are coming together in a meaningful and highly productive way as a result of direct employee referral efforts.

Come back to The Rick Rice Report often for business updates and advice. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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Want your job postings to stand out and attract the best candidates? Since many of today’s jobs are published on the Internet, in conjunction with standard newspaper advertisements, there are some specific methods you need to use when creating job postings. These best practices can help you to get in front of more suitable candidates, earn you more traction through search engines, and increase the likelihood of successful hiring.

6 Tips for Better Job Advertisements  

There are more effective ways you can publish better job postings, both online and through print advertisement methods. Follow these tips for enhanced recruiting.

#1 – Use Descriptive, Keyword Focused Job Titles

If there’s one thing you do right with a job ad, it’s to write an attention getting job title that includes relevant keywords for your industry. Make sure your job titles match with the actual duties and requirements of the job you are trying to place candidates in, as they will go looking for a job. Also include, the amount of time that is spent with each duty. Let the candidate know exactly what the position entails.

#2 – Write a Killer Company Introduction

Start your job ads not with a dull description of the job itself, but rather a well-developed description of your company and why it’s a great place to work. Include any awards or industry recognition, and your mission statement.

#3 – Create a Clear Job Description

The best job ads include a clear and concise job description in easy to read format. Start with a short paragraph of the general description, then bullet the duties and what the candidate can expect as a future employee.

#4 – Include Requirements for the Assignment

To reel in the best candidates, be sure to include the actual requirements for the job itself. These can include the skills, background, experience, industry knowledge, and educational level desired. Make sure the requirements comply with EEOC guidelines.

#5 – Leave out the Salary but Highlight Benefits

While some recruiters may disagree, you don’t want to include specific information about the salary because it only attracts those who want certain pay scales, not those who want to work for your company for other reasons. However, do include the benefits and perks that your company offers.

# 6 – Provide Access to a Corporate Career Portal / Application Form

A good job ad includes information so that the candidate can submit a resume or application for employment. Give a link to your corporate website career page, a link to the specific job posting,  and the online application form.

Finding time to write great job ads can pay off in the end. You will get better quality candidates to interview, and more leads as your job ads are shared online by a large number of career networks.

For more tips on how to recruit the best talent, come back to The Rick Rice Report  for advice on managing your most important resource – employees. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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Is your company’s branding sending the wrong message to potential applicants? If you consistently brand your business, you may improve the types of candidates you attract. Your employer brand, more specifically, is a critical point of interest to interested applicants. The best of the best will quickly move on if your company isn’t one they think highly of in terms of how they hire employees and keep them. Is it time for you to polish your message?

Do You Have a Brand Message?

Does your brand have a message when it comes to employees and hiring? Many companies hire professionals to create this type of brand for their organization, just as they would to launch their next product. It is that important. If you do have one, it is critical to carry that message in a consistent manner across all channels. No matter where you promote your business or how you do it, you need this level of consistency present.

Does Corporate Branding Really Matter?

It may seem that the job market, with the numerous people that are looking for work sending in applications daily, that you do not need to invest in this type of marketing any longer. The problem is, the quality you are getting could be suffering. Top professionals in the industry are always looking for the next big company to be a part of, but they will not work with a company that’s not attractive to them. More so, some experts believe that having positive employee branding will help you to bring in people for less money.

Check Your Social Media Campaigns

Many employers are using social media as a way to bring in key employees. Even if you are not actively hiring, you still may use social media networks to keep your ear to the ground to find the professionals that are best suited for your business. However, be sure that you are attracting the right employees in this manner. Every aspect of your business’s social media presence should focus on the same type of employee brand, everything from your posts to your pages.

Email Still Works

Even when you send out emails to potential candidates, this message needs to come through. Is the email you are sending to that top executive you hope to interview getting read? Does it have the same type of message that is consistent with your employee brand? If not, refocus it to achieve your goals.

Take a long look at what employees and prospective employees think of your business. What does your employee brand say about your company? You want applicants to know what you expect and what you provide to your employees. Is this clear? Why should they apply? It may be time to polish off that brand to make it better represent your company.

For more tips on how to recruit the best talent, come back to The Rick Rice Report  for advice on managing your most important resource – employees. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

Many employers use an annual review as a way to encourage employees to grow and develop into successful professionals. Yet, that is just one day out of the year. In the meantime, they could be making big mistakes (or even big improvements.) It is possible to encourage employees to grow and develop throughout the year. A coaching program, for example, allows for ongoing training and development. Not only does this contribute to the individual’s success, but it can also enable the company to grow sooner because of the improvements the individual is making.

How to Make It Happen

The following tips can help you to build a coaching mentality within your organization. By enabling your team to work on consistent improvement, you could see big things happen in a short amount of time.

• Build a good relationship of mutual trust with your team. The day-to-day relationship should be a good one so they can accept the information you provide easily.
• Host meetings that are on a more frequent basis to discuss the growth and development of the individual. Ensure this is not done to just one person, but as a part of the process of developing professionals.
• Discuss the good and the bad. Get agreement from the individual about what he or she is experiencing based on the points you have brought up. You want the individual to want to make changes to improve.
• Find alternatives to the issue. In short, you need to allow the individual and you to come to an agreement of what steps to take to fix the underlying problem. You want them to commit to the improvement in some way. They need verbally to agree with you.
• Deal with excuses and do not overlook them as potential hot points to resolving conflict. If there are excuses, find out what the underlying problem is and correct it.

In order for employees to respond to growth and coaching meetings like this, they need to be on the same page as you. This means this session needs to be a positive one. The goal should not be to bash the employee, but to work together to take the next step forward.

For more tips on how to develop your talent, come back to The Rick Rice Report  for advice on managing your most important resource – employees. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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Once upon a time, small businesses had a hard time competing with the big salaries and benefits packages giant corporations had to offer. However, times are changing and even small businesses can still manage to attract the talented and dedicated staff they need in order to compete with the “big boys” in any industry. Your job is to present them in the right way to hit home with your prospects. Here are just a few of the nontraditional benefits you can offer that might make all the difference with job candidates.

Work-Life Balance

Family-friendly is a huge benefit today. Gone are the candidates who are willing to work 80-100 hours a week in a blind attempt to advance within the company. Today’s workers want to have a healthy family to work balance. They want to have it all and realize that’s simply not possible working for a company that demands every ounce of time, attention, and devotion.

Play up the fact that you offer a forty to fifty hour workweek rather than requiring every waking moment of effort from employees. Let them know that you offer some flexibility to work at home during family emergencies or when children are home sick from school (if possible) or even to take off portions of days rather than full days to handle important appointments and family commitments.

Family Atmosphere at Work

This is another “hidden” benefit that will appeal to a lot of job candidates—especially those who have worked for the big, impersonal corporations in the past. Not only does this make candidates feel confident that they will be judged for the work they do, but they also find it a refreshing change not to need a name tag to be recognized on company property.

There’s a lot to be said for not being “just another” corporate minion and treated as such. Candidates are sure to appreciate that. Many of them are specifically seeking that in their next employment situation—even if it means a cut in pay and/or benefits.

Flexible Work Arrangements

This is perhaps the most sought after work perk you can offer to perspective employees. The best thing to remember about this is that it doesn’t cost a lot to offer it either. While some businesses simply aren’t able to offer it because they need to be adequately staffed for each hour of the work day, there are just as many businesses that are able to offer it and it doesn’t cost them a lot of money to make it happen.

You can offer rolling start times, work from home, four ten-hour days, and countless other potential arrangements that will help employees feel as though they have an adequate balance of time between work and family commitments.

It’s not always the big moves that matter most to potential employees. Sometimes, it’s just about painting the things your company has to offer in the right light to get their attention.

For more tips on how to find the best candidates, come back to The Rick Rice Report often for business updates and advice. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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Wouldn’t it be nice of all people who fudged the truth on resumes had pants (or skirts as the case may be) burst into flames during the interview process? Most small businesses do not have an army of resources available to help them seek out the truth of each incoming resume. That doesn’t change the fact that people who are less than truthful on resumes are likely to bring that same disregard for the truth and ethical business practices into the workplace if they make it through the hiring process. Here are a few things you can do to help determine whether a candidate is telling the truth on his or her resume.

1)   Check the facts. Most resumes include a great deal of information. If you sit down and sift through it all, it tells quite a story. However, most of these facts and figures are things that can be verified. It’s not all dates and numbers that people lie about on resumes either. It wasn’t too long ago that Notre Dame thought they had won a major coup in luring George O’Leary away from Georgia Tech to head their football team; however, he was forced to resign within five days of accepting the position because he lied on his resume. He even fabricated the college from which he claimed to have graduated. Simple fact checking by the university would have revealed this falsehood and spared them both a great deal of public embarrassment.

2)   Ask trusted employees for references. Believe it or not, this is a great source for potential employees. The people who work “in the trenches” aren’t likely to recommend people who won’t do a good job. They understand it will reflect poorly on them and the company (which could jeopardize their continued employment). More importantly, they’re going to be working side by side with the people they recommend. It’s generally going to be people who are going to be diligent and conscientious workers. More importantly, it’s going to be people who know the job and are qualified to do it.

3)   Conduct your own background check. Even if you are getting references from employees you already trust, it’s important to “vet” potential candidates before you hire them. Not only can this prevent potentially embarrassing situations like the one mentioned above or the one at Yahoo! where Scott Thompson claimed to have a degree he didn’t actually have. A thorough background check would have identified the problem before it became a problem. It also would have, more than likely, eliminated him from the pool of potential employees as well. There are many firms out there who will handle the “vetting” process for you on a case by case basis. Be sure to check them out.

You don’t have to have a dedicated staff at your beck and call to discover false resume claims. However, proactive steps such as these can help save your company the time, money, and potential embarrassment that goes along with hiring faux pas such as these.

For more helpful tips on how to find the best candidates, come back to The Rick Rice Report often for business updates and advice. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

Let’s face it; some jobs appear much more attractive on paper than others. That is, of course, unless you know how to sell the job in a way that attracts the perfect person for the job that’s available. That isn’t always easy to do—especially if the job doesn’t seem all that appealing to you as the hiring manager. But that doesn’t mean that someone else might find this to be the perfect job for their needs as this time.

These tips will help you find the right candidates for the jobs you need filled—even if they don’t seem all that attractive at first glance.

Be Honest about the Job

Honesty is almost always the best policy. It’s especially important when you’re trying to attract people for jobs that are not exactly appetizing to the general public. Of course, being honest doesn’t mean you have to paint the job as horrible. Remember there are people who find bugs and snakes fascinating. Recognize that there are some people who may find the job, and the pay, appealing. Present this particular job in a light that will appeal to those people most.

Find a Way to Make the Job More Attractive

Not all perks for a job come in the form of pay, glory, or prestige. But that doesn’t mean that even a seemingly bad job can’t turn into a terrific opportunity. There are countless tools you have at your disposal to make a less than attractive job appeal to the right person.

Consider other perks you can provide such as: product discounts, service discounts, flexible scheduling, free food (even if it’s just you bringing in lunch or snacks once a week), or countless other little things you can offer employees that might make a huge difference in how they like the job even if isn’t the most glamorous position out there.

Treat Your Employees Well

This is perhaps the most important thing you can do as an employer. Develop a reputation for treating the people who work for you well. Accommodate their needs and try to work with them instead of treating them like employees. Make every person who works for you feel like he or she is important to you and the success of your business and your people will work harder, longer, and for less pay than those who feel unwanted and unappreciated by their employers.

Jobs come in all shapes and sizes. It takes all kinds of people to make the world go around. If you learn how to present the jobs you have in the right light for the right people, you’ll be surprised how many people step up to the plate. Just remember to set aside your own distaste for the particular job and present it to the person who is most likely to find the job attractive.

For more helpful tips attracting great candidates, come back to The Rick Rice Report often for business updates and advice. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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As a new wave of new graduates joins the job seeker market, you may be encountering many entry level candidates. This can pose a challenge for interviewers, because entry level candidates often lack much in terms of a job history and experience. However, knowing what to ask in the interview is critical to match the right entry level candidates with suitable assignments. This is where knowing a few “tricks of the trade” can enhance your ability to interview and recruit new talent.

Steps in the Entry Level Candidate Interview Process

Introduce the entry level candidate to the interviewing process by explaining what to expect, offering a beverage, and then taking the candidate on a brief tour of the work environment – stopping to introduce him or her to key personnel. This effort alone will help you to see how well the candidate interacts with others and if the candidate adapts well to new experiences. This also increased the comfort level of the candidate so they will be more likely to relax during the interview.

Start out your entry level candidate interviews with an employee assessment and a brief video introduction of your company. This helps the candidate become more familiar with your company, as well as providing more information to talk about in the interview.

The best course of action when interviewing entry level candidates is to focus on behavioral and interpersonal skills. This is often an area where you can identify certain personality traits, strengths and weaknesses in a candidate by asking a series of behavioral based interview questions. While the candidate may not have previous experience in certain scenarios, you can ask hypothetical questions that reveal the candidate’s values and work ethics a little closer.

What are the Candidate’s Goals and Abilities?

Seek to understand the candidate by asking about short term goals as well as what the candidate wants to do in the future. This can help you to understand if your company can offer advancement opportunities and if this candidate is looking for a career, or just a job. Since it is a significant cost to recruit a new candidate, you will want to make sure that an entry level candidate will be able to be developed into higher roles within your company; otherwise it will be a waste of time.

As you review the candidate’s resume, ask about not only previous employment experiences and education, but also about community and voluntary activities and interests. The candidate may very well have hidden talents that your company can leverage, so try to dig a little deeper. Ask for at least 3-4 personal references as there may be limited employer references to work with.

For more helpful tips on recruiting the best entry level candidates, come back to The Rick Rice Report often for business updates and advice. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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As a thriving company, it’s become even more important to manage your online reputation in today’s social atmosphere. This is for two reasons. One, is the image that you project to outside entities, including clients, vendors, and potential candidates for open assignments. Two, is the ability to convey  your company’s mission to the world, which can leverage it for future growth and innovation.

While these reasons may seem obvious, many companies make the mistake of not monitoring their corporate brand well on the Internet. A company that has a poorly managed brand can easily confuse or discourage high quality candidates from applying. Since the success of a company is dependent upon its people, it is in your organization’s best interest to pay attention to your online brand and the message it sends.

Here are some tips for managing your company’s online brand.

Develop a company website integrated with social media. A good rule of thumb is to take control of your company brand with a professional website and social media presence. Create your image online and develop it so that others know what your company stands for.

Display your corporate culture and brand on all mediums. To protect your company’s brand, it’s up to you to create an image of what your corporate culture and brand is about. Inform potential candidates what your culture is like so they can decide if they will fit in. Develop a brand that is about employee-growth and opportunities.

Provide a list of company incentives to attract the best. The top candidates are looking for the best companies for career advancement, and this includes compensation and other perks. Make sure you include these elements as you put your company brand out there. Let candidates and clients know how progressive your company is to work for and do business with.

A company brand is a leading way to attract the best candidates today, especially with so many looking to online sources for finding a career. Make sure you protect your corporate brand by developing a strategy that includes ways to bring in the top personnel.

For more helpful tips on recruiting the best candidates using your corporate brand, come back to The Rick Rice Report often for business updates and advice. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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