SkyWater Blog

Think HR is obsolete? Maybe you’re just not doing it right.

And Why Eliminating Them Might Be Even Worse

A few years ago, a number of large, highly respected employers, including Cargill, Microsoft, and The Gap made headlines when they decided to do away with their annual employee performance reviews and ratings.  Since then, a growing number of organizations have followed suit. 

Zero in on these Critical Areas for Fast, Effective Onboarding

You’ve probably seen the studies linking employee retention to new hire experience.  If you haven’t, you might start with this one by the SHRM Foundation.  In it, you’ll find a compelling argument for re-investing in your onboarding process.  Whether your new hire is fresh out of school or a seasoned veteran, they need to experience a guided, intentional introduction to your organization, their new team, and their role within it.  And if you thought that you could save a few dollars by just “buddying them up with Betty Lou over here because she really knows the ropes…” well… no, you can’t.

In the ongoing battle for top candidates, a liberal vacation offering is a powerful perk.  In fact, a generous and flexible PTO policy does more than attract great new candidates.  When designed, communicated and managed well, it can also help you retain your current employees.

Every February and March, my email starts filling up with one specific kind of request.

If you’re a hiring manager, you’ve heard of “flexible work arrangements.” You’re likely already enabling some form of workplace flexibility within your own team. Or maybe you’ve managed to bob and weave and dodge the need up until now. But wherever you are on the “flexibility” spectrum, there are a few things you should know as you enter 2020.

Deloitte’s Human Capital Trends report has for years, identified concerns over leadership as one of the main issues affecting global employers. Positive leadership helps organizations to attract, hire and retain passive talent to drive your business forward.

In today’s candidate driven market, a lack of authentic executive leadership will result in your company struggling to recruit the high achievers you need to achieve your goals.

Here we’ve identified some of the essential characteristics of great leadership essential to successful talent acquisition:

Overcome Candidate Objections Before They’re Raised

After an extensive search and a round of interviews, your client agrees with you: you’ve found the perfect candidate and it’s time to write that offer. You’d be celebrating right now…

The holiday season is traditionally the time when productivity takes a nosedive as your employees are distracted by endless occasions to party. For Minnesota employers, keeping them motivated through this period can be a challenge, but here’s what might just work:

Offer flexible working

Staff who are traveling over the holiday season will welcome the opportunity to work remotely. Flexible working allows for easier childcare arrangements and the opportunity to attend various social professional and family events while staying up to date on projects. If this feels like a step too far, monitor productivity and connectivity by requiring employees to log in to your server during working hours.

Today and this whole week seem like an especially great time to pause for a moment to celebrate our country and the countless individuals who serve and have served it with honor:  our veterans.  And what better way to truly show our appreciation for our American veterans than to hire them when they get back home?