employee invested in the success of the new hire. Asking for employee input on the referral program could be a great team-building exercise, and employers may be pleasantly surprised to find out the desired incentives may not be all that detrimental to the bottom line. There’s little to lose and far more to gain with a good employee referral program.
Temporary staffing agencies offer a very efficient solution for resolving labor shortages, particularly on short notice or in the short term. Staffing services save time, money, and frustration by pre-screening suitable employees, and normally have a variety of ready-to-work candidates available when potential clients make a request. These agencies may specialize in any capacity, from basic office staffing to trained maintenance relief workers, providing people able to work at the front desk of a downtown high-rise or in the boiler room of a suburban complex. If an employer wishes to eventually hire an agency provided employee, there is usually a contractual option with a mechanism to do so.
Once upon a time, temporary staffing agencies alone were a reliable option. Today, these agencies are also facing a new reality. The simple truth is the agencies often can’t find people either, and so may be forced to decline new contracts or opportunities. Part of the solution for temporary agencies (offering a lesson for all employers) is reevaluating and revising hiring standards to allow for broader consideration of candidates. For example, roles that may have previously required a certain education level or college prerequisite are now offered for high school graduates. An inconsistent work
history may no longer be the impediment it once was for a new hire. In today’s challenging hiring environment, simple integrity and the ability to consistently report to work are key considerations. It’s certainly worth checking with the temporary staffing professionals in any case.
Realistically, we are all competing for valuable human resources. Even labor unions are taking new approaches to finding workers. SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Local 1 in Chicago hosted a job fair this past year to connect maintenance workers, building janitors and engineers, and door staff with residential union jobs, many of which are in community associations. In general, we must consider more than just advertising or social media to find or attract potential employees. It’s probably wise to utilize any and every industry event as a potential hiring opportunity. Whether you happen to be exhibiting at or just attending the annual CAI Condo-HOA Conference & Expo, keep your ears open! You would likely anticipate a sales pitch at an exhibitor’s booth, or you might expect to explore job opportunities with a presenter from a management company, but it’s often the serendipitous interactions that bear fruit. Participate in the camaraderie around you while you wait in lines or walk the exhibit floor. Listen to the quiet conversations at lunch tables. If there’s an opening that intrigues you, introduce yourself and set up a meeting. Alternatively, consider holding your own career fair, whether with clients or competitors. While we collectively determine whatever the new normal may be, we may as well make the most of every opportunity.
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