Posts by "Roxana"

Employer

How Tech Staffing Agencies Can Help Your Business

April 22, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

As technology is developing daily, digital solutions are becoming essential for running a business, but also necessary for individuals. Almost all companies will have to turn to technological solutions for their operations at some point, and that is why tech-oriented labour force is one of the most demanded staff members by companies, organizations and governments worldwide.

But it can sometimes be difficult and time-consuming for a company to recruit new staff. That is why several businesses choose to work with other companies that serve as staff hiring mediators. These companies specialize in finding the right people for the open position in your organization and are also quite knowledgeable in the market needs.

If you are hiring such a company, chances are they already have a database with available talents for your IT, security, or digital services position. That is because tech-related positions are so high in-demand and the available work-force is limited, hiring companies have reported.

Another reason is also that a number of professionals such as developers, engineers, data security and analysts, will choose to work with hiring platforms to find jobs that suit their skills best, and also have assurance.

You can expect that your human resources manager to have first extensive meetings with the hiring company’s managers in order to explain exactly what your company is looking for, what you are offering, and what’s the corporate culture so that they can find the right candidate. And since these hiring companies already have a database, you might expect a report of the first candidates matching your requirements within two days.

Once the report with the top selected candidates is ready, the hiring company will have a meeting with your human resources manager to discuss the candidates’ qualifications, previous work experiences and resumes. In case there are some disagreements from your regard, then the hiring agency will get insight and narrow the search even more so next time there will be better staff proposals.

The moment there is an agreement regarding the candidates, then you obviously move on to the interview. The type of interviewing depends on your company’s choice, however, on-person is advisable as it proves more fruitful in getting to know the candidates better. Hiring companies advise businesses to make a decision on a candidate fast because since professionals in the technology industry are so highly demanded, they don’t stay available in the working market for too long, especially developers.

It is important to be noted that the hiring companies will be communicating your offer to the candidate in case of a contract-based position, as well as discussing with you the candidate’s expectations in terms of benefits, working space and salary. The recruiting agencies can also assist with other requirements regarding background checks or drug screenings, as this saves your company time.

Employer

How to Hire a Dedicated iOS Developer for Your App

April 16, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

iOS app development can be tricky. It involves a whole set of other skills on top of healthy app development! Fortunately, the following steps can help you find the right iOS specialist to bring your project together ideally.

There are millions of iOS developers – both individuals and companies – on the market. Still, the overwhelming number of choices in itself makes the selection more difficult. This is especially true when you’re looking for someone dedicated to your team!

Here are some of the things you need to consider when choosing your developer for the next big iOS app.

Will you choose a local or remote dedicated iOS developer?

Countries such as the United States, the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, and others have relatively high salaries, making local developers very expensive.
In-house developers also require costs for office space, employee benefits and bonuses, equipment costs, and other expenses.
While there are some advantages (such as close management) to in-house teams, remote teams are definitely the more cost-effective option.
Some companies are concerned about safety, quality, and legality. However, the right outsourcing partner will already be well-versed in all of these!

What development outsourcing model will be chosen for your iOS team?

One option is to designate almost everything to the outsourcing company, including management. Your only input in this scenario is detailed specs and requirements for the end project.
Full designation tends to be a costly option.
You can also hire a dedicated team, which lowers the costs of project management on the outsourcing side.

Why is a dedicated iOS development team the right choice?

You have total control over every aspect of the work, even though it is outsourced.
Dedicated means precisely what it sounds like – the team is totally focused on the end client and your needs.
Non-dedicated teams may be working on multiple projects. Conversely, you can be sure a dedicated team is only focused on yours.
This is also called ‘outstaffing.’
The development company is the official employer and deals with working conditions, salary, office space, insurance, benefits, and the like. It is also legally responsible for employees.
However, you are still the person in charge. You are in control of targets, the working process, and day-to-day management.
It’s mostly the same as an in-house team, but with lower costs, higher skill, and less legal and financial responsibility!

What are some of the basic requirements for a dedicated iOS developer?

Proficiency in Swift and Objective-C programming.
Experience with CoreAnimation, CoreData, and other major frameworks
Have a firm understanding of performance tuning, threading, and offline storage
Experience in REST APIs
Basic knowledge of Apple’s design principles
Knowledge of UI/UX fundamentals
Have an understanding of C-based libraries
Experience in push notifications and cloud messages
Experience with your required tech

Expected iOS developer qualification levels (three levels)

Junior-level iOS Developer
- Beginner level developers who handle tasks under the supervision
- Having the goal of learning as much as they can and rising in the ranks
- Receive and accept constant feedback
- Simpler tasks
- Two years of experience
- Experience in required tech stag
- BA or higher in Computer Science or the equivalent
- Experience in an Agile environment
- Effective at self-learning
Middle-level iOS Developer
- Knowledge and years of experience more than middle development
- At least five years of experience
- Skill in Objective-C, Swift, OOP, OOD
- Proficiency in all significant iOS libraries and frameworks
- Necessary talent in C++ and Java
- Experience in Agile and Scrum
- Fluency in English
Senior-level iOS Developer
- Minimum 10 years of experience
- All requirements for both junior and middle-level developers.
- Comprehension of app architecture
- Knowledge of Git and git-flow
- Knowledge of code review and unit testing
- Experience in management
- Proficiency in communication, leadership, and management
- Empathy, stability, and mentorship experience
- An impressive iOS published portfolio

What other roles might or might not be part of your outsourced/outstaffed team?

Team Lead
- The person responsible for leading and managing programmer
- Codes but spends more time managing the development, reviewing code, giving out tasks and providing mentoring
- Responsible for communication with stakeholders
Quality Assurance (QA) Lead
- Creates and manages the testing of all systems and apps
- Usually in charge of all other testers
Analyst
- Maintains documentation to make it understandable by all parties
- Studies the budget as compared to requirements of the product
Scrum Master
- Common in Agile projects
- Can sometimes replace the project manager role
- Supervises the development, gives tasks, reports to the project manager if there is one.
Project Manager
- In charge of project workflow
- Intermediate communication between developers and stakeholders
Lead Designer
- Controls and manages the process of design
- Supervises all app designers
- Responsible for the front-end product of the app.

How to locate and retain the best possible iOS Developer team

Here is a checklist to follow when selecting your outstaffing company to get the best potential value!

Only use companies which only offer dedicated teams
- Some companies offer them but do not make them their priority
- Companies that focus on outstaffing have the best costs and terms.
Check the offered specializations and experience against your requirements
- Make sure you’ve refined exactly the technology requirements your project will need
- Even the most experienced team isn’t much use if they don’t know the required frameworks, languages, and libraries
Ask for and compare the profiles and qualifications fo their programmers
- Get details of your pseudo-employees and pay attention to details
- Make sure your requirements are met.
Do a check of their legal policies and information
- Have as much information as you can, including:
  - Registration date
  - Founders names and profiles
  - Key stakeholder names and profiles
  - Any history of court cases
  - Any criminal records
- Check if they have previous experience with western companies of your size
  - Experience is almost always a good sign
  - Check the validity of their credentials
  - Search for honest feedback from ex-clients

Employer

How to Hire a Dedicated Android Developer for Your App

April 14, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

Mobile apps are increasingly necessary for almost every business, company, and event. Android is the primary provider of app-based systems in the world. Statistics put its market dominance at 85% of all mobile sales!

Obviously, this means you want apps that function with Android, and function well. But how do you hire the best developers to work with your Android apps?

Here is a quick checklist to follow when you’re looking at potential candidates to make the app of your – and your company’s – dreams!

Experience is essential
- A developer with years of Android experience will have an awareness of market trends and tools
- Experience developers are aware of new technologies and updates and how to utilize these
- Check portfolios to see examples of successful projects on the same platform before hiring!
Search for someone with knowledge of and familiarity with product behavior
- It isn’t enough to be technically minded; the ideal developer must know a lot about how Android apps correctly function.
- Your developer should be able to work independently of management
- Relevant experience is a must
- Project design knowledge cannot be overlooked
- Use a simple test such as a login page and its features (either a practical or theoretical analysis) to separate the best developers from your candidates.
- New developers must be full of ideas, willing to experiment and be eager to improve all aspects of the end product.
Hire a developer who has expertise in material design and user interfaces (UI)
- The visual experience of an app can be just as important as its functionality
- Useful UI should be straightforward and user-friendly without being overly simplistic.
- Color, design, and ease-of-use are all important factors
- Developers must be able to adapt their UI and functions to any design changes.
- Your candidate should have knowledge of Android’s many libraries and tutorials
- They must be willing to adapt their approach and learn new things
- Material Design knowledge will help as hardware progresses
Get someone with familiarity with the intricacies of the Google Play store
- Deploying apps on Google Play is not as easy as stocking shelves!
- Your developers must be aware of the many tasks required.
- Tools like Proguard can make the process more efficient but require expertise to utilize appropriately.
- They must know the critical files and make them easy to protect and locate them as needed.
- They must be able to take proper advantage of the functions offered on Google Play.
Choose someone who already has an app on the Play Store
- Someone with their own app has already demonstrated knowledge of the above, and using their app will help you understand how they work!
- Developers who don’t tell you upfront about their apps may have something to hide.
- Shows professionalism, enthusiasm, and talent.
Hire a full-stack developer
- Database management is an essential part of app development, and without it, even the most brilliant technical mind cannot achieve much
- You can hire a separate database manager, but it’s better to cut costs by getting one person to do both jobs
Look for a programmer who keeps you in the look
- Regular project updates are essential so that everyone involved knows what’s going on at all times.
- Updates should be at least weekly, if not daily.
- If your developer doesn’t keep you updated, find another developer.

By following this checklist, you will be well on your way to the best developers and the best Android apps possible for your company!

Employer

Four Ways a Slow Hiring Process Can Hurt Your Company

April 9, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

The hiring managers in all industries including IT use a common catchphrase, “I’ll know it when I see it”. This type of freewheeling attitude during the hiring process can be extremely unfavorable to your company as it slows down the process and results in costing you resources, time, and money. In an era where the IT industry is becoming more and more competitive—and the candidates have a large number of opportunities—you need to act speedily if you want to hire the best talent in the market. If you are continuously drawing out the hiring procedure because you keep searching for that “extraordinary capabilities” in someone, you unknowingly limit your candidate group and also end up losing many highly qualified candidates. As a matter of fact, a slow hiring process can have several measurable and real complications in your company. The following are some of the negative effects a slow hiring process can have on your business.

Losing top tier candidates

To tell the truth, when the companies wait to make a hiring decision because they are in the hope of finding a “better” candidate, what they are really doing is isolating the good candidates that they interviewed at the beginning of the process. The job seekers are never going to put their job searching on hold, and as they are interviewing with your company they might also be interviewing with other companies which may as well be your competitors. If you have interviewed someone who checks most of your boxes but still you keep on searching what else is out there, it might be a really good time to reconsider these urges. You must remember that IT is an industry that continues to be extremely competitive in spite of the economy and the people you are interviewing do not necessarily have limited options.

The cost of not filling the role

It is safe to say that the time consumed to hire someone can also put a lot of pressure on the rest of your services e.g. who will be doing the work that should be done by the searched employee? Are other employees getting more burdened? Does this mean the productivity levels for their own work duties are getting affected? The longer this keeps going on, the more it will affect their productiveness over time. If they start to experience that finding help for their department is not the company’s priority, they can also become displeased in their own job duties and as a result, will start looking for new jobs. When it comes to customer privacy and data security there are some compliance issues that must be addressed. The organizations are vulnerable to data threats and other complications if they do not have a dedicated professional in the open role.

A lack of excitement for the job

You are creating a domino effect of declining excitement when you wait too long on hiring decisions. Many of the job seekers are regularly and actively returning to social media and online job boards to see what is going on in the market. Imagine for a moment that you have applied for a job and after the interview, they told you that you were a good candidate but after that, you did not hear anything from the company. What are you going to feel when you revisit their company website and see that the position you applied for is still vacant? You are more likely to lose interest in that position because of the lack of follow up from the hiring managers.

A negative impact on customers

While your employee efficiency levels are just one of the ways you see the cost of not hiring for an open position to rise, the customers will also be instantly affected by the open position. The customers will start wondering about the reason due to which your services are not being provided at the top level. They will either instantly find another service provider or they might begin to talk about the decreasing quality of your work with others, which can badly impact your reputation in the industry. The customer’s expectations are a top priority for any industry and not filling this role effectively can definitely affect the customer experience.

Are you concerned about the high cost of a drawn-out hiring process in your company?

By talking to the team at Staff Augmentation you can see how we can help you hire and source strong professional candidates.

Employer

Generation Z Will Take Remote Working to a Whole New Level

April 7, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

The workplace is going to change, and about 61 million individual born in first decade of 21^st century known as generation z is to be blamed or thanked for that. They are about to enter the workforce and are loaded with unmatched precedence, excellence and perforce. If the employers want to tap their potential fully they must prepare themselves now, and the best way, to begin with, is to understand them. First of all, they love technology. Secondly, they are competitive. Thirdly, they aspire to be financially independent. Unlike millennials, they are family-oriented. Gen Z is more productive in their native environments. They are known for job-hopping. They are best at team works. They can be hired by putting an ad at online job portals.

Gen Z loves technology:

They are the most comfortable people with technology and social networking. Almost, all of them are familiar with the internet form a young age. This is the generation that has watched more YouTube than TV. Their love for technology makes employers and marketers embrace the technology in order to get generation z hired. This love of technology makes them competitive candidates for remote working.

Gen Z is competitive:

Generation z is defined by its competitive nature. They enjoy working independently and be judged on merits against their colleagues. In fact, many Gen zers like to work in separate office space rather than working in open or conjoining space. Moreover, they are willing to hard work. So, they can make up a very competitive remote working station. Also, they are financially motivated which makes them work hard in their native environment.

Gen z wants financial security:

When it comes to financial goals young people entering the workforce aren’t so different from their predecessors. Gen Z prioritizes earning more money and having a promising career. According to a new report by morning consult that interviewed people across generations about money, career, politics, and more. Those goals are more important than having a close friendship, getting married or traveling. So, they can make up a very hard working remote workforce. Similarly, They are family-oriented which makes them more reliable home workers.

Gen z is family-oriented:

Gen z is more inclined towards family than their previous generation. They seek and value real opinions by family and friends, meaning they are less influenced by celebrities and influencers than the millennials. Their family has a special place in their work-life balance. Thus, they can work from home or their private space remotely with great productivity.

Gen z is more productive in their native environment:

Most of the gen zers like to work from home and they are also good multitasking. They listen to music, reply to the messages while working. Which is impossible at office. They can work in flexible working hours which suit their lifestyle. All these things increase their productivity and multitasking. That is why they are the most productive remote workers in the coming decade.

Gen z are also job hoppers:

According to LinkedIn, Gen Z is a job-hopping generation, Gen zers are there times more likely to job hop or switch industries than Baby Boomers. They are trained to work in a competitive environment if they see a better opportunity they will grab it at the first instant. Moreover, they feel job-hopping as a necessity for their career. If they see a better and promising career they switch. So, employers must take care of their working needs along with some extra benefits to keep them away from job-hopping.

Gen Z is more collaborative:

As the younger generation begins to enter the workforce we will see unprecedented changes in the way we work. Most notably, the collaboration will become a key factor. Gen Z is collaborating more than any other generation. Collaborating is very important while working remotely. Young people tend to collaborate more that creates a feasible working environment. Teamwork also thrives when young people collaborate with each other.

Employer

3 Effective Techniques to Retain Top Remote Talent

March 31, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

It is very big deal for the majority of us if we go to a restaurant and we decide to order something different for the first time in our life. The second after your order is placed some of your thoughts dwell upon why have you ordered something different today? Or like I should have ordered my usual dish etc. You may well feel a little remorse inside you. After minutes of waiting, the waiter brings out the new dish you ordered, you take a bite of it and to your surprise it is superb and fantastic.

This feeling is the same feeling we experience after we hire someone who is capable beyond our expectations. There is a lot of satisfaction in finding the best talent who can easily understand the processes and culture of your company.

In the view of some of the managers the difficult step is to find the employees that can exceed their expectations and can perform a kickass job. True talent is tough to find literally it is like finding diamonds. But still it is not finding them that is the most difficult aspect. To tell the truth the hardest part of them all is to make the employees stay in the company also known as generating employee retention.

Gallup conducted a study according to which, the statistics on the United States employee engagement (2018) showed that despite the fact that there has been an increase in employee engagement of up to 35%, 17% are entirely disengaged, and 54% are in the category of being ‘not engaged’. Almost half of the American employees usually quit their old jobs as soon as they find a better job.

There are three effective techniques for employee retention if you are managing one employee a few individuals, a fully distributed team or you are between the job hiring process. These techniques are as follows:

Make an onboarding strategy

Onboarding is the main challenge that is faced by distributed companies. During an effective onboarding process, the new employee learns what the expectations for their initial performance really are. It takes a remote employee 6 to 7 days to get onboard according to DistantJob. Introducing the team, making sure the employee has the knowledge of all specific tools and setting up a time-zone availability window are the things to keep in mind during this onboard period.

Onboarding allows the employees to feel empowered and connected with the company on how to perform their tasks. One of the most important things to do at first is to make the new employees feel part of the company. Many pieces of research have shown that when employees are correctly onboarded, there is a 59% chance that they will remain in the organization after three years. So, if you don’t have any plan or a strategy for accomplishing this, it is possible that you will end up losing some of your best employees.

Tip: It is a very big mistake to think that the employees will figure everything out on their own.

Communication is compulsory for employee retention

Many books pretend to sell the magic formula to make the income rise or the last invention for replicating a company’s output. Which is very good, what we all want is to earn money, to have a better business and to produce more. In order to have a good company, it is important to have concrete bases in simpler aspects, like in communication.

Communication seems to be an obvious yet simple element. Nevertheless, in a distributed workforce, it is one of the major pillars that the businesses require to take care of. The leaders should have a two- way communication in the business environment.

Prioritizing communication allows managers to have effective leadership by increasing confidence and trust. It tends to make the employees and the employers have the need to give productive feedback, with the purpose of continuously improving and growing.

We have to keep in mind the thing that communication isn’t only sharing ideas and talking. Listening is also a very important part of it. Employees are eager to be a part of establishments where they can build their own identities and can have a voice. According to many studies, a key factor in retaining employees is to give them the feeling that their voice also matters. Employees who feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their views are more likely to stay with the company.

Applying a life and work balance motto

“Work hard and play hard” is one of the most motivating yet clichéd and common quotes of all time. The goal of the majority of the people is being able to travel, to buy a house, to create a business, to eat the best food. They have to work very hard to achieve these goals.

It is true that the virtual teams incline to be more dynamic and they work extra hours. They are the rulers and leaders of their time. When they are at home, they have fewer distractions at home which allows them to focus more on their work.

The employees will highly appreciate If their managers respect their weekend days, vacation time, and reassure them to take breaks during duty hours and to work only during their 8 hour time (or the hours mentioned in their contract,) this is something that will be highly appreciated. There is no doubt that the hard-working employees give exceptional results, but so do the ones that have a balanced life.

Do not take your employees for granted

One of the most common mistakes is the managers thinking that their employees would always stick with them. The entire world is their market place and that is why the world has a lot of opportunities for them, especially if they are working remotely. That is the reason that one of the most operational employee retention strategies that are used by the managers is very simple: It consists of maintaining a relationship with their employees and caring about them and their work.

If you are looking for the top remote talent you don’t have to worry anymore; we got your back! At StaffAugmentation, we are experts in recruiting the best remote staff for you. For further details, you can contact us. We will be very happy to help.

Employer

How to Become a Completely Remote Company for the long Term

March 26, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

There are so many benefits to managing remote staff. You have lower overheads, greater access to talent, and a team of employees who are happier, more productive, and more loyal to you. Here are 5 things that will allow your company to become remote for years to come:

Lead by example

This might sound backward, but, remote work should begin with your leaders. While you may feel it is more sensible to have them nearby, you will find that team members are more likely to want to work from home when they see their leaders doing the same.

Ensure that your leaders and managers are aware that you are looking for a ‘top-down’ change and that their participation is critical in the future of the company becoming remote. As we mentioned before, people aren’t comfortable with change, but when they walk past a coffee shop and see their leader working comfortably, it won’t take long for them to want the same.

Increase transparency and communication for the entire remote staff before the change

In 2019, Buffer’s State of Remote Work stated that communication and collaboration were two of the biggest obstacles of remote work. Working in the same location allows for problems to be resolved instantly, the same can’t be said when you are waiting for someone to reply to an email.

By increasing communication, it is more likely that everybody will receive the necessary information. Arrange frequent and regular virtual meetings, provide employees with the right communication tools like Slack. Emails still have their place, but for remote work, you need to show your employees that there are better methods. Ensure your managers are in contact with team leaders as this will encourage team leaders to stay in touch with team members.

Encourage collaboration

Another challenge is getting everyone’s ideas and input when you are working with people in different time zones. Waiting for everyone’s input can lead to delays in decision making. One excellent solution employed by GitLab is to have a team member known as the DRI or directly responsible individual. The DRI will collect the opinions and insights from team members and then make the decision.

This method installs trust in your employees as well as getting decisions quicker. Your DRI must have the confidence to make informed decisions without unnecessary delay.

Break down larger projects into smaller ones

Another solution to combat different time zones is to have employees work on sections of a project that can be sent for review, but while they are waiting, they are able to continue working on the next section of the project. The other advantage of working in this way is that is there is anything that needs adjusting, it will only be a small section.

It will be down to you to explain this process to your employees so that they can understand the benefits. You will also have to be the person who breaks the project down into smaller parts, especially for projects that might not have obvious sections.

Make the most of your handbook

If your company has a robust and comprehensive handbook complete with documentation, policies, and procedures, employees can turn to the handbook before needing to ask colleagues. It is critical that the handbook is updated every time the company makes a change and that employees are updated about the changes made.

In Conclusion

The world has experienced a scary number of changes over a matter of days and weeks and this can certainly be seen in how we have had to adapt the way we work. In some cases, companies have had to go completely remote with very little notice. It is essential that company owners do everything in their power to make remote work a positive experience now, so that when the crisis we are in now begins to fade, employees do not dear the concept of remote work, rather embrace it and enjoy it.

Employer

The Effects of Coronavirus on Your Remote Team Management

March 24, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

For many, the switch to remote working has been sudden and unexpected. Business owners have had no time to prepare workers or infrastructures for this giant adjustment many of us are facing. Thanks to insights from GitLab and LinkedIn, we have compiled some advice on how to cope with the significant change in how we are now working and some other tips on how you can get the most out of remote working in the long run.

Transitioning Your Team in the Emergency Situation We Face Today

Create a remote leadership team

You might say this is a bit of a butterfly effect situation where something that appears straight forward can cause a rippling effect into a tsunami. Quickly assess the managers and leaders you have and see who has remote work experience and use them to create a new leadership team.

A key part of this team’s job will be to monitor the challenges workers are facing in real-time. Because of their previous knowledge, they will be able to prioritize these challenges and select directly responsible individuals (DRIs) to look for the best solutions.

Find the best method to keep everyone informed

Use a company website or one of the many repositories in Notion or Ask Almanac, but this should be your single source of truth for company questions, doubts, and concerns. Every employee must have access to this source of information, and it must be updated regularly. The Coronavirus has caused worldwide confusion, so being systematic about how you provide information is critical to reducing the confusion within your organization.

Depend on formal and informal methods of communication

One of the biggest adjustments that employees have to get used to is the reduced amount of communication. But if you want your productivity to continue at the same pace, you will need to make sure that employees are able to communicate with you as and when it is needed. Your team might even benefit from an “always-on video conference” where people can join in when they need something.

One take away from the experts is that honesty is vital in this time of crisis and this must. Go both ways. Not everyone is going to like the idea of working from home right now, especially if they are at home with children on lockdown. Leaders will want real-time updates, but it might not always be possible. So, perspective and transparency are key.

Only use the necessary tools

Realistically, all you need is a company-wide chat tool like Google Docs and a video conferencing platform such as Zoom. If employees need to access internal systems via a VPN, clearly instruct them on how to do so. Because this is a unique situation that has left many people in a difficult situation, now is not the time to be adding fancy new tools. Company documentation must be a focus, updated company policies and protocols must be shared with everyone in a familiar way.

Encourage a change in your office culture

As a general rule, we don’t like change, and this couldn’t be truer when a global health crisis is occurring. If your organization has never worked remotely before, this is going to be a massive change, so make sure your employees know that it is a process everybody is working on together. Most importantly, managers and leaders must be seen to embrace this change so that team members follow suit.

Employer

The Financial Benefits of Going Remote with Your Business

March 19, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

Unexpected and scary as it might seem, the fact is that right now, remote working is quickly becoming the new normal. The spread of COVID-19 has caused companies to flock to telework as an alternative to keep their staff and clients safe while continuing operations. Naturally, this sudden switch is concerning for those in the financial department, worrying about the potential negative impact. However, there is also a substantial potential economic benefit to having staff work from home, and not just in the short-term!

The daily cost of business-as-usual is high – higher than many even consider. The price of office space, equipment, maintenance, and worker travel expenses all add up for both employees and business owners. It’s not only these either; think smaller, from business clothes to lunches to work phones, everything costs money in a way that could potentially be avoided by remote working practices, especially in our increasingly digital and intercommunicating world.

There are a whole host of potential financial benefits for both employees and employers from remote working, especially as more and more jobs are done online and can, therefore, really happen from anywhere. Here are four main benefits to consider.

Save on the Commute

This one is especially for employees, but it also applies to those employers who contribute to or cover travel expenses. It’s just a fact: travel is expensive. Unless you are lucky enough to live within walking distance, the work commute costs daily for bus tickets, gas, and insurance for your car, a metro pass, or any other way to get to work other than your own two feet. It’s not just that, though; there’s a draining emotional cost to spending hours traveling, too. Back to financials again, for those who drive, every mile you spend driving too and from work is a mile depreciated from your car’s value – losing your money when you eventually trade-in. If you live with someone who also works, you likely have to pay all these fees twice!

On average, cutting out travel costs can save $100/month for every employee. That kind of money can add up fast, whether saving for something specific or being placed in an investment. For employers, it’s the kind of money that could go towards employee morale, better hardware, or other promotions for the business.

If you live in the city and can swing it, getting rid of your car entirely can help you save even more money! No insurance and no gas costs mean less outgoing income, which is rarely ever a bad thing.

Money is time, and time is money.

Cliché? Perhaps, but it exists for a reason. Without getting too morbid, our time is limited, and every minute is precious. Even outside of that, from a purely business sense, time spent traveling is time not spent working! The average travel time for an American going to and from work is around half an hour each way. Using this average gives an output of five hours per week, and 260 hours – 32.5 days – per year spent on the commute alone.

Remote working eradicates this, and the benefits to the employee are apparent. Meanwhile, the employer may be handed those extra five hours for more meetings, quicker customer responses – anything that will boost productivity. A relaxed employee who hasn’t had to sit on a city bus is going to be more helpful, too!

Speedy Retirement

This one is just for the employees, because if we’re honest, no matter how much we love our jobs, we rarely want them to be forever. The only way to speed up retirement is by having the money to support yourself – and the modest savings here and there when you work remotely are perfectly capable of helping you do this. Even if you only save a small amount each month, putting it away for later will build up, and every saved penny is a saved second of work in your later life. And there’s more potential to have money to save when you’re working from home, too: use the extra commuting hours to put in some overtime, and you’ll earn it back at the other end!

Employer-Specific Advantages

The remote staff has a lot of apparent benefits from telework, but vast amounts of money can be saved by business owners, too. Surveys put the number of employees who would prefer the option to telework over a raise at around 1/3 – meaning you save money on wage increases and have happier employees to boot. You can potentially save tens of thousands of dollars per year, too, on expenses like:

Office space (especially in big cities!)
Relocation packages
Location requirements on job listings (limiting potential employees and wage restrictions)

When physical locations are required, renting or sharing is easy enough.

Hiring remote staff is not just a temporary problem-solution in response to the virus, then, but a way forward that could potentially benefit employers and employees alike permanently.

Employer

Combating the Technical Talent Shortage in Today’s Market

March 17, 2020 Comments Off Roxana read

For the most part, low unemployment figures are an excellent thing for the country – but they can certainly be frustrating when you’re trying to recruit new talent! It goes double in the IT sector, where unemployment affects less than 2% of qualified talent. It is a drastic change since the turn of the last decade, but as technology evolves at a breakneck pace, the supply of professionals simply can’t match demand, with experts often staying on the job market for no more than a week at a time.

How, then, can you ensure you’re snapping up the best talent for yourself to help your business. The answer is to be a bit more flexible than traditional hiring practices typically suggest. You will need to turn your thinking around and tackle the market in a new way to secure the most exceptional IT professionals and make your company flourish.

In IT, Aptitude Beats Experience

It might go against your initial instincts, but the ever-shifting, ever-evolving world of technology, it can do you better to hire based on potential rather than the track record. Twenty years of experience in IT systems is, of course, impressive, and a solid background is invaluable. Still, a new graduate may be more suited to learning new technology, and the room they have to grow within the role is likely to help them retain loyalty in the company. An employee with nowhere to go is an employee who will eventually move on.

Consider hiring on temporary contracts (six months is standard) or a trial basis. This method is a risk-reduced way to get the freshest talent and make sure both they and your company suit each other before committing to anything long term.

There’s a more straightforward reason, too – a new professional is much more likely to accept your offer quickly than someone with a wealth of experience, as well as more likely to be able to start straight away.

Find that balance and get the best fit for you and your company, and you will thrive.

Don’t Take It Slow

On average, IT professionals are interviewing with three companies at once. Miss out on the unnecessary parts of the drawn-out hiring process and get from point A to point Z quickly before the candidates are gone. Skip the phone interview if you can and make short face-to-face conversations with a shortlist of candidates right from the start. Try not to leave more than 48 hours at most between points of contact. Most importantly, make your decisions efficiently. Quick hiring and decisive action are appealing to candidates and good practice in this sector in general!

Consider Staffing Firms and Other Third-Party Vendors

Staffing agencies and other such vendors can be essential, but if you use them, make sure you go for the right ones. Your third-party partners must specialize in the industry, and also localized – a job in one state is very different from a post in another. Narrow it down even further by looking for those who focus specifically on your area of expertise.

Third-party vendors can be invaluable as they’re a great way to locate talent that isn’t actively looking. Someone may not see a job posting, but they might still be interested in the role and consider switching to your company.

Most Important: A Conclusion

Stay alert. This industry is fast-paced, and talent progresses at breakneck speed. Focus on gathering the right team with the ability to grow, and you’re already on the way to success.