So what are some of the most common HR mistakes – and how can you avoid them? Here are five:

Mistake #1: Failing to keep your workers union free.

Unhappy employees may look outside the company for proper representation if they think you don’t care about issues that impact them. So let your employees know that your door is always open, treat them with respect and fairness, and handle any grievances they may have as quickly as possible.

Mistake #2: Making a candidate take a medical exam before a job offer.

Due to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are not allowed to ask candidates about disabilities before a job offer has been made. However, once you’ve offered a position to a candidate then you are allowed to require the person to take a job-related medical exam.

Mistake #3: Not enforcing a sexual harassment policy.

Did you know that if one of your managers is harassing an employee, then you’re liable as well? It’s therefore critical that you not only establish, but also enforce, a sexual harassment policy at your company. Make sure all managers and employees are aware of the policy and if you do hear about any instances of harassment, deal with them swiftly.

Mistake #4: Not completing I-9 forms for employees.

If you’re audited by the Immigration and Naturalization Service and you don’t have I-9 forms completed, you could be in serious trouble with Uncle Sam. So make it a habit to complete these forms as soon as you hire a new employee.

Mistake #5: Not documenting any disciplinary action you took against an employee.

If you didn’t document it, it didn’t happen. That’s the reality of the situation when it comes to disciplinary action. If you ever have to fire an employee who was regularly disciplined, and they file a lawsuit for unlawful termination, you will need documents to back up your claim in court.

If you have further questions about employment law and HR policies, please contact Northwest Staffing. As a Snohomish County staffing and HR firm, we have the knowledge and experience to help ensure your company is in compliance with state and federal employment laws.

So how can you determine what personality type you are – and what kinds of Seattle jobs you will excel in? Use John Holland’s theory of career choice. In his theory, Holland identified six different personality types and the work environments that suit each. Let’s take a look.

6 Personality and Work Environments

#1: Realistic: These people like working with their hands and prefer jobs that are physical in nature. They are doers and both practical and stable. They are also tool oriented and do well in careers such as engineering, information technology, law enforcement, agriculture, and architecture.

#2: Investigative: These people are more analytical and intellectual. They are the thinkers of the world. They like working with theories and information, and are both curious and independent. Ideal jobs for investigative people include economist, mathematician, teacher/professor, pharmacist, and lawyer.

#3: Artistic: These people are the artists and creators. They are both original and independent, but also unorganized. They prefer an unsystematic approach to work and value creative expression. Some examples of jobs that are a good fit for the artistic personality are actor, writer, graphic designer, and musician.

#4: Social: These people are healers and nurturers. They prefer activities that involve helping others. They are friendly, cooperative, and understanding. Jobs that are a fit for social people include therapist, doctor, nurse, teacher, and receptionist.

#5: Enterprising: These are the entrepreneurs of the world. They enjoy competitive work environments in which leadership is highly valued. Status is important to enterprising people and they do well in jobs that require persuasion and selling, such as marketing, sales, management, public relations, journalism, administration, and real estate.

#6: Conventional: These people are organized and detail-oriented. They value precision and practicality and do best when they have a clear set of rules to follow. They are efficient and orderly. These people do well in jobs such as accountant, banker, clerk, and proofreader.

So which personality type are you? Whether you have an investigative personality or a realistic one, please contact Northwest Staffing if you need help finding a job that’s a fit for you. As a leading employment agency in Seattle, we can give you access to a variety of rewarding jobs in Seattle – and throughout the Northwest.

Here’s a look at three of the most popular:

Plan #1: Skill-based pay.

In this plan, compensation is based on the skills of the employee, rather than on the employee’s actual job. To utilize this compensation plan, you first have to develop a list of skills that are necessary to succeed in the position. The employee’s compensation is then increased as they master each skill on the list.

Pros & Cons: This plan creates a strong motivation to enhance job skills and can lead to higher productivity. But it can also be difficult to manage if skill sets change frequently.

Plan #2: Competency-based pay.

This plan is similar to skills-based pay, however general attributes are evaluated, rather than specific skills. Again, you will have to develop a list, but for this plan, it should include important characteristics, such as leadership and multi-tasking abilities. Compensation is then based on the extent to which the employee exemplifies these characteristics.

Pros & Cons: The competency-based plan encourages employees to consistently perform well, however it can also be hard to measure since competency can be subjective.

Plan #3: Variable compensation.

With this compensation plan, employees are paid a smaller base salary, but are given the opportunity to earn bonuses based on meeting certain goals. Goals can be individual, departmental, and corporate.

Pros & Cons: This plan rewards top performers and encourages employees to work together to achieve departmental and corporate goals. But, on the flip side,  when the economy is down, it can be difficult or impossible to meet certain goals, resulting in low employee morale.

Determining which compensation plan is best for your company will take some time and effort. But the result will be well worth it. And if you need help developing a compensation plan that’s right for your company, please contact Northwest Staffing. As staffing specialists serving employers throughout the Northwest, we can help you craft a competitive plan – one that will entice top candidates and also work well for your company.

Celebrate successes.

Whether you completed a tough project ahead of schedule or simply survived the busy season, a mini-celebration will show your employees how much you appreciate their hard work. It will also give them a greater incentive for completing future tasks on time and on budget.

Train your employees to take on more.

If you’re asking your employees to take on more tasks, or do more with less, then provide them with the training they need to do so. For instance, bring in expert speakers on issues such as efficient time management, creating a work life balance, or using technology more effectively. Training in such topics can help your employees deal with the extra work load.

Communicate with employees.

Make sure your employees are completely aware of your expectations and be sure to address any concerns they may have. Open lines of communication will build trust and loyalty, while also creating a more positive workplace culture.

Be reasonable about your expectations.

While you may be expecting more from each employee, it’s important to be reasonable about your expectations. Unfair expectations, such as an impossibly short deadline, will set your employees up for failure.

Encourage time off.

Allow your employees to take vacation time in smaller increments (such as two or three days) rather than a full week. A day or two off can sometimes work wonders.

Hire top performers.

Making good hiring decisions is now more important than ever. New employees will need to get up to speed and begin making positive contributions almost immediately. At this point, a bad hire could cause critical damage to workplace morale.

If you need help hiring top performers, or training your existing ones, please contact Northwest Staffing. As a leading Seattle employment agency, we have the knowledge and skills to help you hire and retain the people you need in tight economic times.

Step 1: Create a list of achievements.

Write down all the achievements you’d like to discuss during your job performance review. You may have to spend a little time thinking about them if you haven’t kept track of your achievements.

Once you have your list going, consider how your employer benefited from all you accomplished in the past year. For instance, did you increase sales, reduce costs, grow the company’s client base, or help to hold onto an important customer?

Be sure to keep your list concise, though. Don’t just detail the tasks you’ve performed everyday.

Step 2: Take a look at last year’s review.

Chances are, you created a list of short- and long-term goals you wanted to achieve. Ideally, you will have achieved or be working on achieving these goals. If not, though, then what are the reasons? For instance, did your boss assign you a new project or task that took up more time than you anticipated? If so, then be sure to present your case so that your boss doesn’t think you just blew off one or more of your goals for the year.

Step 3: Be prepared if you’re asking for a raise.

When the conversation turns to money, know how much of a raise you will ask for and how much you will settle for. Expect to negotiate and eventually reach a compromise.

To ensure you’re prepared, do a little research ahead of time. Find out what the going salary is for people in similar positions as yours. If you don’t receive the raise you want, find out what you need to do to get it.

What should you do if your review doesn’t go well?

If you feel you received unfair criticism, wait a few days to respond to it. Emotions can get in the way if you react immediately. Then ask yourself this question: Was the criticism really off the mark, or were you just upset about being criticized? If you feel like you were being unfairly criticized, then back up your argument with specific examples. However, if you just don’t like being criticized, then now’s the time to start preparing for next year’s review. Develop a plan for applying your boss’ suggestions and start a file to keep track of your achievements.

Bonus Tip!
If part of the reason your job review didn’t go well is because you’re unhappy at work, then now may be the time for a change. Contact Northwest Staffing. We are the Northwest’s leading employment agency serving Everett, Seattle, and Snohomish County.

#1: Know – and accept – that you’re not their friend anymore.

If you’ve recently been promoted to management, you’ll most likely be in the awkward position of supervising your friends. But it’s important to realize that you’re now their boss, not their friend, and you must treat the whole team equally.

#2: Create a healthy workplace environment.

Good bosses achieve three goals in the workplace:

1)    They create a sense of fairness so that individuals feel like they are being appropriately recognized and rewarded for their contributions.
2)    They create an atmosphere of achievement, so that everyone is proud of the place they work.
3)    They create a sense of camaraderie among employees and make everyone feel like they’re part of a team.

#3: Consult with your employees.

One important way to gain respect is to ask your employees for input on what’s working well – and what isn’t. Giving employees the opportunity to offer input makes them feel more in control and helps to reduce any apprehension about the change.

#4: Don’t micromanage.

Once you’ve trained your employees, let them do their job. No one likes to be micro-managed (including you!). So let your staff handle their work without interfering.

#5: Understand that it’s not about you anymore.

When you’re an employee, you can focus on your own individual efforts. When you’re a manager, you have to focus on the entire team’s efforts. So, as a boss, it’s time to relinquish the spotlight and put your employees there instead.

#6: Show appreciation to your employees.

Never hesitate to pat your employees on the back or compliment them for a job well done.

#7: Share your goals with your employees.

Make sure your employees are clear about the goals you are trying to achieve. And be specific, for instance “I’d like to increase our sales by 10% next year.”

#8: Hire top performers.

People are your most important asset. And hiring top performers is critical to your success as a boss.

If you need help hiring qualified people for industrial, office, and technical positions, please contact Northwest Staffing. As one of Seattle’s leading staffing agencies, we know where to look to find great candidates for a variety of different positions. Contact us today. We can help.

First of all, many Seattle employers – and employers throughout the country – won’t allow any information to be given out other than to verify name, title, and dates of employment. That’s a good start. But you really need more to go on to make a good hiring decision.

Second, even when a reference will provide additional information, many times they put more emphasis on a candidate’s positive attributes and downplay the negative ones, providing artificially inflated information.

So how can you conduct an effective reference check that gives you the answers you need about a possible hire? Here are some tips:

Ask the basics.
Always ask these standard questions:

• How long did you and the candidate work together?
• What was his/her position?
• What were his/her job responsibilities?
• What was your relationship like when you worked together?

Ask some surprise questions.
A good way to get honest information is to ask unexpected questions, such as:

• Did the candidate ask for your permission to be used as a reference?
• How well did the candidate deal with stressful situations?
• What were the candidate’s strengths? Weaknesses?
• Would you rehire the candidate?
• Is there anything else you’d like to tell me about the candidate?

Ask the same set of questions.
In addition to asking the right questions, be sure to develop a set of questions and ask all references the same exact questions. That way, when it comes time to make a hiring decision, you are comparing apples to apples.

Ask only questions that are legal.
Generally speaking, any question that would be considered illegal during a job interview would likely also be illegal during a reference check. For instance, you can’t ask a candidate about their disabilities or religious affiliation; therefore, you are not allowed to ask references about such factors. If a reference starts to talk about out-of-bounds areas, bring the conversation back to job-related information.

If you need help conducting reference checks, contact the Seattle employment experts at Northwest Staffing. We have the experience and know-how to conduct more effective reference checks – helping you to make a better hiring decision.

Here’s what you need to know to when planning a retreat:

Select the right site for the retreat.
Retreats can be held on-site at your company, or off-site. Obviously retreats held on-site are far less expensive, whereas off-site retreats tend to encourage more creative thinking.

Define the objectives of your retreat.
What are you hoping to accomplish? Some issues you may want to consider during your retreat include:

• In what direction is our company headed?
• How are current industry and economic trends impacting our company?
• Are we succeeding in creating the right image for our company?
• Are we meeting our company’s corporate objectives?

Or you may simply want to hold a general teambuilding retreat in order to build stronger relationships with and among your employees.

Develop an agenda for your retreat.
Once your objectives are carefully defined, figure out how you want to structure the retreat. Should it be a no-nonsense event, or should it include some fun and play? Also, be sure to distribute the agenda prior to the retreat so that participants arrive eager and prepared, rather than apprehensive.

Consider hiring a facilitator.
A facilitator can help make your retreat more productive and effective by assisting attendees in gathering data, enhancing group participation, and being an objective voice without any vested interest in the outcome.

Keep a record of the event.
Make sure you record the decisions made, goals and objectives set, and assignments handed out. This record will be invaluable during the implementation process.

Evaluate the retreat.
After the event, solicit feedback from the participants about the retreat and the outcomes. Any feedback provided – whether positive or negative – will be helpful in planning the next retreat.

Don’t wish and hope the conflict will go away on it’s own.
Even when conflicts appear superficial, you need to deal with them immediately. An unresolved conflict can fester and lead to negative results for your company as a whole if not dealt with properly.

Meet with all parties involved in the conflict at once.
Meet with everyone together. Let each person explain the issue from their point of view, without commenting or interrupting them. However, do intervene if the employees start attacking each other.

Brainstorm solutions.
Listen carefully and brainstorm possible solutions to the problem. Go around the room and ask the people involved what they would like to see done to resolve the issue.

Don’t take sides, though. Tell the employees that you expect them to resolve the conflicts proactively as adults. If they are unwilling to do so, explain that you will be forced to take disciplinary action that can lead to dismissal for both parties.

Help to negotiate a solution.
At this point, both sides may better understand the position of the other, and an acceptable solution may be clear to all. If that’s the case, then be sure to set up a time in the near future to review the progress of the negotiated solution.

Mediating a conflict is challenging, but if not handled effectively, the results can be damaging. Teams break down and talent and time are wasted as people disengage. But by taking an immediate and pro-active approach, conflicts can oftentimes be resolved quickly and effectively.

So how can you create an effective orientation program at your company? As a staffing services company in Everett, we’ve developed some steps to help you:

Think gradual.
You’re not going to be able to educate a new employee about the company’s policies, procedures, culture, products and services, history, etc. all in one or two hours time. Even if you could, it’s unlikely he or she would retain all that information. Therefore, it’s important to think of the orientation process as more of a gradual, long-term investment in new employees.

Deal with the basics first.
Rather than launching into a two-hour diatribe about where your company is and where you want it to go on an employee’s first day, deal with the basics first. He or she will likely have questions about dress code, computer and telephone systems, pay schedule, and lunch breaks.

Once the initial induction is complete, then provide more in-depth orientation about the big picture stuff. Keep in mind that the orientation process may take a couple of months as the employee learns more, deals with new issues, and has questions.

Involve the rest of your employees in the process.
Orientation programs don’t just impact new employees; they also impact existing ones, as well. So schedule a lunch meeting to introduce the employee to the people he or she will be working with. Also, introduce the new employee to the management team and have each manager tell the employee a little bit about his or her role at the organization.

Distribute an employee handbook.
Your employee handbook should contain information about personnel policies, benefits information, disciplinary measures, dress code, and confidentiality. Such a handbook will help to ensure there are no misunderstandings down the road that could lead to legal troubles.

An employee’s first few days at your company will be ones he or she remembers for the rest of his or her tenure. Having a well-developed orientation program in place can help make sure you both start off in a positive direction. If you need help creating or implementing an orientation program at your company, please contact Northwest Staffing. We can help.