Berks & Beyond Blog

Do you know why the U.S. staffing industry is growing at a faster rate than the overall economy?  The answer can be summed up in a single word:  flexibility.

The American Staffing Association’s Intelligence Report called Workforce Flexibility:  Staffing for a Better Bottom Line speaks to this very topic.  The article details the numerous ways our industry delivers the workforce flexibility today’s businesses need - from quickly finding experienced specialists for short-term projects to helping organizations run leaner during these tough times. 

I encourage you to follow the link above and learn more about how our industry can benefit yours.  And of course, if you have specific questions about how Berks & Beyond’s services could enhance your company’s workforce flexibility, please contact us directly.

Spring is just around the corner - what kind of home improvement projects do you have on tap?

Whether you’re tackling a major remodel, or just looking for a few new plants for a flower bed, you’ll find the inspiration you need at Reading’s Home & Garden Show.  The show, presented by HBA of Berks County, runs from March 12th through the 14th at the Greater Reading Expo Center.  

The event features beautiful landscapes, building supplies, poos and spas, as well as informative seminars to ensure the success of your next project.

For more information, visit the Southeast Pennsylvania Home & Garden Show website.  Be sure to follow the link for discount coupons!

“Here we go again…”

“Why does everyone else seem to have all the luck?”

“What else could possibly go wrong today?”

Admit it.  At one point or another, you’ve had thoughts like these.  I know I have.  But while it’s perfectly normal to occasionally fall prey to negative thoughts - especially after losing a job or some other stressful event - you must guard against falling into a pessimistic mental rut.

When you’re stuck in a mode of negative thinking, you miss out on opportunities to improve your day and your situation.  Negative thoughts drain your energy and can even threaten your health.  So if your attitude could use some improvement, try some of these tips to eliminate negative thinking:

1. Recognize when you’re thinking negatively.  Pay attention to your internal dialogue and send up a mental “red flag” when you’re thinking pessimistically.
2. Realize that negative thoughts breed more negative thoughts.  Remember, you attract what you focus on - whether it’s what you want or don’t want.
3. Remind yourself that the negative thought is only that - a thought.  In fact, what you’re thinking may have little basis in reality.  Instead, your thoughts could be the result of projected fears about situations that rarely end up manifesting.
4. Find a positive thought replacement.  Rather than fighting against negative thoughts, try to replace them with more positive ones.  Picture a different scenario; affirm something to yourself that’s positive and self-supporting; remind yourself of a recent positive experience.
5. Use humor and fun.  Negative thoughts stress you out.  Change the energy of the situation by thinking of something funny or doing something enjoyable.  The key is to not let your negative thoughts have power over you.
6. Try creative visualization.  When something goes wrong, close your eyes and visualize a positive outcome.  Let yourself see what you want to happen like a movie playing behind your eyelids.  You’ll stop negative thoughts in their tracks and focus your mind’s energy on potential solutions.
7. Take a break.  Even if you’re up against a deadline, take five minutes to stretch, take a brief walk or talk to a friend.  Any respite, albeit brief, will help you reset your attitude and tackle your problem from a more positive perspective.

One More Tip…

If you’re stuck in a negative mental rut because of your job circumstances, Berks & Beyond can help.  A small positive action like registering with our staffing service can break your cycle of negative thinking and start you on a better career path.  So take control of your situation by envisioning yourself in the job you really want - then contact us to turn that vision into reality.

As you may know, Berks and Beyond recently opened our new Harrisburg office.  We’re pleased to report that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Harrisburg - Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical area has weathered this recession better than many surrounding areas. 

To see how the Harrisburg area stacks up against the state and the nation, download the “Harrisburg-Carlisle,Pa.pdf” file on this Selected BLS Economic Indicators page, last updated January 25, 2010.

The Harrisburg - Carlisle MSA’s unemployment rate was 7.6% as of December, 2009 (tied for 94th place in the nation).  Overall, Harrisburg lost fewer jobs last year as compared to both the state of Pennsylvania and the nation as a whole.  For comprehensive employment statistics, follow this link:

Bureau of Labor Statistics Harrisburg - Carlisle PA: Nonfarm employment and labor force data 

Want to learn more?

Contact us and a Berks and Beyond staffing professional will show you how our services can help you make the most of our current economy - by saving you money, reducing your risks and keeping your workforce lean and flexible.

Implementing a faulty or sloppy employee review system can put your company at risk.  One misstep can lead a disgruntled employee to “pull the trigger” on a hairy lawsuit.  So as a responsible manager, how do you keep your company out of the crosshairs?

Here is a quick list of best practices for ensuring your performance reviews are legally defensible:

1. Develop adaptable appraisal forms.  Use flexible forms evaluators can change to suit the type of position available.  The forms should allow evaluators to: incorporate specific job criteria; weight and prioritize attributes and job responsibilities; easily keep accurate, detailed annual review records for all employees.  Should you need to protect your company in the case of a dispute, this standard documentation will provide valuable evidence that evaluators conducted all appraisals in a consistent manner.
2. Train your evaluators.  Provide written instructions on the purpose and mechanics of your review system.  Teach evaluators to base appraisals upon observed evidence - never “gut feelings” or other subjective criteria.  Include information on potential EEO problems and emphasize the importance of accuracy.  Supplement written instruction with role playing, and require evaluators to sign a statement saying they’ve received and reviewed the instructions.
3. Clearly communicate the review process ahead of time.  When review time comes around, make sure employees know:  the purpose of the reviews; the impact they’ll have on employees’ work; how the reviews will be conducted; what to expect during discussions.
4. Require employees to agree to primary job duties.  During the evaluation, ask each employee to review the job duties on which he has been rated.  To prevent later debates, require each employee to sign a statement that the list provided constitutes an accurate and complete list of his major job duties.
5. Safeguard against inaccuracy and evaluator bias.  Emphasize the importance of avoiding stereotypes based on race, sex, age or any other characteristics.  Monitor evaluators and develop a system of cross-checks to ensure evaluators do not go too easy on employees, or consistently rate a particular group lower than another.
6. Summarize and distribute reviews.  Have evaluators write up salient aspects of each employee appraisal and distribute copies to all relevant parties.
7. Have each employee review and sign his evaluation.  After being given the opportunity to review and write in his own comments, require each employee to sign and date the evaluation.  This will discourage employee attempts to dispute the evaluation down the road.
8. Keep a regular review schedule.  Like any other inconsistency in employment actions, failure to provide timely reviews can become the basis for an EEO charge or other frivolous lawsuit.
9. Provide for appeals on grievances.  Give employees the right to appeal performance reviews to a higher level supervisor.  In addition to being a goodwill gesture, this process will also undermine the case of any employee who later attacks the evaluation in an EEO or wrongful discharge claim.

Make it Easier on Yourself

Remember, our temporary employment services save you the risks, time and hassles associated with performance reviews.  Contact us today to learn more.

The following top candidates are highly skilled, motivated and ready to go to work for you:

BUTCHER - Allentown, PA

Candidate Initials:  J. N.

Skills and Experience:  Over 20 years of experience working as a meat cutter; 10 years as a manager.  This individual also worked as a fabricator and installer for nine years.

Education:  H.S. Diploma

Desired Pay:  $14/hr.

To learn more about this candidate, please contact Katie at Katie@berksandbeyond.com  or call 610.435.9270.

WAREHOUSE / CLERICAL - Allentown, PA

Candidate Initials:  A. I.

Skills and Experience:  Former Marine with various warehouse skills including, but not limited to:  forklift, pallet jack operator, shipping and receiving.  This multi-tasking, professional candidate has office experience working as an inbound/outbound customer service representative.  Great interpersonal and MS Word/Excel skills.

Education:  H.S. Diploma; some college

Desired Pay:  $11/hr.

To learn more about this candidate, please contact Katie at Katie@berksandbeyond.com or call 610.435.9270.

ASSEMBLER, 1st SHIFT - Pottstown, PA

Candidate Initials:  M. W.

Skills and Experience:  Experienced worker with over 22 years in the warehouse industry.  Skill set includes:  dry wall, inventory, janitorial, painting, receiving, supervision, child care.

Desired Pay:  $12/hr.

To learn more about this candidate, please contact Heidi at Heidi@berksandbeyond.com or call 484.945.0516.

A well-designed wellness program can be just what the doctor ordered.  Implemented properly, a wellness program can:

• increase productivity
• control preventable healthcare costs
• boost morale
• reduce employee stress, ER visits and absenteeism

If you’re looking to institute a wellness program for your company, or want to make your existing wellness program more comprehensive and effective, consider these points before getting started:

1. What are you trying to achieve?  Determine your reason(s) for introducing the wellness initiative before deciding what types of programs to offer.
2. Whom are you targeting?  Make sure the programs you offer appeal to all age groups and fitness levels.
3. What’s your budget?  According to the Wellness Councils of America, wellness programs can cost anywhere from $10 to $125 per employee, depending upon how they are structured.
4. How will you encourage participation?  Consider:  lower premiums or co-pays; cash contributions to health savings and reimbursement accounts; or even a point system where employees can redeem “participation points” for merchandise or money.  Whichever option you choose, keep the incentives positive and never force employees to participate.
5. How will you gauge success?  To determine how your program is doing, you should design and conduct a longitudinal study for tracking metrics such as:  productivity, absenteeism, workers’ compensation claims, ER visits, hospital admissions and health insurance claims.
6. What does your attorney suggest?  Ask your attorney about compliance with HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and ADA (the Americans with Disabilities Act).
7. How will you publicize the program?  Consider both internal communications to explain programs, benefits and incentives, as well as external PR opportunities to enhance your position in the community and attract potential employees.

What do wellness programs and staffing services have in common?

They both provide great ways to manage benefits expenses, improve employee productivity and morale, and gain a competitive recruiting edge.  Contact Berks & Beyond today to find out more.

Expansion Means Better Service for Area Employers

Harrisburg, PA –Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc. will hold the Grand Opening of its sixth office on Wednesday, February 17, 2010.  Although the staffing and recruitment firm has served the Harrisburg market for over three years, the additional location will allow Berks & Beyond to provide expanded and more responsive service to area employers.

“We see the Harrisburg office as a natural extension for our business.  Over the past few years, we’ve watched the staffing and recruitment needs of the Harrisburg market evolve; this new location will help us better meet those needs,” states Chris Garner, President of Berks & Beyond.  “We are staffing the Harrisburg office with seasoned professionals, some of whom have over 25 years of staffing experience.  These veterans will help ensure we deliver exceptional employees and customer service from the day our new office opens its doors.”

Berks & Beyond’s sixth location is located at 1505 Market Street, Camp Hill, PA 17011.  Like the existing offices, the expansion location will provide clerical, industrial, managerial, and technical staff for temporary, temp-to-perm, and permanent placement services.

While Berks & Beyond currently provides staffing solutions to employers throughout much of Southern Pennsylvania, the Harrisburg office will broaden the company’s service area to include the following towns and cities:  Boiling Springs, Camp Hill, Carlisle, Colonial Park, Dauphin, Dillsburg, Enola, Harrisburg, Hershey, Highspire, Hummelstown, Lemoyne, Lewisberry, Marysville, Mechanicsburg, Middletown, Mt. Holly Springs, Newberrytown, New Cumberland, New Kingston, Shepherdstown, Shiremanstown, Steelton, and Wormleysburg.

A little perspective is a good thing.

As a staffing firm, we at Berks & Beyond try to learn all we can about your business and industry - because better understanding leads to better staffing results for your company. 

Today, I’d like to turn the tables.  Here are a few key facts and statistics, compiled by the American Staffing Association, that will help you better appreciate our business and the U.S. staffing industry:

• Number of workers.  America’s staffing companies match millions of people to millions of jobs - every day.  On an average day in 2008, U.S. staffing companies employed approximately 2.6 million workers.  All told, staffing firms hired an estimated 11.2 million temporary and contract employees in 2008 alone.
• Industry size.  In 2008, the staffing industry generated roughly $86.2 billion in sales:  $70.7 billion from temporary and contract staffing; $15.5 billion from search and direct placement.
• Number of U.S. staffing companies.  Approximately 6,000 staffing firms, operating roughly 20,000 offices, are currently operating and have been in business a year or longer.
• Areas of growth.  The fastest industry growth is occurring in professional and technical staffing.
• Factors affecting industry growth.  America’s work force is changing.  More people are looking for the flexibility that temporary work provides.  Additionally, employers are tapping into the flexible labor market to keep fully staffed during peak periods.

Want to learn more?

Visit the American Staffing Association’s website to view and download reference documents that provide current information about the U.S. staffing industry.  To learn more about the services and benefits Berks & Beyond offers, please visit our website.

Ever wonder how we got into the habit of sharing chocolates, cards and romantic dinners every February 14th?  While historians are not precisely sure how Valentine’s Day originated, several theories exist.  Here are a few:

• One idea links Valentine’s Day to an ancient Roman celebration called Lupercalia.  Celebrated every February15th, the holiday honored the Roman gods Lupercus and Faunus.
• Another theory claims Valentine’s Day has Christian origins, dating back to an early saint and a priest who were both named Valentine.  The saint was put to death on February 14th.  Over 200 years later, Pope Gelasius named February 14th Valentine’s Day.  The priest named Valentine married couples in secret, against the current Emperor’s rules.
• Valentine’s Day is also thought to have possibly originated from the idea that birds choose their mates on February 14th.

While Valentine’s Day could have originated from any one of these sources, it is most likely an intermingling of all these traditions and folklore.

Our modern version of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to England and France.  The first box of Valentine’s Day candy is said to have been given in the late 1800’s, and the first greeting card, created in the 1400’s, was actually a Valentine’s Day card.  It’s currently on display at the British Museum in London.

Looking for ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Southern Pennsylvania?  

Click here for gift and dinner ideas in Reading, PA.

Click here for quick links to hotels, florists and more in York, PA.