Berks & Beyond Blog

Do you need to reorganize your work space?  If you’re not sure, ask yourself:

• Do your employees have sufficient space to complete their work?
• Is your workplace healthy, providing clean air and water, enough light (natural or artificial) and an environment free of distracting noises and smells?
• Is the workspace flexible enough to quickly adjust to industry-related changes?
• Are workers able to maintain comfort by adjusting light, temperature, furnishings and acoustic levels to their needs?
• Are your technology and physical plant (heating, cooling, water, plumbing) systems reliable?

If you answered “No” to one or more of these questions, your workplace may benefit from an update.  Here are some important points to consider before you start:

• Define the Image You Want to Project.  What would you like employees, potential and current clients to think and feel when they step inside your workplace?  Use this as a backdrop against which improvements will be made.
• Size up your Current Space.  What really goes on in your workplace each day?  Take a step back and examine how your space is used right now:

Layout.  How well does your existing floor plan function?  Shadow different types of employees to determine whether the layout helps or hinders them in their efforts to get work done. 

Usage.  How evenly is your space utilized?  Stop by cubicles, offices and conference rooms every half-hour to uncover areas that are chronically empty or overcrowded.

Workarounds.  Do employees use their space, furnishings and equipment as intended?  Examine your environment to see if it supports or thwarts employees’ work processes.

• Involve Your Staff.  Getting employee feedback on dysfunctional workspace elements is vital to your efforts; however, asking employees what they want may lead to unrealistic demands (not everyone can have a corner office with a built-in coy pond).  Gather employee input throughout the redesign process, but remind them that the new design will beneficial (not perfect) for everyone.
• Look 5 or 10 Years Down the Road.  Do you have plans to expand, merge or move?  Any of these will impact the amount you invest in a current workplace redesign.
• Determine Your Goals.  Once you’ve identified your biggest issues, decide which ones you want to attack.  Choose four or five priorities to address, such as increased collaboration, improved productivity or more efficient use of space.

Need to Reorganize Your WorkFORCE?

Admittedly, we don’t specialize in commercial interior design.  But, we at Berks & Beyond are experts at helping you redesign your workforce.  We can show you how to use staffing to save money, improve productivity and run a “lean and mean” organization.  Contact us today to learn more.

Leading Southern and Central Pennsylvania Staffing Firm Named to Inavero’s Inaugural Best of Staffing™ List

Reading, PA – Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc. has been named to Inavero’s inaugural Best of Staffing™ list.  The Best of Staffing™, presented in partnership with CareerBuilder, is the nation’s only client satisfaction award that recognizes exceptional service within the staffing and recruiting industry.

All staffing firms that competed for inclusion underwent a rigorous client survey process.  Careful analysis of nearly 17,000 client responses was used to determine customer satisfaction levels.  Inavero selected only those staffing firms that scored a 9 or 10 out of 10 from an average of 74% of their clients (outperforming the industry’s benchmark for client satisfaction by at least 22%).

Berks and Beyond made the grade – a huge achievement for a local staffing firm.

“This is a great honor for Berks and Beyond,” states Chris Garner, President of Berks & Beyond.  “We say every day how we strive to provide excellent customer service.  But in the end, it is our clients’ perspectives that really count.  Knowing that our clients view us as a very solid partner for their own businesses to succeed is the best compliment that we could ask for.”

The Southeastern and Central Pennsylvania staffing firm does not intend to rest on its laurels.  “Even though we have scored very well, we are not content to stay standing still.  We are already working on some areas that will continue to position us as the standard for service in all the markets we serve.  Thank you to all who participated in our survey.  Your input was taken very seriously.”

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!

We at Berks and Beyond Employment Services send you wishes for a safe, happy, healthy, and prosperous 2010.

Happy New Year!

Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc. Sponsors 2nd Annual “Toughest Job in Berks County” Contest

When the going gets tough, the tough get rewarded – big time. For the second year in a row, Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc., the “Official Employment Service of the Reading Royals,” will bestow a check for $1,000 – and the title “Toughest Job in Berks County” – upon the entrant who submits a video of himself performing the most physically or mentally challenging (or just plain dirtiest) job in Berks County.

The contest kicks-off during the Reading Royals’ opening night game on October 15th and continues through March 5th, 2010. Berks and Beyond will announce this year’s winner on March 18th, 2010 during the Royals hockey game.

To enter, contestants must submit a brief video (one minute or less) of themselves on the job, explaining why they have the toughest job in Berks County. The winning entry will be selected by Berks and Beyond employees. Videos must be received by March 5th, 2010. For complete Contest Rules, please visit the Berks and Beyond website.

Last February, Chris Garner, President of Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc., presented Dave Herb with $1,000 at the Reading Royals Hockey game for his winning entry in the Toughest Job in Berks Contest. Click here to view Dave Herb’s video. Please note that this video was edited by Berks and Beyond for use on their website – videos will be judged based upon the jobs themselves, not video production quality.

“I’m truly excited to team-up with Berks and Beyond again this year. This contest is our way of thanking the hard-working men and women in Berks County,” says Gordon Kaye, General Manager of the Reading Royals. “We want to recognize their contributions to our community, and have a little fun in the process.”

In conjunction with the Reading Royals, Berks and Beyond, the “Official Employment Service of the Reading Royals,” will conduct two job fairs at the Sovereign Center before game time. The first job fair will be held October 29th, 2009 and the second on March 18th, 2010 – the night the contest winner will be announced. In addition, Berks and Beyond will have an information table open during many of the Royals’ home games, where business owners and job seekers alike can learn more about services and job opportunities available through Berks and Beyond.

About Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc.
Berks and Beyond Employment Services, Inc. opened its first office in 1998. Since then, they have become one of the largest staffing services in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The company specializes in temporary, temporary-to-permanent, and permanent employment within the clerical, technical, industrial and managerial fields.

With offices in Reading, Allentown, Pottstown and York, Berks and Beyond is able to serve all of its clients’ temporary and permanent staffing needs throughout Berks, Lehigh, Montgomery, and York Counties, as well as their surrounding areas.

Whether job seekers are looking for temporary or permanent work, either part- or full-time, Berks and Beyond’s recruiters will match their skills, qualifications, and interests to the perfect opportunities.

If you would like more information, or want to schedule an interview with Chris Garner, please call Berks and Beyond at 610.376.9675 or e-mail Chris at chris@berksandbeyond.com.

When it comes to working in an industrial setting, safety is paramount.

Take a few minutes to read this brief but valuable post outlining tips to increase industrial workplace safety from 360training.com:  http://www.careerdev.com/index.php/2009/04/april-tips-and-tricks/

In a nutshell, the article points to three common-sense, yet critical rules of safety:

1. Anticipate what could go wrong and prepare for worst-case scenarios.
2. Stay vigilant, even once you’re comfortable with your job.
3. Never work for a company that asks you to compromise your personal safety for the sake of the job.

At Berks & Beyond, we work diligently with our clients to ensure workplace safety through:

• thorough new employee orientation and training;
• on-site visits to verify safe working conditions and practices;
• OSHA compliance in all settings.

To find a great industrial, engineering or skilled trades job opportunity, search our job board today.