Berks & Beyond Blog

The Problem:

An Allentown manufacturing firm was using three staffing agencies to supply general warehouse laborers for a specific number of positions.  The company was experiencing high turnover in these positions and their staffing suppliers were not consistently checking their employees’ criminal backgrounds as promised.

Despite communicating the vital role criminal background checks played in this manufacturer’s organization, as well as the problem turnover was causing, the manufacturer was not getting what they needed from their current staffing firms.

The Solution:

Berks & Beyond worked under a 30-day trial period, allowing this customer to evaluate the way we serviced their account.  We consistently completed criminal background checks, according to the client’s specifications, for every candidate who accepted an assignment with them.  We also let this customer know they could audit us at any time to verify our process.

The Results:

Now that the trial period is over, this client definitely gets what they need from Berks & Beyond.  Every candidate is routinely screened according to the manufacturer’s specifications, and turnover has gone down.  In fact, since we began placing our employees there, we have had only one person turnover!

“Berks & Beyond has served our needs in a timely manner and completed everything as promised.  Turnover is under control, which is what we needed, as well as background checks being done finally the way we needed them.  Berks & Beyond is professional and I would recommend them to anyone looking for consistency.”

–Shipping Manager

Write Your Own Staffing Success Story

Contact Berks & Beyond today to find out how we can deliver real Results at Work for your organization.

The Problem:

After undergoing a major lay-off several months ago, a Reading battery manufacturer received a large order from a client.  With a greatly reduced workforce, the manufacturer knew their core staff would struggle to get the job done. 

The battery manufacturer needed qualified workers to manage peak production, without incurring the costs (e.g. unemployment, workers’ compensation, taxes) of bringing back the employees they had recently laid off.  After careful consideration, they knew they required additional temporary labor – right away.

The Solution:

Berks & Beyond worked with the Plant Manager to identify the types of positions, required skills and number of workers needed.  We then implemented a just-in-time staffing solution, recruiting and delivering talented candidates to handle their temporary upsurge in production.

To ensure the right fit, the Plant Manager retained control of the interviewing process.

The Results:

Just-in-time temporary staffing now complements this manufacturer’s core staff to effectively manage workload surges.  We currently have 13 temporary employees working at their location, with an additional 7 more needed in the coming weeks.  This client is able to quickly ramp-up staff to meet high-volume orders, without the additional expense and administrative burden of hiring and then laying-off permanent staff.

“Recently (we) needed to ramp-up an additional assembly line and positions in our back shop departments.  We decided to use Berks and Beyond Employment Services to fill these positions.  This was no small task, since we were requiring up to 20 workers ASAP.  However, the staff at Berks and Beyond had met our challenge quickly and with what appears to be satisfactory workers.  Thank you.”

–Plant Supervisor

Write Your Own Staffing Success Story

Contact Berks & Beyond today to find out how we can deliver real Results at Work for your organization.

Demand drives profit.  Cost-containment drives profit.  Efficient processes drive profit.

But can temporaries drive profits?

Absolutely.  By deploying the right staffing strategy, you can greatly enhance your ability to control costs, improve productivity and manage risk.

Need proof?  If so, you’ll appreciate the following case study of a business that discovered the profitable benefits of strategic temporary staffing:

CASE STUDY:  Enacting New Plans

The Challenge:  A public transportation department decided to expand service offerings by building a new trade and transit center.  They needed to hire ten additional employees, ranging from bus operators, to service reps, to a project manager – all under a tight budget, and without the help of a human resources department.

The Solution:  The transportation department relied on a staffing service to source candidates, using a combination of advertising and database searches.  To fill the positions quickly – without sacrificing quality – they used several service options, including temporary hires, temp-to-direct options and direct placement.  The staffing firm also developed specialized application forms to gather critical records such as background check releases and drug screen consent forms.

The Results:  Thanks to this staffing services’ recruiting capabilities, the transportation department reviewed at least three qulified candidates for each position.  And using their hiring system, all of the positions were filled on-time and within budget.

By outsourcing the recruiting process and using temporary and temp-to-hire services, the department shifted and reduced overhead expenses.  In doing so, they enjoyed significant cost savings.

Productivity also improved.  Because staffing specialists focused on recruiting and hiring, the department’s employees could concentrate on core job concerns.

Finally, the transportation department minimized their exposure to hiring risks.  By taking advantage of temp-to-hire services, the department was able to try out potential employees on the job before extending an offer for employment – thereby reducing their chances of making bad hiring decisions.  Legal exposure was also reduced, because the service followed non-discriminatory hiring practices for direct hires and assumed all tax and reporting requirements for temporary employees.

Berks & Beyond Can Help Drive Your Profits

With a full complement of staffing service options, Berks & Beyond Employment Services can customize a staffing plan that will enhance your company’s profitability.  Call us today to learn how.

Case #1:  Recruiting Challenge

The Problem:

Loretta Garner, Office and Warehouse Manager for PB Heat, experienced ongoing difficulties in both recruiting candidates and identifying people with the right “fit” for her organization.  Ms. Garner tried using several staffing agencies, but they were unable to deliver the caliber of talent this manufacturer of residential and commercial boilers needed.

The Solution:

Tired of managing the frustrations of recruiting on her own, Ms. Garner began using Berks and Beyond - exclusively.  Our staffing experts took the time to understand the skills, experience and personality traits essential to success in her company. 

We combined thorough interviewing and skills testing with knowledge of PB Heat’s corporate culture to identify candidates who would best match their diverse needs.

The Results:

As PB Heat’s exclusive staffing provider, we consistently deliver high-quality candidates with the right “fit” for PB Heat.  In Ms. Garner’s words:

“Berks and Beyond has successfully filled our orders for over six years in a timely, efficient, friendly manner.  They have consistently provided top-quality candidates for all of our diverse positions.  Since using Berks and Beyond, we have not had to utilize any other agency!  Keep up the good work, Danielle and Heidi!  Berks and Beyond is wonderful!”

Case #2:  High Turnover

The Problem:

A small manufacturing firm in Allentown, PA was plagued with chronic turnover.  The plant manager spent countless hours working with multiple staffing vendors to find reliable employees.  He even tried speaking to his staff directly about the importance of attendance, but with little success.  He turned to Berks and Beyond to end his expensive and inefficient hire-train-fire cycle.

The Solution:

Our staffing specialist suggested implementing a single-source solution.  Although this meant we would have to bid against national competitors for the client’s business, we knew an exclusive relationship was in the client’s best interest - streamlining their staffing function and reducing their turnover. 

Our bid was not the lowest; but the high quality, consistent service we’d provided this client in the past prompted them to award us their exclusive business.

The Results:

Working exclusively with Berks and Beyond has dramatically reduced this client’s turnover and minimized attendance and tardiness issues.  No longer forced to keep track of multiple employees from multiple staffing agencies, the plant manager is now free to focus on his most important priorities.

Write Your Own Staffing Success Story

Contact Berks & Beyond today to find out how we can deliver real Results at Work for your organization.

At Berks and Beyond, we want to make staffing simpler and more effective for you.  We examine the challenges you face in your business, then develop solutions that deliver the results you need.  The following case study demonstrates our results at work:

The Problem:

A major international company in Hamburg, PA was a heavy user of staffing.  To ensure access to the high numbers of temporaries they needed, they attempted to work with three different staffing services to “make sure their bases were covered.”  However, trying to coordinate staffing needs among three suppliers proved both frustrating and complicated for HR.

The Solution:

Our staffing specialist suggested implementing a single-source solution.  By working with only one staffing service (and one point of contact), HR would experience less confusion and fewer staffing-related headaches.

The Results:

Working exclusively with Berks and Beyond has greatly simplified our client’s staffing activities.  Our continual recruiting efforts allow us to deliver the employees they need – right when they’re needed.  We currently supply 60 to 100 temporaries per week for this client, depending on their workload.  As an added benefit, our strengthened relationship has yielded an even better quality of fit between our client and the employees we provide.

Write Your Own Staffing Success Story

Contact Berks & Beyond today to find out how we can deliver real Results at Work for your organization.