Despite what many news reports says, it’s still a tough job market out there. As a result, you’re likely inundated with resumes when you post an open position, some from candidates who seem overqualified. The temptation here can be to hire an overly skilled worker.

But should you?

As one of the leading temporary staffing providers in Sacramento, California, Pacific Staffing knows that the true answer is: It depends. Taking on someone who is more than qualified for the position can definitely have its pros and cons. Here’s a look at each side.

Pros of Hiring an Overqualified Worker:

Hit the Ground Running.

Hiring someone who is overqualified can mean they will hit the ground running. If they already have the skills to do the job and perform to expectations, you can rest pretty easy knowing they will be able to get the job done. They will have a short learning curve and will likely be able to contribute valuable ideas.

A Bigger Picture Perspective.

Someone who is overqualified can add value beyond the position you’re hiring them for. People who are overqualified will think beyond just their role and responsibilities to the big picture. They will bring more experience and a broader perspective to how they do their job.

More Bang for Your Buck.

As long as you pay an overqualified worker within your means, you may be able to get greater value for them. In other words, you may get higher level work for the same amount of money you’d pay someone who’s less skilled. In addition, they can act as a mentor or advisor to more junior workers.

Cons of Hiring an Overqualified Worker:

Demand Higher Pay.

Someone who is overqualified may expect or demand a salary that’s outside of your budget.

Less Than Committed.

An overqualified worker might be looking at the opportunity as a temporary Band-Aid – a way to earn an income while they continue their job search.

Possible Turnover.

They may also become bored quickly because they’re not being challenged and leave as a result. And when someone leaves, it can have a big impact on morale and productivity, creating a less-than-healthy environment.

If you’re interested in hiring someone who seems overqualified, but you’re still uncertain, then offer to bring them in on a temporary basis. For instance, bring them in for several months so they can put their skills to use. If it works out from there, then consider hiring them full-time.

Want to Learn More About Temporary Staffing?

Let Pacific Staffing know. As one of the leading temporary staffing providers in Sacramento, California, we can give you fast access to the professionals you need in a variety of fields. Contact Pacific Staffing to learn more.

If you don’t take a lunch break, you’re certainly not alone. In fact, according to a recent Monster poll, 38% of the 4,982 respondents reported eating either while they worked or not taking a break at all. Only 17% reported taking a full hour lunch break, while 27% said they take a 30-45 minute break and 17% said they take a 15-minute break.

So why is this important?

Because, as one of the leading staffing agencies in Woodland, we know that not taking a lunch break is a dangerous habit to get into. Obviously, there will be days or periods of time during an important project when you’re extremely busy at work and have to skip lunch or eat a hurried meal standing over the sink of the employee kitchen. However, don’t make it a habit.

Not only is this not good for your health – but it may not be good for your career either.

According to experts, when you don’t give your brain a break throughout the day, you will experience diminished returns over time. In fact, if skipping lunch is the norm for you, burnout could be just around the corner. In addition, trying to squeeze the most work out of every second of the workday can actually reduce your output over the long run, rather than increase it.

Besides impacting your health and productivity, not eating away from your desk can have other negative side effects, as well.

For instance, even if you do eat lunch each day, but you’re at your desk when you do so, colleagues won’t have any trouble interrupting you. So you really don’t get much of a break at all.

The reality is that everybody needs a bit of downtime each day to recoup energy and regain focus; some more than others, especially if they’re in a high-demand, high-stress position.

And if part of your inability to get away from your desk for lunch is due to a staffing shortage, let us know. As one of the leading staffing agencies in Woodland, we can work with you to understand your organization’s unique staffing needs – and ensure you have access to the qualified professionals you need, when you need them. Learn more now.

Is striving for employee happiness critical to the success of your organization?

Maybe not, according to new data from Leadership IQ, a research and management consulting firm. Their research demonstrates that “corporate cultures pushing happiness actually have lower engagement scores than more competitive and challenging cultures.”

“Now wait just a minute,” you’re probably thinking. “Don’t happy employees translate into more productive and motivated employees?”

Not necessarily, according to the research. It shows that the happiest employees act more selfishly, have a hard time defending their opinions, and are less creative.

This does not mean miserable employees = high productivity and great results. It just means that instead of presuming that happy employees will produce positive results, employers should focus on enabling and empowering employees to achieve more. And when employees are able to do so, then happiness and fulfillment follows.

In other words, according to Leadership IQ, many employers have the formula backwards. Rather than happy employees = positive results, it should be achievements + positive results = happy employees.

What about you? Do you think the research is right on? Or, in your experience, do you believe that when employees are happy, then they in turn produce positive results? As a leading staffing services firm in Florin, we want to know what you think!

As one of Sacramento’s top staffing firms, we know that being in a leadership position means you have to wear many hats – from visionary and number cruncher to problem solver and disciplinarian. But sometimes all those hats can weigh you down, causing you to get stressed and overwhelmed in the process. And when this happens, it’s easy to take out your anxiety on those closest to you…namely, your employees.

So is there a way you can lessen your stress load so that you can be a more effective leader?

According to a recent study there is – and the answer is simpler than you might think.

A study conducted by researchers at Northern Illinois University and published in the Journal of Business & Psychology found that stressed out managers vent their frustrations less on employees when they exercised regularly.

The study involved 98 MBA students and their 98 supervisors. In it, the students were tasked with rating their perceptions of how abusive their supervisors were; for example, rating statements such as: “my supervisor puts me down in front of others.” Meanwhile, their supervisors were asked to answer questions about how often they exercised and to rate their level of workplace stress.

Not surprisingly, the research indicated that when supervisors were stressed, but engaged in regular, moderate exercise, their employees reported lower levels of abusive behavior. According to the study, the types of exercises the supervisors performed were irrelevant; it was the act of exercising one or two days a week that mattered.

The lesson here?

If you’re in a leadership position and are feeling the pressure, then hit the gym. A few hours of exercise each week can help you deal with stress in a more productive way, rather than directing your anxiety at your employees. Not only that, but it will also improve your overall mood – along with your waistline – in the process.

And if some of your stress is being caused by staffing headaches, then give us a call. As one of Sacramento’s top staffing firms – with more than 25 years of experience providing staffing and workforce solutions – Pacific Staffing has developed distinctive programs designed to respond to all of your staffing needs. Learn more now.

Some employers across the country are asking candidates to provide passwords to their personal Facebook accounts during the interview process.  As Pacific Staffing’s very own Jay Jurschak points out in a recent article published by The Sacramento Bee, that may not be the best idea!

Read the entire article: Job Front: Interviewers say asking for social media passwords is off-limits.

As a legal staffing agency in Northern California, we understand that assistants and paralegals play a big part in every law firm. They essentially help run the firm by interacting with clients, coordinating and handling some aspects of cases, and managing the office workflow.

As a result, you want to ensure you make the best hiring decisions and only bring on board those who are effective, skilled, and hard working. Otherwise, you’re going to spend your days fixing mistakes and dealing with interoffice conflicts.

So with that said, what are some personalities you should avoid hiring at all costs? Here’s a look at 5 of them:

1. The “Yes” Man/Woman

Despite what you might think, you’re not always right. And you need to surround yourself with people who well tell you the truth, even if it isn’t always pretty. But if you have employees that only tell you what they think you want to hear, then the whole team will suffer as a result.

2. The Complainer

This is the person who sighs loudly or complains every time you ask them to take on a task. They might reply with “that’s not in my job description” or offer up some other snarky comment. Regardless, they will annoy everyone and kill morale in the process.

3. The Diva

While the diva personality is hard to handle, the more unfortunate thing is that oftentimes, they’re really good at what they do. As a result, you feel torn about firing them and losing the skills they posses in the process…but the fact of the matter is that you could drive other employees out the door if you don’t take a stand.

4. The Know It All

This is the individual who likes to one-up people every chance they get. There’s nothing they haven’t done before…and done successfully. And they’re attitude is enough to drive the rest of your employees crazy.

5. The Clock Watcher

While this name says it all in terms of how this employee acts, the end result is that you have someone who is less than committed to their job and the firm.

So how can you avoid hiring these kinds of personalities? Through a variety of techniques.

For instance, when you’re conducting interviews, ask some behavior-based questions, like “tell me about a project where you had to work together with a team” or “tell me about a time you failed on the job and what you learned.” These will help you garner information about how potential employees actually behaved in certain work situations.

In addition, you can have candidates undergo personality testing to determine how well suited they are not only for the job, but also for your firm’s unique culture.

And if you don’t have the time or resources to devote to screening, interviewing, and testing, then outsource your needs to a legal staffing agency in Northern California like Pacific Staffing. We have an entire division – Pacific LegalStaff – dedicated to helping law firms and organizations with legal staffing needs find the legal professionals they need, when they need them. Contact us today to learn more.

As the front-line caregivers, nurses are critically important to the health of patients and the success of hospitals. And the goal of most hospitals is to ensure that every unit has an appropriate number of nurses to care for patients during each shift. However, as one of the top medical staffing agencies in Sacramento, we know that sometimes due to budgetary constraints, this doesn’t happen – and the results can be devastating.

In fact, according to a 2011 study by the UCLA School of Public Health, Mayo Clinic and Vanderbilt University, patients’ mortality risk rises when nursing shifts aren’t adequately staffed. Specifically, an examination of nearly 200,000 nursing shifts showed that staffing of “RNs below target levels” is directly and causally related to increased patient mortality. Likewise, the study showed that when nurses’ workloads increase during shifts because of high patient turnover, mortality risk also increased.

And besides having a negative impact on patients, understaffing can also produce many other undesirable consequences in the form of:

• Increased stress.
  As nurses are stretched to meet their job requirements, their stress levels will rise and it may begin to impact their health, their quality of life, and their ability to maximize their performance.
• Increased personnel costs.
  High stress levels lead to increased personnel costs in the form of absenteeism, workers compensation claims, and the need for more management.
• Increased turnover.
  Even the best compensation packages may not entice burned out nurses to stick around for the long haul.
• Patient dissatisfaction.
  Issues with quality of care due to understaffing will result in increased patient dissatisfaction, which may compound the problem and impact your hospital’s reputation.
• Increase in errors.
  When nurse and hospital staff are continually forced to do more with less, attention to detail can suffer, resulting in a rise in mistakes.

If the risks above sound familiar and you’re concerned that your hospital is understaffed, let us know. Pacific Staffing is one of the top medical staffing agencies in Sacramento – and we can be your source for nurses, medical specialists and medical administrative staff. We can also work with you to develop a flexible staffing strategy that ensures your facility is staffed with the medical professionals you need, when you need them.

Where you have people, you’re going to have conflict. And the workplace is no exception.

As one of the top staffing firms in Florin – and throughout Northern California, we know that conflict typically arises out of stressful situations (think tight deadlines or complicated projects) or employees butting heads and not working well together as a result. This kind of conflict is all par for the course.

However, there are times when issues arise in the workplace that turn quickly from a simple conflict into a hostile confrontation. When this happens, how you react to the situation can be the deciding factor between a swift resolution or a major workplace battle.

To help you deal, here are some thoughts to keep in mind:

• Stay calm. When an employee is flipping out – yelling, waving their arms wildly, etc. – rather than interrupt them, let them finish their tirade. If you interrupt, you’re demonstrating that you’re not really listening and don’t care about what the employee is upset about.
• Be assertive, not aggressive. When they’re done, call them by their first name to get their attention. Then explain that you will listen and help them fix the problem, but that they need to lower their voice and calm down.
• Paraphrase their grievances. Next, show that you understand what they’re saying by repeating what they just said. For instance, “I want to understand why you’re so upset. Just so I’m clear, it’s because of…(insert issue here). Is that right?” By paraphrasing what the employee said and asking if you are perceiving the situation accurately, you’re showing that you are listening, which will help to diffuse the situation immensely.

Hopefully, by taking the steps above, you will be on the road to having a productive conversation and solving the problem. If not, though, and this kind of behavior is becoming a regular occurrence for an employee, then perhaps it’s time to let him or her go.

If that’s the case, and you’re looking for a replacement, give us a call. As one of the top staffing firms in Florin – and throughout Northern California – we pride ourselves on digging deep and asking questions that reveal more than simply the technical skills required for a job…all so we can find a candidate that’s just right for you. Learn more now.

Is your busy period coming down the pike quickly? Do you have an employee who’s out sick for an extended period of time? Are you experiencing an increase in your client base, but unsure whether that growth can be sustained?

If any of these questions sound familiar, then temporary staffing is certainly an effective option for handling your fluctuating staffing needs. But finding the right agency isn’t as easy as just opening the phone book. You must do your due diligence to choose a temporary staffing agency in Sacramento that’s right for you. Here’s how:

#1. Determine your needs.

First, ask yourself some questions to determine what your staffing needs are. For instance:

• Do you need one temporary worker to fill an office position or 20 for a call center?
• Do you need them full-time or part-time?
• What shift do you need them to work?
• How long do you need them for?
• What kinds of skills must they have?

And don’t just focus on your immediate staffing needs, either; look at the big picture and try to forecast future needs so you can choose a temporary staffing agency that can continue to deliver down the road.

#2. Shop around.

Once you have a more specific sense of your staffing needs, call around to several temporary staffing agencies in Sacramento to get a better sense if they have what it takes to help you. When you call, you obviously should ask questions about their capabilities, cost, and turnaround times. But you should also evaluate the intangibles. For instance, was your call answered quickly, or were you on hold for 5 minutes? Was the person you spoke with friendly or abrupt?

#3. Investigate further.

Once you have a short list of temporary staffing agencies you’re interested in pursuing further, meet with each one to get answers to more in-depth and important questions, such as how they screen and test candidates, if they offer benefits to temporary workers (better benefits mean better quality candidates), and how long the average temporary worker has been with the agency. You can also ask the agency for references to past clients.

#4. Communicate often.

Once you do select a temporary staffing agency in Sacramento to work with, keep the lines of communication wide open with them. Give them as much detail as possible every time you need a position filled. In fact, the more you give them to go on, the better the results will be for you.

And if you’re interested in learning more about how Pacific Staffing can meet your temporary staffing needs, give us a call. Our temporary staffing services provide the ideal solution, giving you access to people with the skills and experience you need – when you need them, and only for as long as you need them.

As a manager, you want your employees to be happy, healthy, loyal, and productive. But could all that be as easy as implementing a wellness program at work? It certainly might play a big part.

In fact, a recent survey by Principal Financial Group of 1,121 employees at small and mid-size businesses reported that employers who offer wellness programs enjoy increased retention, attendance, and productivity. Here’s a look at the numbers:

• More than half of the respondents said they are more productive as a result of wellness programs.
• 40% agreed that wellness programs encourage them to stay with their company.
• More than a third said they missed fewer days of work as a result of a wellness program.

Furthermore, for every $1 employers spent on a wellness program, they saw absenteeism costs cut by an average of $2.73 and medical costs cut by an average of $3.27.

As one of the top staffing agencies in Sacramento, California, we certainly understand that implementing a wellness program for a smaller organization can be more challenging – but it can also clearly provide a return on investment. So it may be well worth the effort. To help you get started, here are some tips:

Reach out to your insurance company. 

Some insurance companies promote wellness programs by giving employees discounts on premiums and other wellness related activities. They may also offer additional services, like free health screenings or flu shots, which you can include as part of your wellness program.

Reach out to local fitness centers. 

If you don’t have the space to add an office gym, then contact your local fitness center and ask if they offer group discounts for your employees.

Make the program voluntary. 

When it comes to health and fitness…and more specifically, weight…no one likes to feel like they are being singled out. So don’t mandate that workers get involved. Make it casual and fun and let your employees decide whether to participate.

Offer incentives. 

While you don’t want to punish those who aren’t involved, you do want to incentivize those who are trying to make healthy changes in their lives. One way to do that is by offering rewards. For instance, you can have a campaign to help staff smokers quit and offer a gift card to those who are successfully able to do so.

As one of the top staffing agencies in Sacramento, California, we know that wellness programs can be a win-win for employers and employees. As an employer, they enable you to reduce rising health care costs and improve employee retention and loyalty, while also helping your employees live a healthier, more productive life at home…and at work.