It's Already Back-to-School Time?? (And What That Means for HR)

Where did summer go? We're already in the back-to-school season, which means kids are tackling new challenges, parents are transitioning to supporting (and chauffeuring athletes to) fall sports, and teachers are back to the grind. While the school year most directly impacts education professionals, there are ripple effects on employees in a wide range of other industries.?

For HR professionals, considerations for this time of year include:

• Employees with school-aged children at home may have different scheduling needs, especially related to school drop-offs and pick-ups
• Employees who are students themselves might also have new scheduling considerations
• As summer-specific jobs wind down, there may be an influx of new job candidates (which means more resumes to review, interviews to conduct, and backgrounds to check)
• With schools back in session, illness rates can rise and more employees will need to take unplanned time off

If the back-to-school season leads to headaches for you or your team, partnering with a staffing agency could be the answer. Doing so can take tedious recruiting and hiring tasks off your plate and give you more capacity to dig into projects that move the needle for your company's success.

Whether you’re dealing with staffing challenges associated with the new school year or have any other HR needs that are taking away too many hours from your day, Workbox Staffing is here for you!

What to expect in this month's newsletter:

• Featured Blog: Do your employees have clear communication channels, and do they know how to use them?
• Industry News: The SHRM annual conference and 2023-2024 State of the Workplace report highlight modern HR struggles.
• Safety: Innovation and creativity in safety practices spring from HR professionals being spread too thin.
• Social Impact: How Workbox Staffing is living our mission of "Doing Good."

Empowering Effective Communication and Coordination With Machine Operators

No matter the industry, communication is a universal key to workplace success. Sadly, though, it’s something that doesn’t always receive the proper attention it deserves. And while that holds true in many areas, it is particularly applicable for manufacturing and warehousing companies.?

From the creation and implementation of communication channels to making sure employees are aware and use them, this can be a real difference-maker for your business. With that in mind, you should be able to answer questions like:

• Are your communication channels clearly defined??
• Do your employees know who to go to when they have issues?
• Do employees feel as though they have a voice that is heard?

Clear communication is important for all facets of a work environment, but it’s even more so when it comes to employee safety. Employees should have a strong grasp on internal communication channels, especially those related to safety.

For a more comprehensive look at communication, including the role active listening plays in team success, visit our blog.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) held its annual conference in Chicago this past June. One of the big topics from the conference was HR needing to navigate challenges in both recruiting and retaining talent in the midst of last year’s uncertainty and potential economic downturn - and what that means when HR is pulled in so many different directions.

In SHRM’s 2023-2024 State of the Workplace report, it is noted that “57%, of HR pros said they are working beyond normal capacity right now, and 56% said they lack sufficient staff to cover the workload.” With that being the case, it’s probably not terribly surprising that approximately 33% of HR professionals are looking for new jobs.

The source of all that HR stress comes down to a focus on a handful of key areas, including:

• Employee morale and engagement. Engagement is necessary for reducing burnout and turnover, and efforts on that front often fall on HR's shoulders.
• Retaining top talent. We are still in a tight labor market, which requires more energy and resources to bring in the best employees.
• Finding and recruiting qualified candidates. Going beyond "best" employees, sometimes it is challenging just to find ones who have the necessary skills to do the job.
• Reducing costs and inefficiencies. Lack of time and dedicated personnel are often considered the greatest barriers to HR success.

HR professionals seeking relief from all the strain of these responsibilities may want to consider partnering with a staffing agency to take tasks off their plates so they can have more manageable workloads.

If you’d like a deeper dive into the SHRM conference and report, check out this link.

We’re excited to share the results of our recent T-shirt design contest at Workbox Staffing, held in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October. Our team’s creative designs were centered around raising awareness for breast cancer, and the winning design will soon be featured on a special edition T-shirt. All proceeds from these shirts will be donated to breast cancer research, reflecting our commitment to making a meaningful impact. This initiative highlights our dedication to "Doing Good" and supporting important causes. If you’d like to support the cause, please send your check to:

American Cancer Society

Attn: MSABC Detroit PZXEBL

PO Box 10069

Detroit, MI 48210

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