Author: Brad Smith

Keeping Workers Safe in the Digital Age

Posted on by Brad Smith

Technology makes the world go ‘round. Most of us rely on smart phones and mobile devices to connect to the world around us, and these devices make life a lot easier in many ways. However, on the production floor, cell phones can be a distraction that puts workers in danger. Since careful attention must be paid to operating tools and machinery, a ringing cell phone can quickly shift a worker’s focus and lead to injury—to themselves or others. It’s important to develop a workplace technology policy and then mandate all supervisors and managers enforce it. Cell phone and mobile device… Read more »

Motivating 2nd and 3rd Shift Workers

Posted on by Brad Smith

You’ve built an unbeatable machine…an efficient, well-motivated productivity machine. It’s the business equivalent of Seal Team Six or the 2016 Golden State Warriors. Well, at least that’s true about your first shift. On the second and third shift, things are a little less well-oiled. The energy and camaraderie dissipates at five o’clock every afternoon. Not that things are listless or unproductive overnight. Just a certain verve is missing once the traditional work day is over. Don’t blame the employees on the second or third shifts. It’s difficult to stay motivated in the overnight period. But it’s not an impossible task.… Read more »

4 Reasons Why You Never Heard Back After Your Last Interview

Posted on by Brad Smith

It’s stressful enough when it has to do with romance. But when you get ghosted after a job interview, it becomes a new level of tension. Think about the dating situation: You send a text. You expect to hear something back immediately. Good or bad, you’re prepared. But then, nothing. Hours go by. Then a day. Now it’s a couple days later and you still haven’t heard anything. Did they get the text at all? Did they see it and then forget? Do they just think you’re an unattractive goof? Did they get trapped under a fallen bookcase and are… Read more »

Working a Staffing Company Into Your 2019 Budget

Posted on by Brad Smith

Budget battles can get nasty. Every year, heads of departments enter the Game of Thrones-like competition for resources, figuratively trying to slit each other’s financial throats at a series of Red Wedding-style meetings. In that environment, it’s difficult to ask for more money for any new project. Which might make you squeamish about suggesting your company add a staffing company to your 2019 budget. But don’t be afraid to push for the services of a recruiter. Rather than putting a strain on resources, the long-term cost savings and efficiency gains garnered from using a staffing partner make it an excellent… Read more »

Dressing for Safety: Hats and Boots

Posted on by Brad Smith

Proper attire is essential for safety in the workplace. Your PPE, or Personal Protective Equipment, keeps you safe in more ways than one. Choosing the right head and foot gear is an easy way to protect everything from your vision to your balance. What to consider when choosing safety footwear: Your shoes or boots should be selected based on the job you’ll be performing. Your footwear provides traction, arch support and toe protection. It helps you avoid: Slips and falls. Injury from falling objects, punctures and electrical hazards. Fatigue in your legs and back. Extreme weather. Follow your employer’s directions… Read more »

The Benefits of Learning a Skilled Trade

Posted on by Brad Smith

The high school guidance counselor’s office. Talking about tests and schedules, getting brochures and advice. And all of it trying to steer you into college, and eventually some kind of office job. The office job thing sounded boring to you at the time and still seems like a deadly, clock-watching nightmare now. Is that the only path to success? Without a college degree, are you stuck on the road toward a Terminator Judgement Day-type hellscape, where robots will eventually transform every blue-collar worker into a permanently unemployed ward of the state? Luckily, the answer is a resounding “no.” There are… Read more »

Help Your Employees Manage Stress at Work With These 3 Strategies

Posted on by Brad Smith

You can see it starting to take hold. Usually upbeat and chipper employees start to tense up. Conversations get terse. Pretty soon, there’s a blow up in the breakroom over who left a dirty cup in the sink. In some circumstances, stress can be a good motivator. It’s the old “fight or flight” mentality at play. Put a little pressure on people and get their “fight” instinct going. However, sometimes you get the “flight” instinct instead. If you run a stressful workplace, you’re rolling the dice with burnout and higher turnover. It can also play havoc with employees’ health, manifesting… Read more »

What to Expect Your First Week on The Job (And How to Prepare)

Posted on by Brad Smith

The first few days at new job will likely overwhelm you. You’ll go home exhausted, falling asleep on the couch at eight o’clock. You’ll likely feel inadequate, feeling like you’ll never get up to speed. You might feel like the company made a mistake in hiring you. Fear not. These feelings are only temporary. The first week is filled with a lot of new information. It will take you a little time to figure out what’s important, and what you can stick in a mental drawer and never think about it again. Here’s three things you’ll have to deal with… Read more »