Kinsa Group Blog

If you’ve watched the news lately, or followed the markets, you’ve probably found the economic data as puzzling and disconcerting as I have.  Up one day, way down the next.  One economic analyst talks about a slow recovery, the other warns us of the next recession.  The roller coaster we’re on isn’t showing any signs of smoothing out, thus leaving companies – and employees – wondering what’s next.

The honest answer is that nobody knows.  And for the people who work in your organization, that may be the most stressful part.  Uncertainty breeds fear.  And fear breeds discontent.  When people are unsure of their futures, they fill their minds (and waste their time) with irrational fears and “what ifs.”

During hard times, companies rely on their employees to help pull them through.  But unfortunately, that’s precisely when top performers are most likely to quit.  Watching others get laid off, chronic overwork and nagging uncertainty can all drive your best people out the door.

When your staff is worried, it’s up to you to control the outcome.  Now is the time to motivate, retain and even re-recruit your top employees, using the following ideas:

• Be honest. When times are tough, there’s a natural tendency to buckle down, work harder and avoid others.  This is a deadly mistake.  Without good information from you, your employees will draw their own (possible incorrect) conclusions.  In general, it’s far better to be forthcoming – even about bad news – than to withhold information.
• Involve top performers in developing solutions. Talk about the problems facing your organization and challenge your best employees to help create the solutions.  With a vested interest in the company’s success, and control over the ways problems are tackled, your staff will be more likely to stay through difficult times.
• Invest in one-to-one management. Layoffs, customer attrition and other sources of bad news tend to create a turbulent workplace.  Calm the waters by scheduling one-on-ones with each of your key team members.  Review the improvement plans being enacted, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead.  Outline clear expectations for each employee’s performance and the outcome that will occur if that performance is achieved.  If layoffs are likely, clearly delineate the situation that will trigger the cuts and what must occur to avoid them.
• Offer market pay. While this may not be the ideal time to consider increasing personnel expenses, don’t short-change yourself by under-compensating your staff.  Evaluate your pay and benefits package to ensure it’s competitive.  While money alone typically won’t drive high performance, a compensation package that is perceived as being unfair will create resentment – and drive employees out the door.
• Actively re-recruit top performers. Your company surely invests in marketing to existing clients.  Why?  Because it costs five times more to get a new customer than to retain an existing one.  The same is true of employees.  Top performers are incredibly expensive to replace.  Rather than take chances, be proactive about keeping them satisfied.
  Ask your employees to help keep the team together, by identifying those they feel are at risk of leaving.  Tell your employees how much you value them – regularly.  Find out what frustrates your best employees and develop ways to alleviate the sources.  Help top performers define career paths within your organization.  Bottom line, do whatever you can to keep your best and brightest inspired to continue working for you.

During times of crisis and uncertainty, true leaders emerge.  Get out of your office and go invest in your biggest asset – your people.  Let them know that they are more than just survivors; they are the champions who will create your company’s future success.

Contact Kinsa today to find out how our 8-Step Recruiting Process for food & beverage executives and professionals can deliver the high performers you need to thrive in this tough economy.

American employers are faced with a difficult balancing act – attracting new talent, while also holding onto experienced workers.  Achieving this balance is driving employers to create financial benefit plans that appeal to workers of all ages.

According to Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Workforce Benefits Report (published April, 2011):

• 94 percent of 650 C-level executives surveyed recognize the importance of retaining older employees and the knowledge they possess;
• 98 percent point to the need for younger workers.

To attract and retain these key segments of the workforce:

• 50 percent of those surveyed offer customized work schedules;
• 33 percent provide retirement income and health care education programs;
• 32 percent offer continuing education and development opportunities;
• 22 percent give employees the opportunity to work remotely;
• 21 percent offer extended benefits to older employees.

According to Andy Sieg, head of Retirement Services for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, “Longer life expectancies and baby boomers’ desire or need to keep working are leading to an aging population of American employees that will require more age-friendly workplaces and benefit plans designed to meet the unique needs of multiple generations.”

Employers also feel an increased sense of responsibility for the financial well-being of their employees:

• 59 percent of employers feel greater responsibility to help employees meet financial goals;
• 53 percent feel that responsibility includes providing both financial benefit plans as well as access to financial education and advice.

“If there is one silver lining of the recession it’s this increased sense of responsibility,” says Stephen Ulian, head of institutional retirement and benefit solutions at Bank of America.  As a result, employers are offering a broader range of financial education programs and tools, although getting employees to take full advantage of them remains a challenge.

Kinsa Group – Your Food & Beverage Recruiting Partner

Finding the perfect candidates for your organization requires experience, in-depth industry knowledge and state-of-the-art recruiting and assessment technology.  Kinsa Group combines all of these, including a comprehensive 8-Step Recruiting Process to ensure the success of your next hire.  Partner with Kinsa today and connect with the industry’s top food & beverage executives and professionals.

In today’s economy, most people are thankful just to have their jobs.  Still, despite layoffs and salary cuts, many professionals and executives are deserving of pay raises.  If your responsibilities have increased and you feel that you’re underpaid, or if you haven’t been offered a raise in years, it may be time to ask for one.  Use these tips to ask for a raise the right way and get paid what you’re worth.

Consider timing issues. When it comes to getting a raise, timing can be everything:

• If your company is struggling financially, it’s probably looking for ways to cut costs – not raise them.  Try to get a feel for your organization’s performance before you ask for more money.
• If you’re new to the company, wait at least a year before asking for a raise.  This is a general rule of thumb.  Possible exceptions include dramatically increased responsibilities or new tasks that cause real hardship, such as extensive travel.
• If you’ve just accomplished something spectacular, strike while the iron is hot.  Use the momentum created by your fantastic performance – and ask while your accomplishment is still fresh in your boss’s mind.

Do your homework. Find out how much food & beverage professionals working in similar positions are earning, using tools like www.salary.com or www.bls.gov.  Additionally, if you belong to a professional association, check their web site to see if they have salary information available.  Use the range of salaries you uncover, combined with your experience level and employment tenure, to determine how much you’re worth.

Quantify the value you provide. Make a list of your notable accomplishments and additional responsibilities you’ve taken on since your last pay review.  Show how your work has helped improved your division or company, in terms of revenues generated, costs saved, increased customer satisfaction, etc.  If you are asking for a raise, make it easy for your boss to say “Yes” by providing the evidence he needs.

Conduct a dress rehearsal. Write down your presentation and practice it at home with a trusted friend.  Try to anticipate the objections you may face and encourage your friend to play the devil’s advocate.  It may sound silly, but rehearsing your presentation will help calm your nerves and boost your confidence when the real time comes.

Schedule appropriate time with your boss. Let your boss know in advance that you’d like to discuss your salary.  He will consider your request for a raise more seriously if you treat it as a business meeting and give him time to prepare.

Be confident and professional. Make sure you always take the high road when asking for a raise.  Don’t act entitled, tell your boss why you need more money or idly threaten to quit.  All of these strategies are much more likely to backfire than get you the increase you deserve.

Have a back-up plan. Know how you’ll respond if your boss turns you down or offers you a much smaller raise.  If you don’t plan to quit your job, have a back-up list of non-monetary perks (e.g., tuition aid, flex time, additional vacation time) you’d accept in lieu of the raise.  Furthermore, find out the specifics of why you’ve been turned down – is it performance related, or just bad timing?  Before you leave the meeting, find out what you can do to improve your chances of getting a raise in the future, and when you two can talk about your salary again.

Get Paid What You’re Worth – Find Your Next Food & Beverage Job Opportunity with Kinsa

If you’re underpaid or just dissatisfied with your current position, Kinsa can help you make a change for the better.  We want to help you achieve your career and financial goals, by matching you with an opportunity that suits your skills, needs and interests.  Contact us today to learn more about executive and management career opportunities in the food & beverage industry.

U.S. workers are working longer – and retiring later.  Why?

According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s Retirement Confidence Survey (as reported by Workforce.com):

• about 36 percent of respondents cite the poor economy;
• 16 percent say their lack of faith in Social Security is forcing them to postpone retirement;
• 13 percent claim they simply can’t afford to stop working.

As a result, workers say they are more than twice as likely to work up to age 70 or older – a 25 percent increase from just a decade ago.

Rising numbers of older individuals remaining in the workforce creates both challenges and potential benefits for employers.  On the one hand, workers delaying retirement adds pressure to companies already struggling to reduce payroll as profit dwindles.  A glut of older workers also threatens to clog the talent pipeline for organizations who want to bring in new employees – at lower salary levels.

On the other hand, companies for which knowledge loss is a concern stand to gain a welcome benefit from a more mature workforce – less “brain drain.”  Key managers have more time to plan for the departure of older workers, and therefore can be more strategic in retraining or transferring institutional knowledge.

As older workers continue to delay retirement, HR needs to respond by reevaluating the way they manage human capital.  Instead of paying older workers to retire, HR should look for creative ways to take advantage of the shift in workforce demographics:

• Create cross-mentoring relationships. In a traditional mentor relationship, older, more experienced workers share knowledge with their less experienced counterparts.  When it comes to technology, however, younger employees are often more savvy.  Organizations can foster reverse mentorships, in which younger workers share their knowledge in areas like online social networking.
• Find new ways to attract younger workers. In a time when career advancement is likely to become more difficult, organizations should focus on new ways to bring top performers on board.  When HR can’t necessarily offer rapid upward mobility to new talent, they can offer lateral movement.  Lateral moves can help younger employees broaden their knowledge bases, become more valuable to the employer (increasing job security) and become more marketable overall.

Kinsa Group can help your organization proactively manage its professional and executive human capital needs as our workforce changes.  We provide recruiting and professional placement services with a specific focus on the food & beverage industry.  Serving companies throughout the United States since 1985, we are able to recruit and assess candidates for positions in:

• Executive Management
• General Management
• Sales
• Marketing
• Operations & Plant Production Management
• Research & Development
• Food Science
• Quality Assurance
• Food Safety
• Human Resources
• Engineering
• Maintenance
• Supply Chain and Purchasing
• Warehouse Management
• Finance & Accounting

How will your food & beverage organization address the shifts in workforce demographics?  We at Kinsa would like to know.  Please leave your comments below.

Need to get a new product launched quickly?

Trying to work around a hiring freeze?

Have an immediate need for a high-level professional during a transitional period?

These are just a few of the reasons food & beverage organizations use contract staffing.  In a time when budgets are tight, the economy is uncertain and resources are stretched thin, contract professionals and executives can provide a number of benefits for your company.  Here are just a few:

• Fill an immediate, short-term need. Take the pressure off of your hiring process by bringing in an interim replacement.  The Kinsa Group maintains a robust database of highly qualified food & beverage executives and professionals who can step in during a period of transition.  Our contract staffing option allows you to rapidly fill a vacancy in an essential position, while you search for a full-time replacement.
• Test a new concept. Have you ever had to table a great idea, simply because your organization didn’t have the resources to work on it?  From specialized food technologists to senior executives, highly qualified contract employees can be brought in to either manage the execution of a new concept, or support your internal team while they develop new opportunities.
• Do more with less. Not sure if you need a permanent employee?  Trying to work around a hiring freeze?  Contract staffing is a flexible, cost-effective way to get more work done, without the commitment and risks associated with full-time hires.
• Meet tight deadlines. Contract staff can supplement your core workforce, accelerate the pace at which projects are completed and ease the stress of tight deadlines and peak demand periods.
• Access specialized project expertise. Contract professionals are an ideal choice when you want to tackle a new initiative or test a new business concept – without adding to your permanent headcount.  Additionally, you can bring in contract staff to teach your employees new skills without the cost of a permanent hire.  Bringing in someone with specific expertise can save you time and money by shortening learning curves.
• Evaluate talent on-the-job. If you need a full-time employee, contract staffing allows you to see how an individual performs in your organization and fits into your culture.  Should you want to hire the candidate, you can arrange to convert him to a direct employee.

Kinsa’s Contract Staffing – A Smart Alternative for Your Food & Beverage Organization

Kinsa Group contracts with proven professionals who treat your position as if it were their full-time job.  Because these individuals come from the regular, full-time workforce, their dedication, reliability and motivation are exceptional.

Our contract staffing services allow you to access the highest caliber talent, previously available only through a permanent placement arrangement.  Whether you need to address unique staffing challenges, meet interim staffing requirements or complete critical projects, Kinsa Group contract staffing is a great choice.  Contact us today to learn more.

“It is an immutable law in business that words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises but only performance is reality.”

–Harold S. Geneen

If you’ve ever managed a single person, then you know that employees make excuses.  They procrastinate, miss deadlines and blame others when they fail.

So how do you get them to consistently perform to the best of their abilities?

Use these smart suggestions to get better results – and fewer excuses – from your staff every day:

Make performance management a daily activity. Annual and quarterly reviews definitely play their part in gauging performance, but nothing replaces the day-to-day guidance you give to your staff.  So talk to them regularly, leveraging every opportunity to improve employee’s efforts:

• give them honest feedback about what they’re doing right – and what they need to improve;
• discuss new projects and the opportunities they present for employee development and growth;
• talk about overdue assignments or project difficulties and how to resolve them;
• reinforce the importance of consistently doing a great job.

Limit excuses. Eliminate the external factors on which employees often blame their poor performance by:

• Ensuring employees have the resources they need to do their jobs;
• Ensuring employees are adequately trained to do their jobs;
• Setting clear, mutually agreed-upon performance expectations for each employee.

Ask the right questions when problems arise. Uncovering the cause of poor performance is the first step in creating a plan to remedy it.  So when an employee is failing at work, ask the following types of questions to diagnose the reasons why:

• What about the work system (e.g., tools, time, training, support) is causing the employee to fail?
• Does the employee know exactly what you want him/her to do, as well as the expected outcome?
• Does the employee practice effective work management?
• Does the employee feel valued, recognized and fairly compensated for his/her contributions?

Make performance goals SMART goals. This goal-setting acronym is still widely used for one simple reason:  Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound goals are more likely to be achieved.  So as you work with your employees to set higher standards for the next quarter or year, teach them how to create SMART performance goals that will get them there.

Create a “performance mentality” among team members. Football players won’t play their hardest in a game where nobody keeps score.  Likewise, your employees won’t deliver superior results when they merely see themselves as “doing a job” everyday.  Foster a “performance mentality” by showing your team why their efforts matter – and what’s at stake.  Make sure employees understand your mission, how their jobs fit into the “big picture,” and what they need to do to help your company win.

Fuel Performance with Kinsa’s Search and Assessment Services

The best way to ensure top performance is by hiring top talent.  Kinsa Group Consultants evaluate candidates’ performance in the specialty skills of the available position, results achieved in past positions, and overall predictors of success.  Kinsa has the resources to fuel exceptional performance in your food & beverage organization.  Contact us today to learn more.

Men and women are different in many ways.  But when it comes to work/life balance issues, they apparently share several of the same concerns.

Results from a WorldatWork fall 2010 research study conflict with a previously wide-held assumption about the differences between men and women – namely, that male identity is rooted in work, while women place a higher priority on personal/family life.

Watch the video.

Summary of Study Findings

The Global Study on Men and Work-Life Integration, conducted in November and December 2010, surveyed more than 2,300 men and women working in organizations with 500 or more employees.   The international study focused on how organizations can eliminate stereotypes and barriers that prevent men from using work/life offerings, as well as what prevents organizational leaders (who are often men) from supporting the use of those offerings.

Here is a brief summary of the study findings:

• Work and Personal Identity – Identification with work is much stronger in emerging markets/countries than in developed ones.
• Managing Work and Family Life – Finding time for family is especially challenging for men; however, both men and women seek more personal time for exercise and hobbies.  For both sexes, flexible work arrangements dominate the list of most valuable options for finding a healthy work/life balance.
• Financial Stress – Not surprisingly, financial stress is a top (if not the top) work/life issue across country and gender.  To ease this stress, employers can: increase employee assistance programs; offer financial counseling programs; be as transparent as possible about corporate finances and job security.
• Leadership Attitudes – Business leaders around the world embrace the importance of work/life balance and have programs and policies in place to facilitate it.  These efforts, however, are often ineffective because managers still believe that the “ideal worker” is an employee with few personal commitments.  In fact, half of managers in emerging markets, and four in 10 managers in developed markets, believe that the most productive employees are those with few personal commitments.

According to Kathie Lingle, WLCP, executive director of WorldatWork’s Alliance for Work-Life Progress, “Working men and women around the world seek the same holy grail: success in both their work and family lives.  The assumption that male identity is rooted in work and not family is a major impediment to the effective integration of employees’ work and family lives.”

For over 25 years, Kinsa Group has delivered highly qualified professionals and senior-to-executive level management candidates to food & beverage employers nationwide.  Visit our website to learn more about our recruiting and assessment services for the food & beverage industry.

When preparing for big interviews, most food & beverage professionals focus on what they’re going to say – about their work experience, accomplishments, goals, strengths and weaknesses.

While it’s certainly essential to know how to speak intelligently in an interview, it’s just as important to know how to listen.  A good recruiter will critically evaluate your listening skills as closely as he will your speaking skills.  In a market where competition is fierce, your ability to truly listen will help you make a better impression and may tip the scales in your favor.

Hone Your Active Listening Skills

In an interview situation, active listening is much more than just waiting for your turn to talk.  It involves not only hearing the words that are said, but also fully comprehending what the interviewer is asking you to do.  Use these tips to enhance your listening skills and perform better in your next interview:

Give the interviewer your full attention. Try to remain focused during the interview and devote your full attention to what the interviewer is saying.  Develop the habit of reminding yourself to focus every time your attention begins to drift.  Throughout the interview, maintain appropriate eye contact and avoid the temptation to formulate your response while the interviewer is still speaking.

Listen with your ears, eyes and brain. Communication experts say that only a fraction of the meaning of any conversation is in the actual words that are being said.  To understand the interviewer’s true meaning, you must glean other nonverbal cues from his tone of voice, posture and facial expressions.

Adopt an active listening posture. Show that you’re listening through your posture.  Sit with your shoulders set straight, while inclining your body and head slightly toward the other speaker.  Your hands may be used to take notes, or be folded either on the table or your lap.

Think before you speak. The more poised you are when you speak, the more intelligent your response will be.  So take a moment after hearing the question to formulate your answer.  A second or two of silence will help both you and the interviewer organize your thoughts and prepare for the turn in conversation.

Confirm understanding. If the interviewer asks a complex or multi-part question, paraphrase what he’s asked to confirm your understanding before beginning your response.  This will help ensure your response is both complete and accurate.

Answer the question that you’re asked. Listen carefully to the entire question before you answer it.  For example, the question “When do you feel that experience matters?” is significantly different from “How do you feel that experience matters?”  Make sure you pay attention to the nuances of each question and that you accurately answer what’s asked.  Avoid rambling answers that stray too far from the question posed.  If the interviewer wants to know more about something, he will ask you to elaborate.

Becoming a better listener won’t just help you land the job you want; it will make you a more successful professional.  So try incorporating a few of these tips into your next interview.  Do so and you may soon be listening to your next job offer!

Contact Kinsa Group for more assistance with your executive food & beverage job search.

More and more, food & beverage organizations are using real-time technology such as Skype to screen candidates and conduct initial interviews.  Online interviews deliver several benefits, allowing interviewers to “meet” candidates without incurring substantial travel expenses.

For many food & beverage job seekers, an online interview is a convenient and less stressful way to interview – but preparation is essential.  Use this list of tips to correctly set-up for and ace your next online interview:

1. Download required software. If you will be using Skype, go to www.skype.com and download it to the computer you will be using.  Use smartphones with caution – sound quality, picture quality and network speed may present potential issues.
2. Make sure you have a webcam. If your computer doesn’t have a built-in webcam, you can purchase one inexpensively from an office supply or computer technology store.
3. Set the stage. Carefully choose the location for your online interview.  A home office is best, but any room with relatively plain walls will suffice.  Make sure there is nothing in the background that the interviewer could see which might reflect negatively on you (e.g., garbage, dirty clothing or personal items in plain view).
4. Plan your wardrobe. Dress as you would for any professional interview outside your home.  Although you may be tempted to stay in your slippers, don’t do it!  Should you need to stand up or go into another room during the interview, you want the interviewer to see you in a polished outfit from head to toe.
5. Test all your equipment. Ask a friend to help you test everything.  Dress in the outfit you plan to wear and start by adjusting the webcam so that you are in the middle of the screen.  Zoom to an appropriate level so that the interviewer can see your head and upper torso, and make sure your outfit looks okay on camera (sometimes white and/or patterned clothes can be distracting on video).  Next, adjust the volume level for your speakers or headphones.  Finally, adjust the lighting.  If you’re in a room with open blinds and glare is an issue, try closing them and positioning an additional lamp behind the webcam.
6. Change your computer settings. Make sure to adjust your screensaver and automatic hibernation settings.  Turn off scheduled scans (so your computer doesn’t lag) and close instant messaging, chat windows, etc. to head-off potential interruptions or technical problems.
7. Practice using the webcam. Unless you’re a broadcast journalist, you’re probably not used to looking into a camera.  Eye contact is important, so practice answering a few interview questions while looking directly into the webcam, as opposed to the screen (where the interviewer’s image will be).  Remember, too, that you may experience audio delays, so be sure to wait an extra second before speaking – otherwise, you may wind up continually interrupting your interviewer.  Finally, although you don’t want to look like a statue, keep large, quick movements to a minimum, as video images can appear a bit jumpy.
8. Eliminate distractions. Outside noises will distract both you and the interviewer, so do what you can to keep them to a minimum.  Keep your pets and family members outside the room.  Turn your cell phone, TV and radio off.  Close your windows, so street noise and barking dogs will not disturb you.
9. Remember, it’s still an interview. While you’re likely to feel more relaxed since you’re at home, you still need to prepare as though you’re going into a formal interview.  Review your résumé and memorize important dates and figures listed, so that you’re not tempted to read your answers from a sheet of paper.

As you can see, a little preparation goes a long way.  Use the tips listed above in your next online interview and you’ll be one step closer to landing your dream job – without ever leaving the comfort of your own home.

Jump start your food & beverage job search by contacting Kinsa today.

When it’s time to hire the best food & beverage professionals for your organization, you face a critical decision:  should you do it yourself, or work with an experienced, specialized executive recruitment firm like Kinsa?

It would be easy (and logical) to use this question as a launching pad for a sales pitch.  The true answer, however, is more complex.  What’s right for one employer, under a certain set of hiring, employment and market conditions, is not necessarily right for another.

So how do you decide if you should hire on your own, or partner with a recruiter?  Here are a few critical questions to consider:

Evaluate Your Current Hiring Practices

• How do you typically hire personnel?  Have you always done it yourself, or do you have a good working relationship with a recruitment firm?
• How much do you really spend hiring staff on your own? Be sure to consider HR time, legal costs, management interview time, opportunity costs, vacancy costs and the cost of a bad hire – in addition to the cost of advertising.
• Do your DIY recruiting methods yield enough qualified candidates?

Conduct a Needs Analysis

• Do you have the time and resources available to properly recruit, screen, interview, assess, reference check and follow-up with candidates on your own?
• How much would it cost you to replace a bad hire in this position (i.e., do you need a guarantee)?
• Does your hiring situation require confidentiality or anonymity?
• How quickly do you need the available position filled?

Consider Current Market and Employment Conditions

• What is the current unemployment rate – not just in general, but specifically for the level/type of professional you need?
• How desirable is your location?  Have you had difficulty attracting candidates to work there in the past?
• What are the emerging industry trends which could impact your ability to hire the talent you need?

Consider the Advantages Recruiters Offer

With budget constraints remaining a key concern, you may lean toward a DIY approach for recruiting.  But before you start posting to job boards, remember these key advantages Kinsa can provide:

1. Improved focus. We free you to focus on your key priorities.
2. Specialization. We know how and where to find the high-caliber talent you require.
3. Contract labor. If your needs are short-term or project-oriented, we can provide access to the skilled professionals you need without adding to your headcount.
4. Access. We maintain robust candidate databases and relationships with passive job seekers.
5. Simplification. We save you considerable time and stress, while ensuring that correct selection and screening procedures are utilized.
6. Guarantees. We reduce the stress, expense and risk involved with hiring and/or replacing a new employee.

When working with a recruiter makes the most sense for your organization, Kinsa is the ideal choice for your professional search and assessment needs. With over 25 years of experience, a dynamic, team-oriented staff and a focus on the food and beverage industry, we are uniquely qualified to deliver the A-level talent you need.

We’d love the opportunity to help you analyze your recruiting needs and determine if our services could help you hire more quickly, accurately and at a greater cost savings.  Please contact Kinsa today.