This month’s HR news roundup discusses holiday hiring strategies, the importance of employee appreciation, hiring trends for 2020, and more.

Holiday Hiring

No longer does Black Friday mark the start of the holiday shopping season. Now, many retailers are embracing all of November and December, and if you’re looking to hire seasonal employees, the competition can be fierce. Wondering how to get ahead? Inc. offers two overarching strategies. First, rely on those loyal to your company — employees, customers, and fans. Your current employees might appreciate extra hours this time of the year; customers are already familiar with your store and what you sell; and fans are passionate about your brand. Then, make the hiring process easy for potential employees — use an automated system, advertise available shifts, and ask about availability up front. And be sure to act quickly to avoid missing out on qualified candidates.

Recognition and Appreciation — One Isn’t Enough

Do you think of recognition and appreciation as the same thing? For the sake of your organization’s culture, your employees’ performance and engagement, and overall retention, it’s important that you treat these two things differently. Employee recognition, says Harvard Business Review, means giving people feedback based on their results or performance — think awards, bonuses, promotions, and handwritten notes. But these things are limited, and not everyone will benefit from them. Appreciation, though, celebrates each employee’s value. “In simple terms, recognition is about what people do; appreciation is about who they are,” wrote the HBR author. And employees want to feel appreciated — in fact, 53% of people said more appreciation from their boss would help them stay longer at their company. Make sure you’re doing your part by listening to your employees, telling them what you value about them, and checking in often.

Rejoining the Workforce

For parents, members of the military, and others who leave the workforce to dedicate their focus to other responsibilities, trying to get back in can be tough. According to HR Dive, Johnson & Johnson is making it easier with their Re-Ignite program. Offered in four different countries, the program isn’t just for former Johnson & Johnson employees. In fact, only 10% fit that mold. “Anyone who’s had a career break is welcome to apply,” said Liz Markus, director of Re-Ignite. “Some returners are in the R&D space, others are in IT, engineers, process technicians, and more.” And according to one program participant, both the company and returners are benefiting. “It has given me an opportunity to take the hardship I was experiencing and turn it into success for myself and others,” she said.

Hiring in 2020

A new decade is coming — is your hiring process up to speed? According to a recent SHRM article, the traditional recruitment process will become less popular, and five new trends will emerge:

• Predictive Analytics: Employers will be able to analyze their current top performers’ retention rates and success indicators to predict which candidates will be high performers, therefore informing hiring decisions.
• Chatbots: Automation, integrated into an organization’s existing applicant tracking system or human resource information system, will take over the time-consuming process of scheduling interviews.
• Enhanced Vetting: “When we hire, we want to hire right,” Best Response Media’s Jessica Salter told SHRM. Her organization embraces a three-stage interview process. Other organizations are starting to use things like behavior assessment tools and video interviews.
• Artificial Intelligence: Trained algorithms will be able to find qualified applicants quickly, saving recruiters a lot of time. Plus, matching technology and triggered responses will allow them to get back to those top candidates in record time.
• Texting: Text dashboards will allow recruiters to gather many candidates’ basic information at once — efficient and convenient for everyone involved. 

Employee Resource Groups

Employee resource groups are offered by nearly 90% of Fortune 500 companies, according to data in an Employee Benefit News article. But only 8.5% of employees are taking advantage of them. Wondering how you can boost participation at your own organization? Make everyone feel welcome by creating additional groups — for young and older professionals, people who identify as LGBTQ+, people who share ethnicities and abilities, and more. “As we know, people want to work in environments where they can get a sense of belonging, people with similar backgrounds, people that look like them, people with similar cultures,” Jorge Titinger, co-author of the book “Differences That Make a Difference,” told Employee Benefit News. “Employee resource groups can provide these places of belonging; they can provide a safe haven for employees and can therefore make it easier to attract and retain employees of different backgrounds, races, and gender preferences.”