We include developments from the Staffing Industry Daily News and The Staffing Stream to help you focus on emerging movements that could shape your business for the better.


Please Don’t Go

Auto plant avoids temp worker strike.

Auto parts manufacturer Detroit Chassis agreed to let about 60 temporary workers at its plant in Avon, Ohio, join a union less than one day before the workers were to strike. The workers are seeking permanent, full-time employment and better wages and benefits.


A Workers’ MarketTrends_1606_Arrow_WEB

Shrinking unemployment rates lead to wage increases.

In an apparent reaction to a tightening labor market, employers are boosting wages to retain talent, according to ADP’s Workforce Vitality Report.

Wages for full-time job holders rose 4.6% year over year in the first quarter, up from an increase of 4.1% in the fourth quarter. However, job switchers’ growth rate slowed slightly — to 6.0% in the first quarter from 6.2% in the fourth quarter.


Trends_1606_HappyFaces_WEBHappy at Work

Worker satisfaction highest since 2005.

More US workers are satisfied with their jobs than at any time since 2005, according to the annual Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey from the Society for Human Resource Management. The survey found 88% of employees said they were satisfied overall with their job, including 37% who reported “very satisfied” and 51% who said “somewhat satisfied.”

The percentage of satisfied employees has been trending up since 2013.


We’re Number … Zero?

Trends_1606_Numbers_WEB“Unfortunately, we come in nothing more often than anything else.”

Direct quote during a win/loss analysis of a staffing firm’s pipeline: “We meet with the customer, they like what we have to say, ask us for a proposal and we never hear back from them. We think we didn’t win but we don’t know if we came in second or came in nothing — meaning they just didn’t make a decision at all.”

Often, sales people generate proposals with hope as their primary strategy. Yes, there are times when clients’ priorities shift and initiatives get delayed. But our experience tells us that nine times out of 10, the salesperson did a poor job qualifying the customer.

Here are five things the salesperson needs to have a clear understanding of BEFORE generating a proposal.

  1. Do we understand the customer’s challenge and area of opportunity?
  2. Do we understand the critical success factors & objectives by:
  3. Key decision maker?
    a. Key decision influencer?
    b. Driving force/reason to move forward?
  4. Do we understand their decision criteria?
  5. Do we understand the decision process and project hierarchy?

Source: “We came in NOTHING again!” The Staffing Stream, by Mike Jacoutot, founder and managing partner, Butler Street.