A Million Thanks from Murray Resources

As 2010 comes to a close this week, we’d like to take the time to thank our many clients and candidates. We have a million reasons to be grateful to you, but most importantly, we’d like to thank you for your continued loyalty and support. We appre­ci­ate the trust you have placed in us and we promise to con­tinue working hard and working smart to help you find people and find work.

We’d also like to thank you for letting us share our ideas and knowledge about staffing, human resources, and job searches through this blog. We think it’s a privilege that you look to our Houston staffing agency as a source of information for your business or your career. So again, thank you!

We’d also like to thank you for all the great feedback we’ve gotten from you in 2010. Hearing about your success stories is such a pleasure – whether it’s in finding people or finding work – and it reminds us why we got into this business in the first place.

And finally, we’d also like to send you and your family our best wishes for a joy-filled holiday season and a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year! We’ll see you in 2011!

A Message of Thanks from Murray Resources

In 1789, then-President George Washington proclaimed the first National Day of Thanksgiving as a reminder of the feast celebrated by our forefathers after surviving their first winter in Plymouth. More than two centuries later, we’re still celebrating Thanksgiving and using it as a time to reflect on our many blessings. And despite the uncertainty in our economy, there is much to be grateful for here at Murray Resources.

To our clients:

We are deeply thankful for your continued loyalty to our Houston staffing agency. Without your support, we simply would not exist. We also know that trust is earned and we pledge to continue delivering the exceptional candidates and top-notch staffing solutions you’ve come to rely on.

To our job seekers:

Searching for a new job in Houston can seem overwhelming, and at times, frustrating – we know that. And we are so grateful that you’ve chosen Murray Resources to help you along the way. We always have your best interest at heart and promise to continue to work diligently to match you with opportunities that are a terrific fit for you.

To our employees:

We are truly lucky to have a team of such smart and dedicated professionals. We know that each day, you go above and beyond to meet the needs of our clients. You care about our clients, and about our staffing agency as well, and it shows in your work. For that, we are grateful.

So, as 2010 quickly comes to a close, we invite you to pause and reflect on the many things you have to be thankful for this year. We’d also like to wish you a Thanksgiving filled with peace and joy. Happy Thanksgiving!

6 Mistakes Managers Make When Giving Feedback

You know that, as a manager, you have to give your employees feedback in order for them to grow and develop into top performers. But, as a Houston staffing agency with lots of experience dealing with people, we know sometimes it can be an awkward prospect – particularly if it’s negative feedback you have to give. Sometimes it’s easier to avoid it altogether, rather than face the unpleasant situation head on. So to make your job of giving feedback a little less painful, we’ve put together a list of six common mistakes to avoid:

1. Waiting until the performance is well below expectations before speaking up.
2. Giving feedback only when things go wrong.
3. Giving negative feedback in front of co-workers.
4. Criticizing performance without offering recommendations for improvement.
5. Avoiding annual performance reviews.
6. Offering generic praise without specific examples.

Offering constructive criticism isn’t always easy. But when you give good feedback, you’ll only stand to benefit in the form of a solid team operating at peak efficiency. With that said, here are some tips to help you give good feedback:

Be proactive.
If you see a performance issue happening, act immediately. The longer you wait, the worse it will get.

Give specific examples.
No one likes to give (or get) negative feedback. But for it to be effective, you have to be clear and state specific examples. So instead of saying something like, “You’re a bad communicator,” consider saying, “I think a lot of the mistakes you make are a result of not asking enough questions at the beginning of each project.”

Make a plan.
Give your employees a plan of action to improve their performance. Be clear about your expectations and the time period within which you want to see a change. Also, be sure to follow up with them.

Offer praise too.
Let your employees know that they are valued. Tell them specifically how their hard work contributed to a happy customer or meeting an organizational goal.

6 Ways to Avoid Layoffs at Your Houston Company

It’s the dreaded “L” word. Layoffs. Both employees and employers fear the unwelcome proposition of losing their job, or laying people off. Sitting down face-to-face with an employee and actually saying the words is no easy task; plus layoffs mean your company isn’t at its healthiest. Not exactly the situation you want to be in.

But while cutting staff might be an inevitability in the near future, there are some steps you can take to try and avoid layoffs.

Step #1: Encourage attrition.

Do you have a number of employees who will retire in the near future? Think about creating and offering an attractive incentive package to those who qualify. Also, if you’ve had any employees who have recently quit or been fired, don’t fill those positions if possible. Reassign those duties to your existing workforce until you are able to hire again.

Step #2: Institute a hiring freeze.

If you’re experiencing an increase in demand at your company, it can be tempting to hire again. But you may want to consider placing a freeze on hiring until the situation has stabilized. If you have a seasonal peak in demand, or have employees out on maternity or sick leave, consider using a staffing company to hire temporary employees for the time being.

Step #3: Reduce hours worked.

While this is sure to be met with some protest and trepidation on the part of your staff, you may want to consider creating a four-day work week to lower the number of hours worked and salary paid. Assure your employees that this situation is temporary and will help the company to avoid future layoffs. To offset this, you may want to allow your employees to trade pay for company stock.

Step #4: Limit overtime.

Overtime is expensive if you’re paying it to your full-time employees. Instead, think about hiring some temporary employees to get the work done. It may cost much less in the long run.

Step #5: Encourage job sharing and leaves of absence.

Allow full-time employees to become part-time employees and share their job roles with each other. Or, if you have an employee who you know wants to take an extended trip to Europe, or write a book, ask him or her to take a leave of absence without pay, but with benefits, for a period of time.

Step #6: Tap into the power of temporary staffing.

Take on more projects and increase productivity – without an increase in overhead – by using temporary employees. Once the project is complete or work flow starts to slow down, simply release the temporary workers.

At Murray Resources, we’ve helped many employers throughout Houston to weather the tough economy by taking full advantage of strategic, temporary staffing. If your company is currently in a position where layoffs seem imminent, please contact Murray Resources. We may be able to help you avoid them.