Parallel HR » Survey Results

Relocation Nation 2012: How Workers and Employers Are Making a Move

Amy Chulik — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:50:55 +0000

We’ve talked recently about how voluntary turnover is on the rise this year. As it turns out, many of those workers may not be remaining anywhere near their own backyard when they leave their current job.

A whopping 44 percent of workers say they’ll relocate this year for the right job, according to a new CareerBuilder survey conducted by Harris Interactive© among more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals and nearly 8,000 U.S. Continue reading

“I Had a Personal Call from the Governor”: Employees’ Strangest Late-to-Work Excuses

Amy Chulik — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:34:16 +0000

Just when we thought we’d heard it all — employees getting locked in the car trunk, dogs swallowing cell phones, and Botox appointments taking longer than expected — the results of this year’s CareerBuilder survey on employees’ unusual excuses for arriving late to work arrived — and we saw that this year, even a state governor was involved in an employee’s excuse for being late (more details about that one below). Continue reading

Help Desk / Technical Analysts

parallel — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:57:20 +0000

Parallel HR Solutions is looking to secure several Help Desk and Technical Support Analysts to provide world class technical support [...]

Gen Y on Facebook: Where Work and Personal Habits Collide

Amy Chulik — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:18:05 +0000

As we’ve talked about before, many members of Generation Y look at work a little bit differently than other generations. ”I love my job, but I love my life more” is something you might hear Gen Yers say. Although members of Gen Y (the generational group comprised of those 18 to 29 years of age) have no problem with working hard, as a general rule, their job will never be the whole of their identity. Continue reading

36% of Companies Are Leaning on Temporary Workers to Support Slim Staffs

Amy Chulik — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:05:15 +0000

It’s 2012. The year of presidential elections; the year of the world’s end, if you ask some; and, according to the results of a new survey conducted by Harris Interactive© of more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals, the year of the temporary and contract worker?! Read more

What’s the True Cost of a Bad Hire?

Mary Lorenz — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:04:20 +0000

They may not have experienced the type of PR nightmares that Netflix experienced from its ill-conceived decision to launch Qwikster or Yahoo! Inc. saw after firing CEO Carol Bartz over the phone, but two-thirds of American companies say they’ve made business mistakes this year they wish they could take back. Those mistakes, according to a new survey, came in the form of bad hires, the results of which ended up costing them in more than just bruised egos. According to a new CareerBuilder survey on the cost of a bad hire, 69 percent of employers reported that bad hires lowered their company’s productivity, affected worker morale and even resulted in legal issues. Forty-one percent of companies estimate that a bad hire costs more than $25,000, and one in four said it costs more than $50,000. While some mistakes are beyond the hiring manager’s control, there are ways to avoid hiring the wrong person. “The more thoroughly the candidates are vetted, the less likely they will be a poor match,” says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. Haefner advises employers to allow job candidates the opportunity to meet as many employees in the department as possible – especially if they will work closely together. Also, candidates should provide ample evidence to show they have the skills and work experience required for the position. Hiring mistakes happen...but why?

Office Holiday Cheer Outlook: More Merry, More Bright for 2011

Amy Chulik — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:05:27 +0000

The holidays are upon us, and you know what that means: A lot of wide-eyed excitement, crackling fires, fresh-baked treats, gatherings with loved ones, snowball fights, and more perks at work like bonuses, parties and gifts. Wait, what was that last part? More perks in the workplace, just in time for the wallet-emptying tendencies of [...]

Coaxing “Outside the Box” Back In: The Worst Corporate Jargon Offenders

Amy Chulik — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:27:43 +0000

Hey! It's mission-critical that we circle back on this very important matter of corporate jargon in the workplace. Let's focus on the low-hanging fruit with a small group first and then loop everyone in. Being proactive about our learnings will really incentivize the group to focus on the most critical action items and value-add for maximum impact. Let's start high level, drill down from there, and circle back after lunch to figure out next steps. Wait, what? Annoying, right? If you're anything like me, corporate jargon makes your skin crawl -- but in today's workplace, it's sometimes hard to get away from it. We've likely all been guilty of at least one of the business "buzzwords" below. "Outside the box" is the most popular -- or unpopular, depending on your view. What's the one you're most guilty of overusing (or that you just can't stand)?

What’s the Price of the Perfect Employee Holiday Bonus?

Mary Lorenz — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:08:17 +0000

Less than you might think, actually.

Despite what Oprah may have you believe, $10,000 bonus checks, iPads and lavish Mediterrannean cruises aren't the only way to say "thank you" to your employees. A new survey from Parago, indicates that even a little bit can go a long way when it comes to recognizing employees this holiday season. In fact, the majority of employees surveyed don’t expect end-of-year rewards or holiday gifts from their employers at all this year. Not that they would turn such rewards down… Yet employers might be surprised to hear that it doesn’t cost much to make employees feel appreciated. According to the survey, 84 percent of employees say a prepaid gift card of $100 or less would meet their expectations for a reward. In fact, 64 percent said a prepaid card of $50 or less would meet their expectations for an end-of-year reward, with 55 percent expecting $25. The survey also indicated that when it came to type of reward employees prefer, prepaid Visa or MasterCard gift cards won out above all other incentives, including other types of gift cards, company-branded merchandise or cash, due mainly to the fact that prepaid cards can be spent nearly anywhere at multiple retailers. Did the prepaid gift card last year? Consider offering employees extra paid time off as another low-cost holiday incentive. Almost everyone will appreciate the extra time to run errands, - especially at this time of year - or to simply relax and spend time with family and friends.

It’s Getting Personal: Workers, Employers, and Internet Use at Work

Amy Chulik — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:00:10 +0000

Economy be damned – it looks like Cyber Monday may hit record sales this year. Cyber Monday, otherwise known as the online (and seemingly safer) version of Black Friday, has become the No. 1 online shopping day of the year. A new CareerBuilder survey shows that many workers are not only using Cyber Monday to [...]