Madden Industrial Craftsmen Incorporated

How do you retain your employees after you hire them and prevent high employee turnover?

These are problems faced by all sizes of business.  You need to anticipate what kind of turnover you might have, but it’s a hard thing to do.  For that reason, the recruiting process should be ongoing.

Turnover also has its advantages – new people bring in new and innovative ideas.  But you need to keep in mind that excessive turnover is usually a sign of some fundamental problem with the business and so steps should be taken to address the problem.

Turnover also has a financial cost to the company – estimates of the total cost of employee turnover range from 50 percent to 150 percent of an employee’s annual salary.

Turnover is usually more of a problem with blue-collar and younger employees.  One way to reduce turnover is to offer incentives to stay with the company.  These can include such things as  more vacation time, flex time, job sharing and wellness time.

It’s also important that company leaders share with employees the vision and direction of the  company and communicate with employees the benefits of staying with the company.

It’s also important for the company to understand the reasons for turnover.  Companies have set up different ways of doing this, including exit interviews for employees leaving the company, employee surveys, employee focus groups, and post-employment interviews.

To reduce the amount of turnover, some companies have modified their compensation packages, while others have made changes to their interviewing process.  They are focusing on the fit between the person and company.  Does the candidate share the values and goals of the company?  Some companies are emphasizing career development more.  They have ongoing career development programs, tuition reimbursement programs and skills training to try and retain workers.

Other businesses have become more employee oriented in an effort to retain workers.  They actively try to engage employees and get them involved in ideas for improving the company.  They let employees know they have a voice within the company.  In addition, the companies emphasize recognition of employees.

Also, companies are working on compensation packages that include long-term incentive compensation and bonuses.  They are being more creative with their compensation to retain employees.

If you’re on the lookout for top-notch talent in carpentry, welding, machinery, production, HVAC/facilities maintenance and other skilled technical trades in the Pacific Northwest, contact Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Incorporated. We can fill your temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire staffing needs with excellent workers who meet — and exceed — your expectations. We look forward to hearing from you.

There is an extensive array of regulations and laws in the United States designed to protect people from discrimination in employment.  Because the laws are so numerous, it may be confusing as to what questions are acceptable to ask during an interview.

When interviewing, it is important to keep in mind that questions should pertain only to the candidate’s ability to do the job in question.

Here are some brief guidelines to follow regarding the areas to avoid when interviewing job candidates:

First, questions about an applicant’s age should be avoided because the laws prohibit discrimination based on age.  The only pertinent information is whether or not an applicant is old enough to do the job.

Questions involving an applicant’s family situation are also not allowable.  For example, questions about a person’s marital status, living companions, and children are off limits.

Concerning race or ethnic origin, the only legitimate question to ask is whether the applicant is legally authorized to work in the United States.

Also, to prevent discrimination based on past criminal activities, questions regarding past arrests are prohibited as well.  However, the employer can ask about criminal activity if it relates to the job opening.  For example, an employer is entitled to know about past record of embezzlement if a person is applying for a job at a bank.

All questions relating to an applicant’s racial or religious background are illegal.

Also, it is not permissible to ask about an applicant’s affiliations with any organizations.  However, an employer may ask if an applicant belongs to any organizations that the person considers relevant to their ability to perform the job.  This usually concerns professional groups.

Personal questions involving height and weight should also be avoided – unless they relate  to the applicant’s ability to perform the job in question.

Another area that an employer needs to be aware of is the legal guidelines relating to disabilities. Any questions about a person’s disability, health, or worker’s compensation history are illegal on their own.  So, for example, you cannot ask if a person has a disability or if they have had any recent illnesses or operations.  You cannot require them to fill out a medical questionnaire.

But you can ask about the applicant’s ability to perform the job in question adequately or specific functions of the job.  And you may test the applicant to see if he or she can perform the job, with or without any special accommodation.

You may also require the person to take a medical exam, but only after a job offer has been made.

If your company is located in the Pacific Northwest and you’ve a need for highly skilled welding, HVAC/facilities maintenance, carpentry, production, welding and machinery personnel, contact Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Incorporated. We can find skilled workers for you quickly and easily. Contact us today.

Ah, the performance review. Few like giving them; fewer enjoy receiving them. Still, objective performance criteria can go a long way toward achieving your company’s business goals.

Here are some tips to help you create performance objectives which will help make the performance review process go much more smoothly and happily for everyone.

Make sure your objectives are measurable. Just about every objective can be measured, either by quantity or quality. Decide how you will measure your objectives. For quantifiable (countable) objectives, what kind of “numbers” will you use? are the benchmarks you will use? For the more esoteric (quality) objectives, decide on the different types of benchmarks you’ll use to measure performance. You’ll need to decide what kind of data you will use to measure employee performance and you’ll want to be sure it will provide you and your employees ongoing feedback regarding their performance.

Be specific. What do you really want your employees to achieve? Look beyond actions and focus on results. Being specific makes your objectives clear to your workers and helps keep confusion and disputes to a minimum. If your objectives are complex, aim to break them down into specific sub-objectives. This helps employees focus their efforts on achieving the specific results you seek.

Who is accountable for your performance objectives? Some objectives may be the responsibility of managers, who then should set objectives for line workers. For example, if a foreman is responsible for making sure so many widgets are produced in three months, he’ll want to be sure he creates performance objectives for his team members that  include seeing that those widgets are produced.

Are your objectives realistic? Taking the example above, can your employees make X number of widgets in three months? Efficient businesses know that performance objectives link back to the company’s strategy and business plan. You should set objectives that make your employees stretch and keep them challenged, but your objectives should be attainable.

Speaking of strategy, be sure your performance objectives relate to your company’s business plan and overall goals. Good performance objectives start with the “end in mind.” That is, they create a link between what individual employees are expected to do with the ultimate goal of the company. All objectives should be alignment with at least one other.

Deadlines are gold. Set time frames in performance objectives; deadlines help employees focus.

Contact Madden Industrial Craftsmen Incorporated for top-notch employees eager to meet your objectives. Whether you need industrial workers on a temporary, temp-to-hire or direct-hire basis, we will meet or exceed your objectives every time.

If you’re having a hard time getting employee buy-in of your company’s or even department’s mission, here are some tips to help you do so.

First of all, understand that humans pretty much abhor change. Most of us like our lives to remain as they are; it comforts us and makes us feel secure. Even if a change will be good for us, we still balk and dither.

So understand that your mission is a change to your staff and handle your rollout of any changes that will take place due to the new mission slowly and carefully.

Understand that not everyone in your department or company thinks like you do. Don’t start thinking your employees “should” see things your way. Don’t try to force the new mission and consequent changes down your staff members’ throats — you’ll encounter terrific pull back and you may never see the changes you seek. In addition, morale will suffer tremendously whenever you work to “strong arm” your employees into thinking as you do.

Also, understand that human nature automatically asks “what in it for me?” As you craft your new mission and start planning for company changes, be sure to let your staff know the benefits of the changes and how their working lives will improve.

That improvement/benefit must appear relatively quickly, not years down the yard. Many employees today don’t see themselves staying with a business for more than a few years; promising terrific stock options in five years if all goes well may not inspire many of your staff members.

Understand also that no change benefits everyone; some employees will see their jobs, their career, etc. evolve in a way they don’t like (for example, perhaps your goal to streamline processes results in not needing so many employees, meaning some people will lose their jobs). Be sure you can see all the “benefits” and “negatives” from your employees’ point of view, not just from management’s. Extreme empathy is called for if your mission and its subsequent changes does result in negative outcomes for some of your workers.

If your company is located in the Pacific Northwest and you’ve a need for highly skilled welding, HVAC/facilities maintenance, carpentry, production, welding and machinery personnel, contact Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Incorporated. We can find skilled workers for you quickly and easily. Contact us today.

As more and more businesses use more and more temporary employees for short- and long-term assignments — as well as in positions critical to a company’s success — managers and human resources departments in businesses throughout the country are learning the importance of motivating these new additions to their workforce.

Here are some tips to help motivate temporary workers.

First of all, treat them with respect. Nothing says “you’re nothing to this company but working fodder” than just throwing them into their new position without so much as a “Hello, I’m Bob, this is Janice who will show  you around. Good luck!”

Instead, aim to introduce the temporary employee around your company. Show him the breakroom, where the bathrooms are. Tell him a bit about your company and his roll within it.

As you introduce your temporary worker, don’t introduce him as “the temp.” A much more professional introduction — and one that will help the individual feel a part of your team — is to tell those to whom you introduce him his name and the position he’ll be filling at your organization.

Work hard to treat your temporary employees as much as possible just as you do your “regular” employees. Keep them apprised of your company’s goals, challenges and how their work fits your vision for the company. Invite your temporary employees to staff and department meetings and share your organization’s announcements and memos with them.

Talk to the temporary employee about his background. Sure, you hired him to work as a draftsman, but if you speak with him you may find that he recently was laid off from a position as an engineer — could you possibly use some of that expertise?! Ask his opinion when appropriate — he may have some terrific ideas and, at the least, you certainly could get a different perspective on how you do your drafting projects.

Basically, the best way to motivate temporary employees is to view them — and use them — as important and valuable assets to your business. Treat them as you treat your “regular” employees and watch the magic happen.

If you’re on the lookout for top-notch talent in carpentry, welding, machinery, production, HVAC/facilities maintenance and other skilled technical trades in the Pacific Northwest, contact Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Incorporated. We can fill your temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire staffing needs with excellent workers who meet — and exceed — your expectations. We look forward to hearing from you.

Here are six questions you should never ask a job candidate (and 10 ways you can still get the information you need:

1) Are you a U.S. citizen? Citizenship legally has no bearing on whether someone can work in the U.S. Instead, ask: Are you authorized to work in the U.S.?

2) What religion are you? A candidate’s religious beliefs also have no legal bearing on their ability or ability to do a job. You legitimately may be wondering if their religious practices may preclude them from working nights or weekends, so instead ask: What days are you available to work?

3) What clubs or social organizations are you a member of? Again, this question has absolutely no bearing on a candidate’s ability to do a job and it can reveal too much about a person’s political or religious affiliations. If you were to decide not to hire a candidate based on his or her political/religious membership, you could be sued. A better question to ask is one that’s work related: Do you belong to any trade or professional groups relevant to our industry?

4) How old are you? This question is bad for so many reasons, particularly because you’re setting yourself up for an age-discrimination lawsuit. A better question to ask: Are you over the age of 18?

5) How many years do you have before you plan to retire? Another loaded question. Even if someone appears old to you, she may have 20 years or more before she plans to leave paid work. In fact, she may be planning to never retire. Instead, ask: What are your long-term career goals?

6) Do you have children? Do you plan to have children? Again, what does this question have to do with a candidate’s ability to do the job? How he handles his childcare situation is his responsibility. Far better to ask: This position requires some/considerable travel and overtime. Is that a problem for you?

Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Incorporated provides skilled carpenters, welders, machine and production workers, HVAC/facilities maintenance personnel and other skilled tradesmen to companies doing business in the Pacific Northwest. As a leading staffing agency, we can help you develop a strategic staffing plan to help ensure your company’s fiscal success.

If your company assigns workers jobs in a warehouse of manufacturing facility, here are some safety issues with which you should be concerned:

You should be sure to conduct regular staff training. Warehouse staff tend to do many different types of jobs, rotating among them constantly. Are your staff members certified to handle certain tasks and equipment, if required? Are your forklift and pallet jack drivers tested regularly to ensure they know how to work these machines? Are  your staff members maintaining equipment for safety issues and filling out the necessary  paperwork that proves the equipment is being maintained? What if OSHA were to come calling tomorrow? Would your business be ready?

All of your staff members should know what procedures to follow in case of fire. Do they know the proper evacuation routes and the places outside your building where they are to congregate during an evacuation? Are all of your staff members trained in how to use fire blankets and fire extinguishers? At the very least, do they know where to find these tools?

Are your data sheets from the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) up to date? Cleaning chemicals, forklift gases and engine oil all qualify for assessment. Are your records up to date?

Are your traffic routes in your warehouse or manufacturing facility kept clear at all times? Do you have policies and procedures for keeping your routes for both equipment and people clear of obstruction?

Do you train — and re-train — your employees in the proper way of lifting items? Whenever possible, do you have pallet jacks, fork lifts and other mechanical tools do the heavy lifting for items of 50 pounds or more?

How thorough is your signage? Do you have the proper signs for your employees, visitors, and outside contractors? Do you have enough restrooms as well as break areas for the people who work at your site? Is your warehouse/manufacturing area clean, well-lighted and well-ventilated?

If your company is located in the Pacific Northwest and you’ve a need for highly skilled welding, HVAC/facilities maintenance, carpentry, production, welding and machinery personnel, contact Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Incorporated. We can find skilled workers for you quickly and easily. Contact us today.

We’re sure you’re aware of the changes the Obama administration and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has implemented regarding its shift to a focus on auditing businesses’ I-9 records instead of raiding workplaces to ensure companies are complying with the law.

Just in case you aren’t: it is true — ICE now concentrates on auditing your I-9 forms rather than using workplace raids to ensure all of a business’ employees have the legal right to work in the U.S.

As you know, penalties can be steep; you definitely don’t want to find that you have inaccurate records regarding your employees’ right-to-work documentation.

However, on March 31, ICE announced it’s giving employers a 10-day window to correct minor errors that are found on the I-9 forms during an audit. Minor errors are considered to be small mistakes such as an incorrect birth date or home address.

Still, you would be well advised to check all current employees’ records, as well as records of former employees (those who left less than a year ago), to make sure there are no “substantive errors.” Examples of these are an incorrect citizenship status of an employee or a missing — or incorrect or forged — signature. Penalties for these mistakes can be quite substantial.

So start checking your employee I-9 forms now. You should complete these forms with your employees when they start working for you and you should keep them on file for three years, or for one year after an employee leaves your firm, whichever comes later.

Do you have a question regarding I-9 compliance? Contact Madden Industrial Craftsman Incorporated today. We stay on top of all compliance requirements that ICE, OSHA and other U.S. agencies continually present to companies. In fact, we are the ones required to keep the I-9 forms of the temporary employees we send you because we’re their employer; you don’t need to worry about ICE audits at all.

Mike – Electrician – Commercial and Industrial – Mike is a strong industrial and commercial electrician.  He holds a Journey license for Oregon and Washington.  He has worked in paper mills, saw mills, and has experience with wind turbines.  He has done new construction jobs as well as tenant improvement.  He has run crews at many of his past jobs.  Mike can start to work for you immediately.

 Chris – Maintenance Supervisor – Chris has a strong background in creating and managing maintenance programs. Chris has managed up to thirty skilled trades’ personnel including mechanics, electricians, tool and die makers, and grinders. In addition he oversaw the maintenance for a 750,000 square foot state-of-the-art distribution center.  Chris has outstanding communication skills, longevity at past positions, and is looking for a challenging job. 

 Randy – Carpenter – Commercial – Journey level drywall hanger and concrete carpenter. He is strong at tilt ups and metals studs, and he has done siding, vinyl, and T-111. Randy has all of the needed tools and know-how to hit the ground running with any related job that you might have.  Give us a call to find out more about Randy.

 Bruce – Facilities Technician – Bruce has worked on boilers, air-handlers, chemical pumps, electrical, and other HVAC equipment.  He has also worked on air compressors, forklifts, log loaders, and production equipment.  He also has supervisory experience at a number of his past positions.  Bruce is looking for a long-term opportunity with a solid company. 

 Laborers – We have a number of hard-working, reliable laborers available to go out on short-term or long-term projects.  All of our laborers have related experience, reliable transportation, and are eager to work.  If you need some laborer help for a day or longer, please call us,

This Weeks Top Talent:

Javier – Maintenance Mechanic – he has over fifteen year’s experience doing maintenance and repair on industrial equipment in a heavy industrial and high-tech environment.  He has worked on mills, lathes, saws, routers, grinders, spindle machines, and other industrial equipment.  He has worked with a variety of hydraulic and pneumatic equipment and has a strong electrical background.  He is finishing up a long-term position and is eager to line up another good job.  Please call to find out more. 

Ruben – HVAC Technician – four year’s of education and experience in the HVAC field.  He has worked most recently for a high-tech company as an HVAC Technician.  He has an Associates degree in Facilities Maintenance from PCC, and he is certified in EPA (universal CFC) and Brazing.  He is bilingual English/Spanish.  He has a good work history and is looking for a challenging new opportunity.   If you are interested in more details, please contact us.

 John – Concrete Finisher – John has been doing concrete for 24 years.  His finish skills include stamp, exposed, broom, hard trowel, acid stain, alcohol etching, stain, flat, and smooth.  He has done sidewalks, retaining walls, foundations, and countertops.  If it is concrete, he has done it!  To find out more, just give us a call.

 Erik – Maintenance Technician – Fifteen year’s experience as a Maintenance Technician for a plastic’s manufacturer.  During the fifteen years, he did trouble-shooting and repairs on machinery and worked with robotics.  He worked on conveyors, mills, and sonic welders and has a good knowledge of hydraulics, pneumatics, PLC’s, and light electrical. We have more information on him if you want to find out more.  

Bob – Senior Buyer/Project Manager- He has over 20 year’s experience as a Project Manager/Coordinator and Senior Buyer.  He has been directly involved in development and construction in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries.  Bob is skilled in contract negotiation and compliance, capital equipment procurement, and all phases of construction coordination.  Bob is available as a contract employee and on an hourly