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5 Solutions for Truck Driver Retention

Retaining employees is an ongoing endeavour for companies across sectors, and with good reason. Holding onto the talent you have is key to reducing business costs and improving company-wide performance. This is no different for businesses in the transport and logistics sector in South Africa. The alarming impact of skilled truck driver shortages in South Africa highlights the knock on effect this has on supply chains and the economic downfall on an increasingly important sector in South Africa.

Transportation of goods by road is a crucial component of South Africa’s transport system and economy. According to the Land Transport Survey, which was released by Statistics South Africa in 2018, 77.3% of freight categorised as land freight in South Africa is hauled on its roads, accounting for 73.8% of total land freight income.

Stellenbosch University and World Bank figures estimate that South Africa’s logistics sector is responsible for as much as 11.8% of the country’s gross domestic product, emphasising the importance of this crucial sector to the local economy.

Maintaining a strong driver workforce to meet demand has become increasingly important. Acute shortages of front-line truck drivers have directly impacted the supply chain. It is critical that companies nurture these valuable team members for long-term retention. Ensuring employees, particularly drivers, are happy is an initiative that every employer should take seriously.

The truck driver shortage is no secret. In fact, it’s been an ongoing issue for years. This driver shortage has a ripple effect on the economy as a whole, and businesses that rely on trucking services are feeling the pinch.

To what extent do these truck driver challenges affect organisations, and what are the available solutions? Let us explore these ideas further to find out! If you’re looking for a more hands-on approach, the MASA Specialist Drivers Division is ready to help. We are an industry-leading supplier of reliable drivers and driving solutions. Contact us now to learn more.

The High Cost of Driver Turnover

Drivers cite poor pay, insufficient revenue miles, and limited time at home as reasons for leaving their current roles. Many choose to switch employees, go solo as owner-operators, or leave the profession entirely.

For fleet management, the constant need to fill driver roles is costly. Onboarding just one driver can cost carriers in excess of R30 000 to R50 000, not to mention the initial productivity losses as the driver adjusts to new vehicle specs.

The True Price of Hiring vs. Retaining a Truck Driver

You might have an average cost for hiring each driver, but the price of taking on new truckers often is much higher than it seems. Besides hiring and training, you’ve also got:

Recruiting costs
The costs and losses of idle equipment
Entry and exit
Lost productivity
Maintenance costs
And more

Since driver turnover rates are high, it makes the overall hiring cost expensive. Each time a driver leaves, you have to start over with someone entirely new. And if you don’t have good recruiting and vetting processes in place, the cycle will just continue.

Here’s some solutions for Truck Driver Retention

One way to ease the strain of the driver shortage is to focus on retention. That is, keeping the drivers you have happy and employed with your company. Here are three ways to do just that:

1. Safety first

Keep trucks maintained, in excellent condition and continuously inspected. Truckers appreciate high-quality vehicles, and want to maximise uptime. In addition, the terminal location where drivers check in should reflect a clean, safe, and positive environment.

2. Understand the market for quality drivers and build compensation packages accordingly

Wages, as well as bonus structures, are accelerating rapidly as demand increases. You must remain continually competitive to attract and retain good drivers. Creative benefits, like providing streaming services, can help round out your offerings.

3. Stay in communication with drivers

This ensures that they understand the value of their job, can provide powerful feedback, and bring new ideas to management from their on-the-road perspective. Listening often is a valuable way to keep drivers happy and engaged.

4. Recognize high performance

When drivers go above and beyond in terms of safety, service, and productivity, provide incentives and formalized recognition programs to show your appreciation. It also makes sense to establish highly visible key performance indicators so both management and staff are working toward the same goals.

5. Use technology more effectively

Technology is a powerful tool that can help drivers find routes, use safer roads, and minimize traffic jam situations. Fleet tracking devices and transportation management systems can be used to optimize their drive. AI-powered dashcam programs that proactively help protect drivers from potential accidents can drive safety and compliance improvements.

Manufacturers, consumer goods companies, and retailers must get creative, smart, and strategically savvy when it comes to overcoming the challenges of supply chain demand through transportation effectiveness, and that includes a major consideration of how they attract and retain quality drivers.

While it’s becoming a balancing act between higher costs and meeting demands, one fact is certain—without a strong transportation system, backed by happy drivers, customers would not receive their products on time.

There is no quick fix, or silver bullet solution to truck driver retention. Instead, a range of strategies must be employed, and employed in an ongoing manner.

Start by considering drivers’ needs and supporting their wellbeing, acting on feedback, encouraging greater workplace connections and delivering engaging learning, and you’ll create an environment in which people truly feel safe, valued and are empowered to perform at their best, delivering the business results you desire.

MASA in it for the Long Haul

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the vital elements of your employment/staffing needs. We are ready to facilitate seamless hiring and onboarding of new truck drivers for your company to maximise your logistic solutions.

Our national footprint and expertise allow us to deliver the finest temporary and permanent drivers for any industry or sector. We have supplied numerous companies with world-class drivers for over 40 years. With such a widespread network of regional offices, we can operate efficiently when meeting our client’s needs. Having a more extensive network of great drivers who display ideal characteristics, we can help companies hire the best possible people.

Get in touch with us today to begin the next phase of your driver’s journey. Also, check out our recent article about Fleet Management to learn more about this topic.

A Four-Step Guide to Human Resource (HR) Planning

in General

At some level or another, regardless of your business size, someone deals with the Human Resources part. To function effectively in business, one must stick to a plan to reach the planned organisational goals. This is where HR Planning comes in.

An effective human resource planning process helps organisations maximise human capital and build a future-ready workforce. Let’s delve into the importance of human resource planning in more detail and what the process looks like.

What is human resource planning?

Human resource planning (HRP) describes an ongoing, data-driven process where a company systematically plans for the future through human resources to ensure that available jobs are suited to appropriately skilled employees.

It identifies critical HR initiatives for the period ahead to help the organisation achieve its strategic goals and maintain its competitive advantage without staffing shortages or excesses.

Importance of human resource planning

Organisations must be able to adapt their human capital to sustain the continuous shifts in technology, local and global economics, product innovation, and culture. Human resource planning is integral to maximising a well-equipped workforce, and it offers other advantages that assist in accomplishing your organisation’s mission.

Challenges of Human Resource Planning

The challenges to HRP include forces that are constantly changing, such as employees getting sick, getting promoted, or going on vacation. HRP ensures there is the best fit between workers and jobs, avoiding shortages and surpluses in the employee pool.

To satisfy their objectives, HR managers have to make plans to do the following:

Find and attract skilled employees.
Select, train, and reward the best candidates.
Cope with absences and deal with conflicts.
Promote employees or let some of them go.

Investing in HRP is one of the most vital decisions a company can make.

HR planning aims to ensure that the company has the necessary skills and resources to achieve its business objectives. This process typically involves four steps:

1. Analysing Labor Supply

The first step of human resource planning is identifying the company’s current human resources supply. In this step, the HR department studies the organisation’s strengths based on the number of employees, their skills, qualifications, positions, benefits, and performance levels.

2. Forecasting Labor Demand

The second step requires the company to outline the future of its workforce. Here, the HR department can consider specific issues like promotions, retirements, layoffs, and transfers—anything that factors into a company’s future needs.

The HR department can also look at external conditions impacting labour demand, such as new technology that might increase or decrease the need for workers.

3. Balancing Labor Demand With Supply

The third step in the HRP process is forecasting the employment demand. HR creates a gap analysis that lays out specific needs to narrow the company’s labour supply versus future direction. This analysis will often generate a series of questions, such as:

Should employees learn new skills?
Does the company need more managers?
Do all employees play to their strengths in their current roles?

4. Developing and Implementing a Plan

The answers to questions from the gap analysis help HR determine how to proceed, which is the final phase of the HRP process. HR must now take practical steps to integrate its plan with the rest of the company. The department needs a budget, the ability to implement the plan, and a collaborative effort with all departments to execute it.

By following these steps, companies can ensure that they have the necessary human resources plan to achieve their business goals.

Why document your strategic HR plan?

Now that you know the steps to strategic human resource planning, it’s time to adapt those steps to your organisation and determine how to execute them.

There are many reasons to document your strategic human resources plan, particularly in a visual format like a flowchart. Through documentation, you standardise the process, enabling repeated success. Documentation also allows for better evaluation, knowing what parts of your plan need work. In addition, a properly documented plan will allow you to better communicate the plan throughout the organisation, including how everyone, from the top down, can contribute to making sure it works.

Document every step of the process, from beginning to end, and find room for improvement in your human resources process.

Let’s wrap it up

Companies can stay competitive in today’s fast-paced economy and adapt to change quickly and effectively with effective HR planning. Planning for the future is always a challenge when there is no way to be sure of what it holds, and you can’t foresee every possible development. Nevertheless, it is worth the effort. With some preparation, human resources managers can avoid spontaneously improvising in more situations.

With an accurate understanding of the dynamics of human resources, you have the essentials for an effective human resource planning process that results in a concrete, actionable plan. To develop and carry out your human resource plan, thoroughly analyse your current situation and future needs. If this sounds like a bit too much for your liking, why not consider outsourcing it?

Find your ideal Human Resource (HR) Planning Solution

The benefit of outsourcing your Human Resource planning is that it can help you take the pressure off and give you peace of mind. Outsourcing your Human Resource planning to a trusted vendor like MASA can save you money in the long run and might make a bit more sense depending on the growth stage your business is in.

If you require professional assistance with more than just human resource planning but hiring, onboarding, and training new employees, make sure to contact us to leverage the top staffing employment and labour outsourcing services in SA.

MASA is a leading national and international employment/staffing agency capable of effectively managing the critical elements of your employment/staffing needs.

5 Tips for Effective Fleet Management

in General

Firstly, before we provide you with five tips for effectively managing your fleet, we first need to understand what fleet management means for your business.

Fleet management is a term used to describe the management of any/all aspects relating to a company’s vehicle. This management can include a range of functions, such as vehicle financing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle telematics (tracking and diagnostics of vehicles), driver management, speed management, fuel management and health and safety management.

One can define fleet vehicles as groups of vehicles owned or leased by a business, government or some other form of an organisation rather than an individual.

Let’s explore a fleet manager’s role in logistics and transportation for businesses. Stick around to the end for five tips to create the ultimate fleet management plan.

Also, you can contact MASA to gain a more immediate solution to your fleet management needs. The MASA Drivers Division is the preferred supplier of exceptional drivers throughout South Africa.

What is the role of a fleet manager?

When you get your items safely delivered on time, you can thank the fleet manager who made it happen. Essentially, a fleet manager is a logistics expert who works in the transportation industry.

These logistics specialists are in charge of managing every detail regarding company vehicles and their drivers.

In addition to their primary duties of buying and maintaining vehicles used for deliveries, fleet managers have several other jobs. Here are five of their many responsibilities and the qualities needed to be a good fleet manager.

1. Records Accurate Information on Fleets

One of the core responsibilities of a fleet manager is to record and maintain correct data regarding everything about a fleet.

In other words, a fleet manager keeps a detailed history of every vehicle in their fleet. An example is a fleet manager looking up the date of the last oil change for a specific vehicle. Sourcing details like this entails having well-kept records.

2. Analyzes Recorded Data

Fleet managers examine recorded data. They extrapolate possible problems from this information, besides rerouting vehicles or changing a travel schedule when needed.

As a result, drivers don’t waste travel time because they use routes with less traffic or road hazards.

3. Chooses the Right Vehicles

Another basic job is selecting the most appropriate vehicles. Fleet managers also determine the best way to finance a fleet.

Once their vehicles have reached their maximum use and are ready to be resold, a fleet manager knows how to get the best price possible. Thus, they also serve as negotiators.

4. Sets Up Maintenance Schedules

Fleet managers are responsible for vehicle maintenance. They make sure their vehicles are in excellent shape for performing their various functions.

One must consider how critical it is for their vehicles to deliver products and services at a minimal cost successfully.

Fleet managers set up a maintenance schedule to ensure the vehicles in their fleets are correctly maintained. Usually, a service department performs vehicle maintenance.

It can also be done using an external auto-service business. Furthermore, an auto-service centre can be a source for supplying spare parts when needed.

5. Establishes Situational Procedures for Possible Problems and Scenarios

Fleet managers understand how various issues can prevent their fleets from delivering goods and services on time. That’s why they have to devise situational plans when problems arise.

For instance, a good fleet manager will have detailed plans of action for conditions, such as vehicle breakdowns, traffic crashes, failed inspections and other incidents while a fleet is travelling to its destination.

Fleet managers are under enormous pressure with all the moving parts involved in truck fleet management. Their day begins with keeping costs down, monitoring fuel usage and staffing issues, and ending with tracking expenditures – all the challenges required to manage a fleet successfully.

In addition, truck fleet managers have to provide comprehensive training and regular health and safety courses for their drivers. Monitoring driver behaviour and arranging training when needed are essential for fleet management. Fleet managers must also keep their trucks in working order by making sure they are regularly checked and quickly repaired when required.

Fleet management is a critical component of any trucking or logistics business. An effective fleet management strategy can help a company save money, improve safety, and increase efficiency.

Here are five tips for creating an effective fleet management plan:

1. Define your goals and objectives

What do you want to achieve with your fleet? Are you looking to reduce costs, improve safety, or increase efficiency? Once you know your goals, you can develop specific strategies to help you achieve them.

2. Choose the top vehicles for your needs

Not all vehicles are created equal. You’ll need to select well-suited vehicles for your particular business needs. Consider payload capacity, fuel efficiency, and maintenance costs when choosing your vehicles.

3. Set up a robust scheduling system

How do you plan to use your fleet? Do you need to schedule deliveries around customer needs? Or are you managing many shipments that need to be routed in the most efficient way possible? Whatever your needs, it’s crucial to have an effective and flexible scheduling system in place.

4. Implement driver training programs

Driver safety is paramount for any trucking or logistics business. You’ll want to ensure that all drivers receive regular training on safe driving practices, vehicle inspections, and cargo handling techniques. This will help keep your fleet running smoothly and avoid costly accidents or breakdowns.

5. Monitor performance using data analytics tools.

Effective fleet management relies on data. You’ll need to track key performance indicators like fuel consumption, maintenance costs, and driver safety records. This data can help you identify areas where your fleet could be more efficient or cost-effective. By monitoring your fleet’s performance, you can make necessary adjustments to improve overall efficiency.

By following these tips, you can develop an effective fleet management plan that will help your business save money, improve safety, and increase efficiency. Effective fleet management is essential for success, whether you’re running a small startup or a large logistics company. So take the time to create your plan today and start driving your business forward.

Contact MASA today to leverage your ultimate driving and fleet management solution. We supply world-class drivers to over 200 blue-chip corporates in South Africa and across borders.

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The Value of Expert Vetting in the Hiring Process

in General

Employers are actively looking to hire as quickly as possible to sustain momentum in today’s job market. Still, potential candidates are looking to be hired as soon as possible to ensure stability and secure an income. This competitiveness can often mean potential candidates portray themselves as more qualified or experienced than they are in the required field in order to secure a job.

With this in mind having a sound vetting process to properly check potential employees is incredibly important to businesses in the hiring process to ensure they get the best, most qualified, and verified employee possible. If there is no vetting process in place, it can often cost the business more money in what we call “bad hires.” Bad hires are often people who might interview well, and you can almost be sure they are the perfect person for the job. Still, you may realise they are not adequately skilled or experienced enough in their position a month later. You might need to hire another person to fulfil their job or replace them, costing your business more time and money.

To avoid this, businesses turn to experienced labour brokers like MASA, who follow strict vetting processes to ensure they source and hire the right candidates.

What is labour brokering?

Labour brokering is a growing industry, with increasing demand for labour workers in many different fields. Labour brokering is a term for a form of outsourcing practice in which companies contract labour brokers to provide them with casual labour.

Labour brokers are different from recruitment agencies in that labour brokers handle almost all aspects of the worker’s employment (including interviews, recruitment, HR, admin, payroll, transport, etc.). In contrast, recruitment agencies are only responsible for sourcing candidates for employment. In essence, rather than a company hiring a worker, it partners with a labour broker who employs the worker instead.

Labour brokers follow rigorous vetting processes to ensure the business gets the correct, experienced and skilled labour they are looking for. Having a vetting process is incredibly important for a company in its hiring process.

What exactly is “expert vetting”?

Expert vetting involves having trained professionals review the qualifications and experience of potential hires to make sure that they meet all requirements for the position. This process helps businesses avoid issues like poor quality work, costly mistakes, and even legal problems resulting from an unqualified worker who injures themselves or others on the job.

Vital steps of the vetting process

Labour brokers generally move through several essential vetting procedures that can differ slightly between industries and how an employer prefers to carry out their candidate vetting process. Here are a few of the most critical aspects of the vetting process:

Initial applicant screening

One of the main steps in the vetting process is when labour brokers screen through applications, resumes and cover letters. Typically, they move through this step quickly, using resumes and job applications to check that applicants followed their application instructions, have the required qualifications for the job and seem like they’d be a good match. Once they move through this step, they may schedule a phone screen or interview before an in-person interview to better gather information about you.

Phone and video screening

The screening phase of the vetting process can involve several different approaches, depending on the labour broker and the nature of the business they are seeking workers for. For instance, with sales and marketing, they may schedule a phone interview as a way to converse with you, ask questions about your work history and get a better idea of your personality and ability to communicate. You might also encounter questions about your educational background, specific credentials and other details that give employers an idea of who you are and how you would fit in the role.

In-person interviews

The most well-known aspect of the vetting process is the in-person interview. You might interview in a range of different styles, such as a group interview or a one-on-one interview. Still, the goal is the same: for the employer to meet candidates in person to get to know them. Employers should see a candidate’s personality, ask job-specific questions that allow them to understand what they’d bring to the company and ultimately see whether the candidate will be a match for the job. Interviews also often are the determining factors of an employer’s hiring decisions.

Background checks

Thorough background checks are a common occurrence in the vetting process. Many industries require at least the most basic background check to ensure candidates don’t have a criminal record. However, higher-level background checks are necessary for some government, education and security jobs.

Looking for expert labour brokers that follow an effective vetting process?

MASA is one company that specialises in providing expert labour brokering and vetting services. Their rigorous vetting process includes verifying applicants’ credentials and references, checking for disciplinary issues or criminal history, and testing job-specific skills. This ensures that businesses who use MASA’s services can be confident they hire the best possible candidates for their needs.

The expert vetting process provided by MASA is just one example of how businesses can benefit from using skilled professionals to screen potential hires. Implementing this process into your own business’s hiring practices can help you avoid many common problems and ensure that you bring only the most qualified workers on board.

Visit our website for information and a list of the services we provide our clients to ensure their hiring processes are the best they can be to ensure the right candidates are employed.

Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you find the best candidates for your business.

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Recruitment vs. Talent Acquisition: Hiring the Best for Your Business

in General

When you’re looking to fill a position in your company, you may find yourself contemplating the needs of your business to decide on the most optimal hiring methods. You may also be wondering what the difference is between recruitment and talent acquisition.

Both are essential hiring methods that can help you find the best candidates for your business and should be used in tandem to ensure you hire the most qualified talent for the position.

This article will explore the differences between recruitment and talent acquisition, discuss the benefits of using each hiring method, and explain why partnering with a recruitment agency may be the best decision for your business.

If you’re looking for more urgent assistance with your hiring needs, don’t hesitate to contact Greys today. We’ll help you find the best talent for your business and ensure a smooth hiring process.

Clearing up the confusion

There are a lot of words and terminology that have seemingly similar meanings when it comes to the complex world of HR. However, most of those terms aren’t actually the same. That’s why people often assume that recruitment and talent acquisition are synonymous when, in fact, they refer to two very different stages of the hiring process.

Other examples of words that are often used interchangeably but have different meanings in the HR world include “employee engagement” and “employee satisfaction,” or “performance management” and “appraisals.”

On the surface, ‘recruitment’ and ‘talent acquisition’ may appear to be the same thing. After all, both terms involve finding and hiring employees.

However, there are critical differences between the two that are important to understand in order to make the most optimal hiring decisions for your business. Let’s take a closer look.

What is recruitment?

Recruitment is one of the first steps in the hiring process. It’s generally understood to mean the process of finding and attracting candidates for a role within a company.

The goal of recruitment is to identify individuals who have the necessary qualifications and skillsets required for the role.

Businesses can conduct recruitment can internally or externally. Internal recruitment involves filling a position with someone already employed by the company, while external recruitment involves sourcing candidates from outside.

External recruitment is often conducted by job postings, online advertisements, or word-of-mouth. In some cases, businesses may partner with a recruitment agency to assist their external hiring efforts through more advanced recruitment methods.

What is talent acquisition?

Talent acquisition is seen as the next step after recruitment. Once potential candidates have been identified and attracted, talent acquisition involves screening, assessing, and hiring the most qualified individual for the role.

The talent acquisition process is more focused on the quality of the hire rather than the quantity. It’s important to remember that not all candidates who go through the recruitment process will be suitable for the role.

That’s where talent acquisition comes into play. Talent acquisition aims to find the very best candidate for the role who will be a long-term asset to the company.

In today’s job market, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for businesses to find the best talent on their own. This is why partnering with a recruitment agency can be such a valuable asset for businesses.

Core differences between recruitment and talent acquisition

To expand on our understanding of recruitment and talent acquisition, here are the five key elements that further differentiate between the two hiring methods:

The goal

As we’ve established, the primary goal of recruitment is to find individuals who have the necessary qualifications for the role. The focus is on quantity over quality.

In contrast, talent acquisition aims to find the very best candidate for the role who will be a long-term asset to the company. The focus is on quality over quantity.

The process

Recruitment is generally seen as the first step in the hiring process. The recruitment process involves finding and attracting candidates.

Talent acquisition is the next step after recruitment. Once potential candidates have been identified and attracted, talent acquisition involves screening, assessing, and hiring the most qualified individual for the role.

The focus

Recruitment is focused on finding individuals who have the necessary qualifications for the role.

Talent acquisition focuses on finding the very best candidate for the role who will be a long-term asset to the company.

The time frame

Recruitment is often conducted on an as-needed basis when a role needs to be filled. Talent acquisition is a more ongoing process that helps businesses proactively build a pool of qualified candidates for future positions.

The cost

Recruitment can be conducted internally or externally. If businesses choose to recruit externally, they may partner with a recruitment agency which can incur additional costs.

Talent acquisition is often conducted internally but may also involve partnering with a recruitment agency. As businesses look for the very best candidates, talent acquisition can be more costly than recruitment.

Why are both recruitment and talent acquisition important?

Hiring the best talent is essential for the success of any business. Recruitment and talent acquisition are important hiring methods that can help companies find the best candidates for their open positions.

Each method has its own set of benefits that can help businesses in different ways. Let’s look at some of the essential benefits of recruitment and talent acquisition.

Benefits of recruitment:

Helps businesses find qualified candidates for specific job openings
Can be conducted internally or externally
External recruitment can be conducted through job postings, online advertisements, word-of-mouth, or partnering with a recruitment agency

Benefits of talent acquisition:

Helps businesses find the best candidates for specific job openings
Primarily conducted through external recruitment efforts
It can be a valuable asset for businesses in today’s job market

As you can see, both recruitment and talent acquisition offers several benefits that can help businesses find the best candidates for their open positions.

How can businesses recruit and hire the best talent?

There are a few different ways businesses can recruit and hire the best talent. One empowering way is to partner with a recruitment agency like Greys.

Recruitment agencies are experienced in sourcing, screening, and interviewing candidates. This means that they can take on the majority of the recruitment process for you so that you can focus on other aspects of running your business.

Recruitment agencies also have access to a large pool of candidates and cutting-edge recruitment technology. This gives them a distinct advantage in finding the best talent for your business.

If you’re looking for a recruitment agency to partner with, be sure to check out Greys Recruitment Agency. We’re a leading recruitment agency with a proven track record of helping businesses find the best talent for their open positions.

Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you find the best candidates for your business.

7 Tips for Success with Mass Hiring

in General

Traditional hiring processes generally focus on filling just one or a few vacancies at a time. As the term suggests, mass hiring involves adding a large number of employees at once. The success of your mass hiring/staffing exercise would come down to a few simple points; we will dive into some of those points and provide useful tips for how you can structure your mass hiring/staffing strategy below.

It doesn’t matter what sector your business is in, all businesses will need to know how to scale up their workforce, if it hopes to grow. So even if you aren’t in the market to mass hire now, you will hopefully be looking to take on a lot of extra staff in the coming years. And you need to be prepared for that.

There are, of course, potential downsides to mass hiring. Two of these downsides are; hiring lots of people at once can have a detrimental effect on the company culture. Because how do you realistically hire hundreds, if not thousands of people in a short space of time, and not have it impact the culture or the quality of your workforce? You need to plan and execute your mass hiring strategy accordingly if you hope to mitigate against this.

7 tips to include in your strategies to ensure success

All strategies have their own advantages and disadvantages. Here are seven tips to help your company succeed with mass hiring or staffing:

1. Define Your Goals

Before you start the hiring process, it’s important to define your goals. What is your company trying to achieve with this mass hiring or staffing? Is it to fill a large number of positions quickly? Or is it to find the best candidates for specific roles? Once you know your goals, you can tailor your hiring strategy accordingly.

2. Create a Hiring Plan

A well-thought-out hiring plan is crucial for mass hiring or staffing success. This plan should include everything from the number of positions you need to fill to the timeline for filling them. It should also detail the steps you’ll take to find and vet candidates.

3. Use Multiple Recruitment Channels

To reach the largest pool of qualified candidates, you should use multiple recruitment channels. This could include online job boards, social media, employee referrals, and more. The key is to cast a wide net and then narrow down your candidate pool based on your specific needs.

4. Streamline Your Interview Process

When you’re interviewing a large number of candidates, it’s important to streamline your process as much as possible. This means having a clear understanding of the skills and qualifications you’re looking for and using standardised interview questions. Additionally, you may want to consider using digital technology, such as video conferencing, to save time.

5. Focus on Quality over Quantity

It’s tempting to hire the first candidates who meet your minimum qualifications. However, it’s important to remember that quality is more important than quantity. Instead of hiring a large number of unqualified candidates, take the time to find a smaller group of high-quality candidates who are a better fit for your company.

6. Set Clear Expectations

When you’re bringing on a large number of new employees at once, it’s important to set clear expectations from the start. This includes things like job duties, hours, and company culture. By setting these expectations upfront, you can help new employees hit the ground running and avoid any confusion or frustration down the road.

7. Provide Ongoing Training and Support

Finally, don’t forget to provide ongoing training and support to your new hires. This is especially important if they’re coming into a role that’s outside of their comfort zone. By investing in their development, you can help them be successful in their new positions and prevent turnover in the future.

Mass hiring isn’t something you can do alone. This procedure will require the participation of your whole HR team, and you may even need to hire for HR before you can embark on a large enough project.

To avoid disputes and blunders throughout the hiring process, make sure your team is on the same page as soon as possible.You can manage this by having a well-prepared mass hiring plan that you execute carefully. Don’t be afraid of utilising technology but at the same time, don’t neglect the human element in your recruiting.

Another alternative is to hire a staffing solutions agency like MASA to cover some of the available positions, especially if your team isn’t equipped to handle everything on its own.

Staffing solutions agencies such as MASA are able to offer you the finest applicants and help you fill various posts while you conduct more specialized recruitment on your own. The biggest plus is they are nationwide delivering staffing solutions wherever you are.

Contact MASA today to connect with a leading staffing agency and employment specialist in South Africa. Our expert team is ready to assist you with mass hiring and get your company the most optimal staff for the job.

Staffing Solutions: 9 Tips and Strategies for Your Contingency Planning

in General

There is no question that the business world is constantly changing. New technologies are introduced, economic conditions fluctuate, and consumer preferences shift. In order to stay competitive in today’s marketplace, businesses must be prepared for any eventuality.

This is where contingency planning comes in. Contingency planning is the process of preparing for potential disruptions to your business operations, including anything from a natural disaster to a staff shortage.

In this article, we will discuss contingency planning in detail. We will explore the benefits of contingency staff for companies and provide eight tips and strategies that businesses can use for effective contingency planning.

If you’re looking for ways to prepare your business for the future, MASA provides comprehensive staffing solutions that can help. As the leading provider of contingent workers in South Africa, we have the experience and expertise to meet your specific needs. Contact us today!

What is contingency planning?

Contingency planning is the process of preparing for potential disruptions to your business operations. These potential disruptions could include any seen and unforeseen circumstances, such as:

Natural disasters (floods, fires, hurricanes)
Technological disruptions (computer system crash)
Economic downturns
Supply chain disruptions
Changes in government regulation

In South Africa, the rise of the contingent workforce has been driven by a need for flexibility and cost savings. Companies are increasingly turning to contingent staff as a staffing solution, and we expect this trend to continue, especially in light of the current economic climate.

The country is also experiencing a skills shortage, and the contingent workforce provides a way to access the talent that businesses need on a short-term or project basis. By partnering with a staffing agency, forward-thinking companies can stay agile and adapt to the ever-changing business landscape.

Why are contingency staff important for businesses?

The goal of contingency planning is to minimise the impact of these disruptions on your business and ensure that you can quickly resume operations. There are many reasons why contingency staff are a vital part of a company’s staffing solution. Here are just a few:

Your company can use contingency staff to fill short-term gaps in your workforce.
Contingency staff are often more flexible and adaptable than full-time employees.
Using contingent staff can help you to reduce your overall labour costs.
Contingency staff can provide much-needed skills and expertise on a short-term basis.

Further benefits of contingency staff

If you manage contingency staff effectively, they can provide even more benefits for businesses, including:

Increase in productivity: Contingent workers are often highly skilled and motivated to get the job done. This can lead to an increase in productivity for your business.
Cost savings: Companies usually hire contingent workers on a short-term basis, which can save your business money in the long run.
Flexibility: Contingent workers provide businesses with the flexibility to respond quickly to changes in demand.
Access to talent: Contingent workers can give your business access to a pool of talented individuals who might not be available full-time.

There are several ways to use contingency staff within your business, for example:

Hire contingent staff to cover for employees who are on leave.
Bring in contingent staff to work on specific projects.
Utilise contingent staff during peak periods or busy seasons.

8 tips and strategies for your contingency planning

A good contingency plan goes beyond simply laying out possible problems by giving a concise plan of action for when any significant issues arise for the business.

Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of contingency staff, let’s take a look at eight tips or strategies that businesses can use for dealing with staffing shortages:

1. Define your business goals and objectives

The first step in contingency planning is defining your business goals and objectives. This task will help you identify which areas of your business are most critical and need protection in the event of a disruption.

2. Review your current staff needs

The next most logical step is to assess your current staffing needs. Identifying staffing and skill gaps in your team will help you determine how many contingent workers you need to hire and what expertise they should possess.

3. Understand your risks

It’s essential to understand the potential risks that your business faces in any economic climate. This understanding will help you determine which areas of your business need contingency planning and what type of disruptions you need to account for in your strategy.

4. Determine your budget

A crucial step of this process is determining your budget for contingency staffing. Knowing how much capital to set aside will ensure that you have the financial resources to hire the contingent workers you need.

5. Create a talent pipeline

Develop a list of potential candidates for contingent positions. This task will help you quickly staff critical roles in the event of a shortage and ensure that you have the talent you need to resume operations.

6. Develop a communication plan

Once you’ve reviewed your risks and staff needs, you can develop a communication plan for different types of disruptions. The goal is to have a clear, concise and actionable plan in place so that you can quickly resume operations with minimal disruption.

7. Train your employees

Make sure you adequately train your employees to handle the additional workload. This training will help minimise the impact of a staffing shortage on your business and allow your business to bounce back quickly.

8. Review, test and update your plans regularly

As your business changes, so will your staffing needs. Make sure to review and update your contingency plans regularly to ensure they are still relevant and practical. Testing your strategy will also help you identify any gaps or weaknesses so that you can make the necessary changes.

It’s contingent on you!

Staffing shortages are a reality for many businesses, but you can develop a robust contingency plan that will help your business weather any staffing disruptions. Contingency planning is an essential part of any business’s staffing strategy and can help you avoid costly disruptions.

An effective contingency plan will give you peace of mind knowing that your business can continue to operate even if faced with a staffing shortage. Do you have a contingency staffing strategy in place? If not, now is the time to develop one.

MASA is the perfect solution for your staffing needs. Our staffing service can provide you with the people you need to keep your business running smoothly, no matter what happens.

The Importance of Ethics in Recruitment: Why Ethics Matter in the Hiring Process

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There’s no question that recruitment is a critical part of any business. Staffing decisions can make or break a company, which is why it’s so important to ensure that your recruitment process is ethical and fair.

Unfortunately, many unethical practices occur in recruitment, which can have severe consequences for businesses. Although people despise a terrible boss, an unethical recruiter or hiring manager is just as bad.

Finding the perfect candidate takes a lot of time, money, and energy, but it’s all worth it when you have an ethical recruitment process.

This article will discuss the importance of ethics in recruitment and why you should always strive to conduct ethical recruiting practices. We’ll also look at some of the most common unethical practices in recruitment and provide tips for avoiding them.

Why is it important to have ethical recruitment practices?

The recruitment process can be very stressful, and it’s easy to make ethical lapses when you’re under pressure. However, it’s important to remember that recruitment is a people business. The recruitment process impacts the lives of real people, so it’s crucial that we ethically conduct ourselves.

It’s our responsibility to ensure that we treat candidates fairly and with respect. We have a duty of care to candidates, and we should always strive to act in their best interests.

Ethical recruitment is simply the right thing to do, but there are a number of crucial reasons for businesses and agencies to hire ethically:

Ethical recruitment protects the rights of candidates

When we adhere to ethical standards, we ensure that we treat candidates fairly and respectfully. This respect helps to protect their rights and prevents them from being exploited.

Ethical recruitment builds trust

If candidates trust us, they’re more likely to work with us again in the future. They’re also more likely to refer others to us, which can help us grow our business.

Ethical recruitment attracts the best candidates

The best candidates want to work with ethical and responsible businesses. If you can show that you’re an honest business, you’re more likely to attract top talent.

Unethical recruitment practices can damage your reputation

If word gets out that you’re engaging in unethical recruitment practices, it can damage your reputation and make it difficult to attract top talent.

Unethical recruitment is illegal

There are many laws governing recruitment, and if you break these laws, you could face severe penalties. For example, it’s illegal to discriminate against candidates based on race, religion, or gender.

Ethical recruitment practices lead to better outcomes for businesses

Companies that engage in unethical recruitment practices are more likely to experience legal problems, bad publicity, and high staff turnover. In contrast, companies

There are many reasons why ethical recruitment is essential, but ultimately it comes down to doing the right thing. It’s the morally correct way to conduct business, and it will help you build a strong reputation as an ethical recruitment company.

Examples of unethical recruitment practices

We have discussed why ethical recruitment is essential, but what does unethical recruitment look like? Unfortunately, there are many examples of unethical recruitment practices. Here are some of the most common:

Making promises that you can’t keep

Don’t make promises to candidates that you can’t keep. For example, don’t promise a candidate a job if you’re not the final decision-maker.

Ghosting candidates

“Ghosting” is when you disappear on a candidate after promising to stay in touch. This rude and unprofessional move can damage your reputation when candidates report on their experiences.

Failing to disclose important information

It’s essential to be upfront with candidates about the recruitment process. For example, you should let them know if you consider them for a role they’re not qualified for.

Asking illegal questions

Job seekers have rights just like their employers and recruiters do, and there are specific questions that you’re not allowed to ask them. For example, you can’t ask about their religion or whether they have children as this would open up the potential for discrimination.

Making false promises

Don’t make false promises to candidates to get them to accept a job offer. For example, don’t promise a higher salary than what the company is willing to pay.

Stalking candidates on social media

This unethical practice points to the evolution of recruitment in our modern world, where social media plays such a significant role. Stalking candidates on social media is a form of invasion of privacy and can damage your reputation if word gets out.

Ultimately, ethical recruitment is about being honest, transparent, and respectful to candidates. It’s the only way to conduct business, and it will help you build a strong reputation as an ethical recruitment company.

Tips for ethical recruitment

As a business or recruitment agency, there are several things you can do to ensure you’re conducting ethical recruitment practices. Here are some tips:

Be upfront with candidates

Make sure that you’re transparent with candidates about the role, the company, and the recruitment process. This transparency will help build trust and ensure candidates know what to expect from you as a recruiter or hiring manager.

Don’t make promises that you can’t keep

It’s important not to make promises that you can’t keep, such as guaranteeing a job or offering unrealistic salaries. Being dishonest or misleading will only lead to disappointment and damage your reputation.

Don’t discriminate against candidates

Ensure that you’re not discriminating against candidates based on race, religion, gender, or any other protected characteristic. This discrimination is not only unethical, but it’s also illegal based on South African legislation.

Be fair and unbiased

Treat all candidates fairly and equally. Don’t play favourites or show bias towards any particular candidate. Being fair and unbiased can ensure that you’re making the best recruitment decisions and hiring the most talented candidates.

Protect candidate information

Make sure that you protect the personal information of candidates. This includes ensuring that their CV and cover letter are only seen by those who need to see them and keeping their contact details confidential.

Follow the law

Make sure you’re familiar with all the laws and regulations governing recruitment in your country. Knowing the law is vital to protect both your business and the candidates you’re interacting with during the recruitment process.

Ethical recruitment is not only the right thing to do, but it’s also good for business. It will help you build trust, attract top talent, and avoid legal problems. You can ensure that you’re conducting ethical recruitment practices by following these tips and staying up to date on legislative changes.

Labour laws protecting job seekers from unethical recruitment

The recruitment process can be a minefield for businesses and agencies unfamiliar with the law. There are many laws governing recruitment, and if you break these laws, you could face serious penalties.

If you’re found to be breaking the law, you could be fined, imprisoned, or both. For example, the Employment Equity Act prohibits discrimination against job seekers and makes it illegal to ask specific questions during the recruitment process.

In South Africa, the Labour Relations Act was amended in 2014 to introduce protections for employees in precarious employment. The amendments did not ban labour brokering. Instead, they strengthened the regulations to provide more excellent protection for workers placed in temporary employment services.

For the most part, this purpose has had the effect of increased protection for marginal workers and the introduction of a legislative framework to ensure temporary services are indeed temporary and not exploitative in any way.

Partner with a trusted and ethical agency

If you’re not familiar with the recruitment process or the law, it’s a good idea to partner with a trusted and ethical recruitment agency. They will be able to guide you through the process and ensure that you’re complying with all the relevant laws.

MASA is a staffing agency that is committed to ethical recruitment practices. We believe that recruitment should be fair, transparent, and legal. We will work with you to ensure that you’re making the best possible recruitment decisions for your business.

Contact us today to find out more about our staffing and recruitment services. You can also check out The Advantages of Expert Industrial Relations if you found value in this article.

Temporary Employment: The Differences Between Staffing and Recruitment

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Keeping costs low for any business is essential right now in South Africa. Simply put, the country’s current economic state doesn’t lend itself to being overly optimistic on the back of the COVID19 pandemic and recent weather events.

As a business, multiple factors come into play when adding temporary staff to your workforce, and you may ask yourself several questions before taking this on. Employers face a big question: “what is better, easier and quicker for my business – going the recruiting route or finding a suitable staffing solution?”

In this article, we hope to outline the answer to such questions and help you understand the difference between staffing and recruiting when it comes to temporary employment.

Alternatively, you can contact MASA today if you would like to speak to an experienced consultant on this issue or anything related to temporary and permanent staffing.

Understanding the difference between recruitment and staffing

First, we need to understand the difference between recruiting and staffing. Essentially, recruiting is acquiring talent to work as full-time employees, while staffing entails hiring an agency to provide your company with temporary workers.

This point creates a significant difference between staffing and recruitment, which is essential to understand when approaching any staffing or recruitment services.

Staffing solutions are usually more advantageous for organisations since they can help reduce costs and improve efficiency. Here are the main differences between the two:

Recruitment is all about finding suitable candidates for a specific job, while staffing is about filling a position with an available candidate, which helps to ensure continuity for your business.
Recruitment is often done by HR professionals, while staffing is usually handled by managers or supervisors, lessening your total costs in the process.
Recruitment can be a lengthy process, while staffing is usually much quicker. It also gives you the security of knowing the candidate’s background, allowing you to accelerate your hiring.
Recruitment usually requires advertising and other forms of marketing, while companies can often do staffing through word-of-mouth, existing networks, or an agency like MASA.
Companies often recruit for permanent roles, while staffing is usually for temporary or contract positions. It all depends on what you are looking for as a business.
Recruitment can be expensive, while staffing is usually much more cost-effective.
Recruitment can be very time-consuming, while companies can often do staffing relatively quickly.
Recruitment often requires a lot of paperwork, while staffing solutions are usually much more straightforward. Agencies also handle that headache for you.
Recruitment can be stressful, while staffing is often much less so. You are not actively looking for a candidate, and agencies like MASA have on-demand vetted candidates.
Recruitment can be risky, as there is no guarantee that the candidate will accept the job offer, while staffing solutions offer organisations more flexibility and control. You put forward your applicable requirements, allowing you to decide on a candidate that you know in detail.

As you can see, there are many differences between staffing and recruitment. Staffing solutions are usually more advantageous for organisations, as they can help reduce costs, improve efficiency, and reduce hiring stress.

Staffing solutions can also cut back on time spent on admin and paperwork, and by partnering with the right agency, you can access the most optimal talent for your business. If you are looking to fill a temporary or contract position, staffing is likely the better option.

The Hiring Process of a Staffing Agency

A staffing agency puts up many job ads to attract top talent. The agency then vets applicants and selects the most exemplary employee to fill a client company’s opening, taking the hassle out of it for you. Depending on demand, agencies often have many workers at their disposal, with an extensive database of candidates seeking work.

Hiring a Staffing Agency

When hiring a staffing agency, you must first assess your needs and expectations. Do you require highly-trained specialists? Are 80 people required tomorrow or just two? Most staffing agencies focus on specific industries, so it’s vital for you to partner with the right one to assist you.

Advantages of Hiring Through a Staffing Agency

Some advantages of hiring through a staffing agency include seeing a potential employee in action before committing to hiring them. Companies can also offset hiring costs to the staffing agency – essentially stretching their rands. Additionally, companies can get several employees quickly, bypassing the weeks hiring usually takes.

The truth of it all is that staffing and recruiting cannot exist without the other, but they are not the same.

The most important asset of your company is skilled, qualified and dedicated employees. Employees play a critical role in the efficiency and success of your organisation. It’s important to consistently incorporate new and talented employees and retain your existing employees. Both staffing and recruiting are vital to ensuring the most suitable employees are selected for your openings.

Need help with your staffing and recruiting strategies? Call us or visit our website. MASA provides immediate and lasting value to your talent delivery and workers through advanced tools and world-class customer service. We’re more affordable than the industry standard, with guaranteed delivery and access to great talent.

Visit our other services on our website as well, or set up a meeting with us to find the best solution for your company.

Why Healthcare Providers Are Outsourcing Their Nursing

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Nursing staff are an essential component of any healthcare-based organisation, and the healthcare industry is known for being one of the most demanding. Nurses are constantly on their feet, working long hours and often on rotating shifts. And yet, despite this high demand, some organisations still have difficulty finding nursing professionals to work in their facilities.

Today, the need for dedicated and reliable nurses is as high as ever. From home-based care and retirement villages to private hospitals and clinics, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that there is no room for error in the healthcare field. Many organisations are turning to outsourced nursing services to help them meet their staffing needs and provide the level of care that their patients deserve.

One of the most popular options for healthcare organisations is flexible and permanent nursing services, which provide a range of benefits that simply aren’t offered by other staffing options.

The role nursing staff

Nursing staff plays a critical role in providing medical care to patients, and they act as both caregivers and educators for their patients. They can handle tasks and duties such as:

Monitoring patient conditions
Administering medications
Assisting with daily activities such as walking or bathing
Recording information about each patient’s condition
Organising treatment plans and protocols
Preparing patients for tests and procedures
Educating patients on how to care for themselves

Nursing staff also provide emotional support, comfort patients who are ill or dying, counsel family members during difficult times, and much more. The role of a nurse is highly diverse as they must be able to perform medical duties that require advanced knowledge in physiology, chemistry, biology, and more.

Nurses act as liaisons between the patient and their family members and often play the role of a counselor and confidante for both parties. Nursing staff must manage their interactions with patients and family members in a professional and compassionate manner. This trait alone separates nursing from other professions.

While there are many different types of nurses who each have specific responsibilities, like nursing specialists, the role of nursing staff in the healthcare industry is to provide high-quality care. Nursing services are essential for patients and their families and other medical professionals who need guidance on caring for them.

The purpose of outsourced nursing services

The demand for nurses far outweighs the supply, making it challenging for organisations to recruit new nursing staff or maintain the current level of nursing services. Every year, hundreds of thousands of new nurses graduate from colleges and universities worldwide; however, these graduates face quite a challenge when looking for their first job.

The private healthcare industry is competitive because it requires highly skilled professionals to provide top-quality care efficiently. Nursing is no exception, and nursing shortages can reduce the quality of care that patients receive. For example, if there are not enough nurses on staff to provide adequate care for all patients who need assistance at nightly hours, then those nurses must work long shifts, which often leads to exhaustion or burnout. This decrease in productivity can have a direct impact on the quality of care that patients receive.

By leveraging outsourced nursing services, healthcare-based organisations can access the highest level of nursing professionals without having to recruit and hire their own professionals. Outsourcing agencies can provide organisations with a steady supply of nursing staff, regardless of the demand at any given time.

With flexible and permanent healthcare solutions, organisations can staff their facilities with a combination of permanent and temporary employees assigned to specific projects or tasks. Nursing staff can efficiently deal with any seasonal changes in your requirements while still providing you with reliable, dependable people.

Flexible and Permanent Healthcare Solutions

There is a powerful solution for organisations in need of a more flexible, efficient and reliable source of nursing – flexible and permanent healthcare services. Nurses who work as outsourced staff are trained to provide patients with the quality care that they need. Nurses can also retain their positions within nursing staff providers, which enables them to continue building on the experience they have already gained.

As a result of using flexible and permanent healthcare staffing services, organisations will be able to:

Increase the level of nursing services that patients receive
Experience more satisfied nursing staff who provide high-quality care for their patients
Retain nursing staff by having the option to offer permanent positions instead of contract work on an as-needed basis (organisations can renew contracts or receive new contract offers)
Gain access to vetted, trained and qualified nursing staff able to provide world-class care
Improve nursing turnover rates by providing opportunities for career growth and offering permanent positions when they become available rather than contract work.
Access a more efficient source of nursing services through flexible healthcare staffing services.

Nursing organisations that use flexible and permanent healthcare staffing services can leverage the best nursing services possible to advance their care and client satisfaction.

More essential services offered by top flexible and permanent healthcare providers include:

Human resources, such as contracts and payroll
Personnel and administration
Contract management with quality control, supervision and problem-solving
Industrial/labour relations
Productivity, cost control and performance improvement

The best flexible healthcare staffing providers can offer organisations a wide range of services to save time, resources and money. These agencies can also provide recruitment, payroll, training management and more through their service platforms.

Nursing staff provided by leading healthcare providers will be experienced in the field with current knowledge about the latest medical advancements and best practices.

Conclusion

Nursing organisations can take advantage of using flexible and permanent healthcare staffing. They can access talented nursing staff by outsourcing their nursing services through an industry leader like Greys Nursing Services. Our company provides our clients with nursing services and access to qualified nursing staff to provide high-quality care.

Visit our website to learn more about the Greys Nursing Services and contact us today about our labour-hire and recruitment solutions.

We can help you make the most of your healthcare staffing needs by providing flexible, quality services that work within your budget. We offer a comprehensive range of nursing services with an exceptional standard of service excellence that we know will empower you to achieve success in every way.