A global human talent shortage plagues businesses around the world. According to management consulting firm Korn Ferry, if left unaddressed, the shortage could reach more than 85 million people by 2030. At this point, the shortage could result in about $8.5 trillion in unrealized annual revenues, too.

Your business needs skilled professionals on staff. Yet, identifying, attracting, and retaining talent remains difficult. Fortunately, options are available to help you strengthen your workforce, regardless of your recruiting strategy. These options include upskilling and reskilling.

What Are Upskilling and Reskilling, and Why Should Your Business Use Them?

Upskilling involves learning new skills or enhancing existing ones. For instance, an employee can complete a training program that allows them to add new skills or improve current ones to further contribute to their company’s success. In this instance, the employee and their business can reap the benefits of upskilling.

Comparatively, reskilling involves developing new skills for a new role. For example, an employee who wants to move into a management role may enroll in online management courses. Upon completion of these courses, the worker will possess a wide range of management skills. Plus, the worker can transition into their management role without a steep on-the-job learning curve.

Ultimately, there is a lot to like about upskilling and reskilling. Key reasons why businesses utilize upskilling and reskilling across their workforces include:

1. Increased Employee Engagement and Retention

Upskilling and reskilling provide businesses with myriad opportunities to invest in their employees. Meanwhile, workers can leverage upskilling and reskilling programs to bolster their skill sets. These employees can feel great about the fact that their businesses are committed to their success. The result: companies that leverage upskilling and reskilling can maximize their employee engagement and retention levels.

Struggling with turnover or employee motivation, ? GPS can help you build a more engaged, loyal workforce.

2. Improved Customer Satisfaction

Skilled employees can deliver exceptional contributions across a business — and customers are likely to notice. So, if a company implements an upskilling or reskilling program, it can help its workers become better in various areas. These workers can then apply their new knowledge and insights to assist customers like never before. This can lead to improved customer satisfaction, along with increased revenues and exemplary customer loyalty.

3. Talent Recruitment

Businesses want to attract top job candidates, regardless of role. With upskilling and reskilling programs, a company can distinguish itself to superb candidates. A company can use these programs to show job seekers it is willing to invest in their futures. This can help the business promote itself to candidates. And it may allow the company to recruit candidates who want to stay with it long into the future.

How to Close the Skills Gap Across Your Workforce

Your business can use upskilling and reskilling programs at any time. However, to get the most value out of these programs, it helps to plan. This ensures your upskilling and reskilling programs empower you to close skill gaps across your company.

Now, let’s look at five tips to help you optimize the ROI of your upskilling and reskilling programs.

1. Establish Skill Adjacencies

Identify skill adjacencies across your workforce. To do so, look for workers who possess skills that align with those required to perform various tasks. Next, you can provide these employees with training to help them advance their skills.

2. Create Training Programs for All Types of Learners

Set up training programs tailored to different types of learning styles. For instance, some educational programs can leverage microlearning, which involves short videos and other media that cover topics in short increments. On the other hand, in-person and workshop classroom-style learning sessions can cater to workers who prefer hands-on learning. You can even offer online training sessions that employees can complete anywhere an internet connection is available.

3. Reward Workers Who Engage in Your Programs

Celebrate workers who upskill and reskill. You can offer bonuses, gift cards, and other financial rewards to employees who complete upskilling and reskilling programs. Or you can recognize these workers’ accomplishments during business meetings.

4. Provide Multiple Program Options

Give workers the flexibility to choose upskilling and reskilling programs that correspond to their career goals. Offer multiple programs, and employees can select ones that can help them accelerate their career growth.

5. Make Your Programs Accessible to Everyone

Ensure workers across all departments can access your upskilling and reskilling programs. This enables employees to gain the skills they want to accomplish their career aspirations.

Need Help Bridging the Skills Gap Across Your Business? Partner With a Recruiting Company

Upskilling and reskilling programs can deliver tremendous value. And, if you use these programs in combination with an effective talent recruitment strategy, your business can avoid a skills gap that can otherwise hamper its growth.

If you need help bridging the skills gap across your business or want to develop and implement an effective recruiting strategy, it pays to partner with a reputable recruiting company. The right recruiting company can help you get the best results from your upskilling and reskilling programs — and get more done.

Do you have an upcoming interview?

Congratulations!

We want you to put your best foot forward. Whether you are an entry-level candidate or a seasoned professional, interviewing remotely or in-person, we will show you how to shine – and land a great new job.

Get this eBook by clicking this link https://resources.gpsjobs.net/index.smpl?c=52751#ebook-form

ASK ME ANYTHING: MASTERING THE MODERN JOB INTERVIEW

Do you have an upcoming interview?

Congratulations!

We want you to put your best foot forward. Whether you are an entry-level candidate or a seasoned professional, interviewing remotely or in-person, we will show you how to shine – and land a great new job.

Get this eBook by clicking this link http://resources.gpsjobs.net/index.smpl?c=52751#ebook-form

Merry Christmas from Gallman Consulting!

Gallman Consulting wishes you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We thank all of our clients and candidates for choosing to be a part of the GPS family.

HUGS Drive

All donations must be in original packaging.

Newberry County Young Professionals www.nbyyp.com/ newberrycountyyp@gmail.com along with the Muller Center at Newberry College, The Rotary Club of Newberry, The Newberry Museum, Gallman Personnel Services, Inc., Newberry Dental Associates, and the Newberry County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a H.U.G.S. drive to benefit the students of Newberry County.

Drop Off Locations:

Newberry County Chamber of Commerce
1209 Caldwell Street
Newberry, SC 29108
M-F: 8:30am-5:00pm

Newberry College
Keller Hall
2100 College Street
Newberry, SC 29108
M-F: 9:00am-4:30pm

Gallman Personnel Services, Inc.
2402 Wilson Road
Newberry, SC 29108
M-F: 8:00am-5:00pm

The Newberry Museum
1300 Friend Street
Newberry, SC 29108
Tu-Sat: 10:00am-4:00pm

Newberry Dental Associates
2306 Harrington Street
Newberry, SC 29108
M-Th: 8:00am-4:00pm

Does mindfulness ramp up your team’s speed, quality, and motivation – or is it just a waste of time?

With all the “magic bullets” being marketed these days, it’s difficult to tell what’s effective and what’s nothing more than an expensive placebo or clickbait. Workplace productivity “cures” are no exception, bringing us to contemplate if techniques such as mindfulness and meditation actually improve job performance, or if they’ll leave us with little more than wasted hours.

Luckily, unlike most “magic” weight loss pills, meditation’s link to productivity has been thoroughly studied. So, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of mindfulness – so you can decide for yourself if such tools are right for your team.

Pros – Meditation’s link to workplace productivity

• Meditation can make employees less prone to making mistakes – According to a study run by Michigan State University, different forms of meditation have different effects on neurocognitive function, including the neural signals that occur half a second after someone has made a mental error. The study suggests that open-monitoring meditation – a form of meditation that allows participants to let thoughts flow through their mind instead of shutting them out – increases the strength of a person’s conscious error recognition if practiced regularly.

• Self-discipline is strengthened through regular meditation – The practice of regular meditation, even just a few minutes per day, can do more than bring about a cultivated sense of peace; it can strengthen a person’s self-discipline. The act of taking time out of your day to sit quietly and prevent one’s thoughts from running around like a rampant toddler provides ample practice in the development of discipline.

• With discipline comes focus – Focus is tied to self-discipline, so it makes sense that developing one would develop the other. During meditation, a person focuses on their breath, body, or specific visualization while avoiding the distractions of everyday life. In the same way, a productive employee must focus on their work tasks while avoiding the distractions of the office. Less focus on chatter, ringing phones, and the clock ticking away the seconds between lunch and the frustration of rush hour traffic means more focus on work-related tasks.

• Meditation increases patience – No employer expects any employee who wants to keep their job to sit patiently throughout the workday, and that’s not the type of patience we’re talking about. Meditation increases the kind of patience that allows a person to slow down mentally and become more detail-oriented by giving them the tools used to step away from the emotional rush of time constraints, such as deadlines or quotas.
  
• A decrease in stress that boosts morale – Morale has a heavy hand in productivity, and meditation increases morale by giving employees a chance to relax their bodies, clear their minds, and recharge their mental batteries.

Cons – Meditation might not be as helpful as we thought

• Meditation may lower a person’s motivation – A recent study suggests that meditation, while increasing focus and discipline, may actually lower an individual’s motivation to complete a given task. The study separated participants into a mindfulness group and a distracted group before having them complete simulated office tasks, and the mindful group reported less motivation to complete tasks than the distracted group, even after being offered a financial incentive.

• Mindfulness shifts focus from the future to the present – It’s important to live in the present, but it’s also important to plan and strive for future goals. Mindfulness meditation shifts a person’s perspective away from future rewards and advancement (major motivational factors in any workplace) and places it on the here-and-now. Whereas focusing on the present sounds great in theory, most people probably wouldn’t work as hard if they had no future goals.
  
• Meditation shows no net gain in productivity – In the same study that suggested lowered motivation in mindful individuals, participant performance was measured and showed that meditation provided no benefit to (or detraction from) the quality of work performed.

Overall, meditation seems to increase focus, discipline and morale without increasing individual productivity. But whether you decide to implement a meditation program or not, staffing and recruiting firms can deliver focused, motivated and productive candidates both quickly and cost effectively.

The one thing you should know about us is that our number-one priority is helping you. It doesn’t matter if you’re a job seeker or a hiring manager—we have the experience, the expertise, and the resources to provide you with the solutions you’re seeking.

We’ve been in the search and placement business since 1985. We believe strongly in the importance of relationships, and that’s why we want to introduce the members of the Gallman Consulting Team:

The faces of Gallman Consulting

Georgette Sandifer

Smith Richardson

At Gallman Consulting, we use everything at our disposal to help you meet your hiring needs and achieve your career goals. Gallman Consulting is an executive and professional employment search firm that guarantees quality talent. Honesty, integrity and ethics are not just buzzwords, they are the words we live by. Our goal is to build solid relationships with our clients and candidates by matching top talent with excellent career opportunities. Our parent company, Gallman Personnel Services has been in business since 1985.

As an affiliate of Top Echelon, a national recruiting organization, we follow stringent guidelines for membership related to candidate and client relationships. We are a Top Producer for, and a “Preferred” member of Top Echelon. Top Echelon holds the distinction of being the nation’s largest and most prestigious independent recruitment association. These affiliations provide access to the resources of over 2000 association members, and enable us to share in a large pool of currently employed, hidden candidates.

Our services can save your staff the cumbersome job of recruiting, qualifying and narrowing the field. We send only the candidates that we believe fit the individual job description.Gallman Consulting can provide you with candidates in the following positions:

Manufacturing

• Plant Management
• Quality
• Engineers
• Manufacturing Managers
• Materials, Logistics, Purchasing
• CNC
• Design
• Process Management

Human Resources

• In various industries to include manufacturing, service, distribution, and others.
• HR Generalists
• Employee Relations
• Labor Relations
• Benefits Specialists

Engineering

• Electrical
• Industrial
• Chemical
• Civil
• Mechanical

Construction Management

• Construction Management
• Project Managers
• Superintendents
• Estimators

Other

• Administrative
• Accounting
• Executive Placement
• Contract/Consulting Staffing

Worksites are dangerous places. There are power tools and heavy machinery in use. There may be debris falling from a height. It’s why so many construction sites are fenced off from public access. Of course, as an employee, you also face dangers on the site. That’s why you need to know these four safety musts.  

Use the Right Tool 

Job sites can come under intense pressure to get things done now if a project falls behind. This can lead to on-site shortcuts like using whatever tool comes to hand rather than getting the right tool. Using the wrong tool for a job is a very good way to end up with an unnecessary injury or to damage something on the worksite. Plus, as often as not, you end spending more time trying to get the wrong tool to work than you would have spent getting the right tool.  

Don’t Overwork Yourself 

Experienced workers know how dangerous it can be to show up to work exhausted. Power tools and heavy machinery do not mix well with sleep deprivation. Too little sleep not only makes you dangerous to yourself, but it also makes you dangerous to your coworkers. Being overtired diminishes your reflexes. It also impairs your judgment almost as much as drinking a couple of beers before work. Do your best to set up your schedule so you can get enough sleep before work. 

Use the Safety Gear Your Company Provides 

Companies don’t provide safety gear on a whim. They do it because safety gear prevents injuries. They also do it in some cases because the law requires them to do it. If the state or federal government passed a law about it, you have to know some pretty bad things happened first. You should make a point of learning wear the safety gear is stored, as well as any first aid equipment. That empowers you to get your gear as soon as you arrive and to offer first aid help quickly in the event that someone is injured.  

Don’t Accept Tasks You Aren’t Qualified to Do 

It can be tough to say no when your supervisor or manager asks you to do something. It can also be extremely dangerous to say yes if you aren’t trained for the task. You need to know your own skillset so you can explain why you shouldn’t be given a task, but say that you’re willing to learn if someone knowledgeable will show you.  

Be Safety-Minded 

The best way for you to stay safe is to be safety-minded. Understand the limits of your skills. Say no when someone asks to work beyond them. Use your safety gear, even if you think it’s foolish. Retrieve the right tool for the job. Get enough sleep. Taken as a group, all of these actions will help you get home unhurt.  

Interviews are stressful events. Unless you’re in the enviable position of job shopping, you’ve got a lot riding on the outcome of any interview at a company you want to work. The pitfall of all that stress is that it can make you question things you usually take for granted, like your competence and likability. This, in turn, can undermine your confidence and assertiveness during the interview itself. If you’ve been down this road before, keep reading for tips on how to remain assertive during your interview.  

Body Language 

It’s very hard to oversell the role of body language in selling yourself to a hiring manager. The problem is that body language generally happens without a lot of input from your conscious mind. That means you need to pay attention to what your body is doing during the interview. Make sure you maintain good posture with your back straight. Stand up and initiate the handshake with your interviewer. Keep your posture open when sitting. No matter how nervous you feel, don’t fidget. Of course, maintain solid eye contact.  

Ask Questions 

Don’t let the interview end without asking several meaningful questions; a willingness to quiz the interviewer signals that you believe in yourself. Make sure that the questions are relevant to you and your position. For example, you can ask what goals the company is looking to achieve by hiring you. You can also ask more generally what goals the company has for the department or unit you’d be joining. Consider culture-based questions, such as what management style the company prefers or what makes someone a good personality fit. If all else fails, you can ask what you could expect to work on during a normal day.  

Ask for the Position 

It might seem counter-intuitive since you’re there interviewing for the job, but you should still ask for the position. A lot of people walk out of an interview knowing they don’t want the job and won’t take it if offered. Asking for the position at the end of the interview does two things for you. It tells the interviewer that you’re very likely to take the job if it’s offered. It reaffirms your confidence in yourself and your ability to do the job.  

Assertiveness Is a Learned Trait 

Assertiveness comes naturally to some people, but most people must learn to do it. It might feel like you’re faking it during the interview, but think of it as practice for the workplace and the future. The good news is that, like most learned behaviors, assertiveness becomes more comfortable with practice.  

Fatigue is the often unacknowledged enemy of adults everywhere. It’s easy to fall into a lifestyle that encourages fatigue. You take overtime whenever it’s offered. You end up messing with your phone until well after you should be asleep. Fatigue, however, isn’t a joke. It can compromise your decisions and reduce reaction time. That combination can end up getting you or a coworker injured. So, here are some tips to help you avoid fatigue. 

Eat Right 

Nobody is saying never to eat fast food. Sometimes it’s your only option when your lunch break gets cut short or you just need something easy to eat for dinner before collapsing into bed. On the whole, though, you do need a balanced diet.  

That means you get regular servings of fruits and vegetables. You keep your carb intake to a reasonable level. You eat appropriately sized portions for your height and frame. This combination provides your body with essential nutrients that support energy production. You also need to get enough water. Dehydration can leave you feeling groggy. 

Exercise 

Believe it or not, getting regular exercise can help you stave off feelings of fatigue. The exercise helps you condition your muscles, which makes you more resilient. Exercise also provides you with a nice cocktail of mood-enhancing neurochemicals that can limit feelings of fatigue.  

You can double down on exercise and make it a social activity by joining a team or setting up a pickup basketball game. This lets you exercise and socialize. Socializing also has a positive effect on your overall mood and sense of well-being, which can help prevent fatigue.  

Get Serious About Sleep 

Americans tend to view sleep as the enemy. It’s something we put up with because we have no other choice. Yet, we often limit it too much. We drink caffeine in the evening. We stay up late watching TV or playing video games. We take our phone to bed and answer emails until 2 in the morning.  

You need a certain amount of sleep to function. Even more importantly, your body needs sleep to heal and rejuvenate itself. Depriving yourself of sleep makes you more likely to get sick or get hurt. Commit to getting at least seven hours a night or eight if you can manage it. It might not cure your fatigue, but it will likely help a lot.  

Fatigue Is a Fixable Problem 

Unless you have an underlying medical condition that causes it, fatigue is a fixable problem. Getting the right kinds of foods in the right proportions, along with enough water, supports your body’s energy production. Regular exercise gives you a chance to condition your muscles and even get social. Regular sleep gives your body a chance to heal and rejuvenate. Put all of that together and you’ve got a good shot at resolving your fatigue.