Pilot employing Minn. city homeless residents expands | Why employers should consider hiring ex-offenders | Do your social media posts cause company misperceptions?
Approximately 80 people experiencing homelessness have been hired to clean transit stations in St. Paul, Minn., under the expansion of a pilot program aimed to make the city's public transportation system more welcoming. The program, which is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, offers participants $20 per hour for part-time work.
Companies are increasingly recognizing the benefits of hiring ex-offenders, with a Novus study showing 80% of employees are comfortable working with former inmates. "Most people with criminal backgrounds have actually spent time in jail learning qualifications, new skills or trades to help turn their lives around, especially in industries that are facing labor shortages," says Rob Stone, director of people and culture at CHEP Network.
Many companies misuse social media by only posting job openings, says Mark Waschek, president of Ag1Source, which matches companies and employees. "Unfortunately, if you only post on social media when you have openings, the impression you are leaving in the market is that you have many openings and people do not stay with the company," said Waschek.
With U.S. unemployment rates low, retaining talent has become as crucial as recruitment. The ADP Research Institute highlights that a formal onboarding process significantly enhances employees' perception of HR, increasing their likelihood to stay with the company.
Health care benefit costs are projected to rise by 10.2% in 2025, driven by inflation, health care worker shortages and increased demand for new medical technologies and pharmaceuticals, according to a WTW report. Employers are expected to implement cost-cutting strategies, such as pharmacy benefit management and network strategies favoring lower-cost providers.
The Gartner HR Priorities Survey reveals that human resource leaders are prioritizing workplace transformation for 2025, despite employees' fatigue from constant change. The survey identifies leader development, cultural transformation and strategic workforce planning as critical areas.
While she worked toward a Ph.D. at Cambridge University, Jocelyn Bell, along with adviser Antony Hewish, in 1967 were the first to document a pulsar. Which of these musical groups has an album cover depicting a pulsar?
Tyrone knew he had been caught when he got back to the truck yard, and his boss was outside the office waiting for him. He had lied when he applied for the job the week before, saying he had not been convicted of a felony.
“Your parole officer called, Tyrone. Why’d you lie?”
Tyrone knew it was time to be honest. “I knew if I told you I’d been to prison, you’d never give me a chance,” he answered truthfully, then added quickly, “But I’m the best driver you got here.”
The manager looked at Tyrone thoughtfully and nodded his head slowly. “You can drive your tail off,” he answered, then looked around the yard. Finally, he looked back up at Tyrone.
“No more lies, from here on out,” he said. “Just be straight with me. Okay?”
“Yeah,” Tyrone answered, smiling and nodding. “Preciate you.”
“Yeah. See you in the morning.”
Employers would be wise to not jump to conclusions about ex-offenders and assume they will be a liability and bad hire, says equity consultant LeRon Barton in today's Recruitment & Retention story. These individuals are skilled and hungry for work. He urges employers to give them a chance.
“Inside, people gain skills -- learning to work with diverse people, handling pressure, being resourceful and innovative with what little they have,” Barton explains. “We can’t be so quick to throw people away.”
I agree. My work covering second-chance programs has put me in contact with people who have served time for different offenses (none involving children). They’re good folks and exceptional workers. They are sharp and learn quickly. They will do the jobs others eschew -- and remind their managers about this when it’s time to negotiate raises. They are dependable and committed to a good work product. They have no patience for slackers and complainers.
Quality talent can be hard to find and even harder to retain these days. Ex-offenders can make big contributions in many fields and industries. Are you ready to expand your hiring practices? Have you expanded your hiring practices? Let me know! I’d love to chat more about this. Let me know!
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