Finding the Right Tool for the Job
from Steve Anderson, WKN President
It Takes the Right Tools to tackle any project and have success developing the level of quality and overall experience you desire. You have probably had the experience of trying to do a project with the wrong tool, such as pulling a nail with a pair of pliers instead of the claw hammer. You may have gotten the job done, but in the process you marred up the surface around the nail creating even more work for yourself.
A new service – providing you with new tools – Workamper Agency Services LLC, is nearing its launch. The initial tool will be a system for submitting your Workamper hires into a database that will be available for searching by employers. As you and other employers list the names of your hires into the system, you will be building a database that can be searched for verification that your new hire is committed to the position that you are offering.
THE KEY TO SUCCESS
The main key to the success of this tool will be the willingness of employers to take time to submit the information to be listed in the database. Your input, along with the thousands of other Workamper employers, will compound the value and strength of this tool.
As we move forward to activate Phase 1 of Agency, it is necessary that you understand the listing of someone’s name into the database will only be allowed once the Workamper gives permission. Using the website, you will submit the hired Workamper’s information (name, address, email, phone and dates hired for). The activation of their listing in the database will come from the Workamper. With the Workamper approving the listing, there will be no question regarding permission and knowledge of being listed in the ‘hired Workampers’ database.
The process of submitting hired Workampers should become a step in your hiring process. You will inform the Workamper that you will be submitting their name to Workamper Agency Services LLC and that they will be receiving an email asking them to verify the information. To confirm, giving their approval to be listed, all they have to do is click a link. Once this has been accomplished, their information will be listed in the online database as a hire to your business for the specified period of time. If you hire a Workamper who does not have an email address, you can substitute the Agency email address and one of our Agency representatives will be confirming the Workamper’s information by telephone.
Once the database has been started you will be able to search it as part of your hiring procedure to verify the applying Workamper has not already accepted employment with another employer. If they have, you will want to inform the applicant that they are already listed with an employment commitment for the time period you are also wishing to fill.
REVERSE ACCOUNTABILITY
Now here is where the accountability factor comes in to play from the employer side of this system. If an employer will hire a Workamper knowing they have already been hired by another employer, this creates a compounding of the problem. The employer becomes a part of the problem, instead of being a part of the solution.
I am very aware of the competition among employers to gain the best qualified staff. This competition adds fuel to the problem when employers knowingly offer Workampers a position after obtaining the knowledge that they have already committed to another employer.
This accountability issue is not just one sided. It is fostered by employers not asking the Workamper if they have accepted another position. This, by omission, incubates the issue. When employers continue to not care and don’t ask the Workamper if they have accepted another position, they are enabling the problem to grow in magnitude.
I am sure that the 80/20 Rule also applies to employers. There will be that 20% that will continue to offer positions to Workampers who have already committed to someone else. This weakness will not easily be managed nor eliminated.
NO PERFECT SOLUTION
As you can see there is no easy solution for this problem. The question you must ask yourself “Am I willing to be part of the solution?”
When 80% or better step forward to become a part of the solution – and 80% or more on the Workamper side participate – this tool will become effective in reducing the problem. It will never be perfect, but will reduce the issue for many employers.
WHAT’S NEXT…
As I write, work is continuing on programming for the website, and it is nearly ready. With that said, you will be receiving an email from me soon with your information for gaining access to this tool if you are an EmployerPlus subscriber.
This tool will only be available for use by EmployerPlus subscribers to Workamper News. If your subscription has lapsed, or if you’re a Basic subscriber, please visit www.hireaworkamper.com to renew or upgrade your subscription so you will be ready to use the new tool when I give you the green light!
Join us for the Employer RoundTable session in May 2012. Workamper News will be hosting this opportunity for Workamper employers to share about their successes and failures. To ask questions and answer questions via online webinar.