Maximizing Profit and Morale
Optimizing the Balance between Core and Augmented Staff By Joseph Salvucci Every company confronts the essential question of how much core staff is needed. Too few and you run the risk of diluting your core competency. Too many and you wind up with bloated salaries and benefits you staffed up for during peaks. When the… Read more »
What Microsoft’s Worker Misclassification Suit Tells Us About the Future of Contingent Workers
By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman It was the shot heard ’round the employment world back in 1999, when the U.S. District Court ruled that Microsoft’s long-term contractors were entitled to participate in the company’s tax-qualified employee stock purchase plan. While some companies responded by capping the length of contract assignments and scrutinizing the status of independent workers,… Read more »
Trends: Four Priorities for Engineering Hiring Managers
Growing reliance on flexible workers requires new strategies By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Were the first contractors the American builders and engineers who traveled to Russia to help rebuild the country after the Russian Revolution? By accepting 6 to 12 month assignments and offering their talents on a freelance basis, those early trendsetters may have unknowingly launched the… Read more »
Six Steps to Jump Start Contractor Productivity
Effective assimilation helps contractors make an immediate impact on projects By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Even veteran contractors can feel a bit uncomfortable and apprehensive when starting a new project. After all, jumping into the middle of an engineering venture and bonding with a diverse group of unfamiliar teammates is like trying to board a moving freight… Read more »
Job Interview Bloopers
In our next newsletter, we’d like to feature any entertaining or educational stories you’d like to share about job interview bloopers. These can be mistakes make by interviewers or by candidates. Here are some actual examples (or at least we’ve been told they are true). Can you top these? During an interview a candidate said,… Read more »
Six Tips for a Smooth Start for Your Contract Engineers
Help contractors make a smooth transition by giving them ample information before an assignment By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Finding and securing the right contractor for your project is only part of the battle. Next you want to ensure that you’re creating the best possible environment for your contractor to thrive. Starting on a new project can… Read more »
Payrolling Alumni Engineers as an Operational Strategy
Many retired engineers have come face-to-face with the fact that their retirement savings have been hit hard by the economy. While it may not have been their initial intention, a large number of retirees are interested in rejoining the workforce. Employers often welcome back former full-time workers with open arms. There are many reasons for… Read more »
7 Mistakes That Lead To 1099 Worker Misclassification Liability
By using 1099 contractors, your company can take advantage of many tax benefits. Unfortunately, the use of contractors has been somewhat reduced over the past few years due to the increased risk of worker misclassification liability. Misclassification of independent contractors, who the government views as employees, can result in substantial liability and penalties for back… Read more »
Labor Costs Shrink as Contingent Workforce Grows 33%
While the job market is heating up, prospective employees are sure to notice a few differences when compared to the past. Most notably, employers are adding more contract or temporary workers as opposed to full-time employees with benefits. According to a recent CNNMoney.com article Say goodbye to full-time jobs with benefits, the government estimates that 40+%… Read more »
Engineering Employment Going Up 9%
Despite a recent downturn in the economy and job market, engineering employment remains strong in the majority of the United States. The engineering employment rate is expected to increase nearly nine percent by 2012 due to an increased demand for skilled engineers, managers, and staff. Although money is not the main reason to become an… Read more »