Tag Archives: schedule

Poll Results: Are Companies Offering the Flexible Work Employees Crave?

And how do workers define flexible work?

Open up any employment news report these days and you’ll see that workers want flexible schedules.

But what does that even mean? And does it mean the same thing to workers as it does to employers?

We decided to find out with two polls. One here on Movin’ On Up, and one on Refresh Leadership, our blog for business leaders.

The Results

Job seekers listed “freedom to adjust your schedule to accommodate personal family needs” at number one, with 22% of the vote. Just under 25% of business leaders agreed, making this the most popular response for both groups.

The number two definition for jobseekers at 19% of the vote was “freedom to adjust your own hours/schedule.” Number two for employers was “options to work outside the traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. business day,” with 20% of the vote.

And rounding out the top three for jobseekers was “options to work outside the traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. business day” at 18%, while 15% of employers chose “freedom to adjust your own hours/schedule” as their number three choice.

Beside that slight difference, responses were more or less the same. We’ve listed the remaining results for both job seekers and business leaders below.

What Flexibility Means to Jobseekers:

  1. Working extra hours each day to accommodate a 4-day week: 10%
  2. Working from home part-time: 9%
  3. Working remotely from another city or state/province, etc.: 7%
  4. Working from home full-time: 5%
  5. Working part-time: 4%
  6. Unlimited vacation/paid time off (PTO): 2%
  7. Job sharing: 1%
  8. Doing freelance/gig work: 1%

What Flexibility Means to Employers:

  1. Working extra hours each day to accommodate a 4-day week: 11%
  2. Working from home part-time: 10%
  3. Working remotely from another city or state/province, etc.: 8%
  4. Working from home full-time: 3%
  5. Working part-time: 3%
  6. Unlimited vacation/paid time off (PTO): 2%
  7. Job sharing: 2%
  8. Doing freelance/gig work: 1%

What does this mean?

Job seekers and employers mostly agree on what flexible work means. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that flexibility is being provided. Conversations should be had between employers and employees to work toward a suitable solution to the flexibility question.

About Express

Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Express Employment Professionals is a leading staffing provider in the U.S and Canada with over 800 locations. If you have any questions about part-time work in your area or job search in general, feel free to contact your local Express office or fill out our online contact form.

Does your employer offer a flexible work situation? Let us know in the comments section below!

Why Do People Reject Job Offers?

12-21 Job Offer2If you’ve been in a job search for a long time, it may seem incomprehensible that someone could reject a job offer. After perfecting your resume, crafting a cover letter, gathering your references, applying, preparing for an interview, interviewing, following up, and waiting to hear from your interviewer, it seems like a job offer would be a fantastic reward, right? Not always.

In fact, Express Employment Professionals recently released a new survey that reveals why applicants turn down job offers and why workers leave the jobs they have.

Respondents were asked, “What hurdles stop you from staying on a job?,” and the top answer was pay with 61% of votes. Also selected were schedule (42%), hours (41%), and advancement/opportunity (28%). Take a look at the graphic below for the full poll results.

chart

Would any of these factors stop you from taking a job? Have you turned down an offer due to one of these, or other, reasons? Let us know in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Job Posts Decoder

job_post_decoder_webDecoding job postings is the very first step in the process of finding a job, and if job seekers don’t understand what employers are looking for, their job searches may be doomed. Unless you’re very familiar with the specific company or HR lingo, it’s easy to feel confused and unsure if you should apply for the job.

Fortunately, most employers use a limited vocabulary in their position descriptions. So, as long as job seekers understand the meaning behind a handful of phrases, they can decipher what employers are trying to communicate. We’ve decoded nine popular phrases to help maximize your job search efforts.

Part Time
If a position is described as part time or PT, then it technically means it’s less than the normal 40 hours a week. According to the U.S. government’s description, a part-time job is one that requires between zero and 30 hours per week. However, many companies consider 10-20 hours part time.

Full Time
On the other hand, full time (FT) is usually considered 40 or more hours of work a week. The government has deemed anything over 30 hours as full time, though. Also, usually full-time positions come with more benefits, such as health and dental insurance, retirement, and paid time off.

Flex-schedule
Flex-schedule or flex-time refers to the ability to work a less than traditional schedule. For instance, instead of working Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., you might be able to work three 12-hour days or four 10-hour days. It can also indicate that the employer allows its employees to set their own schedules.

Tele-commuting
If you’re interested in working from home, this is one of the key words you should look for in a job posting. Tele-commuting is the ability for an employee to complete their work from home, usually by phone or computer.

Self-motivated
Employers who list self-motivated in job postings want individuals who can complete tasks and projects on their own without much direction or pressure from others. Business leaders don’t want to constantly tell employees what they need to do or what comes next, so many employers look for this quality.

People Skills
Almost every job requires employees to interact with other people, whether co-workers, customers, or suppliers. So, the term “people skills” just means you need to have the ability to effectively communicate and get along with others.

Preferred
Job postings usually list some things that are required and some that are preferred. For instance, the job description might say a high school degree is required, but some college is preferred. This shouldn’t cause you to automatically give up on that position. If something is listed as “preferred” it just means it’s something the employer would like to see, not something they must have.

Goal-oriented
Goal-oriented is sometimes another way of saying self-motivated. Someone who is goal-oriented usually wants to have specific goals and is driven to accomplish those goals, often with limited instruction or supervision. This can also mean that a business is looking for someone who’s willing to put in as much time and effort as necessary for a goal to be met.

Team Player
Some jobs are more individually-focused and some require a group effort. If a position will involve interacting with several other employees in order to accomplish tasks on a regular basis, then an employer needs a worker who can get along with everyone and work within a team.

Understanding what employers are really looking for is the first step to landing the job you want. And the good news is that, once you’ve decoded a job posting, you don’t necessarily have to match up to the description 100%. A Forbes article actually recommends that you should “consider applying if you come close to meeting about 70% of the employer’s stated specifications and salary range” because “while the employer wants the person who gets hired to have all (or most) of the skills, experience and background listed, they’re also looking for candidates who’ll be a strong fit with their organizations.” By learning to decipher job postings and apply this 70% rule, you can minimize wasted time and ensure your efforts are going to jobs that are good fits and possibilities.

Have you struggled with deciphering a job posting? What other words or phrases are confusing to you? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.