Archives 2021

Remote work has surged in popularity in the post-COVID world. However, that doesn’t mean the WFH life is without its share of difficulties. Below are some ways of supporting your team through WFH fatigue.

If you manage a partially or fully remote team, it’s important to be mindful of why some people struggle with this work model and what you can do to help.

Challenges of Working from Home

Every worker is different. While some may work well with (or even prefer) a remote model, others may experience a drop in productivity or job satisfaction.

Although the majority of people surveyed said they were equally or more productive when working from home, 42.9% of respondents reported feeling less productive than when working in the office.

Staying aware of the unique challenges of working from home and looking for signs of WFH fatigue among your team members will help you address any problems before they get out of hand.

Set Realistic Standards 

Working from home can blur the line between professional life and personal life. In order to stave off WFH fatigue, you may need to remind your employees to take breaks and refrain from checking emails or Slack messages when they’re off the clock.

It’s also critical to note that WFH life will not exactly parallel a day in the company office. For example, WFH often calls for more time spent on communication with employers and coworkers.

By setting realistic standards, you can help your team members keep their confidence up and keep them from burning out.

Remote Team-Building Opportunities

Working from home may leave some team members feeling isolated from their coworkers and managers. One way to help your WFH staff feel supported is by ensuring that social and team-building events are remote-friendly.

While office parties and team lunch outings can be fun, WFH employees may feel excluded if they’re the only social opportunities. Hosting remote events on platforms like Zoom or Discord will allow the whole team to participate.

Grow Your Team with ABBTECH

Building a remote or hybrid team can be challenging, especially in today’s market.

Over the past 30 years, ABBTECH’s staffing augmentation services have helped companies like yours achieve their hiring goals. Connect with ABBTECH today to build a team of qualified tech professionals to fill your company’s needs.

In the aftermath of COVID-19, many employers are considering a permanent remote team. One reason is because 42% of workers who are currently working from home say they will look a new job if their company doesn’t give them a long-term remote option.

Besides being a personal preference of many employees, transitioning to a fully remote work environment carries notable benefits for your company. These are some of the reasons you may want to consider making the switch.

You Can Save Money

Renting an office isn’t cheap, especially when your company is based in a high-cost city area. Skipping the lease in favor of a dispersed team can represent major savings on your part.

Besides the cost of a lease, you can expect to save money on heat and power, Wi-Fi, office supplies, cleaning services, and other amenities associated with housing a team of workers five or more days a week.

It Encourages Work/Life Balance

With a reported 52% of workers experiencing burnout in 2021, mental health and work/life balance are a prerogative of many employers today. A permanent remote team has a better chance at building a work/life balance.

The opportunity to work remotely has some benefits that may help to alleviate work-related stress on employees. Working from home removes the need for a commute. This allows workers more time to do chores and be with their families.

Employees May Be More Productive

Some employers have concerns about employees being able to stay on track and focused while working from home. However, remote work can be less distracting than going into a bustling, busy office for many professionals.

There’s data to back up the idea that working remotely can make your employees more productive. One study that measured the performance of 16,000 workers found that working from home resulted in 13% higher productivity compared to working in the office.

ABBTECH Can Help You Build Your Team

When your business is looking to build up your remote team, ABBTECH is a great strategic talent partner. We are a leading IT staffing agency with the tools to recruit qualified tech contractors for your open positions. Many candidates are looking for that remote work option.

Connect with ABBTECH today to start discovering skilled IT workers who will fit your team’s needs and help your company achieve its goals.

Want the IT skills to boost your resume and make it stand out from the rest? By learning an in-demand IT skill, you can qualify for a broader range of jobs. You can also show employers that you’re up to date on modern technology.

Picking up one of these skills may help you achieve the career transformation you’re seeking out.

Cybersecurity

As more and more of human life moves online, the need for secure networks and digital infrastructure continues to grow. As a result, cybersecurity skills are highly sought after. One industry report even estimated a 0% unemployment rate for cybersecurity jobs.

Earning a cybersecurity certification such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or CompTIA Security+ can pave the way to high-paying roles in IT.

Software Engineering

Software engineering has long been one of the most profitable skills in the job market, and studies suggest that will not change anytime soon.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of software developers, QA analysts, and QA testers is projected to increase by 22% between 2020 and 2030.

Skills in coding and full-stack development can allow you to access a growing number of profitable jobs across industries.

Artificial Intelligence

As advances in artificial intelligence continue to grow, there is a need for experts. These who can harness the power of machine learning to improve the speed and accuracy of mass data analysis.

Learning a programming language such as Python or R, machine learning libraries and packages, and big data technology can pay off in today’s job market.

Cloud Computing

The popularity of cloud engineering and container technology has created a high demand for skills in Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Kubernetes, and other cloud development platforms.

Becoming certified as an AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect can open up even more opportunities.

Project Management

High-paying IT careers typically call for strong technical skills, leadership and organizational skills. These are also extremely profitable for those that possess them.

Get familiar with project management practices that are popular in the modern tech industry, such as Agile and Scrum. These can help you access high-paying careers in software engineering, product management, and web development.

Earning a certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) is often a step to achieving these types of positions.

Looking to Work in IT? Connect with ABBTECH!

If you’re seeking out a job in IT, working with ABBTECH can be the key. We can help you to land a position that matches your skills and certifications.  Learning these IT skills to boost your resume can really increase the opportunities available.

ABBTECH pairs professionals with IT jobs in cybersecurity, web development, cloud engineering, and more. Whether you’re looking for a role in a small business or a government agency, ABBTECH is here to help.

There is so much competition right now to recruit and hire qualified job candidates. Many businesses are looking at ways to improve their job listings. Taking steps to make your job descriptions more inclusive can help expand your hiring options.

Here are some best practices for making your job descriptions more inclusive.

Use Accessible Language

If your job description is full of corporate lingo or buzzwords, it may discourage industry newcomers from applying. Use straightforward, easy-to-understand language will make your job listing accessible to more people.

Only Ask for Essential Qualifications

When reviewing a job description with the goal of being more inclusive, it’s worth reconsidering whether your initial ideas for qualifications are all necessary.

If your job doesn’t require driving, you may want to consider removing having a driver’s license as a requirement. In a similar vein, you may avoid listing physical strength as a requirement for an office job that doesn’t require regular lifting or manual labor.

Appeal to Non-Traditional Candidates

Include notes in your job description about any features of the job that make it flexible or accommodating. These can help you promote the position to candidates who may not apply otherwise.

For example advertising that the position has flexible hours would allow a parent to leave early to pick up a child from school in the job description. This may pull in applicants for whom that would be a deal breaker.

Mention You’re an Equal Opportunity Employer

Some job descriptions will mention that the employer abides by Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) guidelines. This means they do not discriminate against employees on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, and other characteristics.

Even though there’s no law requiring you to include a disclaimer that you’re an equal opportunity employer, adding it to your job description may encourage members of minority groups to apply.

Reconsider Experience Requirements

Regardless of the field, most jobs require some type of prior experience. It’s worth thinking carefully about how much experience is necessary to succeed in a position. There are potential implications of the requirements you set.

Requiring multiple years of experience for a mid-level position makes sense. Doing the same for an entry-level position will prioritize those who were able to access internships and other advantageous pre-employment training.

Build Your Team with ABBTECH

Partner with ABBTECH to build a team of diverse and talented IT professionals to fill your company’s needs. With over 30 years of experience in strategic staffing, ABBTECH can help you achieve your hiring goals.

The Washington Business Journal Book of Lists is a collection of the largest and most influential players in the Washington, DC area. In order to feature on these lists, a company must meet rigorous criteria and must have their data verified by the Washington Business Journal’s panel of researchers. As a small business, it is highly significant to rank amongst fortune 500 companies on these lists. In 2021, ABBTECH featured on the Largest Temporary Staffing Companies in Greater D.C. – Rank #5 and Largest Women-Owned Businesses in Greater D.C. – Rank #21.

Receiving offers from several different companies may seem like a good problem to have. But navigating multiple job offers and determining which one is the best fit can come with its own difficulties.

Follow these guidelines for a methodical and professional approach to dealing with multiple job offers.

Determine Your Priorities

Early in your job search, it’s a good idea to settle on your priorities when choosing a job. Factors such as pay, health insurance, benefits, work environment, schedule, and opportunities for advancement are all worth considering in turn.

Making a ranked list of your priorities can help you solidify which factors matter most to you once you are deciding whether to accept a job offer.

Collect the Information

In order to compare job offers against one another, it’s essential to have as many details about each position as possible.

Interviews aren’t just occasions for a hiring manager to learn more about you—they also allow you to learn more about a position and company. Asking plenty of questions during the interview process will make your future decision better informed.

 

Use Offers to Boost Your Value

Telling one company that you’ve already received a job offer from another may benefit you in some circumstances.

If you signal to a company that you’re in high demand as an employee. There is now an incentive to expedite the hiring process or improve the package they offer you. You can use a second offer as leverage during negotiations.

Be Respectful and Honest

Throughout the process of navigating multiple job offers, it’s important that you are respectful and polite to all the hiring teams.

It’s also best to avoid suggesting or hinting that you’re ready to accept a job before you make the final call.

While you may be more interested in one job than another, keeping consistent and respectful communication across the board will help you avoid burning professional bridges when it’s time to decline an offer.

Find the Right Job for You with ABBTECH

Looking for a new job that checks all your boxes? ABBTECH is here to assist you with your job search. Submit your resume to ABBTECH to get matched with tech employment opportunities in small businesses, startups, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies.

Getting a security clearance can increase your opportunity as an IT professional.

A security clearance can help whether you’re looking for a temporary contract position or long-term employment. Acquiring a security clearance can broaden your job opportunities, raise your earning potential, and allow you to gain access to high-profile positions.

What is a Security Clearance?

A security clearance is a status granted to select individuals by the federal government that permits them to access classified information or locations.

In general, security clearances measure whether an individual is a loyal U.S. citizen who is honest, trustworthy, mentally sound, and not involved in criminal activity or foreign intelligence efforts.

Individuals cannot start the security clearance application process on their own. A government agency must sponsor an individual to begin the process.

When Do You Need a Security Clearance?

Federal and state employees, military personnel, and government contractors are some of the kinds of workers who typically receive a clearance to do their jobs.

An active clearance may be required to be considered at all for certain jobs. Many positions require you to obtain one as soon as you have a conditional offer in hand.

What Are the Types of Security Clearances?

There are three tiers of security clearances: confidential, secret, and top secret.

• Confidential security clearances permit access to information that, if disclosed, may cause damage to national security.
• Secret security clearances allow access to information that could cause serious damage.
• Top secret security clearances are the highest level: they permit access to information that could cause exceptionally grave damage to U.S. security.

How Do You Get a Security Clearance?

You will be invited to fill out an application to seek a clearance, once you are sponsored by a government agency.

If the application is accepted, it triggers the investigation stage. Government agents will conduct a background check. This check includes a close examination of current and past relatives, employers, neighbors, friends, and other contacts.

Agents will evaluate the findings for approval and next steps.

Get Cleared for Your Next Job with ABBTECH

Working with ABBTECH can be an easy step in the right direction. ABBTECH can help you gain the clearance you need and access the best employment opportunities possible.

ABBTECH is a staffing agency in the Washington, D.C. area that connects IT personnel to jobs in government and other industries. We are prepared to help you get cleared for your next position.

A different way to diversify your business’s recruitment and hiring program is blind hiring.

In 2021, many businesses choose to implement some version of this process. The goal being to remove bias from hiring and diversifying their employee pools. Read on to learn about what this practice is and whether it is the best choice for your company.

How Does Blind Hiring Work?

Certain pieces of demographic and personal information about individual job candidates can be hidden using software or third-party entities. This process most often occurs during the initial screening.

The process operates on the belief that by hiding details such as a candidate’s name, age, gender, address, and educational background, businesses can eliminate the subtle forms of discrimination that commonly occur.

Pros to Blind Hiring

A huge benefit of working without demographic information is that it can filter out clear sources of bias among recruiters and hiring managers. Whether aware of it or not, hiring teams often have an idea of a “good candidate” in mind. This bias can lead to a homogenized workplace.

The problem is widely reported in tech, a field historically dominated by men. Studies show that 48% of women in STEM professions encounter discrimination in the hiring and recruitment process.

A blind hiring process gives companies an opportunity to takes a skills-based approach to hiring talent. This allows employers to narrow their field of candidates based on aptitude alone, rather than degrees or previous work experience.

Cons to Blind Hiring

While blind hiring can present certain advantages to a company, it also has its drawbacks.

Even hiding major demographic information won’t necessarily stop hiring teams from consciously or subconsciously making biased presumptions. These presumptions are based on the content of an applicant’s resume or cover letter.

The process can be implemented easily during resume review. Once a candidate has reached the interview stage it can be difficult to maintain an unbiased viewpoint. Most companies are forced to revert to their usual method.

Is it Right for Your Business?

Every business’s hiring process is different. Blind hiring helps one business achieve its goals; while being much less effective for another.

At the end of the day, weighing the pros and cons of this process is critical to determining if it’s going to be a good fit for your company.

Build Your Team with ABBTECH

Recruitment, hiring, and onboarding are all key to the success of your business. ABBTECH will help you bring in talent that strengthens your workforce. This you the time of vetting candidates on your own.

ABBTECH helps you discover and hire qualified tech professionals to fill your open positions. Contact ABBTECH to learn how our talent acquisition services can work with your business.

Considering leaving your quitting Your Job and starting fresh elsewhere? It’s not just you. In a recent survey by Bankrate of people in the U.S. workforce, 55% of respondents said they were likely to search for a new job in the next twelve months. Here are 5 questions to ask yourself before walking out.

Once the thought of leaving your job has taken root, it can be tempting to start the process right away. However, there are several key questions you should ask yourself before taking the leap.

Can I Afford to Quit Now?

When leaving your job, it is ideal to have enough savings to cover several months’ expenses. If it’s possible that changing jobs will lead to a pay cut, you will also need to determine how to adjust your budget to accommodate.

Is There Anything That Can Make Me Stay?

Before you put in your notice, it’s worth asking yourself whether there is anything that would convince you to stay at your current workplace.

If a pay raise, a schedule change, or a shift in work environment could convince you to stay, you may want to consider negotiating with your company to improve your current situation instead of heading into unknown territory.

Where Will I Go From Here?

Any career coach will tell you that lining up a new job before you quit your current one is the best practice. This helps ensure you won’t take a significant financial hit or acquire a gap on your resume due to a longer-than-expected job search process.

For those willing to risk quitting without a set plan, it’s advisable to research the options available in your field of choice. Consider whether you’ll need additional training to land your ideal career and whether you’ll have good opportunities to choose from.

How Can I Leave on Good Terms?

No matter how you feel about your job, it’s best to be polite and considerate when quitting. Besides being a professional courtesy to your manager and coworkers, it will serve you well if you ever need your former employer as a professional reference,

Giving at least two weeks’ notice before leaving is standard, depending on your job, you may want to give more. You can also make a good impression by offering to train someone to take your spot or document your work processes to ease the transition.

ABBTECH is your Job Search Partner

Whether you are looking to take the next step on your current career path or searching for a fresh start in a different field, ABBTECH can help!  Our staffing and recruiting team will connect you to positions in businesses, organizations, and government agencies of all sizes.

Throughout your job search, ABBTECH will provide the support, assistance, and advice you need to ensure success in finding your next position.

By 2025, Gen Z will account for about 27% of the workforce. Now is the time to start attracting Gen Z talent to your company. These guidelines provide a helpful place to start.

Flexible Schedules

Research shows that Gen Z workers value flexibility in their work schedules.

Allowing more flexibility in scheduling can broaden your applicant pool and make your business more appealing to younger candidates. Today’s gig economy has highly flexible job opportunities, which will be competing for Gen Z talent.

Educational Assistance

College tuitions are continuing to rise. The average college-educated Gen Z stands to bear a hefty amount of debt upon graduation. Providing an educational assistance program is one way your company can bring in more Gen Z employees.

Tuition reimbursement is most beneficial to workers who haven’t finished school or want to go back. By offering this benefit, your company agrees to pay for a portion of their higher education costs.

Another option is student loan repayment assistance, which allows your business to cover a fixed amount of a worker’s student loan payments each month.

Prioritizing Diversity

Gen Z is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse generations. Gen Z’s entrance into the workforce will push many companies to introduce new DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives.

Centering diversity in your hiring process, training, and workplace culture is a worthwhile goal on its own, and if successful, it will allow your business to attract a higher volume of job candidates.

Comprehensive Benefits

To attract talented Gen Z workers, you may need to overhaul your employee benefits.

One 2019 study by Yello shows that medical insurance is the #1 benefit that Gen Z values in a job, closely followed by vacation and paid time off.

Especially in today’s competitive hiring market, offering a well-rounded benefits package can be the deciding factor for adding Gen Z talent to your staff.

Mental Health Awareness

It shouldn’t be a surprise that Gen Z is actively concerned with issues of mental health. A 2020 study by the CDC found that about 63% of adults aged 18-24 experience depression or anxiety.

Unlike in past generations, today’s young adults also tend to be open about struggles with mental health.

Prioritizing mental health in your company’s health coverage, sick leave policy, and employee wellness programming is a great idea. This will provide a more welcoming environment for Gen Z professionals.

Recruit IT Staff with ABBTECH

One of the most convenient ways to attract qualified Gen Z workers is through ABBTECH’s staff augmentation services.

ABBTECH is a tech staffing and recruitment agency that recruits IT talent for placement in your workforce. Contact ABBTECH today and locate temporary workers to fill open IT positions.

When companies recruit IT staff, they’re not just looking for people who check off the boxes on the list of required technical skills. The qualities of the best IT professionals are well-rounded individuals with key skills in communication, collaboration, and problem-solving.

The below qualities are what set apart the top IT professionals from the rest of the crowd.

Wide Net of Technical Knowledge

Besides the required set of knowledge for their job, an IT professional benefits from a great knowledge of related technologies.

Having an interest in web and mobile app development may not directly impact a career in network administration. But this interest does contribute to your general understanding of computer science and can give you valuable perspective in your role.

Always Curious

Those who are dedicated to learning, growing, and staying curious make the most talented IT professionals.

When facing an obstacle, the best IT professionals are eager to identify the underlying issue and recommend a complete solution rather than settling for a quick, incomplete fix.

Creative Thinker

A creative approach to troubleshooting and problem-solving is one of the most valuable skills an IT worker can bring to the table.

IT workers have to deal with the day-to-day workings of complex information systems. This means they often have to think outside the box and try new approaches until they find something that works.

Strong Communicator

It may be believed that IT personnel are not required to communicate often in their daily work. In reality, communication skills are essential for success in the IT industry.

You need to be able to talk about technical topics with colleagues. You will also need to translate those issues into more accessible language for non-tech-savvy coworkers and customers.

Teamwork Abilities

Jobs in IT often require individuals to collaborate with others in a team environment. Whether you’re a helpdesk technician or a QA analyst, you’ll likely be called upon to work with others on a project.

Willing to Ask for Help

In many IT jobs, a refusal to seek help can lead to huge structural problems or security issues.

An IT worker who understands the importance of their tasks will ask for help rather than put the well-being of their company at risk.

Find Open IT Positions with ABBTECH

Submit your resume to ABBTECH to start connecting with temporary work. There are opportunities in small businesses, government agencies, startups, and Fortune 500 corporations. ABBTECH is an IT staffing agency that matches you with promising contract and long-term tech jobs. Once you get in touch, we’ll work with you to find the right position for your skills and talents.

Updating the company handbook may be the last thing on your mind in a post-pandemic world. However, it’s a task you shouldn’t overlook. Below are 3 things to add to your handbook.

The changes brought about by COVID-19 have necessitated new and improved policies for many companies. Adding the following items to your handbook will help your company stay up-to-date in today’s changed work environment.

Add a Remote Work Policy to your Handbook

Remote work is becoming commonplace. Many employees are seeking the opportunity to work from home on a part-time or full-time basis. This is 1 of 3 things to add to your handbook. A remote work policy can help your company maintain consistency when fielding these requests.

You should designate the terms under which employees can work remotely, including the process for seeking approval. It may also be helpful to tie in information about how relocating will (or won’t) affect your pay and benefits as a remote worker.

The policy can be as loose or strict as you want it to be. What’s essential is that it can be applied fairly across the company.

Add Security Standards to your handbook

If your company is sticking to a remote or hybrid work model for the foreseeable future, it’s a good idea to add new security standards. This is another of 3 things to add to your handbook.

These may include setting restrictions on the devices that can be used for work-related communications, requiring employees to use VPNs, and mandating that all remote work take place through secure networks.

Establishing work-from-home security protocols will help prevent security breaches and encourage employees to stay vigilant about protecting company data when they are physically outside of the office.

Add Disaster Preparation to your handbook

The COVID-19 pandemic required workplaces in all sectors to make sweeping changes overnight. With little time to strategize in advance, businesses had to move their operations online and transition to a remote work model.

Companies can stay prepared for future upheavals by developing a disaster response plan for inclusion in their company handbooks. This is the last of 3 things to add to your handbook.

This plan can address scenarios such as natural disasters, power outages, emergency evacuations, and other situations that call for immediate changes to business operations.

Acquire Top IT Talent with ABBTECH

Struggling to find and hire talented workers in today’s competitive markets? With ABBTECH on your side, you can fill open IT positions with qualified candidates who align with your company’s values.

ABBTECH’s strategic staffing solutions allow your company to grow by recruiting and hiring IT talent. Reach out today and discover what ABBTECH can do for you.

Follow these tips to negotiate and improve your chances of turning your next offer into your dream job.

Show Gratitude

First things first: make it clear that you are grateful for the job offer.

Although you should hold back from formally accepting until you’ve finished the negotiation process, it’s good practice to express your thanks for the opportunity right away.

Be Confident (Not Confrontational)

Project confidence with your language and actions during negotiations. Instead of beating around the bush, be direct in your requests and honest about the kind of job you want.

With that in mind, it’s also important to make a positive impression on the hiring manager. Throughout negotiations, you should be friendly and approachable. Treat the negotiation as an open dialogue, not an argument.

For this reason, it’s best to keep negotiations limited to in-person or phone conversations. Email and other written communication can make it difficult to convey tone. You may come across as demanding rather than determined.

Set Priorities

Once you decide to negotiate an offer, it’s critical that you set some priorities.

It’s rare that employers give candidates everything they want in a counteroffer. You can stay prepared for pushback by deciding what aspects matter the most to you. That may be a higher salary, better perks and benefits, specific working hours, or something else.

Understand Their Limits

Negotiations are a two-way street. In order to approach the employer with a reasonable counteroffer, you need to understand what they are (and aren’t) capable of delivering.

If you’re discussing an offer with a startup or small business, you will not have as much room to bargain as you would with a large corporation that has more resources.

On a similar note, federal government jobs and many university positions come with a set pay grade. While you can negotiate within the set range, there is a ceiling to how much you can request in compensation.

Familiarizing yourself with these limitations in advance will help you during discussions about salary, benefits, work environment, and the terms of employment.

Quantify Your Value

To make a case for receiving a higher salary or more extensive benefits, you need to demonstrate the worth you’ll provide to the company.

If possible, you should pull information from past jobs, including salary data, performance reviews, and other metrics that indicate your value as an employee.

Start Your Job Search with ABBTECH

Want to make your job search easier? Contact with ABBTECH and start matching with the best IT job opportunities in businesses and organizations of all sizes.

A tech staffing firm based in Sterling, VA with over 30 years of experience, ABBTECH helps talented IT professionals connect with jobs across the United States. Visit our Career Portal to find your next position today.

In 2021, many companies are trying out a hybrid work model for the first time. These new models have their advantages. They can also pose challenges when it comes to building company culture.

Adhering to these best practices will help you develop your company culture to accommodate a dispersed workforce.

Prioritize Communication

When workers are in different locations, good communication is non-negotiable. Building company culture with a hybrid workspaces should aim to foster positive and clear communication among staff members.

Streamlining internal communications helps maintain a smooth workflow and reduces the kind of misunderstandings that can stand in the way of a strong team atmosphere.

Make a Plan (and Stick to It)

Companies that lack a structured plan for going hybrid will struggle with more than just daily business practices.  Building a successful workplace culture will also suffer due to widespread confusion and a lack of faith in company leadership”.

As your company builds its company culture with a hybrid workplace, it is essential to provide a sense of consistency and security to your workers. Making and committing to a well-structured plan can help with the transition.

Be Equitable

Once companies introduce the possibility of flexible work settings, they must take care to ensure that any policies are enforced fairly.

When setting standards for how often employees should be at home versus in the office, using an equitable system prevents concerns about favoritism and preferential treatment.

Recognize Success

In a hybrid work environment, it can be common for an employee’s contributions to slip beneath the radar, especially for primarily or fully remote workers.

Recognizing achievements is one of the most important actions managers can take to build culture in a hybrid work setting. Showing public and private appreciation for staff members increases buy-in for company objectives.

It’s also important to keep in mind that transitioning to a hybrid work model represents a major shift in routine for your staff. For team members who have a difficult time with the shift, a little extra praise can go a long way.

Hire Talented IT Workers with ABBTECH

If you’re in need of skilled tech contractors to fill specific roles in your workplace, ABBTECH can help. We offer personalized hiring and onboarding services.

ABBTECH’s strategic IT talent acquisition services match accomplished tech professionals to open positions in your business. Contact ABBTECH today to find top talent for your workplace IT needs.

Now that the COVID-19 pandemic is subsiding, many workers are facing the challenge of reacclimating to working in an office setting after over a year of working from home.

Are you one of the many professionals making the transition back into office work? Get started with these essential tips for adjusting to the return.

Wake Up Earlier

Starting your day earlier allows more time to get dressed, eat breakfast, and make your commute. When positions were remote, many developed the habit of waking up right before work.

Develop a Routine

Designing and adhering to a daily routine will give you consistency as you navigate the ups and downs related to a major change in your work environment.

The predictability of a set routine can help mitigate stress and anxiety by providing a clear path forward each day as you prepare for work.

Redo Your Work Office

Does your work office look exactly the way it did when you left it in March 2020? If so, then consider doing some light rearranging or redecorating. Even a change as small as moving your desk can put you in a fresh state of mind.

In addition, bringing accessories or decorations from your home office to your work office can help make the transition more natural.

Participate in Work Events

Challenging yourself to be an active participant in work events can help you build confidence as you are reacclimating to working in an office.

You can join a meeting, work lunch, or team-building event. It will let you catch up with fellow workers in a face-to-face setting. This will give you the ability to ease back into the social element of office work.

Brief Your Manager in Advance

If you anticipate any challenges in reacclimating to working in an office, it’s a good idea to let your manager know ahead of time in a one-on-one conversation.

Giving your manager insight about your major concerns with returning to an in-person work setting can be helpful. The two of you can work together to address each issue and make your transition as smooth as possible.

Find New Jobs with ABBTECH

Send your resume to ABBTECH to start matching with temporary IT opportunities. ABBTECH is a strategic staffing firm that provides placement for IT professionals in businesses, organizations, and government agencies.

Once you connect with ABBTECH, we’ll link you to local and remote IT job opportunities that fit your unique skillset.

In today’s competitive hiring landscape, retaining your top talent is more important than ever before. Follow these guidelines to keep top talent in your workplace and avoid the costs associated with turnover.

Rethink Onboarding

Successfully onboarding team members at the start of their employment is one of the main factors in retaining talent for the long term.

If your workplace doesn’t have a set procedure for onboarding, standardizing is a good place to start. Organizations that opt to standardize their onboarding process have about 50% higher retention of new hires as a result.

Boost Your Benefits

Improving your offerings for paid vacation, health insurance coverage, and annual bonuses will incentivize your workers to stay in their roles instead of seeking outside opportunities.

You may also want to consider expanding your benefits package. Include other perks like education stipends and wellness programs. If you employ remote staff, offering to contribute to their Wi-Fi and phone bills can also help you show your appreciation.

Allow Flexible Work Situations

Accommodating a broader range of schedules and work situations provides a way to retain talent without taking on large financial costs.

Giving workers some flexibility in when they choose to start and end their workday can make your workplace friendlier for commuters, parents, and others with significant non-work time commitments.

You may also consider introducing a remote work option for some positions. By permitting staff members to work from home full-time or on a hybrid basis, you can hold onto people who may otherwise be tempted to leave.

Provide Talent Development

Covering the cost of classes, certifications, and other types of professional training for talented workers carries a twofold benefit. It puts them on a path toward career advancement while bringing new skills into your business.

Track Job Satisfaction

You shouldn’t have to guess whether your team members are happy with their work or if they feel valued in their roles. Conducting regular job satisfaction surveys can help you determine the main drivers of positive and negative employee experience.

Surveys also give you the chance to request feedback and suggestions from workers. You can use these to inform future retention strategies.

Attract and Retain Talent with ABBTECH

Retaining top talent can be a challenge. ABBTECH helps you grow your talent pool with IT staff augmentation. This allows you to recruit skilled tech workers for short-term and long-term needs. We offer surveys to both candidates and clients for job satisfaction. Contact ABBTECH to get started today.

Staffing agencies provide recruitment and hiring services to companies and organizations every day. They also make finding work easier for many candidates. However, their role in the job market is often misunderstood. Read on to discover the truth behind common staffing agency myths.

It’s a Last Resort

Some job seekers may consider staffing agencies as a last stop in their job search. However, there are benefits to working with a staffing agency that lead many to prefer it over an in-house recruitment process.

Staffing agencies usually expedite the hiring process. They help navigate the application process. Many agencies make connections between hard-to-reach decision makers and candidates. They also give you feedback and advice on your job search and interviewing process.

Some staffing agencies, such as ABBTECH, even provide skills matching to ensure that a job role and work environment fit your needs before you jump in.

It Won’t Help Your Resume

There is a common misconception that working with a staffing agency will not look good on your resume or that future employers will consider it unskilled work.

In fact, a history of working with staffing agencies can be a plus to potential employers. It can help fill gaps in your employment history and demonstrate you have an up-to-date set of skills.

It’s Only for Administrative Work

A number of people think staffing agencies only deal with placements for office managers, administrative assistants, data entry clerks, and other administrative positions.

In today’s market, staffing agencies hire for all types of professions across industries – not just administrative work.

For example, ABBTECH places hundreds of administrative personnel across the country every year, but we specialize in Information Technology positions.

It’s Low-Paying

You may have heard that working with a staffing agency will only reap low-paying opportunities. Maybe you’ve heard that staffing agencies don’t provide benefits.

The reality is that numerous types of entry, mid, senior and executive-level job opportunities are available through staffing agencies. Many staffing agencies, including ABBTECH, may provide health insurance, paid time off, 401(k) with matching, and other benefits.

There’s No Path to Full-Time Work

When most people think about staffing agencies, they usually associate them with temporary employment opportunities. The longtime use of staffing agencies to provide temp workers has led to the misconception that they do not hire other types of labor.

The fact is that staffing agencies recruit and hire for all kinds of positions. Position types may include direct-hire and contract-to-hire opportunities. If you’re searching for a long-term career, using a staffing agency can benefit you.

If you ask, most recruiters can tell you the job specifics and include whether it is direct, contract-to-direct, or a contract position before you even apply.

Find Your Next Job with ABBTECH

Staffing agency myths are just that – myths! ABBTECH is an IT staffing and recruitment firm that helps match tech professionals with the best-fit jobs in both private and public entity environments. Visit our Career Portal today to start your job search.

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Sometimes it’s beneficial for a workplace to fill open positions with contract workers instead of direct employees. These are some of the major benefits of choosing a contract worker to fill an open position.

Staffing Flexibility

With the flexibility of short-term contracts, you can make staffing part of your business strategy. Contract workers allow you to be more flexible when planning for your company’s busy and off-peak seasons.

When you hire an employee, you commit to giving them paid hours year-round. Hiring a freelancer allows you to commit to a shorter amount of time and renew the agreement as needed.

Contract Workers require Less Supervision

If your managers already have their hands full, hiring a freelance contractor instead of an employee can help lighten their workload. This is because contract workers require less supervision than regular employees.

Unlike employees, contract workers can track and manage their own hours. They also don’t require the same amount of professional development as employees.

Easier Onboarding

Onboarding and training a new employee can take up to a few months. Since contractors pay their own employment taxes, it is simpler and takes less paperwork to onboard them.

While businesses may give contract workers some basic instruction in office processes or proprietary software, they are generally brought on with the expectation that they have the technical knowledge to complete the job at hand without much training.

Save Money

There are some circumstances when hiring contractors can be less expensive than bringing on employees.

While a contractor may cost more per hour than an employee, you can choose to only hire them for the duration of a project rather than retaining them for the long term.

Hiring a contractor instead of an employee also means the employer is not required to pay for benefits, health insurance, PTO, and employment tax.

Find Your Perfect Fit

When bringing on a contract worker, you can hire for a set of specific skills instead of looking for someone to take on a more generalized role.

For example, ABBTECH matches businesses with skilled IT personnel ranging from Java developers and cybersecurity experts to proposal writers and clerical staff. These temporary workers have the experience to jump right into a role with a company.

Choosing a contractor for an open position gives you the chance to find the perfect fit who checks all the boxes you have in mind.

Hire Contract Workers with ABBTECH

Finding and onboarding qualified contractors is easy when you work with ABBTECH.

ABBTECH is a tech staffing and recruitment agency that recruits talented IT contractors for your workplace. Contact ABBTECH today to match with contract workers to meet your IT needs.

With in-person work resuming in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees have found they’d prefer to keep on working remotely. Others may be considering remote work as a viable alternative to their current office position.

Are you thinking about asking your manager to work from home full-time? Review these guidelines to find out how to start the conversation.

Make a Proposal

Drafting a formal proposal to request a shift to full-time remote work shows that you are serious about the request. It is also an opportunity for you to plot out some of the logistics of working from home.

Include information about your computer setup, how you would plan to attend team meetings and communicate with your coworkers, and any improvements or contributions your remote work could bring to your team.

Schedule a Meeting

Once you have your talking points in mind, reach out to your employer to schedule a time to talk. Since you’ll be conversing about a significant change in your work routine, it’s best to have the conversation face-to-face or over Zoom instead of on the phone.

Discuss Past Performance

Provide specific examples of how your work performance demonstrates that you can handle the responsibility of a full-time remote position.

Besides bringing up projects or assignments you completed while working remotely, you can touch on broader trends in your productivity and time management.

Address Potential Problems

During your conversation, acknowledge any potential issues that may occur if you work from home on a full-time basis.

By laying out a plan to prevent problems like technical barriers, security concerns, and communication gaps from derailing your work, you demonstrate that you are being proactive in your planning and have given the topic the thought it deserves.

Be an Active Listener

Once you’ve made your case, your manager may bring up concerns. Listen carefully and show that you are taking them seriously.

Your employer may ask for more time to consider your proposal. If this is the case, schedule a follow-up meeting. Let them know that you will be available to answer any questions in the meantime.

Find Remote Jobs with ABBTECH

Submit your resume to ABBTECH to start finding remote tech jobs. We are an IT staffing agency that matches IT personnel with temporary work opportunities.

ABBTECH places tech professionals in startups, small businesses, and Fortune 500 corporations. We connect you with employers that fit your preferences and provide feedback throughout the job search process to help you stay on track.

As offices reopen after more than a year of remote work, you may be looking for ways to support your team through the transition process.

Here are some tips for ensuring your team’s return to the office is as smooth as possible.

Support your Team with Clear Timelines

Keeping your team informed ahead of time about your business’s reopening plan will help them mentally prepare for the return.

As early as you can, send your team a timeline of when they’ll come back to the office. If you’re moving to a hybrid model, make sure to communicate exactly what days employees should plan to be in the office as opposed to working remotely.

Review Safety Protocol

Before you return, send employees information about your workplace’s policy on masks, social distancing, and sharing office equipment. You should also let them know about the cleaning standards in the workplace.

This demonstrates your business’s commitment to safety and may help ease anxiety among workers who are still unused to being in close quarters with other people outside their households.

Upgrade Your Workspace to better Support your Team

When your offices reopen after a year or more away, it presents an ideal occasion for making some changes around your workplace.

From paint touch-ups to a whole new office layout, there are many opportunities to ensure employees come back to a better space than they left.

Upgrading your workspace can help put your team in a positive mindset and help them think of returning as a step forward, rather than simply a reversion to a past work environment.

Celebrate your Offices’ Reopening!

Show appreciation for your team on the first day with a team breakfast, “Welcome Back” banner, thank-you cards, or another gesture celebrating your return to the office.

While there may be mixed emotions among your staff about returning to in-person work, many or all will be grateful for the recognition of the hard work they put in to achieve reopening.

Show Empathy

The transition back into the physical workspace will be harder for some people than others. In the wake of a global pandemic, you may encounter employees struggling with mental and emotional challenges during the process.

To best support your team, check in often with individual employees during the first few weeks back. If they confide in you about struggling with the change, be empathetic. Listen to their concerns and work with them to make their return to the office as comfortable as possible.

Grow Your IT Staff with ABBTECH

Reopening your office may require you to seek out new staff. ABBTECH will help you find skilled professionals for placement in your business.

ABBTECH works with you to recruit top IT talent and fulfill your company’s needs. Contact ABBTECH to learn how our strategic staffing can help your business succeed.