Now that the days are longer and the heat of summer can be felt, finding the work-life balance can be even more difficult. After all, there are so many fun activities during the summer and it’s usually the time of year when families can travel to see one another, but if you’re not careful, managing it all can leave you feeling worn out. There are several things you should remember as you punch the clock on a daily basis to avoid that feeling of burn out.

1. There are still only 24 hours in a day. Just because it stays light outside longer, doesn’t mean you have to find more work to do. It’s a common problem among people who are prone to overworking to see the light outside their windows and feel the urge to keep up the fast pace. The time could be late in the evening but because the sun is still shining, they will feel the need to continue working.
2. Take a vacation. It is a great time of year for travel deals and even local attractions offer package deals for residents, so take advantage of your accumulated days off and get-away. Planning ahead for a fun trip can be just the right tool for staying motivated but also being able to scale back while you’re away.
3. Stay away from distractions. It is important to stay focused, even in the summer. You may find yourself more easily distracted as there is usually more going on during these months. Recharge with people you truly care about, not just acquaintances who want to benefit from your relationship. They will suck the life out of you and can be a drain on every aspect of your life.
4. Don’t give up on your routine. Things may happen in the summer that are out of the ordinary; you may have family visiting from out of town or the kids may be home from school during the days but do your best to stay in a routine. This means not neglecting your work-outs, meditation time or other quiet time, or getting into an unhealthy eating pattern. The routine you establish throughout the year carries you on a daily basis and it is helpful during the summer months as well. You may need to modify it slightly but tossing it to the wind will not be helpful to you in the long run.

As summer comes and goes, it is important to stick with your goals and resolutions that you’ve set for the year. It is an easy time to get distracted and either work or play too much and both can be detrimental to your overall success.

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The interview process isn’t easy for the one being interviewed or the one performing the interview. Most hiring managers will tell you they have a feeling one way or the other within the first five minutes of the interview but many will continue the interview process to be considerate to the candidate. If the candidate isn’t hired, they may come back with questions. Those who truly want to improve in their job search can sometimes come back to the hiring manager with questions such as “why didn’t you hire me” or “what can I do to improve?”  Some hiring managers will reply with a generic statement but it can be beneficial to provide honest answers to the questions, in order to improve the overall job applicant pool.

Role Reversal
Put yourself in the shoes of the candidate and consider how it would help you to know the weak areas of an interview. It could be something simple but was a negative factor in the interview, yet it could be changed. When you’re given the opportunity to provide feedback, always do so in a tactful and gracious manner. Here are some guidelines to answering the tough question of why you chose one candidate over the other.

1. Start the conversation with a positive tone. Provide them with information about their resume, experience, and interview techniques that they did right. If you are sending an email, start it off with something simple that builds them up as a person.
2. Point out areas where the candidate can improve. If their education wasn’t up to company standards, explain how the company prefers to hire candidates with an advanced degree. This is something they can change and rather than stating they don’t have enough education, give them a way to remedy the problem.
3. Tactfully explain the qualifications the hired candidate possessed that made them more desirable to the company. It can be helpful to explain the hired candidate had more experience in the field or a stronger educational background.
4. If they were a viable candidate, when the problems could be remedied, invite them to re-interview in several months. Otherwise, wish them luck in their search.

No one likes to be rejected, especially for a promising new job, but as a hiring manager, you can provide insightful feedback to candidates when they ask and ease the rejection a bit. Be kind but also remember it won’t help if you are misleading with your answers. You have the chance to be a mentor to another person in their job hunt so take advantage of that by giving them constructive criticism and guidance on how they can improve.

Have additional questions on hiring in the new year? Contact the experts at Pinnacle Workforce!

As a manager, you can encourage employees to think long-term and establish a concrete retirement plan, which is essential to overall morale and productivity. When your team members feel secure with their future and their lives, it might be surprising to see how productive and focused they will be. Just as with any outside problems, employees can sometimes be distracted easily and not produce quality work. It could be due to the fact some people struggle with seeing the future and can only think in the short term, here and now. How can you, the employer, promote a sense of well-being and security within your staff?

Focus on the Employees
Too many times a company will focus on the perks they offer at the business rather than what they offer for the future. Sure, you may have free snacks, coffee, and even flexible scheduling but are you employees able to sleep at night because their future is secure? No one can guarantee a perfect future but you can offer ways to make it easier. While they may not express it right away, your staff will appreciate your attention to the long-term more than how many holiday parties or free lunches you provide. There’s no need for the retirement plan to destroy the company budget and communicating the benefits of it will help increase enrollment. Helping them understand why they should care is the first step in a retirement plan.

Changing Times need Changing Plans
In the past, employees used to use tools such as overtime, their mortgage, savings bonds, and valuable life insurance policies to get them through retirement; this is no longer the case. The majority of Americans don’t pay off their mortgage in full by retirement and can’t use it as equity or as a way funding their future. More and more employees are using the plans offered by their employers because it’s an easier option and usually carry tax benefits. Companies who match employees contribution are even more attractive to current employees and future ones. One of the best ways to impart the importance of future planning to your team is just simple communication. If they are aware of what is offered and how easy it is to reap the benefits, more employees will jump on board with a retirement plan.

Communication is Key
You care about your employees and want them to feel secure in their future; by simply letting them know the available plans and how it will help can convey that feeling. Gather your teams together and present the retirement plans offered, as well as how important it is to plan for the future. Most people want to prepare but don’t know how so give them the tools in order to make the best decision possible.

Have additional questions? Curious how Pinnacle Workforce can assist you and your organization? Contact us today for more information!