Workers, Employers and Internet Use at Work

It’s no secret that employees use the internet for personal reasons. But when their web activities spill into their work time, employers put their foot down. CareerBuilder.com recently conducted a survey which concluded that internet use for non-work purposes is on the rise. This in turn has led employers to tighten their internet policies.

CareerBuilder’s survey found that 34% of workers will spend one hour or more online shopping during the holiday season, 16% will spend 2 or more hours shopping and 4% will log 5 or more hours browsing deals online.

Shopping isn’t the only activity workers use their internet time for either. Sixty five percent of workers conduct non-work related searches during their workday, while 22% conduct those searches at least 5 times a day.

Social networking sites are another internet time waster at work as 56% of workers check their profiles while at work.

This trend has led employers to revise their internet policies. Fifty four percent of employers report blocking employees from accessing certain websites and 50% of U.S. companies monitor Internet and email use of employees. Some companies are even doling out harsher punishments for violating their policies. More than 20% of employers have fired someone for using the internet at work for personal reasons.

With the approach of the New Year, now is a great time to review and revise your company’s internet policy, especially with the use of internet for personal reasons at work on the rise.

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Orion Alumni Attend Hiring Our Heroes Conference

Orion alumni with Siemens once again traveled to Washington, DC, in conjunction with The Siemens Initiative to Support Military Families. This time, Alan Lateer, Jeff Bell, Christopher Pieczonka, and Jody Compton attended the 4th Annual Business Steps Up, Hiring Our Heroes Conference at the U.S. Chamber of Congress in Washington, DC, on November 10. Previously, James Lamz and Nicholas Espe visited the White House in conjunction with Joining Forces.

The 4th Annual Business Steps Up, Hiring Our Heroes Conference focused on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s goal of lowering unemployment among veterans and their spouses by partnering with Veteran Service Organizations, government agencies, and the business community to hold job fairs across the U.S. This year, the Conference recognized specific businesses that have gone above and beyond to honor military families. Finalists for the 1^stAnnual Lee Anderson Hiring Our Heroes Awards included PepsiCo, The Home Depot, Bank of America, Dollar General, and Siemens, among many others.

Jody Compton (pictured front row, second from left) was one of the four Orion alumni to participate in this Conference. Compton was an Automated Logistical Specialist in the Army who is now a Materials Handler Specialist with Siemens. Her civilian position corresponds directly with her military experience, and illustrates how well veterans transition into these types of positions. “Not only do companies get a qualified employee, but they get the dedication, discipline, commitment out of the Veteran, which a company may not find in other employees,” explains Compton.

She goes on to say that attending the Hiring Our Heroes Conference was something she never thought she’d have the honor of doing, much less sitting on stage with the First Lady. “I'm proud of the years I served protecting freedom for others, and now I'm proud to be part of a company that supports veterans and leads the way for other companies,” states Compton.

Christopher Pieczonka (pictured front row, fifth from left), a United States Naval Academy graduate and former Surface Warfare Officer, also attended the Conference. He is currently a part of the Sales and Marketing Development Program (SMDP) at Siemens Energy. Pieczonka attended the morning lectures, as well as the awards dinner at the US Chamber of Commerce. “Attending the US Chamber of Commerce event was a tremendous experience that highlighted some of the incredible things the Federal Government, Chamber of Commerce, and various companies are doing to utilize the talents of military service veterans,” says Pieczonka.

The Hiring our Heroes program is another of the many initiatives that have been put in place to help veterans find employment when they transition out of the military. Hire a Hero, Hire a Vet salutes the Lee Anderson Hiring Our Heroes Awards recipients for their dedication to hiring veterans and are proud that our alumni were chosen to represent the success veterans experience in the civilian workplace.

Surveys Confirm Veteran Recruitment on the Rise

Last month, both Careerbuilder and Monster released the results of their respective surveys on veteran employment. Both surveys reveal that employers are seeking to hire veterans in a big way. Careerbuilder surveyed more than 2,800 hiring managers and concluded that 20% of employers are actively recruiting veterans to work for their company over the next 12 months. According to Careerbuilder, these employers are tapping into veterans’ technical and communication skills for careers in IT, Customer Service, Engineering, and Sales.

Monster’s recently released Veteran Talent Index tells much the same story. The report begins by defining why veterans are desirable employees:

Veterans represent an elite and diverse talent pool available for hire. Most possess transferrable skills, professional discipline and positive attributes identifiable in today’s evolving workforce. By hiring veterans, employers can leverage the U.S. Military’s $140 billion per year spent on education and training and tap into the 200,000 service members that transition to the civilian workforce each year. (Source: Department of Veteran Affairs, US GovernmentSpending.com; U.S. Dept of Labor)

The Indices in the report include Veteran Career Confidence, Veteran Job Search Activity, and Employer Veteran Hiring. The Employer survey of almost 500 employers reveals that 70% of surveyed employers have hired more than one veteran in the past year. 99% of those employers felt veterans performed ‘much better’ or ‘about the same’ as non-veterans, and 69% of employers felt that veterans perform their job ‘much better’ compared to non-veterans. The impressive percentages of veteran-friendly employers were further evidenced when employers were asked if they would hire a veteran again. Of those that had hired a veteran, 98% said they would do so again.

Both surveys revealed that veteran job seekers could often do better in conveying their experience. According to Monster, 77% of employers believed veterans could do a better job translating their military skills to civilian skills. Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America explains, “The survey shows that employers recognize the unique value military experience can bring, but that they don’t always understand how military skills fit into corporate America. Veterans will need to clearly make that connection in their resume, cover letter and job interviews as they enter this new chapter of their careers.”

Orion represents thousands of companies whose stance on veteran recruiting is reflected in these surveys. We are here to help our candidates translate their skills and value to civilian employers, and ultimately, connect our candidates with companies that are actively seeking veterans for their skills, experience, and values.

Hire a Hero is pleased with the results of these surveys and hopes that these results will shed even more light on why veterans should be a part of our workforce!

Five Reference-Checking Mistakes to Avoid

Checking references continues to be one of the most important aspects of hiring new employees, but with the cyber-age has come attempts to automate the process. Those striving for an instantaneous process are missing out on the most important aspect of reference checking: human interaction.

It takes skill, tact, and intuition to perform a proper reference check. A solid reference check also requires that you don’t make the following five mistakes.

Not Checking the References at All: Enough said!

Lack of Consistency in Checking References: Selective reference checking is risky. If employers are checking references for one candidate, they should be checking them for all prospective employees. The breadth of the reference check doesn’t have to be the same for everyone, however, as it may vary according to the position requirements.

Making Job Offers Contingent on References: Often, hiring authorities wait until they have decided on one candidate for the job, and offer them the job dependant on the reference check. Not only is this too late to be doing a reference check, but it creates a legal relationship between the employer and the candidate. References should be checked when the candidate pool has been narrowed down to two or three people.

Not Asking for Certain Types of References: Contrary to popular belief, employers are entitled to ask for additional references and do not have to make do with only the ones the candidate wants to supply. Employers should ask for a supervisor, peer, and subordinate that worked with the candidate in the last five to seven years.

Asking Leading Questions & Failing to Follow-Up on Responses: Avoid “yes” or “no” questions. Don’t ask if the candidate was a good worker. Instead, ask what type of worker they were. Also, don’t forget to follow-up on vague answers or to ask for examples to illustrate the reference’s answers.

By avoiding these common reference checking mistakes, employers ensure that they are taking full advantage of a useful hiring tool. Poorly performed reference checking can result in high turnover and even harm to the hiring company. Careful reference checking helps to ensure hiring quality, productive employees.

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Veteran Spotlight: Jon Welch

Jon Welch is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he earned his BS, and Regis University, where he earned his MBA in 2005. Welch, a former Nashville Metro Police Officer and a retired Major in the Army National Guard, worked as a Production Supervisor from 2000 through 2005, with an HVAC/Building Controls company. In 2005, however, Welch sought to change employers due to the shutdown of his local operation. Welch turned to Orion International to find a new civilian career and accepted a position with Trane in Clarksville, Tennessee, as a Production Supervisor.

Welch spent the next 18 months in that role and worked on the company’s Voyager 2 assembly line. During that time, he was promoted to the position of a Six Sigma Black Belt in the Quality department. In 2008, Welch was promoted to Large Commercial Production Manager where he has been ever since. In this position, he has run Intelipak and Chiller/Splits lines. Six years after beginning with Trane, Welch currently has responsibility for the Large Commercial and Support areas with a team of over 250 hourly employees, six production leaders, a departmental manager, and four manufacturing engineers.

Welch began his military career in 1983 as a Private in Armor and retired after 24 years of service with the TN National Guard. “The importance and impact of my military experience and how it has helped me in my civilian career cannot be downplayed. I constantly pull from my military background in my dealings with subordinates, as well as superiors,” says Welch of his how his military experience has helped with his career progression, “I understand what it means to take orders, set directions, plan, execute, and ultimately deliver based upon the needs of the business. It’s been years since I actually studied military leadership, but the lessons learned in the military continue to help me make the right decisions daily, which has been a key to my success.”

One message Welch has for hiring managers is that the military is an awesome place to find young energetic talent. The very fact that an individual began their military career and excelled into a leadership role at a young age says much about the individual. As an employer, you need people willing to go above and beyond. However, you have to look to see how hungry the individual is. Just being a military officer does not guarantee success or a great employee, but it is an indicator. Motivation and energy are very important, as well.

Welch goes on to say that almost anyone can manage a business given some training. However, not everyone is able to truly lead people, and that is a skill set the military is good at honing. In fact, Welch often feels better qualified than his non-military peers. “There is no better training ground than the US military. Where else can a 22-year-old sign for millions in equipment and learn what it takes to lead in the harshest of environments and circumstances?” poses Welch.