Summer 2023 Newsletter

July/August, 2023

After kind of a rough weather start, summer has finally arrived. From the endless OOO (out of office) announcements I’m getting these days, it’s great to see that so many colleagues are taking time off to rest and relax. If you did something special to vacation this summer (or you have plans to), drop me a note and let me know how you spent your time off; I love hearing what people do to recharge their batteries.

To me, summer is the perfect time for planning ahead, as the second half of 2023 and 2024 start to come into focus. In this issue, we’ll explore some new strategies for recruiting, retaining and managing your people – our favorite themes at KMA!

If you’re starting to plan your salary budget for next year, please participate in our very brief Compensation Survey. We’ll provide participants with data and insights on market pay increase trends for New England at no cost, and all findings will be anonymized. It should take about three minutes of your time, and you can start the survey here.

We’ve also got lots of critical content for you to be aware of on the HR compliance front, as well as articles that will help you build a robust internship program, reboot your resume, and interview candidates like a pro.

Something for everyone. Let’s dive in!

Looking to boost your recruiting success? We know talent!

It may surprise you to know that summer is actually an excellent time to begin the recruiting process to bring on the talent that will help you achieve your goals for the rest of the year – and beyond. In our experience, we’ve seen that some people can be more receptive to change during the summer and fall, which for many of us feels like the beginning of a new year. It’s also a great time to attract recent graduates who are ready to begin their careers. Now is a good time to get a jump on the competition for top talent.

Here are some considerations to enhance your recruitment efforts:

Employer Branding: Develop a strong employer brand that showcases your organization’s values, culture, and benefits to attract the best candidates. Highlight your company’s unique perks, flexible work arrangements, and commitment to employee growth and development.
Tap into Social Media: Leverage the power of social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to engage with potential candidates. Craft compelling content, share employee testimonials, and highlight your company culture and what sets you apart from other employers competing for top talent.
Don’t Go it Alone: Work with the KMA recruiting team to leverage our experience, insights, technology tools, and our extensive access to job boards, to attract a wider pool of talent. We can manage the full-cycle recruiting process for you so that you can focus on the things you need to accomplish to meet your business goals.

The KMA Recruiting Team recently completed a training on some brand-new features of our Applicant Tracking System, enabling us to cast the widest net to potential qualified candidates. We also had a lot of fun coming together as a team!

Back row, L-R: Gina Hayes, Julie Banta, Chelsea Livingston, Sarah Cummings, Jenn Bradford, Olivia Chayer, Kati Varney

Front row, L-R: Holly Lancaster, Becca Kirkland, Michelle Prejean, Lisa Dube

Joining via Teams: Johnna Major, Debbie Pearl

Summer and employee wellbeing go together like sun and sand.

Did you know that August is National Wellness Month? Summertime wellness initiatives can help employees enjoy all that the season has to offer, but you won’t want to stop when summer ends, because the benefits include reduced absenteeism, greater productivity, improved morale, a higher sense of company loyalty and lower health insurance costs. This article from the KMA archives offers lots of great ideas to get you started on launching an employee wellness program.

Consider these initiatives to boost engagement, and ensure a healthy work-life balance:

Flexible Schedules: Explore flexible work arrangements, such as compressed workweeks or adjusted summer hours, to accommodate personal commitments and allow employees to enjoy the summer season.
Wellness Initiatives: Promote employee wellbeing by organizing wellness challenges, providing access to online fitness classes, or offering mental health resources. Encourage employees to take breaks, practice self-care, and prioritize their wellbeing.
Team-Building Activities: Plan team-building events, both in-person and virtual, to foster a sense of camaraderie. From outdoor activities to virtual games, there are lots of options to bring your team together and create lasting memories.

This summer, KMA team members came together for a friendly competition in a virtual Escape Room, and we also started a pickleball club!

As the summer begins to wind down and you look ahead to the second half of 2023 and even 2024, let us help you unlock the full potential of your current and future employees.

Meanwhile, enjoy those trips to the beach, the picnics in the park, the ice cream runs, and the joy of unstructured time with family and friends. As John Mayer sings: ‘Cause a little bit of summer’s what the whole year is all about.

Cheers,