Things could be better, at least in the month of December, according to the latest Chicago unemployment figures released by the IDES.   But it’s still an improvement over the rate of 11.3% posted in June of last year.

For employers hoping to hire and build for the coming improvement  when it hits Chicago with full force — and the latest GDP numbers indicate revived growth –  it implies there are probably good prospective hires available, looking for work.  It also probably means businesses have to still be cautious, which is another reason temporary or temp-to-hire options are attractive during periods like this.

Let’s hope the good news — like Ford’s decision to bring on 1,200 employees to build its next Ford Explorer model at its Chicago assembly plant — keeps coming as the year moves forward!

The North Bridge team supports the ongoing relief efforts in Haiti. Here are some other ways we can help raise money for the victims of the earthquake: just visit this Metromix list of some upcoming Chicago-area benefits that will give us all the chance to do our part!

It’s a great opportunity for Chicagoans to demonstrate their giving spirit…we know from experience that people around here always demonstrate their concern and charity at moments exactly like this.

One thing we may sometimes not give enough importance to when we’re bringing on new staff is, how engaged are they likely to be with the job they’re doing?

This story from the Gallup Management Journal® defines “engagement” as…

…the psychological and emotional attachment people feel for their workplaces. It’s based on the fulfillment of basic human needs in the workplace, and the more people feel those needs are met, the more engaged they are.

Why does engagement matter? Because there’s also a clear link between engagement and profitability, which makes engagement a more urgent issue now than it has been in prosperous times.

You might think this feeling of engagement has suffered over the recession, but Gallup finds it’s remained reasonably stable – at 28% in the most recent survey.  But at the team level, there are signs that managers need to heed.  We won’t go into them here, because the article gives an excellent summary.

But as clients and recruiters are evaluating job openings and the prospects that might fill them, it’s important to keep engagement in mind.  Does the role, and the firm, offer the kind of opportunities for long-term attachment that will make it fulfilling for a qualified hire?   And what are the cues you can elicit from prospects that indicate whether or not they’ll be truly engaged with the job, and the company around it?

Being able to demonstrate a potential for engagement to the right person for the job can make all the difference.  When times are tough, when bonuses or raises may be in limbo, that sense of attachment means a lot, and can keep employees loyal and hard-working.  As the Gallup story concludes:

In a healthy economy, engagement makes good companies better. During challenging times, engagement might be what helps keep companies solvent. As the economy begins to improve — and it will — organizations with strong engagement will be poised to grow, and engagement may well play a role in that recovery.

“Big shoulders?”  You bet.  It ’s never been apparent how resolute and special Chicago is as an economic region than over the past two years.

A survey in Q4 2009 by Monster laid out a not entirely rosy prospectus for Chicago jobs in 2010, but signs for optimism still exist, not the least of which is the (relatively) upbeat attitude of Chicago recruitment professionals about prospects for the upcoming year.  Are people in our business professional optimists, or have they been through the worst of it for so long they’re desperate for a glimmer of hope?

We’d suggest neither. Chicago is an incredibly diverse and dynamic economy and community; we can thank our lucky stars for that, because we were truly insulated from a lot of the grief and pain that other regions have been through during this downturn.  Diversity is strength, in situations like this, and as experienced Chicago staffing experts ourselves, we know it’s our diversity that has kept us from the worst – and will pay dividends tomorrow.

The Monster report, among other analyses, have agreed that Chicago has fared relatively well in comparison to other cities; it’s been no joyride, but it goes without saying what a Detroit/Southeastern Michigan has suffered through, and the double whammy of overall recession and housing market catastrophes in Florida and Nevada are just two other examples of regions where opportunities have been in serious decline.

Maybe there is a little optimism at work in the attitudes displayed by Chicago recruiters in the Monster report – but it’s a well-founded optimism that’s backed up by the track record of an exceptional city.  Chicagoans, as usual, are demonstrating the diversity, flexibility, energy and grit to weather tough times.

It goes back to midyear 2009, but it’s still relevant, so here’s a provocative post from a blog by Lisa Amorao, a Silicon Valley professional in the staffing industry, in which see makes a good analogy between – of all things – taking care of children (hers) with flu, and good client service by staffing firms. There’s one key commentary that jumps out for us:

Now, just as no mother will admit to or feel good about not taking care of a sick child, no staffing firm will admit to abandoning their clients in a downturn. But take a look at the survey results conducted by the Staffing Industry Analysts: 30% of staffing companies feel that providing excellent customer service was a key to their success to 2008. In 2009, only 22% of staffing companies feel that providing excellent customer service is a key factor to their success. Seriously? Thirty percent was already an embarrassing number, 22% is simply horrible. The same survey also revealed that 56% of staffing companies feel that “increasing revenue” was their top priority.

Hear, hear, Lisa. We can’t account for it, either; it’s almost more important, in tough times, to help your clients figure out solutions to the challenges at hand. After all…isn’t that part of why they come to you as a recruitment professional?

If a staffing firm is devoted to maximizing revenue at the expense of good service, then let us suggest they’re not really in the business of human resources, or of creating opportunities or solutions where those may not have been obvious before. Instead, they’re in the business of selling widgets. And like somebody shilling aluminum siding or used cars, they’ll follow the path of least resistance to make a sale. Constant and in-depth client service doesn’t figure into their equations.

Not to toot our own horn too much, but our success as a Chicago staffing consultant over the last 10 years has largely owed to client service, pure and simple. We know it’s good business to work closely with our clientele. If you’re just trying to sell widgets, then you’re probably not interested in partnership, collaboration and problem-solving…and to us, that simply doesn’t make good sense.

…to everyone who helped make our Annual Holiday Party & Food Drive Fundraiser a success.  A good time was had by all, in service to a good cause.  Follow the link and look through our complete Facebook photo album from the revelries!

At North Bridge Staffing Group, we’re supporters of Ronald McDonald House in Chicagoland and all the good work it does, as we are of several area good causes.  Right now, this organization is pursuing something that’s especially close to home for Chicagoans, as they work toward building the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world in Streeterville.

The Skyline Oasis will provide housing for kids receiving treatment at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Prentice Women’s Hospital and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.  Amenities will include “14-stories of care & comfort for families of hospitalized children including 86 guest rooms, a rooftop healing deck and a kitchen filled with home-cooked meals and supportive conversation.”

Follow the link to find out more, and to see how you can help in support of this terrific program.

The national unemployment picture is getting a little better, according to the Department of Labor, and as shown in this graphic at Fast Company.   While the heartland and east are still suffering (Pennsylvania is especially hard-hit), there’s reason to hope (see our earlier posts) that the situation may get better soon for people seeking jobs in Chicago.  But even while a recession endures, companies and shouldn’t entirely give up the hunt for talent, or at least for information on what talent is out there.  Why?

First, employees are everything – good staffers make or break your business, so you should always be on the lookout in case you need replacements, or need to hire new staff should business improve.  It’s important to have a good staffing partner or list of prospects on hand so you won’t lose valuable time playing “catch-up” when the need arises.

Recession is a leveler, too; your competitors are hurting if you’re hurting, and may have laid off good people who could help your firm, either now or when the economy permits hires.  So you can level the playing field versus your competition – or even take the high ground — by getting out in front on skilled prospects who fit your business, before they’re snapped up by other firms or called back by their previous employer.

Information is power.  Knowing what talent is available and knowing the costs of acquisition of that talent if times turn for the better are simply part of smart, long-term planning.  The more data you have on the talent pool, the more quickly and accurately you can act when the time comes.   It’s part of the contingency plans every company should lay out.

To paraphrase Daniel Burnham, make no little plans for your future; even if you’re cutting your staff right now, keep your eye on near-term or longer-term staffing needs, whether permanent, temp-to-hire or temporary.

According to a recent Federal Reserve report on economic activity in the Seventh District, which includes Chicago, the turnaround may be underway for area businesses.  As it affects the Chicago recruitment industry, there are signs of increased activity, though permanent hiring still appears to lag the general economy – many employers are undoubtedly still being careful and tentative until there are more robust signs of recovery.  These are obviously conditions where many firms will weight staffing toward temporary and temp-to-hire placements to meet confirmed needs. 

Overall, it’s still looking to be a modest rebound, and many experts are predicting 2010 to be more about slow but steady leveling and improvement, as opposed to any bar-the-door boom in growth and hiring.  But as Chicago staffing firms, businesses and industry find their footing after such a tough stretch, they’ll find ways to build for a sound rebound.

Thanks for checking out Building Bridges, our new blog about Chicago staffing and recruitment matters.  It’s hot on the heels of our new Web site re-design (thanks to Biersma Creative), and it’s part of our effort to leverage every tool in the digital and social media playbook to deliver better client services and elevate our presence.  That’s important in any competitive market, but particularly in the Chicago staffing industry.  Frankly, our bread-and-butter is in attracting qualified employees, and then making it expedient for employers to bring them on board, and state-of-the-art digital outreach is part of that.

As we head into what looks like a promising 2010, we’ll be posting links to articles of note, offering insights and opinions about the Chicagoland recruitment situation, plus the occasional post about our clients and our staff, good people all.

It hasn’t been the best of times for the economy in general, or Chicago in particular.   But as we move ahead, we’re seeing signs of optimism and recovery.  We’re pretty certain we can count on the resilience and hard work of area businesses and skilled employees to make the most of the opportunities that arise, and maximize staffing growth throughout an upswing. 

Chicago being Chicago, there’ll be interesting new stories and new opportunities to cite as time goes on.   So we hope to bring you more and more ‘good news’ as North Bridge and the Chicago staffing scene move forward – stay tuned!