Truth in Transparency

In January 2023, California enacted the Transparency Pay Law according to which, “employers include the pay scale directly in the job posting.” People looking for work can see exactly what is being paid for the position they are applying for. Is this a game changer or something that should be clear for any position?  An attorney once told me that the reason employment laws like this are put in place is due to a major issue. Most likely, the problem is that employees come in with one understating of the pay and are sold another. 

Companies want to save money on labor – people – and some are notorious for the old bait and switch routine. We call it the “car dealer mentality.” You wait until the end of the negotiation only to find that they are selling something that you were not expecting. Now not all companies are like this, and it is not right to generalize, but new laws have been enacted to stop such practices.

Pay validates the way people feel about their jobs. There is power in #negotiation , but when the tactics become anti-productive, we have an unmotivated #workforce . People start to work more for themselves than for the good of the company.

As employers, it is best know the numbers; also making projections for inflation, bonuses and employee appreciation as well as retention.  Relating these numbers to management and letting our team know that this is the defined budget for the new person being hired; being honest and upfront about expectations and compensation.

For their part, job seekers should feel comfortable asking questions regarding the compensation package both now and three years ahead. In the end, everyone should be prepared to walk away. There is no use working for an organization, where the business does not see the value in its people.

There is truth in transparency.

By Dane Flanigan

ultraHealth Agency

The NFL’s Eric Bieniemy Dilemma

Eric Bieniemy is an #NFL offensive coordinator who has been interviewed 17 times with 16 different franchises for a head coaching position. Some have raised the question of racial bias by NFL owners. In fact, former players like LeSean McCoy have commented that with Bieniemy, it isn’t a matter of racial bias. Bieniemy is actually not a good play caller. Ross Tucker, in a conversation with ESPN’s Booger McFarland brought up the point that many NFL executives have confirmed that Bieniemy doesn’t interview well.  What does it mean not to be able to interview well? After multiple interviews with several teams and not securing a head coaching position, it is clear that something is wrong.

Photo by David Adamson

It is hard to bring prejudice or racial bias into the fray because some of these franchises have hired minority coaches in the past. It doesn’t mean there is no bias. Every organization, company, and person has a bias. Some are negative while others can be positive. At times, companies will hire me to supply diversity candidates for a position. So, if there is a good non- diversity candidate who is more qualified, will you hire them? The pendulum can swings both ways.

Ross Tucker also brings up how college age candidates for his internship programs interview extremely well, so why can’t Bieniemy. It is the case but people aren’t good at interviews.  They are nervous and get anxious when on the spot. Some feel that is an all or nothing scenario. Certain candidates have a hard time talking about themselves, letting people know what they have done in the past. Teams are missing out on good hires because for that one moment in time, it was not a good meeting.

There have been comments that Bieniemy doesn’t prepare for interviews. It is hard to fathom that this is the case for one big meeting and a certain dollar amount of salary. Some people do “wing it” and rely on the strength of their resume. They might be too busy at their current job to prepare for a future role, or they may be interviewing for several jobs at once and could be overwhelmed and therefore miss out.

All corporations have some kind of hiring issue. They miss out on good people and filter out those who may not be a good fit within their culture. It is not a perfect process, and it is hard to blame the #NFL while not placing some responsibility on Coach Bieniemy.

#ultra-Hiring tips:

Define the role and the goal of the position

#Culture – how is this person going to help improve the company morale

Outside – It could be a headhunter, board member, consultant who provides a different point of view

Group Hire – make the hiring process a collective decision.

#Diversity – if we all are thinking alike, none of us is thinking at all.

#ultra-Interviews Tips

Practice with a friend, setup mock interviews and go over traditional as well as quirky questions. It helps to practice and be comfortable with the process.  

Research – every organization is in the news for something, even on their own website, as they are promoting new features, products, or specials.  

#Strategize – from what you have researched, how can you help this company? What is your short-term plan and how can it be relayed to help their long-term goals.   

#Fun – this business has dedicated time to listen to you and go over your accomplishments, so enjoy it.  

by Dane Flanigan

ultraHealth Agency

Healthcare Travel Contracts Questions

One of the reasons I became involved in the medical staffing industry was to lead a better brand of recruiting services. One of the issues I have heard about consistently is the discrepancy in the advertisement of pay to a medical worker compared to they receive in their actual paychecks.

Not to call into question the actions of other agencies, I would like to share how healthcare professionals looking for contract work can ask pertinent questions about their assignment before they even start. Some assignments have quick starts, where the credentialing process is shortened; but this does not mean that the interview process should be rushed. There are good questions to ask not only to the recruiter but also the hiring manager.

Guaranteed Hours – How many hours a week are scheduled in the contract? The posting may indicate outrageous pay, but how does that relate to each week. An understanding of the total amount of hours is clearly needed.

Guaranteed Contracts – Most contracts are 13 weeks, but some are guaranteed for a shorter length of time. This is especially pertinent as we go from winter into spring and the weather and overall health conditions improve. The contractor may not be needed for the entire 13 weeks and may only get a 7-week guarantee. In short, the facility may only guarantee the shorter time length.

Holiday Pay – Not all holidays are paid. There should be defined days in the contract for pay and which specific hours.

On Call Requirements – Some facilities require that contracted travelers work on call. This is something that should be asked, especially if you are planning to be at home or away from the area on other days.

Overtime Hours – In some cases, recruiters will combine overtime hours with pay in their advertising. Overtime may be needed for certain weeks; but again, they are needed for the entire length of the contract.

Reimbursements – This should also be outlined in the contract and when they will be paid. For example, some remote hospitals will offer a perk that housing will be provided. It may be a hotel or an apartment. In every case, the candidate should ask who is paying for the housing upfront and if there are any out of pocket expenses (like parking or cleaning ) to pay for.

These questions can clear up critical things about the assignment and prevent frustration over the first paycheck. It is also good to set expectations in the beginning; that way you understand the role, term, pay, hours, and if anything else is needed regarding the job.

I want to be a trusted resource for traveling healthcare workers, so if there are questions, please feel free to call.

Dane Flanigan

Recession –Accessing the Temporary Workforce

For Hire

With gasoline at an all-time high, warehousing stockpiling and inflation rising, hiring new employees may be needed yet could be risky long term. Let’s talk about accessing the temporary workforce.

Contract workers come in all forms and segments/niches of the markets; various levels of experience will dictate the range of pricing. Finding the correct person for the job means someone who will thrive in your company culture.

As ultraHealth Agency is a staffing and recruiting company, I am asked all the time about temporary workers: their cost, commitment, and quality. Although every business need is unique there are some basics to consider in assigning a contract:

Cost: about 1.5 their hourly salary. If that person is making $100 an hour as a temporary employee, you will be paying the agency $167 per hour on the contract. There may be overtime, shift differentials, as well as other costs. Weighing these costs against hiring a full-time employee is suggested. The true benefit of cost is most agencies are taking care of their insurance and benefits. If the work starts to slow down, you will let people go, often with compensation. There is also an emotional business cost to laying people off.

Term: The average contract is 13 weeks. Contracts for less than a month can be tough. Although contractors may not be looking for long-term stability, securing contracts in general can be a tedious task. Six months is normally the maximum timeframe for a temporary contract. The idea is to have the temporary person come in and accomplish the job. You will get a chance to see how they fit within the organization. If it is mutually beneficial to extend the terms, then it’s a good match. On the other hand, If things slow down and you don’t need the worker any longer, there is nothing wrong with letting the contract expire. The cost benefit analysis can be done before the contractor comes into work.

Quality: The way to get the most qualified talent is to think about the exact person needed for the job. It also pays to determine what the contractor needs to accomplish. It would help if the client gives the personality traits they desire such as an upbeat person or a quiet worker with a serious demeanor – whatever is the best culture fit. The key to finding quality is knowing what will make this particular person successful.

After the pandemic, companies went on a hiring spree as. They faced low unemployment and fewer candidates. It is always good to have options, and none of us can predict the future.

Walk the Talk = Leadership Style

There is a philosophy about the sergeant kick-ass leadership style of management. It goes like this: don’t question me, do as I say, you are grateful to have a job, while peering over your shoulder, hard and relentless – you know who I mean.

That attitude only lasts for so long and people get tired of the humdrum and nagging, so they quit. What you have in the interim is a tired, beleaguered workforce that does not like their manager. Therefore, they do not like their jobs and for them, work is about punching in and out to earn a paycheck. They handle co-workers like the manager treats them, and the customers are treated even worse.

For Christmas, my parents sent me a Chick-Fil-A gift card, not on my normal routine, but there is one in Pasadena. It is always busy with a drive-through line winding down the street. I did the unthinkable during those cold, COVID winters in Southern California: I got out of my car and went inside…

My expectation was to enter a busy maelstrom only to be greeted by a disheartened worker who wanted more than anything to get his fifteen-minute break and get away from sergeant kick-ass. While it was busy inside, the real traffic was in the drive through.

The first person who greeted me in front of the counter was the manager. He flashed a smile bigger than that of Magic Johnson as he asked, “How are you?”

Was this a joke? Where was the roaring confusion and yelling along with the sad people who hate their jobs? Why was this nice gentleman with a southern accent taking my order with a pleasant demeaner, disrupting my fast-food stereotype?

I thought I would trick him and send him back behind the counter. “I’m having a stressful day, and I’m too hungry to wait in the drive through…so I need a chicken salad.”

“Give me one minute,” he replied.

He quietly asked the worker behind him for a chicken salad; and in almost twenty seconds, there was a vibrant green, chicken salad. Was this salad pre-made for people like me on the go. What was going on? I knew this could not be possible since fast food restaurants do not have green salads. Taken aback, I ordered a chocolate shake.

The manager said this would take a few minutes as he had to have one prepared for me. While waiting, I had to ask about his accent, and he told me he was originally from Texas. Then I asked him if he ever had Blue Bell ice cream. He said that he loved and missed it, and from time to time would have a container shipped to the store for the employees to enjoy.

This was not the sergeant kick-ass philosophy at work; in fact, it was the direct opposite. It was the positive, lead by example, greet the customer with a smile, do business in front of a desk, ask politely for something and have the team prepare it, then reward the group leadership style. During stressful times, this is a lost art form.

Which one do you think works best?