Highlighting Humanity

Byline: Hiring during COVID-19

While the new unemployment claims rise alongside an increase of COVID-19 cases, Ohio employers are struggling to attract workers motivated and focused on the businesses’ growth and performance. Those searching for work right now are looking for jobs that leave them feeling safe, supported, and certain of their job security. 

Over the last 20 years Bane Staffing has been the strategic advisor to creating a working environment that highlights humanity from their hiring to onboarding processes to promotions; below we have outlined two ways your organization can start highlighting humanity and 

increase retention by prioritizing employee support. 

Living in a world polarized by the pandemic and the election has caused stressors never before faced in our personal and work lives. It’s impossible not to carry the weight of the world into your workplace these days. Stressed out employees are less innovative, motivated, and productive. 

An extremely impactful, and easy, way to alleviate the some of the stress your employees face is by curating opportunities that highlight humanity by: 

• A daily “Happy Hour” where employees hear song requests from their colleagues submitted throughout the day 
• A “Joke of the day” bulletin where one funny pun/dad joke is posted near/in the break area 
• A “Twin” bulletin where employees who are accidentally dressed similar take a silly picture to be featured 
• “Thankful for YOU” area where management and colleagues are recognized for hard work 

Reap in Relatedness 

Humans love to connect with other humans, so much so, by even finding one single thing in common with another person your brain shoots off the same signals it would if you were eating your favorite candy bar!

Whether it be on plant floors, in offices at 50% capacity, or even your office at home, here are a few ways you can build relatedness with your employees: 

• Birthday Beams featuring a quick quote of their favorite birthday celebration, tradition, or even party
• Mistake of the Month featuring an executive sharing a mistake they made that they learned from or laughed at 
• Favorite color challenge where employees pick a color and whichever color gets the most votes wins them a surprise “treat”
  • Green (30 votes) = pizza
  • Blue (20 votes) = cupcakes