Do you consider Online Staffing Platforms as a thread to your current business? What advice would you give to a staffing operator to stay competitive with new Online Platforms entering the staffing market?

I think everyone should consider it to augment their current offering. Every vertical could benefit from creating autonomy and “self-service” options as it pertains to the way they support both customers and candidates alike. We have multiple generations engaging in the workforce. Experiential choices will allow every generation regardless of occupation to engage with your brand. Simply put, make your business accessible.

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How important are MSPs for your business? What is your advice to staffing operators when considering participating in an MSP program?

I think participating in MSP’s is an exceptional way for small businesses to grow strategically, particularly if you are a minority owned vendor. It’s a great way to supplement in a specific geography where you might not quite have a reason to open a brick and mortar location or focus a number of resources. MSP’s can give you that reason and allow you to expand in a specific zip code or vertical. You just have to know when enough is enough. If you submittal to placement ratio starts falling off the cliff at 60/1 – well that it’s time to re-evaluate. But applied correctly it can be a win/win.

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What is your view on remote work in staffing?

I think it’s here to stay. With the pandemic, our average implementation timeline went from just over 400 days to less than a month. This tells me we can do more remotely and we can even be more effective in some cases. We see more productivity because people aren’t commuting 2 and 4 hours. You see more happiness because individuals can work their work around their lives. I think if there was ANYTHING good to take out of the pandemic, it was that we proved we can work from anywhere. And we can do it well.

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Are you considering any technology investments this year? What technology platforms would you recommend to other staffing operators?

As a tech stack expert whatever you buy, just implement it well. I see on-demand, AI, ML, automation and beyond as game changers for our industry. But they must be implemented appropriately to truly make an impact for all. Business change management is at the heart of it. Too often I’m brought it after a technology has “flopped” internally and it is simply because there wasn’t a great adoption plan. So agencies, whatever you buy, whatever you implement – implement it the right way.

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What is your go to place for news and advice on new trends in the staffing market?

Oh man – I am EVERYWHERE. However, I do now primarily use LinkedIn and Paiger to consolidate everything I read. You can simply put in all the topics you want to read about and Paiger will present it to you – it’s a great way to go to one place to read ALL of the different content I used to read on Forbes, Medium, Fast Company, SIA, ASA, and beyond. Not that this is a Paiger commercial – but I do love them!

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