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Saying it Louder – It’s the Culture!
Have you ever had one of those dreams where you are speaking, and no one can hear you? Sometimes, when you're working in the recruiting field, that is how real life feels. At Zephyr, we have been talking about the importance of workplace culture and the danger of...

The Next Workforce Evolution and the Unique Role of Small Businesses
At Zephyr, we spend a lot of time thinking and pontificating about the state of the American workforce – where we are, where we are going, and how we can make it better. Like, a lot of time. Maybe a borderline-obsessive level of time. But in our defense, there is no...

The Great Resignation – Finding Opportunity in the Challenge
Recently, a friend shared an article with me entitled, “Americans Quit Their Jobs at a Record Rate in August.” Shortly after, a headline from a New York Times email news update landed in my inbox with a subject that read, “The Big Quit.” Scrolling through social...

Employees Are Not Commodities
What is a commodity? In the simplest terms, it is a good or raw material that is bought or sold or traded for something else that holds value. The commodity’s value can fluctuate based on supply and demand. Labor has often been seen as a commodity and is part of the...

The Recruiting Industry Is A Racket!
Yes, I meant to say that! I have seen first-hand how disconnected the recruiting industry is from the employers and job seekers it serves. In order to understand why I make such a bold claim, you have to understand the basic business model of the industry. Now, to be...

10 Ways to Improve Work and Family Balance at your Small Business
Work-Life Balance was a buzz word before the pandemic. Now, after seven months (yes, seven months!) of work-from-home, this balance may be permanently changed. There have been positive changes for both employers and employees: less time commuting, lower overhead...

Solving Small Business Employers’ Biggest Complaint
You started your business because you knew you could do what you do better than other businesses in your profession. You want your employees to do the same. Yet, somehow, when you hire the people with the best skills and experience, they don’t always work out.
Luckily, there are some ways to help make hiring easier.

Are bad hires costing you money?
Bad hires can cost as much as 30% of their annual salary! There is a better way to build your team that will end up saving your time, money and headache in the long run:
the IDEAL FIT™ method.

Eight Affordable Ways to Support Working Parents During COVID
The pandemic has created a level of constant stress that is wearing on us all. And this is especially true of working parents- who must balance their work responsibilities while monitoring their children’s distance learning or watching non-school aged kids. According...

Stop toxic workplace culture from taking over your small business
Growing a team can be paralyzing for many small business owners. It is hard work. Work you probably don’t have time to do. When you need to grow, but don’t have the time to invest in hiring, it can be easy to rush the process, hiring the first person who comes along who has the requirements you need, and who wants the job. Focusing first on getting roles filled can help you with your short term needs, but unfortunately, can lead to something that no small business wants to have: a toxic workplace

How to talk about race and racism in the workplace (and why you should!)
This is a guest blog post by Traci Baxley While racism is not new, there is undoubtedly a resurge in energy around the discussions of historical and systemic race issues in the general public. The senseless deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor...

Don’t lose sight of your long term goals/success
We hope you, your company, and your family are coping well and managing this new state in which we find ourselves. All over the world, we are using this time to stop, breathe, and make some choices. As a business owner, you have a lot going on, and if you are like me,...

How to Attract Your IDEAL FIT™ Employees: Employment Brand Marketing Webinar
The Zephyr Team hopes that you, your employees and loves ones are as well as can be expected. We’re all looking forward to an end to this situation and a return to “normalcy”. But while we are in this unusually slow state, it is a wise use of our time to think about...

Maintaining Culture in a Virtual World
During this COVID-19 crisis, we have seen so many people going to work virtually for the first time. It has been the topic of numerous articles, webinars, and panel discussions. What is often missing from the discussion is how to maintain and foster your team...

How your company’s Core Values can help you find the IDEAL FIT™ employees
Business Core Values provide direction, focus, connect us with clients, and help us find the RIGHT FIT employees to accomplish our business goals.

Firing with Compassion
What do you do if you have a team member who has not grown with your company or who is no longer a good fit? Do you know you should let them go, but you haven’t yet because they rely on you to put food on the table, or to pay their mortgage? That is a complicated and sensitive position to be in, but there are things you can do to let them go in a way that is caring and supportive. Firing with compassion is possible.

Recruit the Employee You’ve Always Wanted with the Culture Technique (GMAP Podcast)
Your IDEAL FIT™ employee is out there... the challenge is finding them. Do you know what they look like? What they want? Where they are looking? Do you know what you want or need? While you are sitting here asking yourself these questions, is your IDEAL FIT™ employee...
Hiring in a Tight Labor Market-10 Steps To Get You Closer To Your Next Great Hire!
Unemployment is at a 50 year low! Great news, until you need to hire. Patience and creativity are key in this tight labor market. These tips will help you beat your competition to your next great hire.

Hiring Options 101
A resignation letter… as a business owner dedicated to building a thriving company, the notice that one of your team members is leaving feels like a punch to the gut. The reasons for your star employee exiting are sensible ones; a better job opportunity, going back to school, a family change. But what now? You may be fortunate enough to get a few weeks notice, but that never seems to be enough. You procrastinate searching for a replacement because you anticipate it’s going to be a tedious and unpleasant project or you simply don’t know where to start.
Let’s explore the options available and see what makes sense for your growing company.