Insights with Insiders

In this episode of Insight with Insiders, Julie Ann Bittner interviews Tom Erb, a staffing industry expert, about the state of the industry in 2024. They discuss the job market, wage pressure, new opportunities in niche markets, the role of AI in staffing, mergers and acquisitions, legislative involvement, and the importance of accountability. Tom provides valuable advice for staffing business owners and emphasizes the need for proactive engagement with industry associations. He encourages listeners to have a positive mindset and strategic approach to achieve success in 2024.

In this Insight with Insiders podcast, TRICOM President / CEO Julie Ann Bittner is joined by Jason Turner, Chief Investment Strategist for Great Lakes Advisors. In this role, Jason authors market and economic commentary, regularly presents in the media and to professional conferences, and works with client portfolio managers to support institutional and private clients. He is also responsible for portfolio strategy, asset allocation, and oversees the firm’s manager due diligence and selection efforts. Jason’s insights have historically been highly accurate, and in this podcast, he shares his thoughts into the current and future state of the economy.

2023 has been a year of unexpectedly strong growth in the overall economy, with unemployment around 3.8 percent and consumer spending remaining solid. However, the Staffing industry has slowed, seeing a 15 – 20 percent decrease year-over-year. What does this mean for the rest of 2023 and 2024? Will general economic growth continue? Will Staffing rebound, and if so, what industries hold the most growth potential? Will the Federal Reserve continue its focus on rate increases? Are we in for a soft landing or a more serious, lengthy recession? Jason addresses these issues, and more, and shares the economic indicators that support his predictions. He also speaks to how outside factors such as political turmoil, labor strikes, global unrest can impact economic markets and shares the positive economic news that often goes unreported in the media. Additionally, Jason gives specific advice to staffing company owners in these uncertain economic times. You don’t want to miss this podcast filled with thoughtful, relevant economic analysis that will impact the months and year to come.

Andre Young, a professional speaker, author, leadership trainer and founder of You Evolving Now, LLC., joins TRICOM’s President / CEO Julie Ann Bittner for a discussion about leadership. Andre has written two books on leadership, 7 Ways to Lead and The Leaders Toolbox. He and Julie Ann discuss the difference between Work/Life Harmony vs. Work/Life Balance, as well as the concept of “Head Up, Eyes Up, Smile and Move with Purpose.” They also identify the Five Points of Your Day (and why this is critical), the Five Types of Leaders and Employees, including how to motivate each type. Discover what type of leader you are, as well as the essential aspects of leadership required to effectively lead, connect, build, and succeed as a team. 

As the frequency and associated costs of data breaches has risen significantly, more companies are exploring ways to help mitigate losses and risk. Contributing to these trends is the increase in remote workers, risks associated with vendors and outsourcing, cyber extortion, and more.

In this podcast. TRICOM President / CEO Julie Ann Bittner is joined by Sarah Davis, Of Counsel with Becker LLC, Bob Thompson, Vice President at WorldWide/PHLY, and Jerry Grady, Managing Partner for UHY LLP, as they discuss emerging risk trends, recommendations for mitigating risk of data security breaches, and more from a legal, tax, and insurance perspective. They also explore examples of actions that companies may be partaking in without realizing how it exposes them to cyber security data breaches, as well as common misunderstandings about cyber security exposure.

#Business #Security #Risk Management #Staffing

Since the start of the pandemic, there’s been a lot of focus on mental health and wellness, specifically in the workplace. Employees’ anxiety has reached the highest point since the pandemic began and the rate of depression has tripled, yet the C-suite isn’t always in tune with where their employees are at in terms of wellness. This has become a critical challenge for employers – not only because of the desire to have happy and healthy employees, but also in terms of lost productivity and increased absenteeism – to the tune of over $51 billion.

In this podcast, Julie Ann Bittner, TRICOM President / CEO, is joined by Alli Arndt, Wellness Manager of Assurance’s Risk Management Team, and Austin Morgan, Account Executive for Assurance’s Staffing Employee Benefits Team. Assurance is one of the largest and most awarded independent insurance agencies in the U.S. Julie Ann, Alli and Austin discuss how a supportive work environment, where managers reinforce a sound wellness strategy, can keep employees motivated and engaged.

There’s been a lot of talk about the economy lately. From inflation to employment and wages, to rising interest rates, and more, 2022 is starting out as a year where economics is set to take center stage. In this podcast, Julie Ann Bittner, TRICOM President & CEO, sits down with Jason Turner, Chief Investment Strategist of Great Lakes Advisors to talk about the economic outlook as it stands today, what it tells us about the current environment, and what the year may bring in terms of changes and trends. They discuss “the Great Resignation” of 2021 and how that’s impacted employment supply and demand. They also discuss wage growth and whether or not wages will increase to meet the shortfall between job openings and hiring, as well as workers demands due to the rising cost of living. Learn what the media is not talking about, as well as other factors that may influence the direction of the economy in 2022 and beyond.

People can form judgments very quickly: within a matter of minutes they can start to form lasting judgments about you, your approach and your organization. Part of these judgments stem from “cognitive biases,” which can influence every decision we make personally and professionally. In this podcast, TRICOM President & CEO Julie Ann Bittner speaks with Rob Mosely, Managing Partner for Next Level Exchange, a global learning collaborative dedicated to the Executive Search and Staffing industry. Rob and Julie Ann discuss specific cognitive biases that consistently play a role in complex business decisions such as loss aversion, and status quo bias, and speak to ways to reframe conversations. Rob also reveals his LACES model, which helps someone successfully communicate and implement essential skills to overcome resistance when speaking with prospects.  This enlightening discussion will help you navigate bias in conversations with customers and prospects with greater ease.

After a tough year in 2020 with an 11 percent decline, staffing has come back strong with 16 percent growth in 2021. Will this trend continue for 2022? Julie Ann Bittner, TRICOM President & CEO, speaks with Adrianne Nelson, Staffing Industry Analysts Senior Director of Global Membership Products, to discuss the research and trends propelling the staffing industry into the next year. Adrianne reveals staffing segments that are growth drivers, as well as those struggling to make a comeback and suggestions on breaking into new segments. Adrianne and Julie Ann also look at how automation and staffing platforms are transforming the industry, as well as lessons learned from COVID including trends in remote work and e-commerce, and vaccine mandates. You’ll learn why these two staffing industry veterans see the golden age of staffing on the horizon.

Correctly classifying employees vs. independent contractors (IC) is essential for determining the need for wage withholdings, taxation issues, employee benefits, workers compensation, and more. Sarah Davis and Chris Leddy join Julie Ann Bittner to discuss the three common classification tests used to determine IC classification status, exemptions, and practical concerns specific to the staffing industry. They also share steps staffing company owners can take to minimize risk including contractual provisions, documentation, and more.

Staffing company owners Crystal Blackwell, Al Simon & Sergey Bogomolov join TRICOM CEO Julie Ann Bittner to share their insights on the best practices that came out of 2020 and current staffing challenges & opportunities (including the shift to direct hire and specialization). Also hear about the role company culture plays in the success of their businesses and strategies for staffing companies to build even better relationships with their clients. Discover why they see a bright future for the staffing industry.