Mission Man Visits Aureus Group

C&A Industries, parent company of Aureus Group, brought its mission statement to life late last year when we introduced Mission Man, C&A’s very own super hero and mascot. Mission Man is on a mission to recognize employees who go above and beyond incorporating C&A’s mission statement values into their daily endeavors.

Mission Man paid a visit to the Systems Division of Aureus Group in May armed with words of praise and Mission Man candy tins for Jillian Huston, Linda Aughenbaugh, and Gabe Romero.

A Look into What Makes Top Talent Take Flight

Last week I opened up the grill on our back deck at home with the intention of firing up some hamburgers. When I opened up the grill, I was shocked to find that the neighborhood birds had targeted it for their next home. The grill was filled with twigs, grass, and debris from all over the neighborhood. Luckily, there weren’t any eggs or birds in there, but this forced me to spend some time cleaning out the grill and cook the burgers in the house.

As I reluctantly cooked dinner for my wife and myself on the George Foreman Grill in the kitchen, it got me thinking. The birds chose my grill for their next home. What prompted them to select my grill? What separated my grill from other locations in the neighborhood? We have plenty of trees, my other neighbors have grills – why my grill on my back porch?

That thought gave me an idea for my first blog entry. I decided to look back at 100 random interviews that I’ve done in the last year with candidates looking to take the next step in their careers. My goal was to track their number one job consideration and really try to get to the bottom of what people are looking for in their next opportunity.

BRIDGING THE GAP: Understanding Manager Frustrations and Hiring Decisions

Last month we shared what motivates elite talent to leave their employer in the Top Talent newsletter. By examining leading Aureus Group candidates who have been placed by our organization during the last 60 days, we were able to get an idea of what is driving career changes in 2010. Here’s a recap of what these top candidates shared with us:

Teamwork: The Most Important Factor in Organizational Success

Recently, when asked what made his football program so successful, Dr. Tom Osborne, head football coach at the University of Nebraska Lincoln from 1973 to 1997, said that his best teams had a shared vision of what was important. This came without any mention, or measurement of talent.

The Intersection of Choice

We all know that hiring and retaining the best employees drives our businesses to success. Unfortunately, this is still an area which many organizations don’t properly invest in.

Who are your key employees? You know, the ones who always complete projects on time and the quality of their work is considered elite in your industry? Your “go-to” people for new ideas, the ones you rely on in times of crisis and generally to take on extra work? Having this person on your team allows you to sleep easier just knowing they are there. However, are these valued and talented members also keeping their job options open?

Aureus Group Announces Q4 Employee of the Quarter

It’s been proven time and time again that engagement results in increased productivity, happy employees, and satisfied customers. Leaders and managers need to embrace new ideas and be sure communication with employees is clear. As a result, every employee will hopefully understand how his/her role impacts the bottom line and helps achieve the company’s goals. While many factors contribute to overall employee engagement, I believe a key element to engagement is recognition.

Economic Recovery Brings New Staffing Challenges

Although the economy won’t completely recover this year, the SI Review and Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as staffing analysts expect it to greatly improve and we are already seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. As I mentioned in last month’s article, an increase in temporary orders and use of a contingent work force has historically been a sign of growth in all industries. However, the turn from contingent employees to a full-time head count will most likely be slower than in the past due in part to the many challenges facing businesses right now.

Aureus Group’s Annual Philanthropy Project a Success!

In honor of C&A Industries’ (parent company of Aureus Group) annual holiday philanthropy project named AurElves, Aureus Group treated 39 teenage boys to a Holiday Party with all the trimmings, an event Aureus Group has hosted for the past few years.

Planning and Forecasting with Contingent Workforce in 2010 and Beyond

We are wondering what 2010 will bring. Recession has turned to recovery, and the economy is now growing again. The pains of the labor market will soon be healed by higher productivity as consumer demand increases across the board. One of the elements that may influence the pace and direction of hiring during the recovery is actually the way jobs were cut during the recession. Companies seemed to cut much faster and deeper during this recession than previous ones, quickly moving through contingent workers into core full-time jobs. Many experts who follow trends in the staffing world believe that companies will have a higher dependence on contingent staff who will allow organizations to more strategically re-integrate staff into organizations not just in 2010, but beyond.

Aureus Group Honors Employees at Annual Awards Luncheon

Aureus Group recently celebrated employee successes at our Annual Awards Luncheon on Friday, November 6 at the Embassy Suites Convention Center in LaVista. Nearly 400 employees throughout C&A Industries (parent company of Aureus Group) attended the event, which was kicked off with a keynote presentation by Scott Christopher, co-author of the best selling book The Levity Effect: Why it Pays to Lighten Up, who spoke on the importance of having fun at work.

Aureus Group was the proud winner of several awards including the team Business Builder Award for the Executive division and individual awards for Mike T. with the Finance and Accounting division, who won the Rising Star award, Jon D. from the Executive division, who won both the Highest Gross Margin and President’s Club awards. Congratulations to all of the winners!