I’ve had my head buried in jquerymobile code for the last three weeks with hardly a chance to pick my head up out of the sand other than to note Obama confidant and leading democrat consultant Hilary Rosen opine that a stay-at-home Mom “hasn’t worked a day in her life”.
We have a joke in the software business. It goes like this: “How is it possible that God made the world in six days?” Answer: he didn’t have an installed base to worry about. The joke works for the staffing business equally well.
What else to expect from an administration that wants to take our hard-working temporary employees’ payroll taxes and use them to fund the recreational sex of Sandra Fluke?
But I digress. Two Staffing Talk articles stuck out this last week, both hitting on the chute écrasante of the national staffing companies. The first by David Gee provided the numbers. The second by Margaret Steen laid the ground work for why being big in staffing puts you at a competitive disadvantage.
She wrote that smaller companies can decide things faster and that customers like that. One small typo led a commenter to give her a Hilary Rosen style thrashing but that took us away from her actual statement which I would challenge.
First, here is what she wrote in quoting Gary Greene, CEO of Greene Resources out of Raleigh, NC:
‘A small firm has less of a chain of command than a larger one. This can be a strength. “If you are a local company, then the decisions are made right there,” Greene says.’
Hmm. Seems true but is it? It’s counter-intuitive but I don’t think it is. Big firms have so processed-controlled themselves that they can provide quick answers. Unfortunately, the world and in particular, technology, changes so fast that being ‘systematic’ has become synonymous with ‘antiquated’.
I commented back:
the national firm can often make a decision faster…because invariably their answer is NO unless you’re doing mega millions with them.
Can my hiring managers check on their job orders online? Nationals: No
Can we post our time via iPad or Android? Nationals: No
Can you install timeclocks for me that integrate give me real-time reports via the web? Nationals: No
NO, NO, NO.
Now they may send in some suits that say yes and tell nice stories but the delivery is never there. That’s because back at headquarters they’re stuck on antiquated Oracle/IBM gear.
Adam Arnold made my point even better:
Technology is so readily available and affordable that local staffing can companies easily level the playing field against their publicly traded competition. Local staffing companies need to capture efficiencies everywhere possible, instead of retreating to the working harder & longer strategies of our predecessors. For example Call-Em-All enables recruiters to blast a voice and/or text message to their list of associates instantly informing them of an open position. Obviously, this example originates close to home, but there are a whole host of effective, affordable technologies that enable local companies to more efficiently serve their clients and employees than the name brand competition.
We have a joke in the software business. It goes like this: “How is it possible that God made the world in six days? “ Answer: he didn’t have an installed base to worry about.
The joke works for the staffing business equally well.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Two thoughts Gregg. First, you’re really laying on the political talk a bit much lately. I’m not trying to bash you, I simply want to bring this to your attention because you are getting close to losing me and likely others as long time readers. Second, bashing Nationals just because they aren’t customers of your software is a bit beneath you isnt it? I’ve worked for Nationals, Regionals, and Locals and let me say that the chances of dealing with ethical professionals is much more likely at the National level. For every 1 good, capable local you will find 50 horrible ones. Also, I don’t know where you get that National companies would say no to any of those questions. Maaaaaybe functionality with iPad or Android but you would still be able to access the internet on either of those and therefore input web time. You need to get with the times on National’s tech offerings.
Like or Dislike:
3 
1
Hello again InTheMajors
There is a reason that the hottest issue in labor today, the treatment of Apple/Foxconn workers, is playing out in China and not on American soil, and it’s that the political transcends into the staffing business at lightning speed.
Apple and its $550 billion market cap said adios to the entitlement dependency and pseudo-rights promulgated by our leftist administrations (Bush/Obama) here in the USA a long time ago.
Business is global, and I care deeply about the United States and people who can’t find jobs here. I’m not going to shut up about it.
Like or Dislike:
1 
1
Gregg,
I completely understand that politics is a definite contributor to many issues in our industry. If you want to address politics I would simply encourage you to stick to relevant bills and/or rulings that affect our industry and business climate rather than broadly bashing “leftists”. In your article you fail to mention that the Obama administration and campaign (including the First Lady) have all come out in comdemnation of Hilary Rosen’s statements. Regardless, I digress… I notice however you didn’t address any of the main part of my comment which was really the meat and potatoes.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Staffing companies now are a front to improve the economy. They don’t find jobs for people and they don’t have jobs available. They advertise on all of the job boards jobs, so that you will sign up with them, then they can show that they are putting this many people to work (probably getting some sort of subsidy) and then do nothing for the job seeker. Aerotek, Aijlon, Corestaff, Randstad are some of the worst. If you are looking for a job, don’t contact any staffing agencies they don’t work for you or anyone else, just for themselves.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0