8 MiMfg Magazine July / August 2022
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Member Spotlight
Member since November 2020 • Learn more at sigredsolutions . com
Talent Success Through Clear Vision & Authentic Company Culture
Employers have met some of the biggest challenges they ’ ve ever faced in the past few years and the pandemic forced many organizations to fast-track some of their plans that were still on the distant horizon prior to the health crisis . Evolving to a paperless workflow , conducting remote meetings and offering more work from home options are a few areas where necessity inspired much innovation .
Sigred Solutions is a management recruiting and leadership advisory firm based in Ann Arbor and Detroit . The firm was formed to provide companies with the recruiting and advisory services that founders Mike Dergis and Kristi Stepp were always looking for when they were in the industry . Dergis had been a COO with an automotive supplier as well as a strategy consultant , focused on helping manufacturers grow and improve their operations . Stepp previously ran HR and Talent Development Organizations for global Fortune 500 manufacturers . Together , they work to deeply know their clients and understand the skills and fit attributes necessary for a new hire to be successful .
“ The pandemic has accelerated many Baby Boomer retirements ,” says Dergis . “ We ’ ve also seen an increase in the number of people resigning and candidates not taking jobs based on commute .”
“ For those who had a little dissatisfaction , the pandemic increased it ,” adds Stepp . To counteract this , she advises employers to focus on and commit to an authentic company culture . This is true for both attracting new talent as well as retaining current team members , and the importance of authenticity is two-fold .
How We Are Innovating By asking our clients and candidates for candid feedback on how we can improve our services and then implementing those suggestions . ( Mike )
“ People need to connect with what they see as the values of the organization , and they need to see themselves as a valuable part of the future of the organization ,” Stepp explains . “ Employees need to not only feel valued , they need to see that the core values and culture of the organization is truly in alignment with what is important to them and their community .”
A corporate culture lacking in authenticity not only makes it more difficult to retain employees , it makes new candidates more difficult to attract and may cause them to lose interest . Especially if negative sentiments have been shared on social media , which is now the first place most employee prospects will search for company information . Stepp notes that community engagement , if done well and done regularly , is a great opportunity for employers to demonstrate their authenticity .
“ Candidates are now more concerned than ever if a company is going to be a good fit for them ,” says Stepp . “ We ’ ve heard from a number of companies that had to realign their vision and mission statements due to the pandemic .
The current interview trend is for candidates to meet employers
Mike Dergis & Kristi Stepp Founders
Sigred Solutions
“ virtually ” through the entire process until the final interview , which leaves ample time for the candidate to form an opinion of the organization before ever walking in the doors or meeting anyone face to face .
As candidates examine and research employers in the early stages of this virtual interview process , they ’ re much more likely to seek out employee satisfaction ratings and browse social media channels for information or feedback on the organization , their core values and their actions .
There is no end in sight for the talent shortage . While many employers are actively involved in the community , partnering with schools to develop internship programs and taking other important steps to help fill the gap for the future , it ’ s critical that they also step back and take a deep look inward .
“ We ’ ve seen some companies that needed to react to external statements that were not in alignment with how they really were . Be very clear on what you stand for , what success looks like and what your vision is ,” Stepp advises employers . 6
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Best Part of My Job Our work changes lives . We connect amazing candidates with great organizations . We advance the careers of our candidates and help organizations gain their “ unfair share ” of talent . It ’ s very rewarding to see our candidates thrive in their new roles . ( Kristi )
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