Sebastian´s Business Blog

3 steps to give a Christmas bonus

by Sebastian Schmiedmaier

Did you know this time of the year when everything goes wrong and all the ass-kisser are very kind and friendly?

Yes, ok then you know it´s Christmas time!

Christmas eve is near, so many employees work hard to get a Christmas bonus.(link to own blog)

But do these guys really just work for that?

-Yes, last year I talked to a company who monitored their employee the whole year and they came to a terrifying result. Some of these specialists are waiting till the end of October to work really hard, so you can see they are the one who deserve an extra big Christmas bonus. In my research I came to the decision, that you have to control them the whole year, then you can see these employees who really work hard the whole year.

However, here are my three steps you could follow to give the “extra-big Christmas bonus” to the honest worker.

Step 1: sales figures.

You could probably just check the monthly documents about the sales. Here you can see what your whiz.kids do the whole year.

Step 2: customer reviews filter.

One tip is to look after your customers mind. What do they think who deserve a bonus? Because your clients work the whole year with your staff and know exactly which one does everything for your company.

Step 3: ask co-workers.

The last and my personal favourite is to ask your employees. What does they think who should get some extra money this Christmas? Sometimes this is the best way to figure the well-chosen one out.

If you want to be Santa´s little helper this year, just follow these steps and I think it will come back next year.

At least all I could say is that I will wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I´m glad if you leave your response below.

Three Steps to Hiring The Right People For Remote Work

by Sebastian Schmiedmaier

Today I want to tell you something about remote work and present you three easy steps to hire the right people for remote working. This topic could be of high interest for you if you are working in human resources.

I have read many articles on remote work and have also tried working remotely myself and all I can say is: This is the best thing that can happen for an employee. But not every company appreciates or provides remote work.

You ask why?

The main problem with remote work is that your supervisor cannot see if you are really working or doing something else like watching Netflix. Still, nobody is looking at the positive sides of remote work.

Furthermore, here are the three personality types you want to hire:

Step ONE: Hire the Communicator.

The member you are looking for may not be an IT expert, but they have to know all the basics because you have to do meetings per skype.

It is essential that your employer can communicate with you over email in an academic and friendly way.

Step TWO: Hire the Extrovert.

Yes, people who are extroverted can manage their energy throughout the day.

This means not that introverts cannot work remotely – they are too good at it.

Step THREE: Hire the Whiz Kids.

You ever heard something about whiz kids? No? Me either. Not before I talked to the CEO of a new start-up. With remote work you are locally uncommitted. You can reach employers everywhere. This means if you know some smart young people abroad, these future legends could work in your department.

If you are following these three steps really nothing could wrong.

In case this blog inspires you to convert your company into one that creates space for remote workers, an added benefit would be saving money elsewhere such as clerical equipment. I think there is a big Christmas bonus waiting!

Also, if you have any other experiences with remote work let me know this below.

Three Steps to getting the right person for the job

by Sebastian Schmiedmaier

If you find yourself reading this post, possibly you are working in human resources and in need for some answers. Congratulations, your search came to an end.

For about 5 years, I’ve travelled the country to make your worklife a lot easier. I’ve talked with hundreds of head recruiters in many different industry sectors: from Google, IBM and Ford, you name it – to some fast growing, really innovative start-ups. Guess what, you are not alone.

It all boils down to three major problems most companies face – especially in the tech business.

the application process is expensive and slow
you don`t get the creative minds
you lose talent to big tech companies

Seems familiar, right?

Here’s the three-step-plan I came up with:

Step one: Be creative

Did you know, that 80% of application forms include the same questions? Don’t be surprised if this won’t attract those great minds you are looking for. The textbook approach is dated. Your forms are dated. Launch online riddles, organise scavenger hunts… just get a little creative with the application process.

Step two: Create competition.

Create competition, healthy competition of course. If you want ambitious, problem-oriented employees, let them show you what they got. For instance, a hacking competition like google has been doing for years.

Step three: Be there.

You need to be present, at colleges, schools, job fairs… This will put you on the map when they consider a career in your business.

Let me know your thoughts below if you`ve got other experiences about hiring.

This should be the answers you were looking for. If don`t, probably one of my other posts about remote work or christmas bonus will help you.