STAR Report: Conducting Performance Reviews When Your Team is Remote_

Workplace dynamics have changed drastically over the last few months. From minimal personal interaction to increased reliance on communication technology, the word “office” has taken on a whole new meaning. As the year-end approaches, this leaves many companies wondering about the best way to conduct performance reviews. How can you evaluate your remote employees accurately, deliver clear feedback, and foster trust?

“The first thing to consider is that you have to evaluate your people based on their output, not their working schedule,” says Nancy Halverson, SVP Global Operations at MRI. “When employees are working remotely, you need to know that you can count on them to complete tasks on time and to be available when they’re needed. Use the performance review to determine if those who consistently fall behind with their workloads need a different arrangement, better technology, or more guidance.”

Halverson’s suggestions for making sure performance reviews are effective and beneficial include using some of the traditional elements of the review process, removing factors that you can’t measure for remote workers, and adding others that this kind of work environment creates. “Recognize and prioritize qualities that are more relevant in a virtual setting, such as teamwork and communication,” she says. “Focusing on these skill sets also helps make individual contributors more successful in a remote environment.” She advises managers conducting remote reviews to follow these three steps.

Give advanced notice about when reviews will take place. Your team needs time to prepare for a private and professional exchange while working from home, particularly now that so many people are juggling childcare and homeschooling with their jobs. Halverson recommends scheduling at least one hour for the performance review conversation and letting employees know that reviews will be the dedicated focus of the meeting. If you don’t have easy access to tools that support video, make arrangements to speak with one another via FaceTime to ensure you aren’t sacrificing the value of a face-to-face conversation.

Discuss changed priorities openly and honestly. Business priorities may have shifted during the pandemic, and employees might be worried about job security. Dedicate time in the performance review to discuss how they can remain valuable contributors moving forward. Clearly outline duties that may evolve or change in the coming months so they clearly understand where to focus their efforts and can evolve with the business appropriately.

Create a plan to support your employees from a distance. Although evidence suggests that remote workers are as, if not more, productive than those who work in a physical office, those statistics are typically based on employees who have chosen to work remotely. Employees thrust into remote working may not feel connected to company culture or to their coworkers. Their work arrangements can be isolating, and often require a level of self-direction, motivation, and discipline that isn’t intuitive for everyone. “Be sure to discuss how your employees can still collaborate with you and their coworkers in this new World of Work,” says Halverson. “How much coaching, guidance, and support do they need from you while working from home? Do they understand their priorities and goals, and feel confident that they have the tools and skills to achieve them?”

Every employee has a different work style and varying needs when it comes to succeeding remotely. Thoughtful evaluations help employees identify opportunities for professional growth and reinforce the importance of their contributions, which can greatly impact their satisfaction and commitment. “Use this time to get to know what your employees enjoy doing, where they feel capable and where they are struggling,” concludes Halverson. “Agree on a plan that will fuel professional success moving forward, and assure your people that their mental, emotional, and physical health is as important to you as their performance right now.”

The Trevi Group | “Executive Search for Technology Professionals” | www.TheTreviGroup.com

BLS: Employment Summary for October 2020

The U.S. economy added 638,000 non-farm jobs in October, above the 530,000-job growth expected by economists. The unemployment rate declined to 6.6 percent. October is the sixth consecutive month of both job growth and unemployment rate improvement. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported notable job gains in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, retail trade and construction, while employment in government declined. Private-sector employers added 906,000 jobs, a pickup from September, offsetting a drop of 268,000 jobs in the public sector.

“As we await final presidential election results, the job growth reported from the Bureau of Labor Statistics this morning clearly demonstrates the underlying vitality of the hiring environment,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRINetwork. “While 2020 continues to provide an unprecedented series of crises and challenges, we are seeing steady signs of optimism in economic growth. The attitude of our Network of over 300 executive recruitment offices can be characterized as “prudently bold.” We continue to invest in our business to meet demand for top talent across many of our industry sectors, including pharmaceutical, business services — specifically PR and marketing, software design and development, and construction — notably, building products and supplies as well as special trade construction.”

The BLS reported total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 638,000 and the unemployment rate declined to 6.9 percent. Notably the labor force participation rate increased by 0.3 percentage point to 61.7 percent in October, now only 1.7 percentage points below the February pre-Covid level.

Commenting on the October report, Bloomberg’s Market Reporter Kriti Gupta offers possible investor reaction to the positive news, “Here’s one way for the market to be able to read this report: Perhaps better payrolls data means less urgency for another round of stimulus. But remember, sometimes narrative is built around price swings as opposed to the other way around. So take the market reactions in the coming hours with a tub of salt.”

While recognizing the short-term impact of a virus spike many analysts see a solid rationale for optimism. “It’s hard to look at months or weeks past because you know what’s lying ahead and that’s an increase in virus cases. That continues to be the dark cloud looming ahead,” Jennifer Lee, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, told Bloomberg. “But the fact that the jobless rate took such a big decline, that’s extremely encouraging.”

In October, 21.2 percent of employed persons teleworked because of the pandemic, down from 22.7 percent in September, reflecting an ongoing process as employers open places of work as commuting restrictions ease.

According to the BLS, these improvements in the labor market reflect the continued resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed due to the pandemic and efforts to contain it.

As reported by the BLS, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 271,000 in October, with gains in food services and drinking places (+192,000); arts, entertainment, and recreation (+44,000); and accommodation (+34,000).

Professional and business services added 208,000 jobs in October, with temporary help services (+109,000) accounting for about half of the gain. Employment also increased in services to buildings and dwellings (+19,000), computer systems design and related services (+16,000), and management and technical consulting services (+15,000). Employment in professional and business services is 1.1 million below its February level.

In October, retail trade added 104,000 jobs, with almost one-third of the gain in electronics and appliance stores (+31,000). Employment also rose in motor vehicle and parts dealers (+23,000), furniture and home furnishings stores (+14,000), clothing and clothing accessories stores (+13,000), general merchandise stores (+10,000), and non-store retailers (+9,000). Employment in retail trade has risen by 1.9 million since April.

Construction added 84,000 jobs in October. Specialty trade contractors added jobs, both in the nonresidential (+28,000) and residential (+18,000) components. Employment also rose in heavy and civil engineering construction and in construction of buildings (+19,000 each). Construction has added 789,000 jobs in the last 6 months, now down by 294,000 since February.

Employment in healthcare and social assistance rose by 79,000 in October. Healthcare employment increased by 58,000, with the largest gains occurring in hospitals (+16,000), offices of physicians (+14,000), offices of dentists (+11,000), and outpatient care centers (+10,000). These increases were partially offset by a decline of 9,000 in nursing and residential care facilities. Social assistance added 21,000 jobs over the month.

Employment in transportation and warehousing increased by 63,000 in October, with gains occurring in warehousing and storage (+28,000), transit and ground passenger transportation (+25,000), and truck transportation (+10,000). By contrast, air transportation shed 18,000 jobs.

The BLS reported gains in employment in financial activities and manufacturing but at lower levels of increase versus September.

In October, government employment fell by 268,000. A decrease of 138,000 in federal government was driven by a loss of 147,000 temporary 2020 Census workers. Job losses also occurred in local government education and state government education (-98,000 and -61,000, respectively).

“We continue to remain focused on meeting client demand for top talent equipped with relentless work ethic, and capable of resilient management decision making and the ability to lead change in evolving business models,” said Miller.

The Trevi Group | “Executive Search for Technology Professionals” | www.TheTreviGroup.com

Manage the Work, Not the People_

As millions of Americans now work remotely, managers unaccustomed to supervising employees from afar face new challenges in leading and evaluating their team’s performance. Traditional management styles prior to this new World of Work emphasized the need to manage employees effectively to get the best results. Today, however, the emphasis has shifted to managing the work rather than the people in order to get the best results from a remote workforce.

“The key to this approach is to leave people alone and let them work,” says Nancy Halverson, Senior VP of Global Operations at MRINetwork. “Tell your team about the big vision and ask how it might be accomplished. This brings your remote team closer together and encourages additional interaction. Then let them go do it. The most important metric to consider is results.”

Halverson offers the following advice on successfully managing for productivity:

Focus on the endpoint. “It’s critical that you set clear expectations and focus on the results you want as opposed to managing the process that gets you there,” she says. “Get rid of time-suckers and distractions like long meetings and unnecessary updates. Make sure that everyone knows exactly what’s expected of them. Trying to manage remote workers as if they were still together in the office is counterproductive.”

Provide employees with the best equipment and tools. This allows them to do their best work from anywhere. "That includes providing high-quality monitors and headphones and ensuring meetings are set up for participation regardless of location," says Halverson. “If you have people who continue to come into the office, they need places to conduct video-conferencing that ensure the best experience for virtual attendees."

Schedule regular check-ins. Once you’ve set clear expectations for work assignments, it's important to regularly touch base with remote workers to make sure they have the resources they need and are on target to hit their goals. “Don’t micromanage them or give the impression that you are constantly monitoring them to see if they’re working,” says Halverson. “You’ll know from the results they produce how they’re doing. And always encourage them to bring up challenges or problems they’re having before they become insurmountable.”

Introduce redundancy. Halverson believes that the current situation is an opportunity for employers to upskill their workforces. “You may have had to furlough people, and now you need to figure out who’s going to pick up the slack,” she says. “You may be surprised at how willing your team is to take on new roles or to train for new skills. Problem solving on this level changes the relationship you have with your employees. You become partners committed to the same goals.”

“What’s basic here is trust between employer and employee,” says Halverson. “Even in a traditional workplace there’s no way to completely prevent the misuse of time. But, as shown by productivity gains, most people do what’s expected of them – and more. Believe in your people and let them share in the responsibility for moving your company forward, whether they’re at the office or at home.”

The Trevi Group | “Executive Search for Technology Professionals” | www.TheTreviGroup.com

Employment Summary for September 2020_

The U.S. economy added 661,000 non-farm jobs in September, below the 800,000 job growth expected by economists surveyed by Dow Jones. While millions remain unemployed, September’s activity means that approximately 12 million jobs have been recovered since the mid-March economic shutdown that saw about 22 million layoffs. September marks the first month since April that net hiring was below 1 million. Unemployment at 7.9% is now in line with previous recessions.

“Our Network of over 325 executive recruitment offices remains cautiously optimistic about the job growth reflected in today's report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRINetwork. “Technical, managerial, and executive talent is in peak demand across a range of industries including construction, financial services, and healthcare. We’ve also seen a recent lift in legal and security tech opportunities. Across sectors, organizations are looking for leaders capable of thriving in, and in many cases driving, a culture adaptable to the present changing business and political environment.”

The BLS reported total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 661,000 in September, and the unemployment rate declined to 7.9 percent. The number of unemployed persons fell by 1.0 million to 12.6 million. Both measures have declined for 5 consecutive months but are higher than in February, by 4.4 percentage points and 6.8 million, respectively.

"These data are consistent with a labor market that is rebounding, albeit at a slower pace than a few months ago, which should be enough to support consumers and consumption," said Sameer Samana, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo in comments to Fox Business. "While risks remain, such as election and COVID-19-related uncertainty, we believe investors should continue to remain fully invested."

In September, 22.7 percent of employed persons teleworked because of the pandemic, down from 24.3 percent in August, perhaps reflecting a trend of employers opening places of work as commuting restrictions were eased.

According to the BLS, these improvements in the labor market reflect the continued resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed due to the pandemic and efforts to contain it. In September, notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, in retail trade, in healthcare and social assistance, and in professional and business services. Employment in government declined over the month, mainly in state and local government education.

CNBC reported that while the third quarter is likely to see unprecedented growth in GDP after the historically sharp slowdown in Q2, “weekly jobless claims are still too high to call the recession over,” said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist for MUFG Union Bank.

As reported by the BLS, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 318,000 in September, with almost two-thirds of the gain occurring in food services and drinking places (+200,000). Amusements, gambling, and recreation (+69,000) and accommodation (+51,000) also added jobs in September.

Retail trade added 142,000 jobs over the month, with gains widespread in the industry. Clothing and clothing accessories stores (+40,000) accounted for about one-fourth of the over-the-month change in retail trade. Notable employment increases also occurred in general merchandise stores (+20,000), motor vehicle and parts dealers (+16,000), and health and personal care stores (+16,000). Employment in retail trade is 483,000 lower than in February.

Employment in healthcare and social assistance rose by 108,000 in September, down by 1.0 million since February. Healthcare added 53,000 jobs in September, with continued growth in offices of physicians (+18,000), home healthcare services (+16,000), and offices of other health practitioners (+14,000). Social assistance added 55,000 jobs, mostly in individual and family services (+32,000) and in child day care services (+18,000).

Professional and business services added 89,000 jobs in September. Employment increased in services to buildings and dwellings (+22,000), architectural and engineering services (+13,000), and computer systems design and related services (+12,000), representing gains of 910,000 since April.

Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 74,000 in September. Within the industry, job gains continued in warehousing and storage (+32,000), transit and ground passenger transportation (+21,000), and couriers and messengers (+10,000). The industry has added 291,000 jobs since May; employment in transportation and warehousing is 304,000 lower than in February.

Among other sectors where MRINetwork offices provide executive recruitment services:

• Manufacturing added 66,000 jobs over the month. Durable goods accounted for about two-thirds of the gain, led by motor vehicles and parts (+14,000) and machinery (+14,000).

• Financial activities added 37,000 jobs in September. Job growth occurred in real estate and rental and leasing (+20,000) and in finance and insurance (+16,000).

• Employment in information grew by 27,000 in September.

• Construction employment increased by 26,000 in September, with growth in residential specialty trade contractors (+16,000) and construction of buildings (+12,000).

Government employment declined by 216,000 in September. Employment in local government education and state government education fell by 231,000 and 49,000, respectively. A decrease of 34,000 in federal government was driven by a decline in the number of temporary Census 2020 workers. Partially offsetting these declines, employment in local government, excluding education, rose by 96,000.

“Today’s resilient leaders must strive to navigate uncertainty, promote flexibility, and shift organizational priorities in order to build a solid foundation for the new world of work. This is a good time to recall the words of naturalist Charles Darwin that ‘it is not the strongest of the species that will survive, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change,’” said Miller.

The Trevi Group | “Executive Search for Technology Professionals” | www.TheTreviGroup.com

Preserving Company Culture in a Remote World of Work_

For many businesses, working the “9-to-5” in a centralized office is a thing of the past — at least for the time being. Even when you and your people are able to physically return to your workplaces, you’ll most likely find that practices such as working remotely continue in some form.

”Adapting your company culture to effectively support remote work is one of the most important things you can do to set your company up for work-from-home success or just for the future of work in general,” says Nancy Halverson, SVP Global Operations at MRINetwork. ”With proper planning and execution, you can leverage remote work as an integral part of your business strategy.”

Halverson notes that one of the dangers inherent in remote work is the loss of employee connection. People can feel isolated and out of touch with the company culture and values. She advocates taking proactive steps that not only prevent that from happening, but also strengthen and enhance your employees’ alignment with your culture and values.

Establish a results-oriented environment.  Creating and communicating clear objectives and key performance indicators for your team members to achieve is critical to a productive remote culture. They must clearly understand what the expectations for success include and have the tools to track and report their productivity. Even if you can’t be physically present, you can stay close through consistent communication and encouragement. Discuss work styles, resources and support needs to determine how you can empower individuals to be more autonomous.

Be inclusive. Successful cultures involve the collaboration of all stakeholders working together to determine their shared values and ideals. This can be difficult for remote teams. “Going to an office provides many opportunities for people to come together and create the type of working environment they want,” says Halverson. “For remote teams, those opportunities are fewer because of factors like different time zones, no physical presence and interactions dictated by technology.”  That means remote teams must be deliberate about inclusivity. Schedule regular time for co-workers to chat, get the team together in the same location when you can, support multiple channels of communication and encourage group work and collaboration.

Support your employees’ health and well-being. Employees who don’t normally work from home may be thrown off their routines. When kids are home, things are even more complicated. It takes time to build healthy routines up again in a different environment. You can help employees by encouraging them to practice healthier behaviors. Encourage senior leadership to share what they’re doing to stay healthy while working from home. Check in with your employees often. Ask how they’re doing. During a time of increased stress, co-workers can provide support and make them feel less alone.

Look for signs that your culture is healthy. Even if your employees aren’t coming into the office, you can take note of the way they act in videoconferencing meetings. Do they seem happy? Are they engaged? Are you picking up signs of discontent? When your team members are truly committed to your values, they do good work that reflects their loyalty to the company. You can see it when they propose ideas or offer solutions, demonstrating their desire to give back to an organization that is supportive of them. “You’ll also get positive feedback and referrals from clients and vendors,” says Halverson, “or job candidates may refer to your culture as a reason for wanting to work for your company.”

You may ultimately find that you have happier employees due to their flexible work environment. It takes time and conscious effort to build out the processes, structure, and culture needed to accommodate remote workers. As more of the world makes this transition, it also provides opportunities for organizations to adapt and evolve as they embrace the new world of work.

The Trevi Group | Executive Search for Technology professionals | www.TheTreviGroup.com

Employment Summary for August 2020

Showing signs that the U.S. economy is settling in for a slow and steady recovery after a three month stretch of a rapid rebound, the U.S. economy added 1.4 million non-farm jobs in August and unemployment fell to 8.4 percent in U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data reported today. The job growth slightly exceeded economist forecasts and represents a solid gain but the smallest in four months.

“Today’s report reinforces the cautious optimism our Network of over 325 executive recruitment offices have about ongoing demand for top talent through the balance of 2020,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRINetwork. “The positive momentum in U.S. job creation reinforces our Network’s decision to invest in the digital tools and education that talent advisory and search firms need in the changing world of work to accelerate growth in their businesses.”

The BLS reported total non-farm employment rose by 1.4 million in August, and the number of unemployed persons fell by 2.8 million to 13.6 million. Both measures have declined for four consecutive months but are higher than pre-virus February by 4.9 percentage points and 7.8 million, respectively. The labor force participation rate increased by 0.3 percentage point to 61.7 percent in August,1.7 percentage points below the February period.

“We are still moving in the right direction and the pace of the jobs recovery seems to have picked up, but it still looks like it will take a while – and likely a vaccine – before we get back close to where we were at the beginning of this year,” said Tony Bedikian, head of global markets at Citizens Bank in comments to Fox Business.

In August, 24.3 percent of employed persons teleworked because of the coronavirus, down from 26.4 percent in July indicating an uptick in the rate of return to a workplace environment.

According to the BLS, notable job gains in August included government employment, largely reflecting temporary hiring for the 2020 Census. Notable job gains also occurred in retail trade, in professional and business services, in leisure and hospitality, and in education and health services.

“Employment growth is still set to lag the recovery in broader economic activity over the coming months given its greater exposure to the services sectors worst affected by the pandemic,” noted Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics in comments to CNBC. “Nevertheless, the August data illustrate that, despite the earlier surge in virus cases and more recent fading of fiscal support, the recovery continues to plow on.”

Employment in government increased by 344,000 in August, accounting for one-fourth of the over-the-month gain in total nonfarm employment. Job gains in federal government (+251,000) reflected the hiring of 238,000 temporary 2020 Census workers. Local government employment rose by 95,000 over the month. Overall, government employment is 831,000 below its February level.

Retail trade added 249,000 jobs in August, with almost half the growth occurring in general merchandise stores (+116,000). Notable gains also occurred in motor vehicle and parts dealers (+22,000), electronics and appliance stores (+21,000), and miscellaneous store retailers (+17,000).

In August, employment in professional and business services increased by 197,000. More than half of the gain occurred in temporary help services (+107,000). Architectural and engineering services (+14,000), business support services (+13,000), and computer systems design and related services (+13,000) also added jobs over the month. Employment in professional and business services is 1.5 million below its February level.

Employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 174,000 in August, with about three-fourths of the gain occurring in food services and drinking places (+134,000). Despite job gains totaling 3.6 million over the last 4 months, employment in food services and drinking places is down by 2.5 million since February as coronavirus restrictions mandate limits on facility capacity.

In August, employment in education and health services increased by 147,000 but is 1.5 million below February's level. Healthcare employment increased by 75,000 over the month, with gains in offices of physicians (+27,000), offices of dentists (+22,000), hospitals (+14,000), and home healthcare services (+12,000). Elsewhere in healthcare, job losses continued in nursing and residential care facilities (-14,000). Employment in private education rose by 57,000 over the month.

Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 78,000 in August, with gains in warehousing and storage (+34,000), transit and ground passenger transportation (+11,000), and truck transportation (+10,000). Employment in transportation and warehousing is down by 381,000 since February.

Financial activities added 36,000 jobs in August, with most of the growth in real estate and rental and leasing (+23,000).

The Trevi Group | Executive Search for Technology Professionals | www.TheTreviGroup.com

Why Interim Staffing Makes Even More Sense During Times of Crisis

A brief review of the history of interim staffing throws light on the evolution of the industry. Three “black swan” events were major disruptors that contributed to the thriving business it is today, according to Tim Ozier, Sr. Director of Sales at MRINetwork:

• Y2K in 1999. “I guess this wasn’t a true ‘black swan’ event in that it was predictable, but it caused massive turmoil and disruption for companies all over the world. It was a super-charging event for contract/interim staffing,” says Ozier. “Companies needed IT expertise to manage the challenging transition, and this transformed the sector from supplying primarily lower-level employees to engaging high-level IT professionals. That was the start, and it’s never slowed down.”

• Recession of 2008. As the recession lingered, companies were faced with the painful process of laying off thousands of permanent employees. “It was expensive, lowered morale, and it created bad publicity,” recalls Ozier. “But many of these companies came out of the recession with greater profitability because of the reduction in fixed costs such as benefits, vowing that they were not ever going to go through this again.” They reassessed their talent access strategy, opting for enough full-time people to cover baseline business and supplemented by contractors that allowed them to flex up or down as needed.

• COVID-19. The inherent flexibility of interim staffing is a lifeline for companies that have had to change the way they do business to survive during the pandemic. “Today’s contractors are high-level and greatly needed, so the coronavirus has had much less of a negative impact on the sector,” says Ozier. “IT has been the least impacted, and other industries have experienced a rise in the use of contractors, notably insurance and logistics.”

Integrating interim staffing into a talent access strategy is always smart, but the current economic climate makes it even more so. Committing to new, full-time employees without the ability to meet them in person during the pandemic can be unnerving, so this is a good time to make interim staffing a key element of your talent access strategy. “You can start the candidate as a contractor until travel is allowed for in-person interviewing,” advises Ozier. “It also allows the potential employee to check out you and your company over the course of the interim contract.”

In reassessing their current skill sets at this time, many companies have discovered that they need to bring different strengths to their leadership teams. Factors like remote working and economic and labor market changes are shifting priorities and may require different approaches. “Often, the right interim employees can help forge solutions to the challenges a company faces in the midst of a crisis like the pandemic,” says Ozier. “They bring fresh ideas to the table while helping teams to become more adaptable and innovative.”

Aside from taking care of immediate duties, deploying contract employees can encourage companies to broaden their comfort zone to change things that are no longer working and find new ways of doing them. They are accustomed to coming into a new environment and quickly assessing what needs to be done and creating a plan for accomplishing it. Although there’s no handbook for dealing with a pandemic, their past experience as contractors helps to hone their problem-solving skills.

“Implementing a flexible staffing strategy that includes contract employees in the mix — no matter what industry you’re in — is a key component of dealing with the current crisis,” Ozier believes. “Companies can cost-effectively staff up or down — and back up or down again — to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing business landscape.”

The Trevi Group | “Executive Search for Technology Professionals” | www.TheTreviGroup.com

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Employment Summary for July 2020

Despite recent COVID-19 spikes the U.S. economy added 1.8 million jobs and unemployment fell to 10.2 percent providing support to the optimism reflected in the continued financial market rally. Economist forecasts had anticipated a weaker rebound with an addition of about 1.4 million jobs. Instead the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported stronger recovery associated with continued resumption of economic activity.

“The world of work may look different as we emerge from the pandemic,” said President and CEO of Management Recruiters International (MRI) Bert Miller, “but the fundamental demand for highly qualified people to reinvigorate the economy and provide the goods and services we all need will be higher than ever. We continue to see talent needs as our global Network of recruiters respond to our clients in the executive, professional and technical sectors. We anticipate even higher activity as effective virus treatments become a reality. Skilled American workers have always been and will continue to be the driving force behind our recovery.”

The BLS reported total non-farm employment rose by 1.8 million in July, and the number of unemployed persons fell by 1.4 million to 16.3 million. For the first time since the pandemic-driven shutdown of the economy, unemployment for a large segment of the non-farm payroll — adult men — fell below the 10 percent barrier at 9.4 percent.

According to the BLS notable job gains in July occurred in leisure and hospitality, government, retail trade, professional and business services, other services, and health care. The BLS also noted that the number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) declined by 619,000 to 8.4 million in July, reflecting a decline almost 700,000 in the number of people whose hours were cut due to slack work or business conditions.

“What the data continues to tell me is that we’re making progress from the pain that was most acute back in March and April. So we continue to have this recovery, but it’s uneven,” said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist for the U.S. SPDR business at State Street Global Advisors in comments to CNBC. “We still have a lot of wood to chop here, but we’re moving in the right direction.”

“We have seen a very troubling increase in COVID-19 cases in many states that had reopened for business, but we continue to be cautiously optimistic that the overall U.S. economy has turned a corner, and that the solid job gains announced today will be sustained," said Tony Bedikian, managing director of Citizens Bank in an interview with Fox Business.

Employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 592,000, accounting for about one-third of the gain in total nonfarm employment in July. Employment in food services and drinking
places rose by 502,000, following gains of 2.9 million in May and June combined. Over the month, employment also rose in amusements, gambling, and recreation (+100,000).

A July job gain in federal government (+27,000) reflected the hiring of temporary workers for the 2020 Census.

In July, retail trade added 258,000 jobs. Employment in the industry is 913,000 lower than in February. In July, nearly half of the job gain in retail trade occurred in clothing and clothing accessories stores (+121,000). By contrast, the component of general merchandise
stores that includes warehouse clubs and supercenters lost jobs (-64,000) following robust gains in recent months.

Employment in professional and business services increased in July (+170,000). Most of the July gain occurred in temporary help services (+144,000).

Health care added 126,000 jobs, with employment growth in offices of dentists (+45,000), hospitals (+27,000), offices of physicians (+26,000), and home health care services (+16,000). Job losses continued in nursing and residential care facilities (-28,000).

Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 38,000 in July, following an increase of 87,000 in June. In July, employment rose in transit and ground passenger transportation (+20,000), air transportation (+16,000), and couriers and messengers (+9,000).

Manufacturing employment increased by 26,000 in July. An employment gain in motor vehicles and parts (+39,000) was partially offset by losses in fabricated metal products (-11,000),
machinery (-7,000), and computer and electronic products (-6,000). Manufacturing has added 623,000 jobs over the past 3 months.

Financial activities added 21,000 jobs in July, with most of the gain in real estate and rental and leasing (+15,000).

The Trevi Group | “Executive Search for Technology Professionals” | www.TheTreviGroup.com

Effective Leadership in Times of Crisis

The coronavirus pandemic has placed heavy burdens on business leaders. The sheer size of the outbreak and its unpredictability generate fear among employees and make it challenging for executives to respond effectively. But during a crisis like COVID-19, people look to their leaders for direction and compassion; they need to have confidence in their ability to navigate the company into the future.

“If we truly believe that people are our most important asset, then we must lead them and communicate with them while providing an organization they can believe in,” says Bert Miller, President and CEO of MRINetwork. “In times of crisis, people need a solid anchor. They need their leaders to distill what’s happening for them so that they understand the why of what’s behind decisions that are being made. It’s important to show that leadership cares for the individual, the company and the community.”

Beyond caring, leaders must show they have a plan. “Timing is important, and you don’t need to have everything determined,” says Miller, “but you do need to be calm, confident and transparent about what is driving decisions. A leadership team that looks ahead proactively, and responds rather than reacts, goes a long way toward helping people in volatile times.”

COVID-19 has already changed the way we live and work. At the same time most companies are still trying to determine the long-term impacts on their business, they also have to inspire trust in their workforces, who are trying to function and perform while struggling to cope with what is happening in their daily lives. “To inspire trust, you have to have something of a trust bank built up in the past that confirms trust as a core value,” Miller believes. “The ability of leaders to address people’s needs, especially in a crisis situation, is the foundation of trust.”

Miller has spent more than 25 years helping companies strengthen their workforces with top-level performers; his advice to companies in crisis today is gleaned from what he’s learned from some of best business leaders in the world:

• Know what’s happening in your organization. Gather feedback from all areas and all levels of the organization.

• Put your most visible leaders on the front lines based on compassion and caring, essentially EQ. Workers will remember the faces and voices you empower to lead during this time. Be sure those voices are not only smart and accomplished, but also compassionate and caring.

• Integrate your company’s purpose and values into every communication and initiative. Shared purpose and values give employees the sense of connection they need right now.

• Tell a story, don’t just circulate the data. People are wired to find meaning and respond best to stories and analogies during times of great stress. They want to have insight into the larger story.

• Make sure all communication is consistent. Leaders throughout the organization have to be on the same page so pay attention to the tone and the principles behind every communication.

• Now is the time to rethink remote workforce capabilities for at least some of your workforce.  Although setting up new ways of doing things might not seem like a good idea during a crisis, the current situation leaves many companies with no other choice. Determine how you can help your people make full use of technology to do their jobs and provide other resources they need as they embrace an altered world of work.

Miller’s final piece of advice to leaders: “Focus your team’s attention - don’t let the current crisis distract them and provide as normal of an environment as possible in abnormal times. Pivot as needed and ensure leadership is aligned on your business’s objectives,” he says. “Consistently focus some of your attention on getting your organization and your workforce to the future.”

The Trevi Group | “Executive Search for Technology Professionals” | www.TheTreviGroup.com

Employment Summary for June 2020 (from BLS Report)

Following strong May results, the hiring recovery continued to gain momentum with much better than expected job gains in June. The U.S. jobless rate fell 2.2 percentage points to 11.1 percent and payrolls rose by 4.9 million as businesses continued to look to a future free of pandemic-induced supply chain disruptions and its drag on overall demand.

“Today’s employment data adds support to a business trend our Network of almost 400 executive recruitment offices have reported. We continue to see month-over-month improvements in client demand for professional, technical, executive and managerial talent,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRINetwork. “In spite of travel barriers and limitations on face-to-face interviewing, companies are recognizing the need to strengthen their organizations by hiring talented people who can thrive in the new world of work which is emerging from the coronavirus-impacted economy.”

Forecasts for the June jobs report had been wide ranging with a consensus 2.9 million new jobs. Analysts remained more uncertain than normal after the surprising gain of 2.5 million jobs versus a consensus of a decline of 7.5 million jobs in May. “We’ve got big forces at work here,” said James Sweeney, chief economist at Credit Suisse Group AG in comments to Bloomberg. “In addition to the return of workers and the (May) misclassification, more recently you have the new wave of infections slowing the return. So, this is tricky.” The June jobs report is also expected to influence congressional debate over the dimensions of an anticipated federal coronavirus relief bill.

The BLS reported broad improvements in the labor market reflecting the continued resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed in March and April due to the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to contain it. In June, employment in leisure and hospitality rose sharply. Notable job gains also occurred in retail trade, education and health services, other services, manufacturing, and professional and business services.

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 4.9 million in June, following an increase of 2.7 million in May. These gains reflect a partial resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic in April and March, when employment fell by a total of 22.2 million in the two months combined. In June, nonfarm employment was 14.7 million, or 9.6 percent, lower than its February level.

Commenting on the June results to Fox Business, Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at Glassdoor noted the better-than-expected report provided a “powerful signal of how swiftly U.S. job growth can bounce back and how rapidly businesses can reopen once the nation finally brings the coronavirus under control - a reason for optimism in coming months.”

Also commenting on the June jobs report and noting the current resurgence of coronavirus cases, economist Thomas Simons of Jeffries added, “There's continued risk that a second-wave could reverse some of these job gains in July, but that should not take away from the strength of the June data.”

In June, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 2.1 million, accounting for about two-fifths of the gain in total nonfarm employment. Over the month, employment in food services and drinking places rose by 1.5 million, following a gain of the same magnitude in May. Despite these gains, employment in food services and drinking places remains down by 3.1 million since February. Employment also rose in June in amusements, gambling, and recreation (+353,000) and in the accommodation industry (+239,000).

Employment in retail trade rose by 740,000, after a gain of 372,000 in May. On net, employment in the industry remains 1.3 million lower than in February. In June, notable job gains occurred in clothing and clothing accessories stores (+202,000), general merchandise stores (+108,000), furniture and home furnishings stores (+84,000), and motor vehicle and parts dealers (+84,000).

Professional and business services added 306,000 jobs in June, 1.8 million below its February level. In June, employment rose in temporary help services (+149,000), services to buildings and dwellings (+53,000), and accounting and bookkeeping services (+18,000). By contrast, employment declined in computer systems design and related services (-20,000).

Construction employment increased by 158,000 in June, following a gain of 453,000 in May. These gains accounted for more than half of the decline in March and April (-1.1 million combined). Month-over-month gains occurred in specialty trade contractors (+135,000), with growth equally split between the residential and nonresidential components. Job gains also occurred in construction of buildings (+32,000).

Financial activities added 32,000 jobs in June, with over half of the gain in real estate (+18,000).

The Trevi Group | “Executive Search for Technology Professionals” | www.TheTreviGroup.com