Author: Sean Malady

Designing a Mental Health Strategy for Your Company

Posted on by Sean Malady

Are you noticing signs of burnout in your teams? Struggling with absenteeism or presenteeism? While many factors contribute, the mental well-being of your employees plays a crucial role often overlooked in traditional business strategy.

The good news is that implementing a dedicated mental health strategy can make a significant difference. But it needs to be more than just a policy—it needs to be a practical, integrated plan. Keep in mind that the most successful strategies provide support for both your employees and yourself during high-stress situations.

In the sections ahead, we will break down the process of designing such a strategy, helping you move from awareness to meaningful action in supporting your workforce in 2025 and beyond.

Why Mental Health Matters

As an employer, your main focus is always going to be what is best for the company. From the bottom line to productivity and great quality control, you are always looking for ways to improve. What you might not realize is that all of these things can fall apart if those you employ aren’t properly considered and supported.

Positive mental health can go a long way toward the continued success of your company. How? Let’s take a look at why a focus on mental health matters.

Employee Morale

Focusing on creating an environment where your employees feel safe and respected ensures that their morale stays up. Supporting mental health leads to less stress and burnout, which in turn motivates these employees to work harder.

Productivity & Performance

Having a more positive working morale can directly lead to a higher productivity rate and a more efficient performance from your employees. They make fewer errors, collaborate more effectively, and have higher cognitive function for problem-solving and decision-making. Addressing mental health issues reduces costly presenteeism (employees being physically present but mentally checked out or unproductive).

Employee Retention

One of a company’s biggest cost creators is the revolving door of employees who are hired and then quit soon after. Top talent actively seeks employers who demonstrate genuine care for employee well-being, which in turn leads to a lower turnover rate. So, it all comes down to ensuring your strategy is employee-focused.

Workplace Culture

Prioritizing mental health helps destigmatize mental health challenges and fosters a culture of openness, trust, and psychological safety. When employees feel safe discussing their struggles and seeking help without fear of reprisal, it strengthens team cohesion and communication.

Creativity & Innovation

One way companies remain relevant in an ever-evolving landscape is by motivating employees to implement strategies for improved performance and growth. This requires creativity and innovation, which isn’t going to happen if you don’t first support employees’ mental health through connection and trust.

Workplace Risk & Compliance

The more employees don’t feel respected, the more likely a workplace will have completely avoidable accidents and mistakes. If an employee doesn’t care about the company’s needs and goals, they are less likely to care about safety or compliance standards when performing their job. Showing them that they are your first priority will go a long way toward minimizing risk.

Healthcare Costs

Finally, untreated mental health conditions often exacerbate physical health problems and can lead to higher healthcare utilization and costs. Investing in preventative mental health support can lead to long-term savings on health insurance and disability claims.

What is Needed in a Mental Health Strategy?

Now it’s time to structure a new mental health policy to be implemented company-wide. So, what should you consider when creating this strategy?

  • Cost—Nothing we do is possible without feeling a bit of strain in the pocketbook. If you are limited by budget constraints, consider what aspects are the most important for your employees and stagger the rest to be enacted over time.
  • Employee Needs and Concerns—If you don’t know exactly what your employees are looking for in mental health support in the workplace, you are wasting time and valuable resources. The easiest first step is to conduct market research by sending out an anonymous survey or something similar.
  • Goals & Objectives—Once you know what your employees need, it’s time to start developing. Outlining clear goals and objectives within the strategy will make things more efficient. Going in blind will diminish the impact this strategy will have on mental health.
  • Scope of Resources—The best strategies provide a variety of resources. Everyone approaches their mental health in different ways. Some just need breathing room during their workday, while others need therapy.
  • Confidentiality & Trust—Even if you are unsure about what resources or initiatives to offer, you should always put confidentiality and trust at the top. If your employees can’t trust whatever is communicated regarding their mental health, they won’t want to partake in any of your provided options. Which, at the end of the day, makes all your strategy-building worthless.
  • Accessibility & Equity—Once you’ve created a plan, the next step should never be overlooked. Assessing your strategy from an accessibility perspective ensures that all employees feel supported by it, not just some. Folks who might require extra tools for access are more likely to be the ones who need the mental health strategy the most.
  • Integration—This pointer isn’t one that you have to do, but it is highly encouraged for the best results. After all, most companies already have some kind of mental health plan in place. Therefore, expanding the strategy to better fit current trends might require some integration and reworking to fit in.

Easy to Implement Strategies

Now comes the hard part: finding a way to implement a new mental health strategy into an already established set of policies and procedures. It might require hard work, but in the end, your employees, yourself, and your company will be better for it.

The best way to get started is by doing small things that eventually work into larger policy changes and adjustments. You can start off by giving your employees more flexibility in how they handle their workload. This is cost-effective and will probably see the biggest results. By giving your employees a bit more control over how they get through their shifts, you ensure that they will feel less stress and guilt over needing time to step back and breathe.

Here are some other suggestions to help you develop a more robust mental health strategy.

Team Togetherness Activities

Pausing on occasion to encourage your employees to connect and bond with one another will help ease the burden of those less-than-stellar mental health days. Knowing you are not alone in the workplace goes a long way toward employee retention and positive morale.

Mentorship Programs

Implementing a mentorship program not only gives employees someone to trust and rely on but also holds them accountable for one another. Isolation and loneliness lead to a less motivated workforce. Having someone to bounce ideas off of and encourage growth goals makes a significant difference.

Work from Home Policies

This one isn’t necessarily cost-effective at the front end, but it is cost-effective in the long run. Studies have shown over the last five years that employees are more productive when given the choice to work from home. A work-from-home policy might not work for your company, but if it’s something that you can implement even partially, you should consider it.

Whatever steps you take to get started are a step in the right direction. Over time, you will see a marked improvement in your workforce and the continued success of your company.

Strong Awareness = Strong Workforce

For decades, J & J Staffing has dedicated our expertise to more than just matching employers with potential employees. We do as much as we can to ensure our customers feel prepared for all aspects of the job market.

If you are interested in implementing a more comprehensive mental health strategy but aren’t sure where to begin, we’ve got your back. Contact us today about how you can improve your employee retention and save money in the long run.

March 2025 Job Report Snapshot

Posted on by Sean Malady
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Quick Facts:

  • Both the unemployment rate, at 4.2 percent, and the number of unemployed people, at 7.1 million, changed little in March.
  • Job gains occurred in health care, in social assistance, and in transportation and warehousing. Federal government employment declined.
  • The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more), at 1.5 million, changed little in March. The long-term unemployed accounted for 21.3 percent of all unemployed people.
  • The number of people employed part time for economic reasons, at 4.8 million, changed little in March.

Looking Forward:

  • March’s gains are far ahead of the 117,000 roles added in February. Health care, transportation and warehousing were among the sectors that added roles in March, while federal hiring declined amid sweeping cuts to the government’s workforce.
  • Friday’s employment data were collected prior to the Trump administration’s latest tariff hikes. But the report does provide a snapshot of how employers responded to some of Trump’s earlier levies against China, Canada, and Mexico—as well as federal layoffs and spending cuts.
  • The number of workers employed by the federal government declined by 4,000 in March. The drop, which follows February’s loss of 11,000 positions, is likely not the full scope of the federal job cuts. About 24,000 federal employees—most probationary workers—across 18 agencies were terminated in recent months as part of Trump’s mandates, according to court filings.
  • For March, health care was the leading growth area, consistent with prior months. The industry added 54,000 jobs, almost exactly in line with its 12-month average. Other growth areas included social assistance and retail, which both added 24,000, while transportation and warehousing showed a 23,000 increase. Federal government positions declined by just 4,000, despite the Elon Musk-led efforts, though the Department of Government Efficiency, to pare the federal workforce. However, the BLS noted that workers on severance or paid leave are counted as employed.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – The Employment Situation – March 2025

February 2025 Job Report Snapshot

Posted on by Sean Malady
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Quick Facts:

  • Both the unemployment rate, at 4.1 percent, and the number of unemployed people, at 7.1 million, changed little in February.
  • Employment trended up in health care, finance, transportation and warehousing, and social assistance. Federal government employment declined
  • The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more), at 1.5 million, changed little in January. The long-term unemployed accounted for 20.9 percent of all unemployed people.
  • The number of people employed part time for economic reasons increased by 460,000 to 4.9 million in February.

Looking Forward:

  • Nonfarm payrolls increased by a seasonally adjusted 151,000 on the month, better than the downward revised 125,000 in January but less than the 170,000 forecast from Dow Jones, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.
  • The report comes amid efforts from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to pare down the federal government, starting with buyout incentives and including mass firings that have impacted multiple departments. Though the reductions likely won’t be felt fully until coming months, the efforts are beginning to show. Federal government employment declined by 10,000 in February though government payrolls overall increased by 11,000, the BLS said.
  • Health care led the way in job creation, adding 52,000 jobs, in line with its 12-month average. Other sectors posting gains included finance (21,000), transportation and warehousing (18,000) and social assistance (11,000). On wages, average hourly earnings increased 0.3%, though the annual increase of 4% was a bit softer than the 4.2% forecast.
  • The labor force participation rate slumped to 62.4%, its lowest level since January 2023, as the labor force declined by 385,000. A broader measure of unemployment that includes discouraged workers and those holding part-time positions for economic reasons jumped half a percentage point to 8%, its highest level since October 2021. Also, the household survey, which the BLS uses to calculate the unemployment rate, told a different story, showing a plunge of 588,000 workers. The BLS report tracks a tumultuous month for markets and the economy.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – The Employment Situation – February 2025

January 2025 Job Report Snapshot

Posted on by Sean Malady
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Quick Facts:

  • The unemployment rate edged down to 4.0 percent in January. The number of unemployed people, at 6.8 million, changed little over the month.
  • Job gains occurred in health care, retail trade, and social assistance. Employment declined in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industry.
  • The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more), at 1.4 million, changed little in January. The long-term unemployed accounted for 21.1 percent of all unemployed people.
  • The number of people employed part time for economic reasons, at 4.5 million, changed little in January.

Looking Forward:

  • The US labor market showed continued signs of resilience in January as the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell, wages grew more than expected, and December’s monthly job gains were revised higher to show the US labor market exited 2024 on even better footing than previously reported.
  • Wage growth, an important measure for gauging inflation pressures, rose 4.1% over the prior year in January, up from 3.9% in December and above the 3.8% economists had expected. On a monthly basis, wages increased 0.5%, above the 0.3% seen the prior month.
  • Capital Economics deputy chief North America Economist Stephen Brown wrote in a note on Friday morning that the strength in payroll revisions and decline in the unemployment rate “keep the Fed on the sidelines” from cutting interest rates in 2025. Following Friday’s jobs report, market pricing of the Fed holding interest rates steady through its May meeting move up to a 67% chance, up from a 61% chance seen a week ago.
  • New data from the BLS showed 7.6 million jobs were open at the end of December, a decrease from the 8.15 million in November. This marked the largest sequential drop in openings since October 2023. But other signs of cooling within the report held steady. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) also showed the hiring rate was flat at 3.4%. Meanwhile, the quits rate, a sign of confidence among workers, was unchanged at 2%.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – The Employment Situation – January 2025

How the Job Lifecycle Has Changed in the Last 5 Years

Posted on by Sean Malady

Part of the struggle with filling open positions is knowing what kind of market you are currently in. If you aren’t aware of what job seekers are looking for in a position, you will likely find yourself in an open position with an overworked current staff. 

That will lead to a much greater turnover rate, increasing the number of positions you have open. It becomes a vicious cycle that can be hard to break out of. Knowing precisely what is in the job lifecycle now versus a few years ago can make all the difference.

How Has the World Changed in the Last 5 Years

The question remains: what has happened in the last 5 years that would affect the job market and the mindset/interests of those doing the job seeking?

Answer: Major world events have occurred on a widespread scale, such as the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of 2020. This event still has impact and ramifications five years out. People prefer to work from their homes instead of in crowded office buildings. The expansion of technology has been a direct result of adjustments that had to be made during this uncertain time in the recent past.

Other major factors include worker strikes, inflation, changes in the cost of living, and a desire to have more control over how workers spend their lives between their jobs and their homes.

Jobs Involve More Flexibility

One of the things that employers have become more aware of in the past five years is their employees’ desire to have a better work/life balance. People no longer want to spend all their waking hours on the job or away from their families. While this desire has been slowly simmering under the surface for at least a decade, it didn’t hit the forefront of people’s minds until lockdowns happened in early 2020.

These lockdowns gave individuals more face time with their loved ones, and they didn’t want to return to how things were before. It’s been a learning curve for employers and employees to ensure workplace morale and productivity remain at all-time highs. Thus, the idea of creating a flexible work environment was born.

One of the ways you can get ahead of the curve for the current job lifecycle is to implement a plan that works best for your company’s bottom line while also helping your employees. Allow them the flexibility to have time off for family events or allow them to work from home should the situation call for it and the transition is possible for company policies.

Employees enjoy the idea of working for companies that allow them the option to pick and choose their hours within reason. Studies have shown that the typical human brain needs frequent breaks to remain at peak performance levels. On top of that, the flexibility within a workforce allows you to make more accommodations for individuals who might have mental, physical, or masked/silent disabilities.

Work from Home Is the New Norm

As we’ve previously discussed, more and more companies are moving toward a work-from-home environment or at least a hybrid one. This allows for a more positive work environment for employees and positively impacts their overall mental health. In turn, this type of arrangement benefits the company.

By allowing employees to choose where they do their work, managers and executives have seen an increase in productivity and a more highly motivated workforce. Employees are more likely to care about their work and put their best foot forward when they feel they have a bit more control over how they work. Being in an environment of comfort versus one that is cold and sometimes overwhelming has drastically changed the capabilities of most employees.

Allowing employees to take breaks and work in a manner that is most comfortable for them makes them more likely to stick with their jobs. Their personal commute costs go down, and their connection to their family and friends increases, making them a more well-rounded person.

Consider this: if your company allows employees to work remotely, you are also increasing its reach. You can now hire employees from all over the world, which can better facilitate a wider company reach within your customer base.  In addition, through the expansion of technological advancements, companies have found that their overhead costs have decreased by adopting such work practices. 

A Rise in Contract-Based Employment

Another way that the new wave of technology and work mindset has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began is through how people want to approach work agreements. There has been an increase in employees looking to work in a contract-based environment versus something more permanent and binding.

Contract-based employees have increased to make the flexibility we mentioned above more likely. People want control over how much they work and when. Being in a contract, not bound by full-time employment agreements, allows employees to pick their hours and for how long they wish to be of service to a company.

Freelancing has become much more common in certain careers, such as writing-based positions. It gives the individual the opportunity to make a living around major life events that matter most to them. It also allows the company to spend less on each individual employee since the requirements on the company side are less for freelancers and contract-based employees. 

More and More “Gigs” and Temporary Positions

Along with contract-based employment comes the increased trend toward looking into temporary positions or part-time employment. Some people are even putting themselves in a position to only accept work that lasts for a set period of time before moving on to the next job.

These “gigs” are helpful for both the employer and the employee. Once again, temporary employment helps the company’s bottom line because it requires less overhead per employee. Plus, it helps a company get through a busier time without feeling strapped during slower times to support an extra set of hands on deck. 

No longer is it considered a life achievement to reach 10+ years or even more than 20 years. Workers today are looking more at what works for them at the moment. It’s more obvious in today’s workforce that life happens outside of work and that life dictates what each employee wants from their job. Therefore, more and more employees are looking at the short-term, not long-term. 

Why J & J is The Staffing Agency to Turn To

Last year, Forbes named J & J Staffing one of the top agencies in the United States for recruitment overall and temporary hiring. This puts us in a unique position to help companies stay ahead of the latest job lifecycle trends. We understand where the industry is currently at and where it is projected to end up in the coming years.

Let us know if you are looking for guidance on how to improve your hiring and employment practices. J & J Staffing is always ready to help. Even if you are ready to take the next steps and know exactly what you want, we can easily help you post your open positions in a fashion that will get the correct candidates as fast as possible. Contact us today.

Staffing Services In Greater Philadelphia

J & J Staffing Resources is a professional staffing agency that connects local businesses to job seekers throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

We bring over 45 years of expertise in office, industrial, technical, and professional staffing placements as well as payroll management, and offer a wide range of services for both employers and job seekers.

Need help? J & J Staffing has offices in Newark, Bridgeport, Woodbury, Cherry Hill, Ewing, Princeton, Langhorne, and Horsham. Visit your local J & J staffing center or get started below.

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December 2024 Job Report Snapshot

Posted on by Sean Malady
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Quick Facts:

  • The unemployment rate changed little at 4.1 percent in December. The number of unemployed people, at 6.9 million, also changed little in December.
  • Employment trended up in health care, government, and social assistance. Retail trade added jobs in December, following a job loss in November.
  • The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed at 1.6 million in December. After increasing earlier in the year, the unemployment rate has been either 4.1 percent or 4.2 percent for the past 7 months.
  • The number of people employed part time for economic reasons, at 4.4 million, changed little in December.

Looking Forward:

  • The economy added 256,000 jobs in December, seasonally adjusted, the Labor Department reported on Friday. The number handily beat expectations after two years of cooling in the labor market, and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.1 percent, which is very healthy by historical standards.
  • The number of jobs added in the prior two months were both revised, with job creation in October revised up by 7,000 from a gain of 36,000 to 43,000; while November was revised down by 15,000 from a gain of 227,000 to 212,000. Taken together, those two months saw 8,000 fewer jobs created than previously reported.
  • The manufacturing sector saw employment fall by 13,000 in December, a surprise decline when economists projected a gain of 5,000 jobs. Health care added 46,100 jobs in December, with gains focused in home health care services (+15,200), nursing and residential care facilities (+14,000) and hospitals (+11,500). Health care added an average of 57,000 jobs per month in 2024, the same as the monthly average in 2023.
  • The report’s details were encouraging as well. A decrease in the unemployment rate came from more people finding jobs, rather than a decline in the number of people looking for work. A broader measure of unemployment, which includes people working part time who would rather work full time, as well as those marginally attached to the labor force, appears to have stopped rising after topping out at 7.8 percent last summer.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – The Employment Situation – December 2024

November 2024 Job Report Snapshot

Posted on by Sean Malady
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Quick Facts:

  • The unemployment rate at 4.2 percent, and the number of unemployed people, at 7.1 million, changed little in November.
  • Employment trended up in healthcare, leisure and hospitality, government, and social assistance. Retail trade lost jobs.
  • The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed at 1.7 million in November. This measure is up from 1.2 million a year earlier.
  • The number of people not in the labor force who currently want a job, at 5.5 million, changed little in November

Looking Forward:

  • The U.S. dollar fell on Friday after data showed the unemployment rate edged higher in November even though jobs increased more than expected last month. The unemployment rate climbed to 4.2% after holding at 4.1% for two straight months, data showed. Nonfarm payrolls, however, increased by 227,000 jobs last month after rising an upwardly revised 36,000 in October.
  • In its release, the BLS noted employment in the transportation equipment manufacturing industry rose by 32,000, “reflecting the return of workers who were on strike.” Temporary help services employment rose modestly in November but also marked a turnaround from a loss of over 33,000 jobs in this industry the prior month.
  • The report comes as investors look for clues on whether or not the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates for the third time this year at its Dec. 18 meeting. Entering the print, markets were widely expecting the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point in December. Economists argue that the November jobs report should do little to change that thinking.
  • The healthcare sector added another 54,000 jobs in November, largely in line with the typical monthly average gain, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. Federal, state, and local governments also continued to add to their headcounts, by 33,000 last month.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – The Employment Situation – November 2024

October 2024 Job Report Snapshot

Posted on by Sean Malady
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Quick Facts:

  • The unemployment rate at 4.1 percent, and the number of unemployed people, at 7 million, changed little in October.
  • Employment continued to trend up in health care and government. Temporary help services lost jobs. Employment declined in manufacturing due to strike activity.
  • The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed over the month at 1.6 million. This measure is up from 1.3 million a year earlier.
  • The number of people not in the labor force who currently want a job, at 5.7 million, was essentially unchanged in October.

Looking Forward:

  • Job creation in October slowed to its weakest pace since late 2020 as the impacts of storms in the Southeast and a significant labor impasse dented the employment picture. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 12,000 for the month, down sharply from September and below the Dow Jones estimate for 100,000, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. It was the smallest gain since December 2020.
  • The weak October report also included substantial downward revisions from previous months. August was cut to just a gain of 78,000 while September’s initial estimate came down to 223,000. Together, the net revisions lowered previously reported job creation totals by 112,000. 
  • “Does this data change the Fed debate for next week? Even allowing for the hurricane and strike effect, there are hints of softening in the data (revisions, the household survey) which doves will say support the idea for more rate cuts. Hawks of course will say November’s figures will likely show a big rebound in jobs, meaning there’s less need to be cutting rates.”
  • The fallout from Hurricanes Helene and Milton significantly affected October’s jobs report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday While Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 26 in Florida, the effects of the storm persisted well into October. Milton, which struck Florida on Oct. 9, hit during the reference periods for both surveys that the bureau used in calculating the U.S. employment situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – The Employment Situation – October 2024

September 2024 Job Report Snapshot

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Quick Facts:

  • The unemployment rate at 4.1 percent, and the number of unemployed people, at 6.8 million, changed little in September.
  • Employment continued to trend up in food services and drinking places, health care, government, social assistance, and construction.
  • The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed over the month at 1.6 million. This measure is up from 1.3 million a year earlier.
  • The number of people employed part time for economic reasons changed little at 4.6 million in September. This measure is up from 4.1 million a year earlier.

Looking Forward:

  • The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits last week rose slightly to a minuscule 225,000, confirming that layoffs remain surprisingly low even though many companies have pulled the plug on hiring. New claims climbed to 225,000 in the seven days that ended Sept. 28, up from 219,000 in the prior week. The low level of layoffs has kept the unemployment rate from rising all that much despite a big slowdown in hiring. Businesses are mainly letting positions go unfilled after workers change jobs, retire or leave for other reasons.
  • Hiring in September proved far stronger than economists expected, making it more likely that the Federal Reserve will opt for a smaller interest rate cut in November than had been anticipated just a few weeks ago.
  • Looking over the last three months, at the industry level, the composition of job gains remains quite skewed. Healthcare and leisure industries accounted for around two-thirds of the job gains in the past three months. The rest came from government, as well as the construction and real estate.
    • In the wake of the September jobs report, expectations have largely vanished for the Fed making a second half-percentage point cut in its interest rate target range when officials next meet in November.

    Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – The Employment Situation – September 2024