Manpower of West Central/Central Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota takes pride in projecting a professional image to associates, clients and the public. It also wants prospective applicants and associates to be well informed about the benefits and opportunities of working for Manpower. To accomplish these goals, Manpower installed a StrandVision Digital Signage system in its Eau Claire, Wisconsin office lobby to complement its other communications.
The Manpower of West Central/Central and Eastern Minnesota Eau Claire, WI office places candidates in light industrial, office administration and customer service positions, and also has a professional division. Its lobby area is busy since job applicant traffic is high and the office conducts many training programs.
It occurred to Lisa Fiore, PHR, Operations Manager, that it would be a good idea to take advantage of visitors' wait time to tell them something about Manpower, its job openings and training programs. She purchased a StrandVision Internet-based digital signage system after reading about the company in a local business publication. She had a 42-inch plasma screen installed in the lobby. The system didn't require any changes to the office network and it is connected to the StrandVision service through Manpower's regular Internet service provider.
Manpower is using the digital sign to inform job applicants and associates about job postings and to provide interviewing tips, policies and procedures, safety information, training schedules and other items of interest. It also has a constantly updated weather report provided by the StrandVision service.
The lobby display also features Manpower's goals and mission, promotes Manpower's free Talent Development Center for associates and reminds visitors of its cash bonus referral program.
The signage also welcomes prospective clients and VIPs when they visit the office. For a recent reception hosted at the office, digital signage slides announced the upcoming event, welcomed VIPs to the reception and showed pictures from the event for a few weeks after it was over.
The StrandVision sign recognizes individual associates and posts specific openings at specific clients.
More recently, it was discovered that the digital sign can be effective in answering frequently asked questions. Explained Lisa, "We posted our payroll schedule for this past holiday season so associates would know what to expect. While we don't necessarily rely on the digital sign to answer all the questions, it is another means of letting people know what's going on."
As with any communications tool, a digital sign is only as good as the effort that's put into maintaining it. Manpower keeps the sign fresh with new material. Lisa and her staff develop content or adapt it from Manpower marketing and training materials. The network administrator posts it over the Internet to StrandVision and the changes show up instantly. Depending on what's happening, changes are made every few weeks.
Yet, even between updates, the signage is fresh because StrandVision supplies constantly changing information, such as local weather and news, as part of the service.
"We found the digital signage system to be a great communications tool," commented Lisa. "It's informative for office visitors and it extends our current marketing and training materials in a new way. But, I think the most important aspect of the sign is that it shows Manpower to be a progressive, innovative employer and it sets us apart from the competition. People notice."