Turning Basin Labs Newsletter: December 2021
Turning Basin Labs Newsletter: December 2021

TURNING BASIN LABS: DECEMBER 2021 NEWSLETTER

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hoping everyone is safe and sound as they celebrate the Holiday’s and the end of yet again, another year.

Inside this month’s newsletter you will find 2 new articles featuring our amazing leadership here at TBL, a paid interview, and an interesting collaboration hosted by us and our partners at JobTrain.

Click the link to view the newsletter: DECEMBER 2021 Newsletter

Turning Basin Labs Available Positions

Marci Harper
Experience Vs. Education: What Should You Value More?
Experience Vs. Education: What Should You Value More?

Whether experience or education is more valuable has been a point of contention for decades. But recent college graduates have been taking jobs that don’t require a college degree. As of March 2019, 41% of American degree holders aged 22 to 27 face underemployment. One of the key reasons behind this phenomenon is that jobs in the skilled trades and e-commerce industries pay more, says Glassdoor chief economist Andrew Chamberlain. That being said, is the importance of higher education waning?

Let’s look into what today’s employers take into consideration when assessing applicants.

The value of experience

Experienced employees appeal to companies. Experience allows them to use their practical skills in real-world settings. This is why they’re perceived as team members who require very little on-the-job training, thereby saving the company time and money. A worker’s value increases together with their relevant work experience. Moreover, hands-on experience teaches soft skills like teamwork, communication, and time management, among others. These skills are extremely valuable in any work environment, and they’re difficult to pick up in classroom lectures.

Experience is essential in skills-based fields – holding down jobs is generally equated to learning more. For instance, those with experience in the tech industry are instantly more appealing hires than those without. In the tech industry, experience coincides with expanding knowledge about industry trends. People with tech jobs would need a continuing understanding of new strategies, especially as technology evolves. It’s important to note, then, that it’s not just the amount of experience, but also the quality of experience that matters.

The value of education

Degrees have always been important in the job market. In fact, there’s a wide salary gap between those with college degrees and those without. Workers who hold at least a bachelor’s degree earned more than the $932 median salary for the US per week. They’re also more likely to get a job in their specific fields since they have the necessary specialized skills.

However, the pandemic has disrupted higher education. Following school closures, colleges have had to abruptly move online. Fortunately, this shift has been more beneficial than harmful, as online education has proved just as beneficial in today’s increasingly digital world.

Employers now understand the value of online learning, especially in fields where digital skills have become increasingly important. Case in point, online business administration degrees are particularly sought-after because they offer a wide range of skills for students to develop, including those in economics, finance, management, marketing, and operations. The diverse curriculum could lead graduates to roles like financial analysts, human resource managers, accountants, marketers, or even data scientists, to name a few. What’s more, online-trained professionals are adept at using software and digital communications, making them high-value workers across various industries in today’s highly digital work settings.

What should you value more?

Experience and education are both important factors to consider. Ultimately, it all comes down to the type of position you’re looking to fill. As previously mentioned, specific jobs (like those in technology) may benefit more from experience while others (such as business administration jobs) would need structured education. It’s fair to say that neither one is more valuable than the other. But, above all, employers must remember that they’ll be working with people instead of people’s credentials.

As workspaces become more inclusive and global, more business leaders need to embrace diversity. The old business model where everyone needs to be a certain way and fit a predetermined mold should be obsolete. Today, it’s critical that companies recognize individual differences, abilities, and unique contributions — a college degree and tons of work experience are just great additions.

Instead of asking whether experience or education is more valuable, perhaps today’s companies should ask whether an individual’s skills are suited to the company's needs and long-term goals.

Stacie Lance for turningbasinlabs.com

Marci Harper
Turning Basin Labs: April 2021 Newsletter
Turning Basin Labs: April 2021 Newsletter

Check out our April 2021 Newsletter! Inside you will find out how to apply to a bookkeeping position with our new partners Moxie Bookkeeping, how to apply to a few opportunities that we are hosting, and a interesting event that our managing director, Stephen Bediako will be presenting at. Click the link to view the newsletter: April 2021 Newsletter

UPDATE TO JOB POSITIONS IN NEWSLETTER HERE: Turning Basin Labs Available Positions

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Marci Harper
How to Beat Big Companies in the Recruitment Game
How to Beat Big Companies in the Recruitment Game

How to Beat Big Companies in the Recruitment Game

If you are a small company or startup, attracting and retaining top talent can be challenging. You are competing for tech talent with big corporations that have more experience recruiting the best and many more resources. However, it is not a lost battle. Being a big corporation has its drawbacks that you can use to your advantage. Here are some strategies you can use: 

Outsource

One of the main problems small companies and startups have when competing with giants is that they don't have as much experience. They haven't learned from previous mistakes and don't have proven strategies that work. Competing for top talent without knowing what method is most efficient can be an uphill battle.

That's why you should leave it to the experts and outsource your recruitment process. Recruitment agencies know exactly how to work the market, advertise your open positions, and get the right candidates. So, instead of trying to tackle the hiring process on your own, hire an agency that will do it faster and better than you. 

Offer Innovative Tech and Strategies

Another way you can attract top talent is by offering innovative technology and work strategies. You may not be able to offer better tech systems than Google or Amazon, but you may have something on par. Depending on your industry, you could implement a new technology of software that candidates will kill for. For example, in tech, a full stack developer will die to have a job where all the hardware is updated every year. 

In addition, you can implement strategies and working methodologies that are innovative in your industry. Maybe you are offering something new than no other company has; this could revolutionize the office environment. Probably, the top candidates you want to attract already had some experience working with the giants. So, a new and innovative strategy may attract them.  

Give Them Power

In any industry, giant companies generally have hundreds of employees and a big board that makes decisions. Usually, any change or idea you have will not even be considered because there is too much bureaucracy. On the other hand, in small companies and startups, all workers get to give their input and sometimes even make decisions. You should use this advantage in your favor.

Potential candidates love having decision-making power even when they aren't in managerial positions. It is actually one of the reasons many professionals decide to work for startups instead of big companies. They know their ideas would be heard, and they will contribute to the growth of the business. 

Artur Meyster

Co-founder, Career Karma

Stephen Bediako
5 things we want to see in the New Year…
5 things we want to see in the New Year…

December Team Blog

5 things we want to see in the New Year…

This New Year is a little different for all of us. The entire world’s personal and professional life has been touched one way or another by Covid-19. We here at TBL want nothing more than a good ol’ optimistic Holiday Season and New Year, but like many of you; we are focused on surviving these trying times, finding some happiness, and getting back to a sense of normalcy in 2021 (fingers crossed). Being that livelihood is TBL’s passion and our work, we take this very seriously.! Here are the most vital things we are working on, and our goals for 2021:

  1. Provide Real Life Solutions:

We will continue to work with our partners in providing jobs that are relevant, modern,obtainable, and give our workers an ability to earn a living wage. Our bookkeeper partnership with JVS has proven to be a success as we take their graduates and place them into bookkeeping positions with small businesses (17 placed so far). Earlier in the year, TBL partnered with Fab City to provide support to workers manufacturing PPE equipment (15 people placed). Fab City uses cutting edge manufacturing equipment, ensuring our workers acquire a skill set that is durable and valuable in today's workforce. TBL also partners with JFF placing workers into intensive research projects (5 workers placed). Partnering with JFF allows us to supply them with real workers who can relate to the research they are doing, giving real and honest results.

2. Nurture Relationships:

We often say that  TBL is “a permanent home for temporary workers”. TBL serves as a shepherd for the vulnerable. Once you work with us, you are family, and your success is imperative to our purpose. We have a very hands on approach with our workers – helping them identify available benefits, prepare for interviews, negotiate salaries, and succeed after finding work. 

3. Making our Co-op understandable and useful: 

As a cooperative business, one of our most important assets to offer you is ownership in our business. TBL wants our workers to not only be a member of our community but understand the value of business ownership. TBL works to help others, we can only do that if the very people that we help interact and reap the benefits of our economic system. In 2021, we vow to make understanding our co-op easier and will begin monthly member meetings and newsletters.

4. Expand Benefits and Resources:

TBL has been working to secure our temporary (1099 and W2) employees with health benefits. Our team is also upgrading our tools to streamline our business and better serve our workers. Look for new tools, resources, and professional opportunities through TBL in 2021.

5. Broaden our Reach:

Although we are based in Northern California,  we want to expand our network to workers and employers nationwide and abroad who want to bring quality work to California! People all over the world deserve a chance to earn a living wage and if someone comes to us with that ask, we will respond.  Social Suite of Australia has trusted us with their US recruitment to find a Head of Growth and a Head of Salesperson to join their intimate team. To our surprise the candidate turnout has been wonderful and we hope to serve Social Suite and other companies whose mission aligns with ours. Please email [email protected] if you are an employer who needs help hiring!

We wish you all a happier, healthier, and more profitable 2021! 

Stephen, Marci, Tenzen, Tenzin and Nick





Stephen Bediako
Welcome .... Marci Harper and her journey to Turning Basin Labs.
Welcome .... Marci Harper and her journey to Turning Basin Labs.

As I sat on my couch in the new condo that my Fiance and I just purchased, I thought to myself, “ What a bad time to suddenly be unemployed.” After working for my aunt’s insurance agency for 3 years and enjoying decent pay for once in my life, I couldn't believe that privilege was at once taken from me.

 Our insurance agency was one of many small businesses that met the pitfalls of the current pandemic crisis. Although we did all we could, the odds were against us and we had to bow out as gracefully as possible. I’m always up for a challenge and feel as if any obstacle placed in front of me I could handle, but in this job climate I was scared. I have never been on unemployment, and there I was, filing and praying that the payments would come before my bills got the best of me.

Job hunting prior to my employment with my aunt had always been one dimensional. I would look for the closest restaurant or service job and apply, get an interview, and begin working at around $10-13 an hour. I never aspired for more, because as a formerly incarcerated woman of color, I never imagined that anyone would take a chance at hiring me based on my versatility or intellect. 

Some of the job interviews had multiple stages, and applying to a few of these jobs at a time meant going through a process that could take weeks. Meanwhile my bills were stacking up and my savings and credit were dwindling down to nothing. The stress and pressure were packing on quickly leaving me in a panic, my brain and my body fighting one another as I tried to figure out what to do. 

Though I am lucky to have a support system (my family and friends),  it gets redundant constantly asking them for assistance, especially at a time when everyone is struggling.

I would often daydream in between applying to jobs on Indeed, LinkedIn, Craigslist, or anywhere that anyone would refer me to… yes, Amazon as well. Usually all of these outlets would provide me with a job rather quickly, but in 2020 it's a different story. 

Finally the unemployment check arrived: it was NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH TO COVER ANY OF MY BILLS. It may cover food and a car note, but that was it. What about my insurance, my credit cards, my mortgage, the HOA?I was in a state of distress, even when I’d smile it off and keep pushing, in my subconscious it was there... my financial doom, looming.

My fiance who happens to work in the nonprofit sector heard about a position that seemed to fit my skill level and energy. I jumped on the opportunity, without a second guess. I wasn't quite sure what to expect because I have never worked for people and a business that had a cause, and I’ve never jumped in head first into a newer business.

 After a couple interviews with the founders of this business, I was quite intrigued and excited at the prospect of working with such amazing individuals with a zest for creativity and change. It took a few tries to understand the business model in its entirety, but once I got a true understanding of what it was, I got an email that relieved me of all my woes: Turning Basin Labs had offered me a job!

Now, this blog is not to gloat that I DID get hired in this volatile job market, but it is to urge you to try to find a job/ career outside of what you normally would go after. 

Right now, the same tricks that you may have used previously may not work today. Like many, I tried the traditional way to find work: apply online, wait. You may just have to check out the job someone “heard” about or refers you to. Do not close your ears or eyes to any opportunities.

 I could have easily brushed this opportunity off, I was literally walking my dog when my fiance called me on my cell in between her own work calls. I already had a few job possibilities lined up, but nothing that popped out to me as being worthwhile or providing a chance at growth.  

I am now the Operations Officer here at Turning Basin Labs. My job is to aid in operations and serve our workers. At my near rock bottom, I jumped at a chance, and now it is my duty to help others in similar situations find that same lucky break in these unstable times. Now if that isn't coming full circle to pay it forward, I don't know what is!

To everyone reading this in need of assistance, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].

Hopefully we can get your job situation turned around as well!

Marci Harper is Operations Officer at Turning Basin Labs.

Stephen Bediako
Quality Jobs, From the Worker Perspective
Quality Jobs, From the Worker Perspective


Quality Jobs, From the Worker Perspective

_________________________________________________________________

At a Glance

In July JFF and Turning Basin Labs announced plans to pursue a participatory research initiative examining workers’ experiences on the job, with four worker-researchers leading the effort. JFF and TBL are now excited to share their findings, which reveal new criteria for employment models worth investing in—from the worker’s perspective. 

Authors

Danny Spitzberg, Lead Researcher, Turning Basin Labs

Elsa Guerra-Garcia, Worker Researcher, Turning Basin Labs

Lamar Bursey, Worker Researcher, Turning Basin Labs

Leneka Pendergrass, Worker Researcher, Turning Basin Labs

Marti Shaw, Worker Researcher, Turning Basin Labs

 Overview

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of work has looked a lot like the past. Workers already know that the economy splits workers and owners apart, with pandemic-driven shutdowns leading to massive job cuts and a huge loss of income. This moment is accelerating us toward a future of work that cannot ignore the issues around working conditions and worker power – especially as declining union membership points to the need for an expanded set of strategies.

What do workers have to say about better employment models?

Turning Basin Labs (TBL) and JFF teamed up to answer that question. Over the summer, we conducted field research to identify employers that have found creative ways to advance worker power, improve job quality, and support career development for low-wage earners, with a particular attention to the needs of independent contractors. Our aim was to determine what’s actionable for employers nationwide and then use the research to develop an investment fund that can support the growth of these worker-centric employment models.

To carry out this effort, we asked workers themselves to play key roles in a participatory, community-driven research process. We hired and trained four worker-researchers and asked them to include their own work experience in their findings and share insights that help us decide how to move forward.

We wanted to hear from workers because we had mainly heard from employers, state officials, and consultants imagining the future of work. Few studies had asked the workers for their perspective. And none that we know of had followed the lead of workers in developing policy recommendations, let alone moving them forward. Now, after three months of research, we’re excited to share our findings, which reveal new criteria for employment models that are worth investing in—from the worker’s perspective. Join us for a conversation on Monday, November 16th and read on for a preview of these findings.

Lamar Bursey, one of the worker-researchers who took part in this project, is a transfer student at UC Berkeley who has several stressful, low-wage jobs under his belt. In a team meeting about our process so far, he pointed out the connections between policy, management, and work, saying,

“Policy and values are important for fair treatment in a workplace, but working conditions can change after a change in management, or even a shift change.”

This is the first phase of research, and its participatory approach already has taken on a life of its own. As we wrote previously, this project set out to find opportunities for investing in models that promote worker power, job quality, and career advancement. The goal was to identify investment opportunities for a new investment fund. And with TBL and our 12-person advisory council of peers in workforce and economic development, large enterprises, re-entry work, and beyond, we realized that the people leading this research will benefit the most from it. 

Marti Shaw, another worker-researcher, is a personal trainer and mother. After being laid off because of COVID, she worked in an Amazon warehouse. She said she previously had never seen work as empowering but added that she sees things differently now. 

“For me, this work became personal,” she said. “One participant called me back to tell me how our interview about ‘empowerment’ and ‘ownership’ totally changed her outlook.”

By September, we had interviewed more than 50 people across California. Our participatory research involved two efforts in parallel. First, we as a team planned and conducted in-depth interviews and follow-up sessions with a diverse, representative set of people who had low-wage work experience. More than two-thirds of the participants were Black, Indigenous, or other people of color, and most were struggling to find the kind of employment they needed. Second, our team worked internally to improve our focus, questions, and even the terms we used and the concepts we addressed, so we could be sure the research represented our best work and reflected our own experiences. 

Elsa Guerra, another worker-researcher who is a restorative justice facilitator and a student at UC Berkeley, focused specifically on the terms and concepts we used. Midway through the project, Elsa proposed a pivotal change to the interview guide:

“The word career was limiting for interviewees,” she said. “They said, ‘Career? What career?!’ So we asked people to define it, which opened up all kinds of work that doesn’t get seen. That was a huge insight in itself.” 

In addition to more meaningful interviews about work and careers, we also incorporated the ability to define a career into our framework and final analysis.

Leneka Pendergrass, a worker-researcher who is a mother and a student at UC Berkeley, noted that the most important dynamic among interviewees was “being policed” at work—experiencing excessive control, from dress codes and micromanagement to racial and gender discrimination. She described one interviewee having no ability in their role to share ideas or request help. In her analysis of interview data, she noted,

“If someone has an idea that can make a workflow more effective, they should have opportunities to contribute or at least feel that their voice matters in a place where they are spending most of their time and contributing their labor.” Leneka added, “It’s like a slap in the face to take someone’s labor but reject their voice.”

As we look beyond this first phase of research to the second phase of building an investment fund, we have both insights and a team with a clear view of employment models worth investing in from the worker’s perspective. 

And to guide this fund, we have embraced three main principles that build on our insights:

●      First, we will reimagine “career” and “career progression” in a dynamic way. We talked with several workers who were “bouncing around” in jobs where they see themselves lacking options and being policed, and with others who were in occupations that were very different from the focus of their educations. 

●      Second, we will develop a framework for better employment with criteria along two axes. The first axis is “being policed” and its opposite, “having ownership”—with real, material ownership of our labor valued over psychological ownership. The second axis is “lacking options” and its opposite, “having autonomy”—and not just limited autonomy (as an Uber driver might have), but “real” autonomy to define one’s career. Importantly, we heard that workers often feel more trapped when they have limited ownership and autonomy than they do when they have none at all.

●      And third, we will define what it means to invest in employment models, and for employers to invest in workers. One former receptionist said her last company saw her as “interchangeable” and didn’t take any interest in her as a person. In contrast, a graphic designer told us that her company literally invests in her as a co-op owner and she sees a happy future with a living wage and benefits.

 As we plan Phase 2, in which we hope to build a fund to invest in better employment models, we’re continuing to seek input from you, our community. We invite you to share your ideas with us and our worker-researchers in a conversation on November 16, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. PT. RSVP to join us!

Stephen Bediako
Turning Basin Labs sends a video message from California to London....
Turning Basin Labs sends a video message from California to London....

On November 10th 2020 our Managing Director, Stephen Bediako, spoke at a zoom session with the UK’s leading policy and research Think Tank - The Resolution Foundation. Typically focused on research the Foundation has developed a new entity - the Workers Venture Fund. This new fund will be investing in worker-centric tech start-ups in the UK. Stephen spoke about the current climate in California, the work of Turning Basin Labs to support 1099 contractors and low wage workers, and the work of TBL and JFF to develop a Worker-Centric Fund in California that will try to influence more impact-related capital to be deployed in the interests of California workers. Watch the video here.

Stephen Bediako
Celebrating the BIG Victories!
Celebrating the BIG Victories!

The Black Lives Matter movement has uncovered the power of taking action and the necessity for equality across the board. Today the Supreme Court has taken one step further down the road of equality and has ruled that it is illegal for an employer to discriminate around sexual orientation and gender identity. While this is a key victory, the battle still continues for many workers who need recourse, legal counsel, and community to confront this discrimination in the workplace.

Turning Basin Labs stands to protect all worker's rights and we are committed to ensuring employer compliance around Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which protects LGBTQ workers. As part of these efforts, we are building out cooperative services to build worker power, protect your rights (and pay), and gain access to the benefits you deserve. You can think of TBL as your personal business agent where you can be sure that we have your best interests in mind. 

Our three pillars of our offer include worker protections, economic opportunity, and community support.

One way we will represent you through our worker protection service is to make it easy for employers to hire freelancers under AB5 compliance. AB5 is a bill that was recently passed to protect gig workers but is ultimately hurting freelancers. Employers and independent contractors are afraid to not be in accordance with AB5 laws which would incur a fee of $15,000 per violation. TBL helps mitigate these risks by arranging an honest, vetted arms-length transaction that is true to the spirit of AB5.

We will also represent you to negotiate fair pay rates and wages of at least $20/hr and ensure timely invoicing and pay. We have partners dedicated to addressing wage disparity that support us with this.

Lastly, we are dedicated to protecting your rights including the rights that have been granted via Title VII ruling. We want to hear from you anytime you think your rights are being infringed upon in your place of employment. As your agent we will take the necessary steps to make this right in the most anonymous way possible. 

We hope having a buffer between you and your employer will create the necessary protection you deserve in order to do your job with strength and dignity.

Learn more about our cooperative service offering aimed to protect your rights or join our movement today by completing this quick, 2 minute application. 

At TBL we are excited to celebrate this victory with the LGBTQ community – happy Gay Pride month to all!

Guest User