About Oliver Scharfenberg

PhDr. Oliver Scharfenberg, MBA, is CEO of the Syntharis Group and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the United States Institute for Quality (USIQ). He owns Quality Standardization and Certification LLC, the company that operates USIQ. His doctoral research analyzed employer quality seals in Germany, and in a randomized experiment with 1,093 participants he measured how an employer seal changes the likelihood of applying for a job. He has certified more than 750 companies, served as a commercial judge for competition law matters at the Regional Court of Berlin, and wrote a practical guide to employee recruitment for small and mid-sized businesses.

Employee Retention Strategies: How to Attract and Retain Employees

Hiring is only half the job. This guide shows small and mid-sized U.S. employers what turnover costs, why people leave, which fixes to start with, and how to measure progress.

Employee Survey Questions: What to Ask, What to Avoid, What Next

A practical question bank for employers with 10 to 250 employees: what to ask, how to word it, which scale to use and which questions to leave out. It also covers anonymity, timing and what to do with the results.

Customer Survey Questions: Examples, Format and Legal Basics

Which customer survey questions are worth asking, and how do you build a short survey that people finish? This guide gives exact wording, metric formulas, length data, bias rewrites and the basic U.S. legal points for small and mid-sized employers.

What Makes the Best Employers? The Qualities That Matter Most

Which qualities make an employer great, and which ones actually keep people? A data-based look at managers, pay, growth, benefits and stability, with practical steps for small and mid-sized U.S. employers.

Employer Attractiveness: What Makes Workers Join and Stay

What makes a company an attractive employer, and what can a 10 to 250 person business do about it without a branding team? U.S. data on pay, managers, flexibility and pay-range laws points to practical steps and simple measures.

What Is a Seal of Approval? How It Works for U.S. Employers

A seal of approval can help a small or mid-sized employer stand out, but only if the issuer is independent and the claim holds up in daily work. This guide explains how seals work, how to vet them and what the FTC expects.

2026-11-02T02:27:41-05:006. October 2024|Categories: Employer Certification & Seals|Tags: |

Generations in the Workplace: Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z

Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z work side by side in most U.S. companies, but birth year explains less than many managers assume. This guide covers the correct birth years, shared needs, practical steps and age-discrimination basics for employers with 10 to 250 employees.

2026-11-04T09:06:41-05:0025. March 2024|Categories: Workplace & HR Trends|Tags: |

Employer Awards: What They Are and Whether They Pay Off

Employer awards recognize workplace practices, and they can raise a company's appeal to applicants. This guide covers the types, the evidence, how to judge credibility and how to promote an award without legal risk.

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