Employing Skilled Workers During Labor Shortages

The US labor market is still in the midst of a dramatic shift, even 2 years after the first wave of the pandemic. While many people want to say that the pandemic is the reason, the truth is that this shift has been coming for a long time. Where we are now with the shortage of workers was, dare we say, inevitable. Let us tell you why.  

How It Happened

We were always going to be where we are now with labor shortages, albeit over the next ten years, due to large numbers of the senior-level workforce retiring. This would cause what we’re currently seeing: empty shelves because people do not have enough workers to keep up, chip shortages which result in fewer vehicles with which to distribute products, and lack of quality customer service because of labor shortages.  

Not only did people lose their lives over the last two years, but many people retired earlier than they had planned, which accounts for possibly the largest shift in overall labor statistics (1). That allowed other workers to be promoted, leaving an abundance of entry level jobs open. However, because those jobs are abundant, people were and are able to switch jobs far easier than ever before, leaving openings yet again.  

How to Combat It

The way to combat this is two-fold. You must be expeditious in your hiring, and you must offer a competitive pay rate. There are, of course, additional ways, but these are the primary two factors that will help you hire the best person for open positions.  

Expeditious Hiring 

 SPEED is necessary. You must be quick during every step of the hiring process, from reviewing applications and hiring to onboarding and training new staff. Our Virtual Staffing Model is designed to be done entirely online, ensuring both speed and consistency, allowing you to work quickly and efficiently.  

 The applicant never steps foot into our offices. Having someone follow a process online takes less time than going through the process in person. Not only that, but it takes focus and efficiency to complete a full online application, allowing for a more purposeful pool of applicants.  

Pay Rate 

 Pay rate is the number one reason most people switch jobs. 63% of people who left their jobs in 2021 claimed to do so because the pay was inadequate (2). That’s a turnover rate we haven’t seen in decades (3). Of those 63%, more than half are earning more money now than they did at their previous jobs and quote that as the number one reason for leaving.  

 Pay rates must be competitive in order to attract and retain qualified staff.  

 We pay attention to compensation trends within industries and geographical locations to help ensure that the employees we hire out to your businesses are dedicated and dependable.  

Count on Us 

 Bear Staffing’s industry expertise benefits historically high-turnover and high-volume industries such as: 

• Call Centers 
• Information Technology 
• Manufacturing 
• Warehouses/Distribution Centers