At HR Solutions Inc., an Indiana human resources company, we know there are more jobs than workers.
That’s the easiest definition of a labor shortage, and it’s something we’ve heard a lot about and will continue to do so for a while. Your company needs help. There’s opportunity for growth and lots of work that needs to be done but there’s nobody to help and your current workers are being overworked.
Labor shortages aren’t new.
They’ve occurred throughout history for a variety of reasons from generational workers retiring in large numbers to other factors that have left a worker and skill gap that upcoming generations eventually must fill. Current jobs may require skills that the current pool of workers aren’t interested or qualified in.
Right now at HR Solutions Inc., an Indiana human resources company, we’re hearing stories of companies who are trying to spring back after the pandemic, but with the current labor shortage, are having to limit services, cut hours and contracting instead of growing.
Here’s a few tips on how you can attract workers and get your business back on a growth path.
How to attract skilled shift workers
Since many of the industries affected by a potential labor shortage are service industries, attracting shift workers is critical to closing those gaps. There are several creative ways to attract new workers!
Offer benefits.
Benefits might be anything from healthcare to paid vacation to child care assistance. Your business could do hiring bonuses or bonuses if your current workers refer friends. Benefits that offer additional value to the employee, beyond the hourly wage would be like flexible schedules, complimentary meals if you’re a restaurant and other less concrete ideas.
Pay well.
Some states have a minimum wage as low as $7.25. That’s hard to live on. Your business will most likely have to increase wages from what you were used to paying. Many workers are feeling seriously underpaid for the amount of work they do and a higher wage will attract them to your company.
Create a safe and respectable work environment.
Safety is still important to workers! Find ways to show them that your business is trying to keep them safe. Some employees are looking for a place to work where the employer is clearly concerned with safety, such as requiring workers to be vaccinated. Safety is also about feeling welcomed and valued, and that the work they do is contributing to something good.
Offer career growth opportunities.
Most of the country’s current workforce has been forced off work for part of a year. They’ve had time to think about their work, their home and personal life and what they want in career growth opportunites. In the past they went from job to job and didn’t have the time to re-evaluate because they needed income. But now they’ve had time to decide they want a job that has a future. Think of it as part of your company’s benefits, the idea of offering career growth, possibly paid training, industry certification and a clear path to career advancement shows where they start isn’t where they will stay forever until they get bored and move on.
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