Attracting Quality Employees During a Labor Shortage

Wanted: Qualified, Hard-Working Employees to Fill Professional Positions

You put out the word that you’re hiring; but the response is less than satisfying. Too few candidates and none of them are ideal. What’s going on? You very well might be dealing with a labor shortage.

A labor shortage has several causes. The current one is fueled by a confluence of events including the retirement (or early retirement) of the baby boomer generation (while the number of people turning 16 and entering the workforce is significantly smaller); a large drop in immigration; worker’s changing priorities brought about by the pandemic; and a growing, systemic pushback against jobs offering low wages and subpar benefits.

Knowing that there’s a labor shortage (and why it’s happening) however, doesn’t change the fact that your business needs qualified, hard-working employees. What’s a business owner to do when they can’t find workers?

Although you can’t do anything about people aging-out of the employment scene or about immigration, the other two factors can be addressed by business owners. In fact, taking action on those fronts may be the only way to attract the employees you desperately need to run your business. It’s time, as a small business, to face some serious realities, which may require significant changes internally.

The good news, however, is, as a smaller business, you’re more agile than the "big guys" and therefore can pivot to make these changes relatively soon. The changes require addressing issues that have cropped up among employees in the last couple years.

Employees had a chance during the roughest parts of the pandemic to evaluate their priorities, their lives and their relationship to work. They recognized a number of factors in the work/life equation that were too rigid and constraining for their taste - and that no longer fit for them.

Many workers realized that:

• too much of their time is spent commuting to and from work
• they could perform their jobs remotely with great success
• they were being paid too little
• their work schedules were unnecessarily rigid
• they had few choices pertaining to child care
• their working environment needs to be safe and healthy

These realizations make employees hesitant to sign up for the same old same old work situation. They’re becoming more selective when choosing their place of employment. The onus, therefore, is on you as the business owner to address these issues to make your business attractive to would-be employees.

Some potential revisions could include:

Per commute time - Offering longer shifts enabling employees to work their 40 hours in, say four instead of five days, reducing their weekly commute by 20%. Adjusting shift start times so workers can avoid heavy rush hour traffic can shorten commute time as well.

Per remote work - Reinstating or continuing remote work is estimated to be valued at 8% an employee’s salary, which is a boon for you both.

Per salary - Reevaluate your pay scale to make certain it is - at the very least - keeping up with inflation. When it comes right down to it, money is a compelling motivator.

Per benefits - Offering generous flex time and paid time off allows workers to be better able to participate in their lives as well as perform their jobs.

Per child care - By making child care more convenient, affordable and accessible to parents, you’ll enable more women (on whose shoulders child care often falls) to apply for positions in your company.

Per workplace safety - Make it a point to publicize the measures your workplace takes to ensure a safe and healthy environment. Set up continuing on-site testing and support Covid vaccination initiatives. Workers appreciate that you take their health - and the health of their community, coworkers and families seriously.

In addition to addressing new employee preferences, look outside the box for untapped talent to fill your vacant positions. Mature workers are highly employable and bring with them a wealth of experience and wisdom. Also look to retirees who may be looking to reenter the workplace but in a different capacity.

Although a labor shortage is difficult to deal with, there are some measures you can take to find and attract the high-quality talent your company needs to not only operate but to thrive.

Is your business suffering through the labor shortage?