Employers Find New Ways to Fill Job Openings

By Robin Seidman

We survived the pandemic. We survived the curtailment of business. We survived the stress of keeping our loved ones safe and sound.

We are heading back into a robust business model as COVID restrictions ease and the marketplace opens up to full throttle.

The struggle is finding qualified workers to bring our operations up to speed. There are a number of different viewpoints as to why people are not coming back to work but the most pervasive is that the boosted unemployment payment is to blame. The experts and the numbers don’t support that theory so a better understanding of the employment picture may help employers formulate better plans to attract talented workers.

According to the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL), the Hudson Valley had significant gains in private sector jobs – 14.6 percent in year over year ending in May 2021. This is the third largest gain in the state with only western New York and Long Island ahead. The NYSDOL attributes this growth to the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions. It is noted that the Hudson Valley is still below the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.

If unemployment checks are not the reason potential employees are not re-entering the job market, what Is the reason? For one, many parents with school-age children were forced to leave jobs and stay at home with children learning remotely. The good news is that schools are expected to be fully opened for in-school learning in the fall. In addition, NYS is planning to offer childcare scholarships to allow parents to return to work.

Another reason for worker shortage is that many workers, especially those in specific industries like restaurants, are re-assessing their careers and options. Are the hours, the pay, the benefits worth the risk of increased exposure to non-vaccinated customers? Is this what they want to do or is it time for a change? Valid questions that have some potential employees taking their time in re-entering the job market and possibly returning to school to learn new skills.

Whatever the reason, it is hard to attract workers. Drive along the road and you will see signs for job openings, career opportunities, etc. posted on buildings, in the yard, on telephone poles, on doors. Yet, a savvy business owner will realize that to win the most-qualified employees, he/she has to up their hiring game. Just what does that mean?

Let’s start with the compensation package. Pre-pandemic wages may not be attractive. Although it seems counter-intuitive to increase employee expense while the business is getting back on its feet, putting your money where your mouth is may make the difference in the competitive hiring market. Can you give more paid time off? Contribute to a business-sponsored retirement plan? Offer health insurance with a company contribution? The goal is to get the best employees to choose your business and re-evaluating the total compensation package may make the difference.

Robin Seidman specializes in NYS Sexual Harassment training and general HR policy and procedures.

robin@rjshrsolutionsllc.com

Also consider how the employee will work. Of course, construction workers need to be in the field but are there some employees who can work from home? How about a hybrid approach with some days in the office and some at home? If nothing else, the pandemic taught us that working from home is an option that should be considered for some candidates.

Another tactic is to scale back the job requirements. By changing some of the standards, i.e., a 4-year degree vs. a 2-year degree or high school degree plus work experience, you increase the size of the labor pool from which to select. Before taking this approach, the business owner should make sure it fits the business strategy.

It is not easy to change the way we look at hiring practices, but COVID has made the need for change a reality. Without qualified and engaged employees, the business runs the reputational risk of poor customer service. It runs the risk of missing deadlines, not being able to attract new customers and new projects. It runs the risk of losing existing employees because of the increased workload and stress. Keeping the right perspective will help the business owner navigate the post-pandemic labor market.