How to Find Good Employees During A Labor Shortage?

Today’s economy is outstanding right now, which is great in most aspects, but for many business owners, finding qualified staff can be difficult. There are so many businesses currently hiring, and everyone in similar industries are competing over top talent. This can be frustrating if you find yourself short on qualified employees, and especially if you’re missing out on the top candidates. While the economy shows no signs of slowing down, there is hope in adjusting your recruiting strategy to improve your hiring process and get ahead of the employee shortage. Here we have compiled effective strategies for business owners, hiring managers, and recruiters to counter the effects of a candidate short market and ensure that productivity levels remain stable.

Partner with All Star Labor & Staffing

Our mission is to simply recruit and provide the highest qualified talent for local businesses. We partner with your business because we want to help you succeed, and having us in your back pocket is not a bad idea. While an employer is always welcome to continue to recruit on their own, there is a sense of relief knowing that we too are recruiting on your behalf. We tailor each of our recruiting efforts toward your specific company’s needs. We follow the same guidelines as your company, but we have a team of skilled and experienced recruiters working to find you the right employees.

Look For In House Talent

With the time, money and effort that goes into recruiting a new hire, why not consider hiring in house? Onboarding is complete, they are familiar with your company policies and standards, so it makes sense to start your search there. Allowing additional training and room for advancement is also a great incentive to keep employees happy and retention numbers high.

Adjust Your Hiring Criteria

Several years ago, businesses could be picky about new hires and wait long periods until the exact candidate came along. Unfortunately for many companies, they are not in that hiring position currently. It may be time to take a step back and prioritize your requirements and maybe consider making some exceptions. Perhaps consider a candidate that has the right aptitude and personality for your position even if they lack a certain work experience. With the right training, you can quickly get them up to speed, and you can offer a lower wage initially until they have reached the ideal level of experience.

 

Up Your Employee Referral Program

What better way to promote your talent search than by word of mouth? Let your current employees spread the news and invite their friends, family and associates through your doors. Current placed employees are already familiar with what experience, skills, work ethic, and attitude it takes to succeed with your company. Most likely a current employee will not refer someone that they feel is not qualified as they are sticking their neck out and vouching for this person as being a trustworthy employee. If your company is receiving very few referrals from your program, or you don’t already have one in place, we suggest establishing a program that uses these resources.

 

Make Sure You Have Great Managers

It doesn’t matter how much time and effort you put into finding the highest qualified candidate if you have a toxic manager on your team. Managers have a direct impact on the happiness and retention of your employees, and it is your responsibility to take notice if you there is a decrease in retention and productivity in a certain area. If you have found yourself continually filling positions in a certain area, consider management and leadership training, or one on one trainings to get your sub-par manager up to speed. It is much easier and cost effect to improve your current team as opposed to hiring new management. If your situation does not improve, do not hesitate to make changes.

If you are one of the many businesses currently hiring, but not seeing the results that you would like, please contact us today and let us help find you the right employees you need and keep your business operating smoothly.

All Star Labor & Staffing Offices:

Portland – 503.619.0811

Salem – 971.209.7130

Albany – 541.791.7928

Eugene – 541.228.9751

Bend – 541.389.1718