Unemployment Is High, But So Are Unfilled Jobs

Unemployment Is High, But So Are Unfilled Jobs

If you own or manage a business that hires a lot of lower paid workers, your work life is probably very difficult right now. Restaurants, travel, entertainment, events and recreation took such a heavy hit during the pandemic. Now they are suffering again as they try to staff up to meet the demand of customers ready to spend again.

With so many businesses reopening at once, the need for you to find workers that are ready to help your business recover and thrive is a top priority. There are a lot of reasons you are struggling with this task. Many people think that the unemployment benefits during COVID made people lazy and unwilling to go back to work. Although it is true that there have always been some people that game the system, there is a lot more to it than that.

For many hourly people, the unemployment benefits gave them some sense of security

People working in lower paid positions are constantly at the mercy of their hours being cut, especially with COVID affecting the businesses they work for. If they give up their unemployment to go back to work, they have no confidence that their employers will not reduce their hours or eliminate their position altogether.

Another major factor is childcare. With school closures, unpredictable school schedules and a shortage of daycare, parents have been put in a bind to provide appropriate supervision and learning for their children.

In addition, people with chronic health conditions that make them more vulnerable to serious consequences from COVID are very uneasy about going back into the workplace.

So, with unemployment high but unfilled jobs also plentiful, what can your company do to get your staff back to where it needs to be?

• Be realistic about the pay rate you are offering. You have a lot of companies competing with you to find employees right now. If you are offering less than your competition, you will be the candidates’ last choice.
• Get better at the front end of your hiring process. Keep the application process easy for them. No one wants to waste hours going through difficult application forms and then get no response.
• Consider what you really need for the job and stop making barriers for people to apply. Don’t really need someone with a four-year degree? Then why are you requiring it and eliminating a larger pool of candidates that have an AA or vocational certification?
• If a phone or virtual interview is the candidate’s first contact with your company, make it a great experience for them. Ask thoughtful questions that open them up and help them relate to you.
• Be thorough with your candidates, but don’t make the hiring process too long. Your competition will be happy to snag them quick.
• Consider previous employees that you think would still be a good fit.
• Look internally for good candidates to move into new positions. If you don’t have anyone that can move up, maybe you need to start looking at your company’s training opportunities. If you aren’t training new leaders now, they won’t be ready when you need them.