Category: Employer

Let’s start with the (multi) million-dollar question.   Why would an hourly worker use a temp agency when at least a thousand direct job openings are offering full pay and benefits in their area? The answer is simple, workers who want a short-term job with the least amount of commitment are attracted to temp agencies. […]

Let’s talk about the very real challenges HR leaders in manufacturing and supply chain are facing today. Unemployment rates in 2023 are at a record low of 2.6% among hourly production workers. Add to that, an average of 1,200 job openings in any metro market means it’s time to rethink your hiring, retention, and staffing […]

As the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement, manufacturers are facing a critical challenge: a shortage of new hires to keep their facility afloat. To fill these roles, human resource managers and recruiters need to understand how to attract and retain Millennial and Gen Z workers.  So, what can you do to appeal to this new generation […]

Call-offs, ghosting, no-shows. Whatever you call it, being short-staffed on your production line or in your shipping department causes massive headaches and revenue losses for your business.   Most likely, you have a rough idea of what your attendance and absenteeism rates are but don’t know why it’s happening so often or how to fix it. […]

Where are the Workers?  Every manufacturing and distribution site we talk to has the same problem, absenteeism. What most companies don’t realize is that absentee workers are a symptom of a larger problem, and contrary to popular belief that problem isn’t laziness.   The deeper cause of absenteeism is tied to a major shift in how […]

Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in an inflexible job and you can never take the break you need? For many hourly production workers, the answer is yes. Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a shift in how people approach work, especially in entry-level production areas, such as manufacturing. Despite a low unemployment rate of […]

Looking at your own openings, you’re probably not surprised to read job growth in the United States remains relatively strong. In the latest national jobs report, manufacturing was even one of the areas with “notable job gains.” The problem is that “a massive mismatch between supply and demand” continues to challenge businesses looking to hire. […]

Manufacturing is facing a worker shortage – chances are you know that already. But, if you’re trying to hire in the rural manufacturing labor market, you’re facing additional hurdles. Yet, the solution remains the same whether you’re a rural manufacturer or distribution center in the heart of a metropolitan area: flexible working.  In Deloitte’s 2021 […]

Workforce management is challenging. In industrial, manufacturing, and distribution environments a common hurdle is resistance to change. Yet, while employees want flex work, many businesses say it can’t be done. Consider these benefits of flexible working for employers before it’s too late.  Factories have been in existence for 200 years now. In all that time, […]

Let’s face the facts – the labor struggle is real.   In a recent survey of manufacturing HR leaders today, 87% of manufacturers are struggling to fill critical labor gaps and are understaffed 38% of the time. Ouch.  Today’s recruitment market hasn’t gone back to “normal” and in fact, HR leaders are faced with a […]