It’s no surprise to today’s employers that rely on temporary staffing agencies to fulfill their workforce needs – it’s tough out there.
With unemployment rates at record lows, employers are struggling to find and retain the workforce they need to ensure their goods and products get out the door each week. Manufacturing, distribution and warehouse facilities are fraught with absenteeism and turnover where a ⅓ of the workforce does not show up for their shifts, and they have to hire and retrain a brand new workforce every 4 months. If this is you, know you are not alone!
But if you don’t believe us, two new studies recently validated your pain points.
According to a new study released today by The Conference Board, 85% of companies in “mostly blue-collar industries” reported challenges in recruiting their workforce. Factors included:
- The baby boomer exodus. Baby boomers perform much of the nation’s blue-collar work, but they are leaving the workforce in droves.
- More young adults are avoiding trades, pursuing college instead. Meanwhile, the number without a bachelor’s degree — those who typically choose blue-collar jobs — continues to shrink.
- Young adults are much less likely to be in the labor force. The decline in labor force participation of 16- to 24-year-olds significantly reduces the supply of workers in jobs that hire young, less-educated workers.
In a similar manner, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) found in their annual Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) study a 168% spike in the percentage of companies citing employee recruitment and retention as a challenge. It now ranks above growth opportunity and product development.
The challenge today’s staffing businesses face is that the mandated 40-hour work weeks just no longer work for the contingent workforce when the average work week is just 3.45 days (American Staffing Association). Coupled with record low unemployment rates, it is no surprise that 74% of those entering the workforce are coming from the sidelines and not unemployment. It’s clear, there is no shortage of jobs out there.
However, there are solutions out there today that can help companies find the workforce they need. At MyWorkChoice, we believe it starts with flexibility and giving workers the option to pick when and how often they work.
With flexibility, a stay-at-home parent can choose the hours that work around their family’s schedule and enter the workforce.
With flexibility, a flat tire does not mean a penalty at work when a colleague is eager to pick up your shift on your behalf.
With flexibility, employers no longer need to rely on overtime staff to ensure products are getting out the door. Since launching MyWorkChoice two years ago, we have delivered consistent 95% fill rates with zero overtime and close to zero absenteeism. We are proud to deliver for our customers when traditional staffing models no longer seem to cut it, and even prouder to bring dignity back to today’s contingent workforce.
