Hiring and Keeping Employees Going into Summer 2021

Hiring and retaining good employees can be a challenge. It was difficult before the pandemic due to a tight labor market, and now employers are facing new hurdles for various reasons, including safety concerns and applicant expectations.

If you’re struggling to attract job candidates or concerned about losing employees, it may be time to assess your approach to hiring and retention. From developing your job advertisement to onboarding a new worker, each aspect factors into long-term retention.

Finding Blue-Collar Workers in 2021

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of February 26, 2021, there were 7.4 million job openings across the country, and in March, there were 9.7 million unemployed persons. However, data on the competitive market has suggested a decline in blue-collar workers for several years, and a global pandemic didn’t help the situation.

If your job ads are going unnoticed or attracting unqualified applicants, you may need to rework your process. Consider:

• Boosting salaries or hourly pay to reflect potential minimum wage increases
• Ensuring your career page and application are mobile-friendly
• Highlighting your benefits packages more clearly in job advertisements
• Increasing flex time or paid time off to support a diverse workforce
• Developing an employee referral program for broadening your talent pool
• Exploring new ways to get your message out to job candidates

Once you have a list of potential job candidates, it’s important to remember that today’s applicants are interviewing you as well. While compensation packages rank high, workers also care about your company’s image, culture, and safety protocols.

Revising the Onboarding Process

Onboarding starts the moment you extend an offer to a job candidate. Moreover, orientation is only one step of onboarding. The actual process may extend to 90 days or for the entire first year. Update your approach by:

• Making sure your forms and employment information are accessible online
• Creating a pre-boarding step with a welcome email outlining the orientation agenda
• Developing checklists for orientation and reminders for 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-ins
• Working with employees to come up with performance goals
• Providing resources for career development or a path to future opportunities

Retaining Employees

BLS finds, “The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 4.1 years in January 2020.” Although workers leave jobs for many reasons, engaged and satisfied employees are likely to stay longer.

Deloitte research shows that workers value communication. 62% of those planning to stay with their company say “their employers communicate effectively” versus 66% of workers planning to switch jobs who say “communications have been ineffective.” Furthermore, Industry Today finds, “respondents named a ‘worker-friendly culture’ as the top reason they would stay in a job.”

PROs can reduce turnover by regularly assessing their workforce for signs of engagement, strengthening company culture, and ensuring transparency in communications. Taking an empathetic approach while showing appreciation is key to employee retention.

Ramp Up Efforts Before Your Peak Season

Update your recruiting, hiring, and retention processes before you’re slammed with work. Doing so can create a smoother process and identify any potential problems. For instance, you may need to implement a price increase on your rentals to cover higher wages or increased flex time. Although the blue-collar labor crunch isn’t going away, taking steps now to improve your approach can help you attract quality talent in your area just in time for summer.

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