The market for talent is definitely heating up. This is especially true in the construction and manufacturing sectors.
Competition is fierce in this candidate-friendly job market. So how do you source and hire the best talent available for your current hiring needs? How do you make sure you’ll be able to fill future job vacancies?
These are tough questions, but you’ve come to the right place to get answers.
A March survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found that 42% of owners had job openings that could not be filled, a record high. Ninety-one percent of those hiring or trying to hire reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill.
That is turning into a huge obstacle to growth for many small businesses, said Holly Wade, executive director of the NFIB Research Center.
The key is to understand both sides of the hiring equation. Many workers who are currently employed, as well as active job seekers, are very aware of the fact that they are well-positioned in the current market. They know that they can afford to be selective about the companies they want to work for.
At the same time, business is picking up for small, midsized, and large manufacturing companies alike, as the economy starts to heat up. Many businesses need to expand their workforces now. They’re also considering what staffing and hiring needs will be like in the next 12-24 months.
You can prepare for these needs by being proactive. Taking action early in the hiring process can help you attract and hire the perfect candidate. You need someone with the right hard and soft skills, as well as someone who fits your corporate culture.
You can’t afford to make a hiring mistake, and you can’t wait forever for the perfect candidate to submit a resume.
A great recruiter understands both sides of the hiring equation and wants both sides to be successful.
At Top Notch Personnel we help you strategically navigate the talent markets in the Witchita, KS region. We’ll help you find the best skilled labor talent available. We focus on companies just like yours, and we take every hiring client’s job search, or searches, personally. We want to understand your hiring needs completely before we even start our search process.
In this post, we’ll discuss four key hiring characteristics that human resources professionals should consider when competing for talent in this tight labor market:
- Be Meticulous
- Be Flexible
- Be Assertive
- Be Decision-Oriented
Be meticulous and analytical about understanding your hiring needs.
Do a detailed analysis of your current and anticipated hiring needs. Workforce turnover is high right now. According to Forbes magazine:
This is a conglomerate of circumstances all happening at the same time: the perfect recipe for a tidal wave of turnovers that may find employers rightfully worried. The Achievers’ Employee Engagement and Retention Report suggests that a stunning 52% of workers plan on looking for new jobs in 2021.
That’s an enormous number. And turnover is particularly high in manufacturing, construction, and the skilled trades right now. This is where a great recruiter partnership can help. They understand where the best talent is and what it takes to get it.
Keep in mind that great hiring companies and great candidates are looking for each other. Oftentimes though, resumes and potential new hires can get lost in the “black holes” of resume scanning software tools and applicant tracking software databases.
Every employee is critical to the success of any business, and no one knows this better than hiring managers and HR professionals. Both sides of the hiring equation need a trusted, go-to resource who understands the skills and cultural fit that both sides are looking for.
So what’s the next step?
Be flexible and creative.
Active and passive job seekers are looking for job and workplace benefits above and beyond just direct salary compensation. These “perks” are becoming more and more important to employees.
For example, working remotely is not feasible for all members of the workforce, but employers should try to offer flexible work locations whenever possible. Flexible work schedules are also a great benefit. This can be especially true for mothers who want to be the primary caregiver for their children. Consider offering flexible and extended PTO options as well.
It’s not just salary that wins the battle for great talent. Retirement, and profit or equity-sharing plans are great deferred compensation benefits that employers should also consider whenever possible.
Healthcare benefits are another great way for employers to sweeten the job offer pot. Take time to explain your healthcare benefits package. Remember, job seekers are in the driver’s seat in the current labor market. They’re educated in the finer points of what different job offers look like.
These non-salary benefits can be deal-makers or deal-breakers. So make sure you’re meticulous about providing great compensation packages, over and above just direct compensation
Be assertive and diligent about hiring and retention.
Whatever you do, make sure that you’re not in danger of losing any employees in this aggressive job market. As Glassdoor points out, businesses need to be hyper-conscious of retaining a healthy, productive workforce:
If you find your retention rates are on the low side and your turnover rates are on the high side, there’s a lot you can do to improve them. Not only will your efforts drive short-term benefits like lower recruiting and onboarding costs, but you’ll also allow your company to reap the rewards of a healthier company culture, including higher productivity and profitability. Focusing on company initiatives like increased transparency, flexibility and recognition can all help you improve your retention rates.
Stay on top of important workforce metrics, like employee satisfaction, with anonymous surveys and feedback loops. Also, make sure you’re staying competitive with those compensation and soft benefits we touched on earlier. Any work-lifestyle benefit options you can offer will only strengthen your employee retention.
Can you change your hiring timelines to snap up a great employee today, that you might not actually need for the next 6 months or so? It just might be worth it. Consider these types of decisions carefully.
Be Decision-Oriented
It’s hiring decision time. You’ve done a meticulous workforce and hiring analysis. You have a good feel for the talent you need to hire in the next 12 months. You have a highly sought-after corporate brand and a reputation as a great place to work. You’ve created some flexible, innovative, attractive employment and compensation options.
So what’s the next step? It’s time to consider recruiting and hiring some new employees in temporary, part-time, direct-hire, contractor, or temporary-to-hire roles.
The employment market is already strong and it’s heating up even more. There are thousands of active and passive job seekers looking for great new career opportunities in manufacturing and construction. These skilled professionals might be available to fill your current and future employment searches in the Witchita region.
The perfect candidate might be out there right now, waiting to fill your staffing or direct-hire needs.
Top Notch Personnel is the premier staffing and recruitment agency in Wichita, KS. Serving the aircraft, construction, manufacturing, janitorial, and call center industries, our team puts great people to work at great companies like yours every day. Service excellence, accuracy, speed, and integrity are the hallmarks of our service.
Don’t settle for less than Top Notch.
We’re laser-focused on delivering consistent, accurate, and timely hiring solutions for our client’s staffing and recruiting needs. We know that every business is unique. With that uniqueness in mind, we tailor every service to the specific needs, goals, and challenges of our individual clients.
Our recruiting and staffing services are designed to save time and deliver bottom-line results. We commit to understanding your business operations first. This enables us to provide optimized outcomes for your labor and staffing needs. We provide these outcomes faster and with more accuracy than anyone else in the industry.
When you call our recruiters and staffing experts, they’ll know who you are and exactly what you need.
Are you a hiring manager or human resources professional with a job search, or multiple searches, underway?
We’re here to help. Once we understand your recruiting and staffing goals, we’ll start connecting you with the right candidates, right away.
Call us today at 316-425-4501, or get in touch online. Our expert recruiters are waiting for your call.