Labor Shortage Continues

The staffing outlook for employers is difficult to say the least, as many of our VBS affiliates are keenly aware. Nationwide, only two states have roughly the same number of candidates as openings, according to BLS data. Eight – including Virginia in the DMV area – are really underwater with nearly twice as many openings as candidates. A Monster poll earlier this year indicated that 96 percent of workers might be job-hunting this year. Whether or not that is credible, the fact remains that being an employer just isn’t easy these days. The advice for HR personnel is “Hire, Train and Retain.” Those are described in one HR publication as being “the essential HR functions today.” 

VBS has a dedicated team to help our affiliates do just that, resourcefully. 

Train” has several facets: educational reimbursement, OJT, mentoring, seminars and other opportunities for employees to increase or hone their skills. The act of enabling employees to increase their knowledge and therefore their value to both their employer and themselves is a major building block to the “Retain” solution. A “novel” solution to the scarcity of candidates is to hire “second-chance” employees – individuals who have criminal records but have “repaid their debt to society” and are trying to reestablish themselves. Companies that are able to hire these individuals (i.e., given security requirements, etc.) are experiencing considerable success in doing so.