At MGMTinsight, we’re hearing this everyday recently: “I can’t get enough help.” Tonight, I went to get a take-out dinner from a favorite restaurant. When I pulled up to the restaurant at approximately 5:30, the lights were off, and the chairs were turned up on the tables. There were large signs in the window that read, “We’re Hiring”.
Many businesses are reopening, resuming business operations, or even expanding post pandemic. As employers’ need to hire is increasing, many are experiencing a new phenomenon – “ghosting.” Today’s job market is very competitive, and one could even call it a “job seeker’s market.” Hiring managers are feeling a lot of pressure finding qualified and interested candidates for open positions.
Even when candidates are identified and scheduled for an interview they often just don’t show up. Many employers have had candidates accept a job offer, then just disappear by not coming to work the first day or by working one or two days and not returning. This is the ghosting phenomenon.
Employers are offering more than competitive starting wages and benefits. Hiring pay rates for entry level positions have never been higher. Fast food companies are advertising that they will pay new hires daily, and some are even offering hiring incentives (sign-on pay, cell phones, etc.). Not much of this is working.
Here are some of the factors that are helping to create this phenomenon:
Over 800,000 people have died because of Covid-19. Many of those who have died or are experiencing serious illness are front line workers. Front line workers are those needed to fill these entry-level jobs.
Many of those who previously worked these jobs just don’t feel safe coming back into the same work environment.
Prior to the pandemic, America was moving towards a “gig” economy. The gig economy has increased with the pandemic (Doordash, Uber, Instacart, etc). People are opting for more work flexibility and independence.
The difficulty that employers are experiencing finding and hiring workers is an indication of a shift in power towards workers. This highlights the importance of retaining your current employees by providing an attractive work environment since workers have many options. As an example, the fast-food industry is most susceptible to ghosting. However, Chick-fil-A is not having the same hiring challenges as McDonald’s.
Is your work culture attractive to your current employees as well as future employees?
Do you need to work on improving your culture?
Does your culture help your employees feel safe?
Have you talked with your current employees about what they like and don’t like about your culture?
At MGMTinsight, we partner with you to create or maintain a work culture where people want to work.
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We can help.
Contact us today for more information.