When Workers Drive the Bus
The desperate plea for workers continues to plague business owners and leaves us all scratching our heads.
The Wall Street Journal posted this in October of 2021: “The labor Department on Friday reported another disappointing month for employment, but the problem wasn’t a dearth of jobs. The question is whatever happened to the workers?” What, indeed? And how do we woo them back? We need to realize than often lower employment numbers simply means thousands more have left the workforce all together. Our problems have not changed. The WSJ reports five million fewer workers than before COVID lockdowns. These numbers are not improved by new jobs or by promises of increased pay. And these numbers were before the omicron variant began sweeping across the nation.
What can we do about it? How do we lure people back into the workforce? First and foremost, forget wishful thinking. If it hasn’t sunk in yet, the people you seek are not returning to the office. The siren call to work from home changed expectations of former cubical employees. When surveyed, more than 90% wanted more flexibility in when and where they work. They wanted a better life balance.
Draconian measures to force them back into prior molds are not going to work. Gone are the days when employers called the shots and laid down the law. Workers, now accustomed to the taste of a different reality, are not willing to give it up. According to the National Federation of Independent Business, 67% of small businesses reported hiring or trying to hire in September, and 42% raised compensation. But a record 51% still have openings. The disconnect remains.
In short, the US is down about 7 million workers, which is akin to the entire labor force of Pennsylvania sitting on the sidelines. We can’t contain the ravages of COVID. We have no control over national policies of debt forgiveness and free money. Draconian measures to force workers back to their jobs is not going to work. So how do we deal with this situation?
It must begin by listening and changing, by melding each other’s expectations. Perhaps business owners need to listen to what people want, rather than stating what they are willing to give them. So what do they really want?
· Real, not token, flexibility. Don’t try to make it look like a flexible job when in truth, it really isn’t. If flexibility is your drawing point, make it truly flexible.
· Different benefits. Many have been stuck at home, spending less and receiving more than when they worked. To lure them back to your business, you need to offer them things they don’t have. Own a timeshare? Offer a week of free lodging with your benefits. Have passes to a great venue? Make them available to your employees. Own a boat? See where this is going? Be creative.
· Offer enough of a raise to actually make a difference. Many of the “wage increases” are not going to make a dent in the rising cost of living. Workers are holding out for something better than what they had before. Make it better. Be willing to pay for what you want.
· Be willing to restructure your business to accommodate childcare issues. Children are also working from home more than ever before. A typical 9-5 job doesn’t meet the need of children needing supervision. Turn an unused storage room into a student union. Join forces with neighboring businesses to bring childcare on board. Meet the need and yours will be met as well.
· Begin by asking questions. “What would it take to bring you on board?” “What are you looking for?” “What would make my business attractive to you?” Listen to responses and let this prospective employee go…but restructure what you are offering based on what you heard.
I feel your pain: Money is in short supply. Business owners are worn to a frazzle. Trying to keep the doors open while unruly workers are making impossible demands may curdle your smile…yet this is the new reality. Begin by adjusting your expectations to those of the people you are trying to lure into available time slots. Nothing else is working, so why not give it a whirl?