U.S. employers added close
to 700,000 jobs in February 2022, the largest gain since July 2021 as
public health restrictions lift, remote workers return to the office,
and businesses recover from the pandemic. Over 400,00 jobs were added
in March.
Industries hardest hit by COVID-19,
like food service, construction, and manufacturing, got some of the
biggest bumps in new hires.
Another industry that has experienced
pandemic-related hardships are staffing agencies.
Chip Huckins, vice president technical
recruiting at TPI Staffing, based in Keene, NH, helps head up the
company’s efforts in Vermont, New Hampshire, and surrounding areas.
“The labor market is more competitive
than I have ever seen in the 25 years I’ve been a recruiter,”
said Huckins. “We have to be as creative as possible in getting
qualified candidates in the door and placed.”
Staffing agencies have had a much more
intimate view of the pandemic’s effects on labor than most. As a
result, they’ve learned to adapt to the change.
“We are transitioning to a more
social model when it comes to recruiting,” said David Aquino, TPI’s
marketing manager. “Recruiters and applicants should make it a
point that a direct connection is far more effective for both
agencies and job seekers.”
This means networking through platforms
that have a social angle, like LinkedIn, Handshake, and Facebook.
Effective communication seems more important than ever, and in many
ways has become an artform, due in part to the rise of remote work.
“Marketing tactics that were working
pre-pandemic don’t seem to be providing the same results today,”
said Aquino. “You can’t just use one recruiting platform or
system. You need a few other options in case they decide to change
the way your offerings get delivered.”
Now that the workforce is on a steady
march upward, with jobless claims dropping to their lowest levels
since 1969, employers and workers are finally able to take a moment
to reflect on recent events.
The omicron coronavirus variant, a
small roadblock in terms of job growth over the winter, has not
derailed overall momentum. Other emerging variants aren’t predicted
to cause much damage either, at least not in the short term.
Around 20 million U.S. jobs were lost
back in April 2020, and a within few months, unemployment had peaked
at 15%. The current national unemployment rate is leveling off just
above pre-pandemic levels, and over 90% of payroll jobs have been
recovered since the early months of the pandemic.
But a substantial share of workers
won’t be returning to the labor market, like retirees, and others
who stacked savings during the pandemic who planned to cash out
early. A slower return to what we once considered normal can be
attributed to workers seeking higher pay, more work-life balance, and
those holding out for jobs with better perks.
Throw a few wildcards into the mix,
like record-high inflation and a war in Ukraine that carries global
implications, and it’s easy to understand why there is so much
uncertainty across a wider spectrum of the market.
The pandemic has taken its toll but
paradoxically has helped pave the way for important social advances
in employment, especially for those who have historically been
marginalized.
“If you’re hurting for candidates,
and you’ve got a pool of people who are not completely eager to
work for you, you might want to consider hiring workers with
disabilities,” said Myles Wallace, strategic partnership specialist
at Peak Performers Staffing Agency, based in Austin, Texas.
Peak Performers is one of only a
handful of agencies across the U.S. that gives job hiring priority to
people with disabilities. This includes individuals with invisible
disabilities like severe depression, dyslexia, and ADHD. According to
Wallace, people with disabilities saw advances in work from home
roles during the pandemic.
Wallace said his agency pays
competitive wages, something Peak Performers has strongly advocated
for as long as they have been in business. An uplifting message to
many, given it is still legal to pay people with disabilities a
subminimum wage in parts of the U.S.
“There are a lot of myths and
outdated notions about candidates with disabilities,” said Wallace.
“But they’re like anyone else. We help them get placed, one job
at a time.”
Job seeker influence on the market
appears stronger than ever. In an environment where candidates can
dictate what matters most to them in terms of work, employers have
had to step up their game to accommodate. They’ve had to change
their thinking, approach, and process when it comes to both
recruiting and employee retainment.
The pandemic forced us all to take a
fresh look at society at large, but employment continues to be one of
the more debated topics since the fallout. No one is certain in what
ways the work landscape will continue to evolve, or how the workforce
will take part in that evolution. What is certain is that everyone
will have a hand in shaping its future.
Media Contact:
David Aquino
TPI Staffing
603-352-4155
Via KISS PR Distribution – Media Contact: Az@kisspr.com
Source: Story.KISSPR.com
Release ID: 226441
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