Older skilled workers are starting to retire, and younger people are encouraged to pursue 4-year degrees rather than learn a trade, which can reduce blue collar availability in the near future. The continnect expansion of e-commerce and the talent shortage in the logistics industry will drive the need for more logistics professionals, like warehouse workers and truck drivers, especially amidst COVID-19.
As blue-collar workers search for the best overall work environment and benefits package, employers are paying the price for turnover and competition. In regions with many logistics jobs or warehouses, blue-collar workers are prone to change employers for small increases in hourly pay.
The role of blue-collar workers will continue to rise in the future. Outsourcing of factory jobs to China is on the decline. European based manufacturers are bringing production home. The consumer, along with energy prices and Chinese wage increases, are driving the change in behavior.
So, how do you succeed in blue collar recruitment with these challenges in mind? How do you find and evaluate candidates in order to fill those open roles quickly with the right people?
Here are a few tips on how to recruit blue collar employees in a tight market:
- Expand your outreach
- Mix your candidate attraction strategies
- Post to niche job boards
- Use referrals
- Hire veterans for middle management
- Revamp your apprenticeship programs
- Promote the good aspects of blue collar jobs
- Make the process easier, streamline the recruiting process
- Tailor evaluation methods
- Be mobile friendly
The current generation of logistics workers entering the blue-collar workforce is tech-savvy. They grew up with computers and smartphones. For this reason, utilize their combination of soft and hard skills. If you want to meet the increasing demand for new workers, it will be essential to make use of technology in the training and development of new and existing employees.
Leverage technology to gain efficiencies and increase your hiring potential. If you don’t, the next generation of blue-collar workers will experience dissatisfaction with outdated methods. For example, blue-collar workers are more likely to use their smartphone to search for jobs than a computer. As a result, making job postings mobile-friendly and easy to engage with is crucial.
The current challenge of a shrinking workforce will not disappear overnight. Therefore, it is time to work smarter towards the worker’s needs: Attract new employees by posting jobs online. Incorporate technology via training to stimulate tech-savvy workers. Acknowledge, reward, and promote valuable members of the team.
