Work with an MSP to overcome America’s labor shortage

The COVID-19 pandemic has had major impacts on America's workforce. It's not only the shift to remote working being commonplace - the country has seen mass retirement in key industries, along with lots of people changing career paths and entering new industries. More than 47 million people quit their job in 2021, leading to "The Great Shuffle". 

The fallout of this means we're now in a candidate-driven marketplace and getting skilled contractors is harder than ever. Why? Well, the workers just don't exist sometimes. For example, if every unemployed person with experience in the durable goods manufacturing industry were employed, the industry would only fill 65% of the vacant jobs. That's a challenge for any recruiter. 

To stand a chance, you need a broader approach to recruitment. Working with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) can help your company navigate this difficult time and get the best people. 

Go specialist

You simply can't afford duplicated efforts across recruitment partners in such a competitive market. Working with an MSP unlocks a coordinated supply chain approach. 

We can reach a massive base of candidates that can match even the most specialised requirements. For example, it might be a need for specific skills or experience; it could be filling roles in a tricky location, or meeting targets around diversity and inclusion. 

Your current supply chain could potentially struggle to fulfil many of these requests - at least on a short timeline - and you might end up being the one to pay. More and more often, the power is tipped in favor of candidates who know they're hard to find. A coordinated, fast-moving approach to recruitment is the best way to navigate these challenging conditions. 

Go global to meet the needs of emerging industries

With such sweeping changes across the entire country, almost every industry has been impacted to some degree. But some are feeling it more than others - the manufacturing industry faced a major setback after losing roughly 1.4 million jobs at the onset of the pandemic. 

One industry up against it in the wake of "The Great Reshuffle" is renewables. As a relatively new industry in the US, there is a real shortage of people with the skills and experience needed to deliver on companies' ambitious growth plans. 

This is where the global reach of an MSP becomes invaluable. We can tempt workers from countries where that industry is more mature. As a result, you unlock key experience and skills - and tap into a range of candidates that your competitors don't even know exist. 

Go for experience 

What has often been considered "The Great Retirement" is not quite what it seems. In many cases, we're seeing retirement-age workers who have left the workforce, and re-enter the market in search of short-term contracts. This represents an opportunity for shrewd recruiters. 

Hiring these workers could yield a number of benefits that others are overlooking. They don't want to work as employees - they want to be contract based (they have mostly had their career - with all medical, dental benefits, and so on taken care of). Their focus is very much on getting in and doing a good job. Some are even keen to leave their mark or do one last legacy project at the end of their career. They're highly motivated.

And of course, the knowledge of old heads is invaluable, both in solving problems and helping to nurture some of the younger talent in your business. It's a win-win. 

Embrace changing expectations

We live and work in a slightly different world now. The pandemic changed the world of work in many ways. The truth is we're only now seeing how permanent those changes will be, and their knock-on effects. We all need to be flexible.

Most obvious is the question of remote working, which has become the norm for many. But beyond that, there are changing expectations around benefits for contractors, who are looking to gain more security and a sense of compensation more traditionally associated with full-time employees. That means health insurance, pension schemes, paid time off, and more. 

Across the board, there's an understanding that workers have more power than they might have previously thought. In this landscape, it makes sense to work with an experienced MSP who has market knowledge - if only to make sure you're making the right calls for you and for those you hire. 

Ready to build your contingent workforce? Contact us today to discuss the best options.