Some of Indiana's local employers are struggling to fill vacancies, even as the number of jobs available continues to rise.
Despite an influx in jobs from new and expanding businesses in recent years, and ongoing efforts to further develop the county's workforce, local businesses continually face difficulties in finding people who are willing to commit to working a 40-hour week.
The Richmond Palladium-Item recently spoke with representatives of multiple local companies who said they are struggling to fill positions, even with the help of middleman staffing agencies. The biggest issues, employers said, are the work ethic, drug status and work histories of job candidates, rather than the applicants' ability to work effectively.
While Wayne County isn't alone in these issues — studies show there are many communities throughout the country that struggle with maintaining a solid workforce — the representatives say they at times feel little hope for finding people to fill positions because the candidates that do apply just aren't cutting it.
"We know there are a great number of people in our area who are qualified to do these (jobs) and they can do them admirably," said Lisa Pierson, human resources director for Primex Plastics, during a Manufacturing Matters recruitment event earlier in August. "The fact is, however, many of those potential applicants already have good, solid jobs in place."
There are many who apply for jobs at the company, she said, who seem like qualified candidates; they have passable work histories, they show up for their interview on time and answer questions professionally.
Then comes the drug test.
More here
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12 comments:
Well, Indiana, you could institute a change in your food stamp policies to motivate some. It worked in Maine and elsewhere.
when you pay crap, that is what you get.
A better headline for this article would be: Poorly managed companies struggle to attract employees to exploit.
The only problems worse than low-quality employees are the companies who rely on predatory temp agencies to avoid paying living wages. There's your problem.
I can tell you that we are having the very same problem here on the Eastern Shore. There are plenty of job available of all kinds. We either cant find qualified people to fill the higher level jobs or we cant find people to go to work for the low skilled ones. The reason for the small labor pool in the low skilled jobs is simple. The welfare system disincentives going back to work once you have all of you benefits rolling. The second you start to earn money, any money, the govt starts taking those benefits away. People can earn more sitting on the couch. Instead we are told to that the illegal aliens will fill the jobs that nobody wants. GUESS WHAT FOLKS!!! All jobs are jobs that no one wants if you can make the same or better money doing nothing.
I am tired of being stolen from in order to pay people to do nothing. If this election doesnt pan out the way it should there will be much trouble in the coming year. Its simply disgusting the way things are going.
11:47 - I'm going to have to disagree with part of what you are saying...:
The higher level jobs don't pay well here on the Eastern Shore. I had a higher level job with one of the local poultry companies here in Salisbury...when the industry took a down-turn, the company had a major lay-off rather than spend a little cash (which they have since shown that they actually had)...nobody on the shore (all three states) had positions that didn't require a 30% cut in salary - and the ones that even had positions would only use 60% of the skills that I had.
Yes, that make me overqualified and under-compensated - here on the peninsula! I got a job on the other side of the bay and still come back here for weekends.
The real issue here is that there really are NOT that level of jobs here and the employers and employees all know it. Part of the reasons behind this - the Maryland business environment (which is getting better thanks to the current governor) while another part is the people here...employers and employees.
Even the high tech jobs contracted for down at Wallops Island are wage hampered - I could go work there with my skill-set - if I was willing to take a 35% cut...no thanks!
11:47 and I am 100% sure that you can not fill the "higher level jobs" because you overlook those without a degree, but have decades of experience. I am sure I have applied there and have been rejected by your snobbish ways.
I probably would not fit in, as I do not have a stick up my......
I am amused by the employers here on the shore that "require" a degree for a $12/hr job and then cry when no one applies.
It's true that there are two sides to this issue, but the observations made in the article about young 'workers' not showing up, not passing drug tests, not being willing to do a day's work, etc. are valid.
We've raised a couple generations of cupcakes/snowflakes now, and the consequences of that are becoming apparent.
This is actually good news. As the unemployment rate has dropped, wages have remained stagnant. This could be the tipping point for increases in wages
Why work? My black neighbor doesn't and she is loaded in cash. She also has 4 kids, no husband, and a pregnant teenage daughter with her 2nd kid. The system pays so well.
3:07 nice glossing over to suit your opinion, but if you dug a little further, you would have found that the actual problem, was these companies are using temp agencies and paying people squat to work in a sweat shops with no benefits and unlivable wages. People do not work for YOUR benefit, they work to provide themselves and their families with a better life.
Most employers are greedy and treat people as serfs. If you do not care about me, then I have no reason to give a turd about you.
It has nothing to do with cupcakes and snowflakes, and much to your irritation we serfs are waking up and simply not taking your crap, low wages, poor working conditions and lack of benefits anymore.
When historically an organization has hiring and retention problems, it is not a people issue, it is a corporate culture issue. Its just easier to blame everyone else and act like a big shot in a BS meaningless article.
In retail there is a problem of finding young people at the lower pay range who are capable of making change. Even if the cash register indicates to give the person .43 in change, the young people don't know that is a quarter, dime, nickel and 3 pennies. They can't do basic math.
In customer service jobs, the young people are very rude. They don't understand what service means.
4:27 PM, it isn't hard to see you're a bitter troll.
Actually, companies pay quite a bit for that temp labor, over and above what the worker gets paid. And his butt is portable, so he doesn't have to be a temp if he doesn't want to. Many companies use temp-to-hire so they can get a good look at the employee before bringing him onboard, and avoid the heavy costs of having to let him go. Many times you have to hire 3 or 4 people before you find one good one.
If someone will show up on time each day (sober), do a good job and be nice to everybody, they will usually do well.
People with attitudes like yours usually don't.
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