Despite the fact that hourly employees make up the majority of the workforce in most developed countries, employers are still unable to find enough candidates who are qualified for the job. Not only that, companies, big and small, often fail to retain their best workers long enough to capitalize on their investment.
One reason for this is that many business or company owners don’t fully understand the wants and needs of today’s hourly workforce. It is also common for employers to look for people to do full time work when in fact most hourly workers would rather work just 30 hours or fewer in a week. If you have decided that you need to bring in hourly workers, you need a good strategy to end up getting the most qualified candidates.
Consider Recruiting like Marketing
To find the best workers around, recruit on a 24/7 basis. Recruiting only when you need to fill in vacant positions will not help you find the best. This is because you may end up hiring immediately, which may lead to you making poor recruiting decisions. Don’t wait until you need additional workers, and work on making your business attractive to talented workers.
Make the Hiring Process Simple
If you want the best people, make it easy for them to apply for the job. One mistake many businesses make is accepting resumes, application lettersany life coach, and phone calls only during office hours. What they don’t know is that it discourages busy and hardworking people from applying. It is important that you synch your hours for interviewing and accepting applications with the availability of job candidates.
The best way you could do this is to open your hiring process online. Keep in mind that applicants today hardly read newspapers anymore. What they do is surf the internet for job opportunities. Include a “Careers” section in your website so interested applicants can submit their application anytime they want to.
Respond in a Timely Manner
Another thing you need to understand about today’s hourly workforce is that they all tend to apply for multiple jobs at the same time. This means that how quickly employers respond to their applications can be a huge factor in their decision-making. And so, if you are in need of quality hourly workers, you must be committed in monitoring your application system. Keep track of all the applications that are coming and respond quickly to those applicants who have the potential. You have to understand that those individuals who are serious about their career pathways are not likely to waste their time waiting for a reply from employers. They are aggressive, and so you have to be as aggressive in order to recruit them.
Cecile Peterkin is a certified career and retirement coach, and a registered member of the Career Professionals of Canada and the International Coach Federation. She is also the Founder and Senior Career Strategist at Cosmic Coaching Centre, provider of career and life management services for middle managers and mid-career professionals across Canada, United States and Europe.