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A regional workforce board just announced
plans "to increase the number of
people entering the trades and increase the number of
qualified people".
That's interesting to say the least. I
couldn't agree more about increasing the number of qualified
people. But how do they plan to increase the number of
people? Ban birth control and promote big
families?
The simple truth is that our working
population is shrinking relative to an aging population and
school age population. This boom in the under 18
population appears to be an abundant crop, ripe for the
picking. It's merely a blip on the screen considering the
workforce that will be required to service a ballooning aging population.
Unfortunately, nearly every industry has
its eye on this new pool of labor, too. Health care,
communication, technology, food processing, hospitality,
construction, manufacturing, transportation and so on are all
fighting to attract workers from the same pool. This new
youthful labor pool has an unbelievable number of available
choices, diverse opportunities, and a mobility unseen in our
history. They don't move from small town to city, but
state to state and nation to nation.
At first glance the workforce board
solution seems to be right on track. In fact, last year
this board successfully launched a recruitment and training
effort aimed at health care workers. They recruited so
many people for nursing school that students needed to be
turned away.
Turned away when job openings still
exist? Oh yes, there is a teacher shortage,
too. And if there wasn't a teacher shortage, there
wouldn't be enough classrooms for all the students. No
problem, just build a bigger school, you say.
Oops. We can't do that. Not enough construction
workers.
Let's say we can train and re-train enough
workers. With every adult working, the shortage
goes away, right? HA! With everyone working
and skilled, who watches the kids after schools or when they
are sick or during the summer? Grandma and
Grandpa? Maybe. If they still live in the same state or
you aren't making elder care arrangements for them so you can
work.
What about taking care of yourself when
you are sick or want to schedule a routine check-up.
After waiting months to get the appointment, you wait hours to
be seen by the doctor. Why? Not enough workers,
silly. So instead of spending an hour or so, you spend a
day. While you're spending the day in the office or
hospital, you miss a day of work. So as they say in New
York, "ah fuggedaboutit". You go to work sick
anyway. The problem is that your productivity stinks and
may be affecting, if not infecting, the other
employees.
Finally it's the end of the day and time
for feed the troops. Not so fast. The hospitality
and food processing industries are expanding and can't find
enough workers either. I just have two words and you'll
get the picture - fast food. Another oxymoron (along
with customer service) that is a condition of the labor
shortage.
Despite this ambitious and successful
collaborative efforts of government, community and business,
the short-term solution for any business to fill job positions
will come down to a single strategy. Steal from Peter to pay
Paul. Or to say it like it is, to "cannibalize" workers
from your direct competitors, other industries, and even other
departments within your own business.
The pressure to find qualified workers
hasn't even begun to heat up. The time to protect your
property assets is not after a fire or burglary. The
time to protect and acquire your human assets is now.
Success Performance Solutions works with small
businesses as well as the Fortune 500 to provide convenient,
cost-effective solutions that quickly and effortlessly sifts
out unqualified candidates and matches, manages and motivates
employees. | 
