Temporary blue-collar workers are essential for any developing economy. But unfortunately, the manufacturing industry faced a significant setback regarding blue-collar workers after losing roughly 1.4 million jobs at the onset of the pandemic. Since then, the industry has struggled to hire entry-level and skilled workers. But as the labour market for temporary blue-collar workers is tightening, where can we find them?
Before the pandemic, it made more sense to invest in hiring software because hiring blue-collar workers worked differently. However, that doesn't seem to be the case today, and more often than not, our software won't be calibrated toward finding blue-collar workers. Instead, they are more attuned to finding qualified IT workers and that kind of talent pool.
That's why we will explore some of the best tips for finding temporary blue-collar workers in this article.
Expand Your Search for Temporary Blue-Collar Workers
Mixing up your hiring strategies is the best way to expand your search. If the old methods aren't doing the trick, then using different methods is the most appropriate action. If you're looking to snag some blue-collar workers, you have got to mix up your tactics. Here are three ways to do it:
- Hit up niche job boards. Don't waste your time with all those mainstream job sites. Target your audience by posting on specialized job boards for construction, manufacturing, and other blue-collar gigs. Check out Nexxt's network for even more options.
- Ask your workers for referrals. Your people know who's suitable for the job. Offer rewards for successful referrals and use recruiting software to make it easy for them to recommend qualified candidates.
- Hire veterans. These folks have a wealth of skills from their military service that could translate perfectly to your industry. Plus, they often need jobs after their service. Make a veteran hiring program part of your recruitment strategy with the help of this handy guide.
Be as Flexible as You Can
It's not always easy to offer flexible jobs to temporary blue-collar workers during summer. However, finding ways to offer these types of jobs could provide an advantage. According to the National Retail Federation's (NRF) survey, part-time retail employees choose their employment precisely because of its flexibility. For instance, some employees are students who can only work during certain parts of the day when they don't have classes.
Others may work full-time and can only work nights or on their days off. And some stay-at-home parents may only be able to work during certain times of the day or on weekends when childcare is available. Companies can appeal to these different groups of workers by offering flexibility in job schedules.
Be mobile-friendly
A recent survey by Glassdoor says temporary blue-collar job seekers are using their phones more than other workers to look for jobs. Make your careers page or application forms mobile-friendly to retain qualified candidates. The same survey shows that promoting a job as mobile-friendly can get you 11.6 per cent more job applicants.
First, ask your development team to test your careers pages and application form on various mobile devices. Then, try the application process yourself on your mobile to find any issues with the process, like aesthetic or functional problems. Lastly, make sure your application forms are simple and simple, 'cause that will probably increase the rate of abandonment on mobile.
Encourage The Next Generation of Temporary Blue-Collar Workers
To encourage the next generation of temporary blue-collar workers, it's vital to combat the negative stigma attached to these jobs. Actions to Encourage the Next Generation of Temporary Blue-Collar Workers:
- Participate in your local high school's career day to educate students on blue-collar jobs and their potential wages.
- Educate students on the costs of trade school compared to a four-year university and the increasing demand for blue-collar workers.
- Contact local high school counsellors to inform them of opportunities for blue-collar workers at your company.
- Talk to your local school board about setting up a vocational education program for high school students.
- Encourage blue-collar jobs training by offering scholarships to trade schools or providing paid on-the-job training.
- Use social media to promote blue-collar jobs and the benefits of trade schools.
- Follow and share content from blue-collar advocates like TV host Mike Rowe to join the movement to end bias against working-class workers.
- Set up Google alerts for relevant search terms to ensure a steady stream of shareable content on your social media pages.
In Conclusion
Employers know that recruiting is an arduous and time-consuming task that requires meticulous documentation at every step. But it doesn't have to be done manually. By utilizing technology to automate repetitive tasks such as job posting, candidate sourcing, and communication, employers can free up valuable hours to focus on high-value activities like interviewing, onboarding, and training new employees.
To streamline the hiring process, consider using Team Engine to provide you with the necessary tools and procedures to find and hire the best candidates. Sign up for a free seven-day trial without commitment to discovering how Team Engine can help.
However, recruiting is just one part of the puzzle. Employers will also need help managing their new employees, and the best way to do this is with excellent employee management software. This software can help streamline HR processes, track employee performance, and keep employee data up-to-date. By using technology to manage employees, employers can ensure that they're meeting their employees' needs and keeping them engaged. This will ultimately lead to increased productivity and better results for your company.
On a related topic read our article on building a strong employer brand through Human Capital Management!