Not being able to find qualified employees for skilled labor positions is not a new problem. Since the Great Recession, the number of skilled workers has been in steady decline. Why the decline? Baby Boomers are retiring, contractors and workers who were out of jobs during the economic downturn didn’t come back, and the social shift from trade school to college has all played a role in the disappearance of qualified, skilled employees. If you’re looking for ways to overcome the skilled labor gap, we have a few suggestions to help you get started.

Develop a Culture

Become known for your company culture. Culture in any business is critical to attracting employees, so implementing an appealing environment can help garner more applicants. Twenty-one percent of employees will seek another job if the culture isn’t suitable to them. A good place to start overcoming the skilled labor gap is to define and implement your company culture.

Invest in Your Current Employees

You don’t have to hire new employees if the current employees are staying put. Your workers are the backbone of your business, and if you’re not investing in them they’ll find someone who will. And it wouldn’t be hard for them to do so with 203,000 skilled labor jobs open as of April 2017.

Show you’re invested by providing continual training for advancement, allowances for new tools and offer reimbursements for continuing education. Only 29 percent of employees feel valued in their role. Capitalize on this opportunity for your organization.

If offering reimbursements and allowances wouldn’t be cost-effective for your business, consider internal cross-training. Having employees train other employees on their trade or skill would not only help your business, it also gives your employees another marketable skill.

Work with Skywalk Group

Because there’s a business to run, you may not have the time to recruit or search for employees. Working with a recruiter can help you find and target the right employees with the skillset you’re looking for.

Having a recruiter in your back pocket can help you develop a talent pipeline, so there’s never a lack of potential candidates. Recruiters have established relationships in the industry and understand what you’re looking for. Put your trust into a recruiting expert.

For more help in overcoming the skilled labor gap, contact us today. Skywalk Group can help your business along the way, from attracting candidates to helping you retain your current workforce.