“It can be like finding a needle in a haystack.”
That’s what one business owner said to me recently while trying to fill a vacant position.
Hopefully the expiration of the supplemental unemployment benefits will encourage people to re-enter the workforce. We are all experiencing the impacts of businesses being short staffed, from restaurants, to construction, to professional services, to the health care industry, these challenges are prevalent across the board.
There is an art to finding good employees, plus there are many programs, applications and other tools to assist with these efforts. The Durango Chamber’s Sept. 22 Lunch and Learn will address this topic, which you can join in person at the Chamber or via Zoom. Simply register at DurangoBusiness.org/events. ASAP Accounting CEO, Diana Murray, will offer insights into the latest tools to use when recruiting and hiring employees. Diana is the past president of the Chamber board of directors and she was instrumental in assisting me with finding our new chamber manager, Kim Oyler.
A program called Workable can assist with streamlining the process, helping track applicants, producing acceptance and rejection notifications, tracking the hiring progress, and organizing applicants on how they rank. Workable also has templates that can help get you started, including: scheduling tools, categorizing candidates, tracking progress and follow up procedures. Keeping up with the latest platforms can be daunting, which include: Indeed, Zip Recruiter, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Monster, Facebook, Career Builder, Google for Jobs, Flexjobs and Fiverr just to name a few. With just one click, Workable places postings in the latest job search programs so it does the work for you and you’re not spending your precious time maneuvering around various sites.
If you’re hiring for a new employee or creating a new position, the September Lunch and Learn will help get you started with the goal of finding your next rock star employee.
In addition, mark your calendars for the Alliance Summit, Sept. 21. This year’s theme is “Rehumanizing Work” and with various breakout sessions and networking opportunities you are sure to see old friends and make new ones. Who knows, you might even find your next employee or your next employer. Register at https://yeslpc.com/support-the-alliance/2021-economic-summit/#summitdetails.
We also want to welcome back our Fort Lewis College students. FLC students are critical to our local workforce and will help fill the shortfall. If you are wanting to target this demographic, I encourage you to consider an intern. Interns are a great opportunity for you to learn about a potential employee while they learn about your business. To learn more visit https://www.durangobusiness.org/internships.html.
With the majority of businesses short staffed, remember to be patient and respectful. Remember the adage, you learn someone’s personality by the way they treat service workers and wait staff. Take the time to say thank you. And if possible, leaving a little extra on a tip can make someone’s day.
Jack Llewellyn is executive director of the Durango Chamber of Commerce. Contact him at jack@durangobusiness.org.
