Many local employers are having a tough time finding workers, as fewer than 1,000 people are unemployed in La Plata County, according to the La Plata County Economic Development Alliance.
At the same time, the number of people in the labor force has been falling, from about 32,000 in 2014 to about 30,000 this summer, alliance numbers show.
It is a trend that could make it tough for businesses to grow, said Roger Zalneraitis, executive director of the Alliance.
“We should be seeing people move here to work, and instead we are seeing workers leave,” Zalneraitis said.
The demand for workers is evident at the local Colorado Workforce Center where job listings are now 500 strong and have reached a pre-recession level, said Regional Supervisor Chloe Wiebe.
“People are finding jobs faster than they were,” she said.
The job listings started picking up in spring, while at the same time the center has seen fewer people returning for services, she said.
While the low unemployment rate has made it harder to fill some positions, Wiebe overall sees it as positive.
“The more individuals working, the more money is going back into our community, which makes us stronger and healthier,” she said.
Locally, the center has noticed great demand for certified nursing assistant positions and housekeepers at lodging establishments.
For Angela Flanders, administrator at Sunshine Gardens Country Home, an assisted-living facility, it’s a constant struggle to fill positions.
“Within the past year, it’s gotten tougher,” she said.
Flanders currently employs 16 people, but she would like to hire three or four more.
When the center isn’t fully staffed, it puts strain on current employees, she said.
“People that are working and are dedicated have to step up and work even harder,” Flanders said.
At the DoubleTree Hotel, there has been a similar pattern. Positions that have always been difficult to fill have gotten event tougher, said General Manager Peter Marshall.
The hotel tries to be flexible and work with employees’ schedules to help fill positions and keep people employed.
Nationally, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, which owns the DoubleTree, has made some changes recently for employees, including offering maternity and paternity leave and increasing vacation days for employees still in their first year.
Perks and greater job flexibility could be some of the positive side effects of the labor shortage; another is a shorter job search.
Many of those interviewing through Express Employment Professionals, a full-service employment agency, go to work as soon as they are done with the interview, said owner Nancy Whitson.
In many cases, the Workforce Center and Express are helping people from San Juan County, New Mexico, find work.
This could also be positive in Wiebe’s view because those new employees are likely spending money in La Plata County.
“It helps our economy when individuals come here to work,” she said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
This story has been updated to correctly describe Express Employment Professionals.
