Slippery Rock Gazette

Jessica Sherwood

Omni Cubed

Above: Employee appreciation picnic complete with rock wall, bounce house, and taco truck.

Above: Team building: playing badminton at the company’s 15th Anniversary camp-out.

A happy production crew in the assembly shop – they love building Pro-Carts!

For many businesses, it’s a challenge to find quality workers these days. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of prime-age workers participating in the labor force is dwindling, and many seasoned workers are entering retirement age, which is resulting in a shortage of both experienced and entry-level workers. 

According to CNNMoney.com, many businesses feel they have no choice but to hike wages to attract and keep quality employees. 

One New England manufacturer reported he was three months behind schedule for his new factory as he scrambled to hire employees.

In Missouri, construction companies have limited ability to build new homes as they struggle to find workers.

The West Coast’s reported labor shortages are affecting industries from farming to manufacturing, and even after raising wages, employers still say they can’t find enough people.

With a shallowing pool of employees and an increasingly competitive job market, how can you give yourself an edge as an employer to attract and retain quality employees? Create an irresistible company culture—be a company that people WANT to work for!

In a recent article published on Forbes.com, some key elements that can help employers stand out to potential candidates are: 

Be more people-focused and foster employee advocates. Happy employees will promote the company everywhere they go. If you invest more internally, you can make your company more externally attractive.

Examine your environment and culture. If you cultivate a positive, healthy workplace environment, you can drive employee performance and productivity, and make yourself stand out as a desirable employer.

Promote work/life balance. Employees value work-life balance now more than ever, so try to show employees that you appreciate their dedication to their job as well as their life outside of work. 

Provide purpose and emotional connection. Employees want more than just a paycheck—they want to make a contribution and know their role in a company’s journey to success. Be sure to identify a clear and authentic mission for your organization that creates an emotional connection with your staff. Ensure that day-to-day experiences leave employees with a sense of purpose, pride, and commitment to achieving the company’s mission.

There’s more to a company’s success than just sales. Invest time in building up your company’s culture—there’s a very rewarding ROI in having and keeping great people on your team!