As we enter 2025, both the economy at large and the job market in particular are starting to moderate. As the HR Daily Advisor reports, fears of a recession have declined, and the market uncertainty that started with the advent of COVID seems to be leveling out. Richard Wahlquist, chief executive officer at the American Staffing Association, states: “Staffing firms are reporting that labor market demand is normalizing following the volatile swings … over the past few years.”
That said, employers are still dealing with a talent shortage. Specifically, there’s a gap in the specialized skills that are critical to manufacturers. The Manufacturing Institute projects that there will be 2.1 unfilled manufacturing positions in 2030 due to a lack of skilled workers.
The good news is that employers are finding they can fill the skill gap by adopting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) measures. The Census Bureau’s statistics indicate the number of workers changing jobs to go into manufacturing in nonwhite racial groups have steadily increased since 2019. The same holds true for women: The National Association of Manufacturers report female employment in manufacturing grew to a new high of 3.77 million workers in 2023.
Knowing that diversity could hold the key to solving your company’s skilled labor shortage, how can you shape your business to emphasize inclusion? Here are five steps to take.
How Can Diversity Help with a Talent Shortage?
1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Company from the Top Down
Studies have shown that a fantastic company culture starts at the top and depends on a team of quality managers to transfer positive values to all employees. And one of the most important values leadership can model is diversity. So, take a look at who your leaders are. Make sure women – and particularly women of color – aren’t underrepresented.
2. Recruit from a Diverse Talent Pool
Don’t assume that your current recruiting channels will naturally bring diverse employees to your door. Instead, construct an outreach plan that recruits from paths less traveled. Seek out opportunities to source diverse candidates by looking in channels geared toward underrepresented job seekers.
3. Root Out Unconscious Biases
Unconscious bias can sabotage your recruiting efforts. By not being aware of flawed shortcuts in your staffing mindset, you could be missing out on a great hire. For instance, a University of Toronto study found that candidates with English-sounding names were 35 percent more likely to receive callbacks than resumes with Indian or Chinese names. You owe it to your company to train your recruiting team to keep biases like these in check.
4. Watch Out for Bias in Your Job Descriptions
A powerful job description can be a magnet for highly qualified candidates. But while you’re constructing a listing that’s specific, interesting, and concise, make sure that you’re not including unintentionally exclusive language. Words like “analyze” and “competitive” tend to attract men, while “collaborate” and “support” are subconsciously linked with women.
5. Recruit for the Long Haul
Diversity doesn’t happen the moment you hire candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. It takes time for their contributions to make an impact on company culture. To that end, think of inclusive hiring less like checking boxes and more like planting seeds.
Looking for help in diversifying your talent pool? Contact Arrow Staffing today to learn why we’re the best choice for staffing in Grand Rapids and the Inland Empire.
