How does a company move on from over 2 years of a pandemic? 
 
While people may still shudder at the term “new normal” no doubt exists that there is no going back to the way things were in 2020 pre-covid. The re-emerging workforce has some new requests and the leverage to ask for them, forcing companies to get creative to attract and keep a talented workforce. 

​On Wednesday, June 29, the Clayton Chamber of Commerce's Workforce Development Committee, in conjunction with Caterpillar Inc. and MedicalTraining.me, held a panel discussion as part of its State of the Chamber initiative, one part of a series that discusses the landscapes of Workforce Development, Education, Economic Development, Government Affairs, and Growth & Infrastructure. CCOC's moderator and chair of the Workforce Development Committee Melissa Overton asked four panelists from four different industries to speak on what companies today must consider to attract and retain top-level talent. 
 
“Everyone can afford to build a good culture.”
 
Those words were first mentioned by Barbara Brothers in her opening presentation of the morning. As Business Engagement Director at Capital Area Workforce Development, Brothers has kept a close eye on how Wake and Johnston Counties have been adapting to the changes in recruitment and retention. 

Employers across the country are posting signs asking for patience with their existing employees because the business is understaffed. In fact, there are hiring managers who are scheduling interviews only to have no one show up! You can’t hire people who don’t even come to an interview.
 
So what’s a business to do?
 
Some people blame the business. They believe that the average person wants to work but can’t afford to because of minimal wages and expensive childcare. But the numbers don’t entirely speak to that. 30% of US households are “married without children” in 2020. Single-person households are 23% of the population. So for over half, children aren’t a concern.

So, what can you do to combat the 3 common hiring problems these days? Here are some ideas.
 
Employment Hiring Challenges Post-COVID
If you brush wages aside as the main reason people don’t show up for interviews or first days for that matter, what are you left with?
 
Working from Home
It’s the elephant in the room. Why would a worker want to work behind a counter when they can sit at home and work (or sit by the pool or in a coffee shop, etc.). An unparalleled number of businesses created work from home scenarios, and many will stick to those protocols long after COVID. Work at home is no longer a perk. It’s an expectation and it’s hard to compete with that.
 
Solution: If your business is entirely in-person, it’s not like you’ll never be able to hire again. But it may take some creativity to appeal to workers. Things you might be able to do include flexible shifts (such as working around a child’s schedule) or floating start times within a window of time. The clue here is to get creative with the allowances you can make.
 
Ghosting Is the Norm
Ghosting has become the norm in relationships. Don’t want to deal with a difficult situation, ignore it and disappear. We’re starting to see this trickle down into our workforce. It’s acceptable to just not show for an interview, first day, drug screen, etc.
 
Solution: This is difficult to do when you’ve only had minutes of interaction with a candidate. However, people are more likely to ghost when they don’t feel a connection or don’t think of the employer as a person but rather a large corporate structure as in the “they won’t even notice I’m not there” scenario. 
 
In order to avoid being ghosted, you have to do your best to connect with them in the short time you have. Share details about your life. Maybe you’re interviewing them on a special day and “fitting” them in or “clearing” your schedule. Do it respectfully and don’t force the guilt but try and make an impression. You may still get ghosted, but it will be less likely if they see you as a person with needs and feelings.
 
Reevaluating the Same Old, Same Old
With our forced downtime this past year, we were exposed to a LOT of marketing messaging and frankly many people are just burned out. They may find it hard to believe the claims of some companies.
 
Another thing people may have done is reevaluating things in their lives that just aren’t working. Some people may have decided that life is too short to work at an unfulfilling job. Others may have seen this pandemic as a kick in the pants from the universe to start their own job. Maybe they saw how being a loyal employee can still result in a lay-off or furlough. Whatever the cause of their employment ennui, people have changed, and you’ll need to too.
 
Solution: find out what your existing employees want (and what makes them stay with you). Use that in your job marketing. Ask employees for referrals. Reward them for their loyalty and they’ll talk about how great you are to their friends.
​
Employers are facing an unparalleled time right now, finding it very difficult to recruit good people. For many businesses, it’s difficult to get interest let alone keep someone after their first day. In order to be competitive in the job market, you need to stand out. These tips should help you do that. But you’ll need to go beyond them to think of some creative experiences for new employees. While you’re at it throw a few in for your customers. You never know. A loyal customer may just want to become part of your team.

On Tuesday, May 3, the Clayton Chamber of Commerce hosted a graduation event to celebrate the completion of its inaugural LaunchJoCo program. This program offers Johnston County entrepreneurs the opportunity to receive training in business concepts such as small business financing and cash flow, basic bookkeeping, labor laws and tax essentials, building a credit score, social media and marketing, etc. 
 
Participants of LaunchJoCo were paired with leaders from the Johnston County business community to help guide them along their business journeys. The LaunchJoCo participants were also given a 6-month membership to CCOC, courtesy of an anonymous benefactor. 
 
Dana Wooten, CCOC President CEO, said, “I am proud of the opportunity, tools, and resources that Launch JoCo has given this 2022 class of entrepreneurs and small business owners, and I am excited to see them take their businesses to a new level. The collaborative spirit of this program was undoubtedly evident Tuesday night, and the students’ testimonials moved many people during the receipt of their certificates. It was also very gratifying to see business leaders willing to give their time, expertise, and resources to this group as mentors. LaunchJoCo is a program that changes lives, and I’d like to thank everyone who made this graduation possible.“
 
Melissa Overton, owner of Medical Training.me and LaunchJoCo had this to say about graduation, “Tonight was a huge success, as it demonstrated diversity and collaboration at its best. The future is bright for the graduates and the LaunchJoCo program that will continue to bless and inspire people for years to come. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.”
 
Applications will be accepted beginning in August of 2022 for the LaunchJoCo class of 2023. 

2018 was a monumental year for the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. CCOC’s mission driven words—advocate, collaborate, and innovate—were at the forefront of all our 2018 accomplishments. We are so proud to publish our first annual report. If you want to see what our mission (to champion business, economic development, and education in Clayton, NC) looks like in action, view the report  (click the button) below.
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After attending ESGR’s Operation Boss Lift earlier this year (see post below), CCOC President/CEO Dana Bales Wooten had the pleasure of attending the ceremony at the State Capitol on December 5, 2018 to witness Governor Cooper signing a “Statement of Support for National Guard and Reserve Employees.”

Read more about the ceremony here >

Original Post Date: 08/23/2018
CCOC President/CEO Dana Wooten was privileged to be selected for a program facilitated by the North Carolina Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). This program, a unique once-in-a-lifetime experience traveling via an Air Force C-17 Globemaster, provides employers and chambers with the opportunity to observe the extraordinary responsibility, skills, and professionalism of today’s citizen-warriors serving the in the nation’s Guard and Reserve and as current or potential employees.

“This trip has really opened my eyes to an existing qualified employable workforce that needs to be courted.” ~Dana Wooten, CCOC President/CEO

View the news story here >