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Adam Ford
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20070104/bs_usatoday/smallemployersstruggletofilljobs
SAN FRANCISCO - Small employers ramping up hiring plans to levels not seen in two years face a labor shortage that's forcing many to increase wages and benefits.
The pinch is tightest in 26 states with below-average jobless rates, new Labor Department data and private surveys show. More than half those states are especially dependent on small employers, those with fewer than 500 workers.
Nationwide, the share of small firms planning to hire through early 2007 rose to 19% in November from 16% the month before, say surveys by the National Federation of Independent Business trade group. November's share was the highest since November 2004.
In New Hampshire, Jody Rodgers plans to hire up to 20 workers as she expands her 55-employee pet boarding and grooming chain, The Barking Dog. She offers "great benefits," including health insurance, bonuses and paid vacations.
Still, Rodgers struggles to find qualified applicants amid a tight labor supply. "It's not pretty out there," she says.
New Hampshire is one of the 26 states. Its jobless rate rose slightly to 3.5% in November. But it remains well below the 4.5% U.S. average.
Small-business advisers say many of the USA's 5.7 million small employers must consider raising wages and adding benefits such as flexible working hours to better compete with big corporations.
"This position that you have traditionally paid $12 an hour for, you're going to need to now pay $14 to $15 an hour," says Sandra Dickerson, CEO of Your People Professionals, a recruiter and employment manager in Santa Maria, Calif.
The National Federation of Independent Business says wages already are headed higher. In November's survey of 451 companies, 20% planned to raise wages, up from 18% the month before.
"More owners are paying more, trying to keep workers and to get workers," says Bill Dunkelberg, the 600,000-member trade group's chief economist.
Small employers that don't want to raise wages can try other carrots that don't require spending more right away, says Tim Doherty, CEO of Doherty Employer Services in Minneapolis. Non-cash incentives include letting employees work from home one day a week or giving more personal time off.
Those are options small companies can offer to be more competitive with corporate giants that have less-flexible workplace policies. "They don't need to be bound by large-company constraints," Doherty says. |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 1:21 pm |
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Al Garcia
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Alright Adam.....youre one of the "young guns" Not sure why you posted this. Do you have a plan to bring jobs to Flint. Even $15 an hour jobs would be great. Might not have the UNION POWER or the greatest benes but FLint would have to get used to that. $15 an hour jobs would have people lined up the length of Dort Hwy in Flint. Here is your chance to tell us about your "meat and potatoes" plan!! Flint is listening!
We have a workers shortage especially during the summer tourist season. Employers have to import foreign workers to work in hotels, parks, resturants. Turns out these people are hard working, on time, miss hardly any work and do quality work. Not sure if you average person form Flint would be willing to clean hotel rooms for $13 an hour. Wouldnt be able to take that 4 hour break to run to the titty bar! |
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WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU PEOPLE DONE TO MY HOMETOWN? I KNEW I SHOULD OF HIRED A BABYSITTER! ALL THE RIFF RAFF OUT NOW!
alberto.garcia.85@hotmail.com |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:00 pm |
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Adam Ford
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I mainly want people to realize that the situation is not hopeless. Our national economy is doing good and we need to bring in some employers now. Although $15 an hour jobs would be great the reality is we are not even bringing in jobs at $8 an hour.
I know Flint schools have contacted all the fortune 500 companies. I think the city of Flint should do the same. I also support home businesses which are illegal and easing up of hostile fees and regulations towards businesses. ALthough people complain about no jobs being in Flint if you treat businesses like crap they might want to go to other places that appreciate them more. Even places that have jobs are much more business Friendly like Flint, MI USA. We had a couple hundred people apply to work at crispy cream donuts for near minimum wage a few years back. |
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Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:39 am |
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