The labor shortage is expected to get worse in manufacturing, where 77 percent of employers plan to increase hiring and 72 percent plan to increase wages or benefits. Trucking is already 60,000 to 80,000 people short of filling current job openings, and demand for drivers is expected to double in the coming years.
Here are four secrets on how to find good labor workers.
No. 1: Hire right
Employers must take a hard look at hiring requirements—especially those that may knock out capable people from the very start. We see many of our customers today relaxing their hiring requirements when it comes to education, years of work experience and even background screening, to focus on what they need to get the job done versus what they want.
Ask yourself: Do you have a GED or high school diploma criteria? Is it relevant for all the jobs in your facility? Did you know there are 10.5 million workers in the U.S. with less than a high school diploma?
No. 2: Pay fair
Good labor workers are in demand and they know their value. Even in an uncertain economy, “blue collar” wages have continued to show modest growth in 2025. And don’t think that when the labor market is soft you can offer less money and still attract talent with in-demand skills. If you do manage to hire them, they may resent not getting paid what they’re worth, be disengaged, or be the first to leave when the labor market improves.
Ask yourself: Do you know how large the available applicant pool is in your city or area? How many competing jobs are available? What is the going rate for the skill you’re hiring?
In today’s environment, if you haven’t done a competitive wage assessment customized to your local market in the last three months, you may be at a serious recruiting disadvantage.
No. 3: Act fast
Our research shows that job applicants, especially low-wage earners, are accepting job offers at an unprecedented speed. With about 96 percent of labor already employed, companies that don’t act quickly to move applicants through the screening and hiring process may be limiting themselves to hiring from the bottom 1 percent or less of available workers. Once hired, employees during the first 30 days of onboarding are at high risk of turnover. An employer who makes a good impression from the first point of contact all the way through a candidate’s first 90 days on the job, has the highest probability of retaining its workforce.
Ask yourself: Does your current hiring process take too long from the time a candidate is identified to the day they start? Is your onboarding process successful at helping to get new hires productive quickly? Are you experiencing higher-than-desired turnover during the first 30 to 90 days?
No. 4: Treat people well
It costs more than $8,361 to replace one worker. This includes
- $2,529 to recruit, hire, and train
- $5,830+ in missed revenue and underutilized resources
In addition, it takes six months to break even on recruiting costs for each new hire. Not only can retaining workers be cost effective, but it also helps you maintain desired production levels.
Competitive wages, sensible absenteeism policies and good, old-fashioned courtesy, respect and recognition for a job well done goes a long way in engaging and retaining blue-collar workers.
Ask yourself: Is your attendance point system pushing good workers out the door? Is there an effective system for recognizing solid performers early on? Are you able to clearly define for employees and candidates why it is great to work for your organization?
Nimble Recruiting Required
In today’s fast-changing business environment, staying abreast of labor supply and demand trends, wage dynamics, and employee expectations can be an answer for how to find good labor workers. Companies that remain agile and adjust pay rates, recruiting tactics and human resource policies to achieve their staffing goals will stay ahead of the competition.
How Employbridge can help
With more than 30 years of experience and our proprietary research, Employbridge can help you build a flexible workforce with quality talent for the holiday season and beyond.
Contact us to learn more about Employbridge’s staffing solutions or to schedule a consultation.
