It's a job seeker's market

A major shift in the job market has resulted in the pendulum swinging from being an employer's market to a job seeker's market.

A lot of had to do with COVID pandemic, but a bigger part for this region is a shrinking population, said Sue Thomas-Sikora, director of Jobs and Family Services (JFS)

According to Thomas-Sikora, there are fewer individuals participating in the labor force than ever before. People are moving out of the area. Baby boomers are not returning to the workforce after retirement and the prime age workers, those between the ages of 18 and 54, are not entering the workforce as robustly as in the past.

Thomas-Sikora also noted that due to ancillary problems like lack of child care or transportation since 2020 there have been less women in the workforce.

"It's a very competitive job market for employers trying to compete for the few job seekers that are there," Thomas-Sikora said. "We are seeing a lot of employers beginning to offer incentive bonuses for staying, hiring bonuses for coming on board and they are also offering referral bonuses to existing employees."

Area restaurants and retail businesses have had to not only adjust wages and benefits to attract workers, but they are also adjusting or shortening theirs hours due to lack of people working.

"It's a sign of the times. But it's also the market adjusting," Thomas-Sikora said. "The market was lagging behind on wages anyways and COVID has forced employers to look at how they stay staffed. Wages is part of it, but so are the benefits offered as well."

Thomas-Sikora  said younger members of the workforce are also looking for employment that offers a work/life balance over wages. They are looking for remote work opportunities leaving employers lexamining work options they can offer.

This is a state-wide issue, Thomas-Sikora added.

Guernsey County has been fortunate in that it has a strong business and industry base including manufacturing, so employers have experienced a significant loss of employees.

The problems the industry is facing is finding workers to meet the needs of expanding businesses.

"The problems we have are good problems for manufacturers," Thomas-Sikora said. "They are adding lines. They are expanding services. But, with that, is the human problem in filling the expansion needs."

Up until a few years ago, it was completely opposite and there were more job seekers than jobs, she added. But now, employers are competing to keep existing employees and recruit for expansion efforts.

JFS offers a summer youth workforce program that until this summer paid $9 an hour to those between the ages of 14 and 24 to do summer work throughout the community.

This year they had to increase the wage to $13 hour to compete with the $15 to $16 an hour jobs offered by fast food establishments.

"It's a sign of the times as to where we are with the economy and the shortage there is in the labor force, while trying to meet the demands of those who depend on our summer work force to get through the summer," Thomas-Sikora said.

Pre-pandemic the summer work program served 140 youths. This year the program has about 60.

JFS works with Cedar Ridge, which handles the placements for the summer work program and job coaching services. The Guernsey County Community Development Corp (CDC) is one of the summer work program's work sites.

Ron Gombeda, executive director of CDC, counts our summer youth workers to help mow, weed eat, keep the trail clean and do litter projects. And he is in need of youths to fill vacant positions on his staff.

According to Gombeda, he had 10 youth scheduled to work on the first day of the program but only five showed up. He said he likes to have at least 12 youth workers to do what needs to be done.

Youth interested in the program should contact JFS, 740-432-2381, to see if they are qualified and meet the income guidelines for the program.

While the youth program is in need of individuals, the Cambridge City Parks Department is in pretty good shape, according to superintendent Tim Gibson.

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This summer the park department hired 26 lifeguards, which more than they have ever hired, he added. However he is in need of adults to work the front desk to assist the public.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: It's a job seeker's market