I'm Breaking the Rules (Get Ahead the Forever Labor Shortage)

I'm not just a rule breaker, I'm THE RULE BREAKER! But not in the sense of compromising ethics, legality, or employee well-being. What I'm talking about is challenge the status quo and pushing past established norms. To stay competitive in the "Forever Labor Shortage", we must reconfigure how we attract, recruit, and retain top talent.

If you're in the recruiting game, you've probably noticed that finding good talent has been pretty tough for a while now, even before the whole pandemic mess. And while things have improved a tad, U.S. employers are still coming up short by a whopping 4 million workers. And it doesn't look like it's going to get any better anytime soon.

So, forget all the buzz about the Great Resignation, folks retiring, or folks shuffling around in their jobs. We're dealing with what some folks are calling a "Forever Labor Shortage" now.

This talent drought didn't just sneak up on us overnight. It's partly because of our population shrinking and Baby Boomers are clocking out and retiring faster than you can say "job opening."

Plus, out of the 30 million Americans who lost their jobs during the pandemic, some still haven't made their way back into the workforce for various reasons. Crunch the numbers, and you'll see that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the labor force participation rate will drop from 62.2% in 2022 to 60.4% by 2032, down from 63.3% before COVID crashed the party.

That's why we're stuck in this never-ending labor shortage. And its why smart employers are leveling up their recruiting and holding onto talent with some of my rule breaking rules, like these:

Rule Number 1: Don't Recruit, Build Relationships! This one has always hit home for me. I have made many friends through recruiting, some who have become life-long friends living in other states, even other countries. Chances are, when you're recruiting, it's because you've got a specific job opening to fill ASAP. You're on the hunt for candidates with specific skills, and you want them right now. But what if you kept your eyes peeled for impressive professionals who vibe with your company's culture and values all the time, not just when you're desperate to fill a spot? Imagine if you regularly stayed in touch .... That way, when a job pops up, you're ready to roll with some strategic phone calls. The best part? It's not that hard—just a shift in mindset and some new habits. Give it a shot!

Rule Number Two: Know why you are the best place to work and live it! You know those companies that everyone dreams of working for? Well, you can be one of them. What sets them apart? They treat their employees like gold. They reward, inspire, and create an environment where folks actually look forward to punching in. In short, they've got an epic company culture where employees feel like they're part of something big and are encouraged to let their creative juices flow.

So, show your employees some love in a million little ways. Improve that work-life balance, give shout-outs and parties for your top performers, and really listen to what your crew wants—during performance reviews, team meetings, and even when they're headed out the door. Sure, becoming the best place to work doesn't happen overnight, but it all starts with looking at where you are and finding ways to make it better.

Rule Number Three: It is OK to look in other states, relocation is a good thing at times. While promoting from within is cool, sometimes you've got to cast a wider net. And sometimes, you can't just find the talent you need locally. That's why it pays to have a rock-solid long-distance recruiting game. You want a process that targets candidates from far and wide and convinces them that your team is where they belong.

Make it easy for them to come for interviews (develop trip packets, itineraries, lists of the best places to eat, or my personal fave have some local goodies/snacks on the table during the interview, etc.), make their visit top-notch, and reimburse their travel expenses ASAP. You want their move to be smooth and memorable and easy for your staff to handle—all while staying budget-friendly. Because chances are, in the coming years, you'll be leaning on this approach more than you think.

The Forever Labor Shortage isn't going anywhere, at least not for a while. That's why you need some clever, proactive recruiting and talent-retaining strategies.

The job market has changed, but so have the rules!