Untapped Talent Pools: How Businesses Can Solve Labor Shortages
Many businesses are experiencing labor shortages. Manufacturing is one industry especially impacted by a lack of skilled workers.
Accessing untapped talent pools helps businesses solve labor shortages. The following strategies can help.
Engage with Nontraditional Talent Pools
Identify and recruit from underrepresented or emerging talent sources:
- Create a concise candidate profile: Clarify which relevant demographics are underrepresented in your workforce to narrow your sourcing efforts. For instance, “We are underrepresented for Black women in engineering.”
- Encourage employee resource groups to provide referrals: Group members are more likely to have connections with people of similar backgrounds than other employees.
- Educate managers on recruiting initiatives: Develop the skills and words needed to source relevant candidates. Managers who feel equipped to connect with targeted candidates are likely to achieve positive results.
- Source internal candidates: Managers know each employee’s performance and can recommend relevant candidates for job openings. This factor is especially important for underrepresented groups who are not part of the company, have little access to leaders, and whose work is not known within the organization. External employees who see themselves in company roles feel encouraged to apply for open roles, reducing the labor shortage.
- Seek external candidates where they spend significant time: Determine where underrepresented groups are in the majority, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), or LinkedIn Groups. Then, look for other organizations that partner with or are similar to it. Consider sharing information about job openings and/or inviting members to a career fair.
- Leverage former employees for new roles and referrals: Stay connected with high performers from underrepresented groups. Present relevant job openings to determine whether the person might return to your company or provide referrals.
Build Community Partnerships
Collaborate with local educational institutions and organizations to build a sustainable talent pipeline:
- Learn about the systems, organizations, and services in place that link individuals with employment opportunities. Participate in business advisory groups, job fairs, event committees, and related activities.
- Evaluate potential partners to ensure shared values and objectives.
- Dedicate partnership funding, staff time and effort, and related resources to relationship development.
- Ensure partners can address your business objectives and meet your workforce needs.
- Establish metrics to analyze progress, such as the number of candidate referrals who are hired or the number of trainees who complete a training program.
- Regularly evaluate partnership agreements to ensure progress toward intended outcomes is being achieved. Modify as needed.
Develop Apprenticeship, Internship, and Returnship Programs
Apprenticeships, internships, and returnships attract individuals who are new or returning to the workforce:
- Apprenticeships are structured training systems that teach a job or trade by working directly under an expert. The programs combine classroom learning with paid hands-on work, enabling individuals to earn money while building real-world skills. Successful apprentices are typically offered full-time jobs after completing a program.
- Internships are temporary jobs that provide students or beginners with practical work experience in a specific field. The interns learn real-world skills, start a career, and meet industry professionals. Employers can create internships by anticipating future skill gaps and which roles are hardest to fill externally, as well as evaluating which capabilities are needed to build internally over the next 2-3 years.
- Returnships are full-time paid internships for adults who have been out of the workforce for years. The training and support help highly skilled employees acclimate to working again. These activities strengthen diversity, inclusivity, skill sets, and retention.
Partner with an Experienced Recruitment Agency
Engaging with nontraditional talent pools, building community partnerships, and developing apprenticeship, internship, and returnship programs help businesses reach untapped talent pools. Working with an experienced recruitment agency helps solve labor shortages.
Contact your local PrideStaff office today for access to untapped talent pools and help solving your company’s labor shortages.
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