Businesses of all sizes are struggling with hiring even with almost 10 million Americans unemployed. But smaller companies have a harder time. They cannot offer the same pay and benefits that larger companies do.
The National Federation of Independent Business found recently that 42 percent of its members had job openings they could not fill. Owners believe this issue could be a result of higher unemployment benefits.
Companies whose work is done inside homes find many possible workers are afraid of getting the virus on a job. Meanwhile, demand for home services is up because people are spending more time at home.
Joe Brusuelas is an economist with the consulting company RSM. Brusuelas says child care is another issue that may increase owners’ problems with finding workers.
He said that small businesses especially are going to face labor difficulties “until later this fall at the earliest.”
Child care is one reason why the amount of available workers has decreased at Let Mommy Sleep, which hires nurses and other caregivers. These employees provide in-home care for babies. Founder Denise Stern says some of her caregivers work overnight and sleep during the day. But that shift is now impossible for those who must care for their own children during the day.
Stern’s hiring process is also restricted by concerns about the virus itself.
“We can’t hire candidates with second jobs where exposure might happen, and honestly, a lot of candidates don’t want to work in a closed environment where we know transmission happens,” Stern says.
Stern has had to reject some requests for service. So have the owners of seven Let Mommy Sleep centers around the country. Stern, who works in the Washington, D.C., area, says her company’s earnings dropped 50 percent.
[May 05, 2021]