Today’s blogger is Judy Collins with Evergreen Contract Resources, which becomes the employer of record with complete back office services. Judy helps recruiters start and expand their temp and contract placements throughout the US. Evergreen Contract Resources is an NPAworldwide Endorsed Program.
We are witnessing a growing shift in the labor market, largely brought about by the response of the marketplace to the Covid-19 virus. Where and how people work and where they live are key issues driving a migration from large metro areas. Having been exposed to the benefits of remote work, whether due to social distancing requirements or by choice, many workers are relocating away from the large cities and heading to the suburbs, rural areas, and smaller towns. Collateral benefits of this migration often include improved quality of life, lower taxes, better schools, and a less stressful existence. This fluid situation requires the staffing industry to be flexible in how we adapt to these changes.
According to a Pew Research Fact Tank article, “before the coronavirus, telework was an optional benefit, mostly for the affluent few.” Data presented from 2019 indicates that only about 7% of the private sector employees worked remotely. This group generally was made up of “knowledge workers” and people who work mostly on computers. As the Pew article concludes, the Covid-19 virus is likely to result in an increase in the proportion of remote workers.
Where are the workers going? Data from Redfin, a real estate brokerage firm, indicate that of their clients, about 27.4% are planning to relocate from large metro areas to places where they can enjoy more outdoor space and have room for home offices, up from 25.2% for the same period last year. The data indicate inland areas with lower population density, affordable housing, and lower living costs are enjoying net inflows of population over large metro areas such as New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles which are suffering net outflows. Present low interest rates help facilitate this trend, as do more flexible employer rules allowing or even encouraging remote working. In the face of this trend, cities will likely continue to be popular with others seeking culture, education, and high-paying jobs.
Stay ahead of this trend! Recruiters need to let their clients know that they can find remote workers and be ready to serve their clients’ labor needs. Remote workers should be encouraged and supported. Often these remote workers prefer working on a contract basis which offers them flexibility in their lifestyle choices.
Be sure to have the capability of providing personnel who are set up for working remotely. Offer your clients the option of contract placements to get people working quickly. A challenge will be ensuring that remote workers have everything they need to be effective such as a designated work space, the appropriate software, good communications, set policies and procedures on how the client’s work is to be performed, privacy protection for the worker, and a quiet, non-disruptive work environment.
Evergreen Contract Resources is here to help get people back to work! Call us today and we will help you get set up. No cost. No obligation. Use us when you need us. We want to work with you to be On The Move … With Temp and Contract Placements!