5 sustainable solutions for staff shortages

There are currently more job openings than there are job seekers. Due to the aging population, the labor shortage is structural. All the more important to invest in staff & to look at opportunities that have not yet been optimally deployed. Therefore, in this article we will provide 5 tips that can help with this.

Labour potential not optimally deployed

A group of over 1.2 million people are currently not optimally employed in the labor market. These include part-timers who would like to work more hours, long-term job seekers, people aged 55+, people from immigrant backgrounds, or people with disabilities. These people are eager to get started. When positions are appropriate for the potential employee, there is much added value for both parties.

For smaller companies, it may not be too obvious to invest in people with disabilities because of the productivity risks involved. Therefore, we would like to draw attention to the following.
There are several subsidy options available through the UWV. This reduces the employer’s financial risk when it comes to an employee with a disability.
You can find the list of financial regulations on this site of the National Government.

Making work of underutilized labor potential is also about being a more social enterprise. More information on diversity in the workplace can be found in this blog post on our site.

Students

With the labor market tight, many companies are targeting students. Students are flexible, innovative & eager to learn. Because students still go to school they gain new knowledge. Knowledge in a particular field can benefit an organization. As a result, you are up to date on new trends & developments. Through these insights, innovation can occur. It can also help with employer branding. Students welcome an opportunity. This may make them more likely to stay with the company when they are looking for full-time employment or talk positively about the organization to other students.

Opportunities for retraining and further training

Continuing education or retraining has become a necessity due to all the changes in society. Partly for this reason, the Government started the STAP-Budget. This allows employees to take more personal control over their career development. Employers can help employees retrain or re-train with the STAP budget by paying remaining training costs.
When organizations facilitate continuing education among their employees, better competencies within the company are a logical consequence. In addition, staff also become motivated.
When you show that you are willing to invest in your employees, this positive image will circulate outside the organization. This helps to attract new employees. In addition, current employees will also be able to move more easily into other positions within the organization. As a result, no talent is lost & flexible work teams are created.

Attractive working conditions

Attractive working conditions increase engagement. There are primary, secondary and tertiary conditions of employment. Secondary benefits include, for example, a ^13thmonth, hybrid work or childcare. Secondary and tertiary benefits are not mandatory. Tertiary benefits include a Christmas package or a company lunch. When secondary benefits are good, it leads to better job performance.
Retirement plans appear to be a very important requirement for employees (research conducted by Panelwizard on behalf of Indeed). Other things that people generally think are important are; training, a ^{13th month}, advancement opportunities, vacation/leave days, overtime pay, paid sick leave, flexible work hours and bonuses. Also, another survey found that 75% of employees like working for an employer who is committed to corporate social responsibility.

Appoint human resources manager (HRM)

An HR manager or human resources manager can help bring in more staff. An HR manager deals with recruitment and hiring, among other things. In SMEs, it is not always feasible to hire an HR manager. However, there are also opportunities to work with external HR agencies.

We hope the above tips have inspired you to come up with sustainable solutions to staffing shortages that best suit your organization. Are you interested in hiring an external HR person? If so, please contact us. We are happy to help.