The pandemic impacted industries differently. And, it’s no surprise that the return to normalcy has been varied as well. While we saw crazy booms in some portions of the nursing and IT markets, there was a sharp decrease in industries like manufacturing, hospitality, and retail. As we round the coronavirus corner (fingers crossed!), it seems like the world is back to buying—and that means previously declining industries are experiencing a hiring boom.
According to Indeed, a wide range of jobs are being filled this year in the following areas:
- Construction
- Personal services
- Bartending
- Direct retail
- Transportation
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
We love to see consumer confidence and things like shopping and leisure travel return. But we would be remiss to ignore the headache that these sharp booms and busts of hiring create for people managing the workforce. Whether you’re managing full-time or contingent labor, it’s important to have visibility across your workforce in these times of constant change, as well as a plan to manage current and future talent needs.
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Shifting to Shift Management
One way we’ve seen organizations overcome the day-to-day craziness that has been spurred on by the pandemic is through shift management. For roles that are more shift-based, seasonal, or unpredictable, having that extra layer of management in your programs adds a level of certainty to your workforce planning.
This is especially true in the contingent space where there’s less communication with your workers. By only working with vendors, you may be asking yourself, “Are these workers engaged? Do they know about the hot shift I just posted for tonight? Jill just called in sick. How will I get my role filled in time?”
A shift management tool that’s integrated with your vendor management system can alleviate these headaches by providing the following benefits:
1) Visibility Across All Staff
For those organizations that have shift work across full-time and contingent talent, it can be highly beneficial to have a one-stop place to see all shifts. This will give you an overarching view of who’s on and who’s off for any given shift, regardless of employment type.
This also allows you to fill permanent shifts with temporary workers where needed to make sure there are no gaps in scheduling because of a divide in employment type.
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2) Better Candidate Experience
Traditionally, all communication about available roles and shifts come from the vendor because, in most situations, they’re technically employing the candidate. Putting the power in the candidate’s hands while still managing facility and overtime rules is a great way to make sure candidates feel they have a say in when and how they work. A smart scheduling technology, like our partner MakeShift, combines candidate flexibility and organizational compliance in one system to get the job done.
This lets workers swap shifts while still keeping policies in place of how frequently a person can work.
Something else we’ve seen in the space that was heightened during the pandemic is the need to keep employees and non-employees engaged. By letting your workers view and apply for shifts that meet their personal schedules, you can keep them active and involved with the business.
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3) Faster Shift Fill Times
Traditional staffing models where candidates communicate solely through the vendor adds an unnecessary layer of complexity. And, in turn, this increases the time it takes to fill shifts.
By adding your contingent labor to a time scheduling option, candidates can choose the shifts they want and receive bonuses for hot shifts that need immediate attention, which ultimately improves fill rates.
If you’re managing contingent workers in shift-based roles, contact one of our experts today to learn how MakeShift can augment your VMS.
Meet the Expert
Taylor Ramchandani – VP of Strategy
Taylor Ramchandani is responsible for the management and strategic planning of the VectorVMS vendor management system. Taylor is committed to client satisfaction and to ensuring VectorVMS technology meets the current and future needs of clients and managed service providers (MSPs). She uses market research and in-depth industry experience to create products and services that make extended workforce management efficient and intuitive. Taylor oversees product development, marketing, and business partnerships for VectorVMS and is responsible for driving innovation for contingent workforce management. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
