WASHOE COUNTY, Nev. (KOLO) - Help wanted signs line northern Nevada roads and business fronts as customers complain about extra wait times for basic services and goods.
This report is taking a closer look at the specific reasons for the local labor shortage, how much longer it could last, and the added benefit and flexibility this gives job seekers.
ITS Logistics is a supply chain company headquartered in Sparks, NV. The Company has two locations in Sparks that equal 1 million sq ft, but the 555 Vista location is only 635,000 sq ft on its own.
“Big challenge honestly is the lack of available workforce. Across all of our divisions from warehouses, to drivers, to operations, to office staff to our sales teams, there’s just not enough people in the market,” said ITS Logistics, Director of Marketing, Patrick McFarland.
The Sparks location of ITS Logistics has 275 employees, but 500 are needed, leaving the company 225 employees short.
KOLO 8 Evening News Anchor Noah Bond asked President of Asset Operations, Ryan Martin to rate the pain on a scale of one to 10.
”I would say a 10,” Martin.
“Really?” Bond.
“Yeah,” Martin.
“Why?” Bond.
”There’s not enough people in the workforce to hire. Everybody is fighting over the same pool of people,” Martin.
This pain is also felt by employers across northern Nevada, but especially those in advanced manufacturing like Tesla, logistics and distribution like ITS Logistics, healthcare like Renown Regional Medical Center, and technology based companies like Switch.
Digging deeper, Bond met with Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) Senior Vice-President for Retention, Expansion, and Workforce, Nancy McCormick.
”In northern Nevada really $20 an hour is not somewhat of a baseline that employers need to be paying. Just a couple of months ago that same job might have been between $16.50 and $18.50 an hour,” she said.
McCormick says people are not returning to work for several reasons. She said, “The biggest is health concerns. Other concerns include child care, care of adult family members, and some people are thinking about changing careers.”
Employee retention is really key. So having a great culture and making sure it’s an employee centric operation and that you’re listening to your employees about what they want and need and what will keep them there is really important,” McCormick said.
For example, the freight brokers at ITS logistics enjoy a myriad of perks to attract the best employees and to keep them motivated.
This team is responsible for scheduling thousands of semi-shipments a day across North America, Mexico, Canada, the job is 24/7, competitive, and intense.
”Did you ever think that you would face a labor shortage like we’re seeing today?” Bond.
”No, I don’t think we were ever thinking it would be like this,” said ITS Logistics President, Michael Crawford.
The average age in this division here is 27 and between 15 and 20 percent of the employees are former college athletes.
”There’s probably 100 TV’s around the office and we watch big games together. We want people to be comfortable. You know we’re not dressed in suits. We want people to be comfortable and have flexibility,” Crawford said.
ITS Logistics is offering more to attract the best drivers looking for jobs. The incentives include base salary increases by 30 percent with some routes paying 40 percent more, an improved benefits package, reduced family medical coverage of 50 percent, and now ITS Logistics drivers can spend every night at home in their own beds.
“What we do is create yards and locations within 250 miles so drivers can meet up, swap loads and go back to their locations,” Martin said.
ITS Logistics is taking applications for sales positions for the downtown INC offices, drivers, distribution, high level management, forklift operators, order processors, and web developers among other positions.
Click here to apply for a job at ITS Logistics.
McCormick cited the Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States, Jerome Powell to say the labor shortage will likely continue until it’s clear COVID-19 is contained at reasonable levels.
Until then, serious job seekers have this window of time to cash in on the labor shortage.
Below are several links to help job seekers.
NEVADAJOB CONNECT
EMPLOYNV.GOV
NORTHERN NEVADA HUMAN RESOURCES ASSOCIATION
BEST PLACES TO WORK NORTHERN NEVADA
NEVADA WORKS
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