Manufacturers Meet to Address Needs: Employees

Manufacturing companies are in business to produce a product that can be sold to the public. Making that product requires skilled and available employees. The dilemma is when the companies cannot fill the necessary employment slots, resulting in production challenges.

Local manufacturing companies met at Western Nebraska Community College Thursday to discuss challenges in being fully staffed and how they can work through the obstacles. Thursday's roundtable luncheon was hosted by Paula Abbott of WNCC and Sidney Economic Development Director Melissa Norgard.

The meeting was designed to bring manufacturers together to discuss a common issue, staffing. The roundtable meeting included representatives from Sidney High School, Western Nebraska Community College and employment agencies. Several employers said their biggest challenge is finding qualified candidates for the open positions. Several businesses defined qualified as having the skills necessary to do the work, and capable of passing a background check. Many of the industries represented also require employees to be at least 18 years of age. Older workers are not an issue as long as they can do the work needed.

One employer said western Nebraska is a tough climate geographically and culturally to get people into. The challenge is when families compare Sidney and western Nebraska to Cheyenne, Wyo. the Colorado Front Range, even North Platte. Employers added that when they do have an interested candidate, the next obstacle is getting the candidate's spouse involved in the community. Some said they have better luck recruiting from similar regions, such as rural Kansas, Colorado and eastern Wyoming. The challenge then is offering a pay scale high enough to convince a candidate to move to Cheyenne County.

Advance Services, Inc., representatives said they recruit within a 100-mile radius of Sidney.

Employers also said they struggle finding candidates with basic work ethics, skills often called "soft skills." Soft skills also refer to being to the job site and ready to work on time, stay for the length of the shift, have reliable transportation to and from the job site and dress appropriately for the work environment. Employers shared who can hire ex-felons and who has rigid hiring requirements.

Another of the conflicts is that workers recently laid off may not have a deep manufacturing experience, and are expecting a higher starting wage.

The discussion also included the importance of the community's amenities, and what they are. Amenities listed included local shopping outlets, grocery store varieties, walking/biking trails, natural beauty and the general safety of the community.

Abbott stressed the meeting hopefully will not be a one-time event, but rather an on-going effort where the manufacturing community can try to address needs unified. The intent is to encourage everyone to network. She said if she or Norgard does not have the answer, they will help a manufacturer find who does.

"If you contact anybody, we'll lead you to someone," she said.

Employers also talked about how to attract the employee candidate and his or her spouse and family. Employers expressed concern with skilled employees leaving their business because of limited opportunities for the rest of the family. The discussion turned to amenities in the community that would draw future employee families.