Bringing on temporary help for the holidays has been more difficult for retailers this year than in the past, the Wall Street Journal reports.
There are several reasons for the hiring crunch. For one, the employment rate is at a relatively low 5 percent.
Also, retailers face more competition for workers nowadays from distribution centers and logistics companies, which are hiring more people because of the uptick in e-commerce, the Journal reports.
“Retailers, in general, are going to wind up paying more for their seasonal workforce than they have in the past, and probably more than they’re expecting,” says Joel Bines, co-head of consulting firm Alix Partners LLP’s retail practice, according to the newspaper.
Companies looking for seasonal help started recruiting earlier than ever this year — in some cases in August, the newspaper reports, citing data from Indeed.com.
In fact, the tight labor market may be more an issue of timing than lack of workers. The National Retail Federation says total seasonal hiring this year will be roughly in line with last year.
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Read more at the Wall Street Journal.
Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration
After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years."
Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations.
The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.
