Reshoring and solving the labor shortage
CSA Packaging is using overlooked resources to excel at the re-shoring process
As supply chain problems persist and look to extend well into 2023, many firms have looked to re-shoring as the solution. Simply put, Supply Chain and Logistics professionals are moving some portion of their manufacturing, warehousing and distribution back to the US. We have detailed many of the reasons and suggestions in previous posts. Now the pressing problem is: Operations are moving home, but how do we fill the positions with the persistent labor shortage?
One not so obvious solution is to look for a labor population that has been sidelined or marginalized in recent years. Experience and availability are strong characteristics of ideal candidates. Where can more be found? Look no further than those people that have been doing these jobs the longest; the “older” workforce, those 55 and over. With the march of technology and new ideas, there has been a youth movement in the workforce for many years. But now with a shortage of workers, companies will be well served by looking for those that have experience and are ready to “plug and play”. Many older workers are now familiar with technology or at least have been exposed to a great enough extent that they are easily trained and brought up to speed.
By 2024, BLS projects that the labor force will grow to about 164 million people. That number includes about 41 million people who will be ages 55 and older—of whom about 13 million are expected to be ages 65 and older. This is a gold mine of experience and ready to work labor to fuel the boom.
Some characteristics of of older workers that should be considered are:
Skilled and experienced
Stay in jobs longer and take less days off
They have a strong work ethic
They have knowledge and networks
The technology gap can be overcome
There is evidence that the best teams are multi-generational “There is evidence that mixed age teams in the workplace are more productive than teams of workers of the same age (Zwick, Göbel and Fries (2013)”.
Older workers train the next generation
These are all detailed in a study by Columbia University.
Part time employment is also something that can be considered. If certain skills are needed but not a full time employee, older workers are the perfect solution. They can bring experience but may not want to make a full time commitment.
BLS data show that about 27 percent of workers ages 55 and older, and 18 percent of workers ages 25 to 54, were part time (usually 1 to 34 hours per week) in 2016. For workers ages 65 and older, the rate of part-time employment is even higher: 40 percent.
In Georgia, particularly in Atlanta, There are over 1.5 million people in the over-55 workforce. If your team is not looking at them to fill your staffing needs, you may be overlooking a key group.
CSA Packaging is Secondary Packaging operation in Atlanta GA. Call our team of professionals to fill your packaging needs.
CSA Packaging: Putting a Wrap on your Products
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