Community still seeking answers on worker shortages

Signs and advertisements that say “Help Wanted” can be seen all over the country, and Chase County is no different.
Life has altered drastically in many places since the beginning of the pandemic, but normalcy is returning in places like Nebraska and Chase County.
The federal COVID-19 benefits attached to existing unemployment benefits was a Godsend for many.
But they couldn’t last indefinitely.
Even after the country started opening up more, many people stayed home rather than returning to the workforce because they could make the same amount of money or more on the enhanced unemployment benefits.
But that has changed.
    Governor Pete Ricketts  chose to end the additional federal $300 unemployment benefit per week on June 19.
    “We are discontinuing that because we are returning to normal,” said Ricketts.
    Nebraska was one of 26 states that chose to end the additional federal money early.
    The additional $300 weekly benefit ended for the rest of the country Sept. 6.
What Chase County thinks
    Many businesses in Chase County are seeking employees but not necessarily getting the responses needed.
    Tom Alvarez, director of human resources for Chase County Community Hospital, said they have openings in several departments, but the applications are just not coming in.
    “We are accepting applications for a number of positions, but either people are not available or burned out since COVID—I don’t know,” said Alvarez.
    He said he thought more applications would start coming in after the $300 federal money ended, but they didn’t.
    From the recruiting side of things, they’re just not out there, he said.
    “RNs, lab and radiology techs and medical doctors have a mass need, but people aren’t available—not just here, but everywhere,” Alvarez said.
    Lynne West, the new administrator for Imperial Manor and Parkview-Heights, said they are increasing the search for clinical applicants.
    “The job market is very competitive now, and people are being savvy by looking for the highest pay regardless of what it is,” West said.
    She said they are having problems getting applications, and the healthcare field is struggling because people are walking away for higher wages elsewhere.
    “Retaining key staff is a main focus of attention,” she said. “We want to keep our good employees here.”
    They are boosting ads to attract quality applicants who have a heart to work with the elderly, she added.
    “We are increasing our social media presence, and drawing attention to our referral bonuses for employees and promoting our tuition assistance to go to school for clinical positions,” West said.
    Julie Smith, the director of human resources at Frenchman Valley Coop, said they also encourage employees by offering bonuses if they refer full-time new hires.
    The extra federal dollars didn’t help the situation, she said, but it hasn’t changed much since that stopped.
    “We had a truck driver apply for a position, but he said he could make the same amount of money and just sit it out until it all ended,” she added.
    “People got used to higher unemployment checks.”
    She said 50-60% of employees are looking for higher wages, so the job market is becoming very competitive.
    Another situation Smith brought up were the remote jobs during the worst of the pandemic.
    “Lots of people who could work remotely have chosen to continue working that way, but FVC doesn’t have many remote jobs,” she said.
    “We have a lot of intense physical labor that doesn’t fit everybody,” she added.
    Smith said there seems to be a lack of people looking for jobs, so it is even more prevalent than previously that they retain their current employees.
    “Many people are shopping for jobs with higher wages, so we have to be competitive and offer good wages and even better benefits to draw more applicants,” said Smith.
    FVC has upped wages to a certain extent, and they are working on additional benefits for 2022 to be even more competitive in the work field, she added.
    Pizza Hut has been so short handed that they sometimes have to close the dining room, said manager Amanda Keneipp.
    The government handing out extra money for the unemployed was good at one time, she said, but she thought more applications would start coming in when that ended—but they did not.
    “I don’t understand why. It’s never been this bad before. I feel like we’re in unchartered territory,” said Keneipp.
    “Even two more people would help us tremendously,” she said.
    She said she hopes everyone will bear with them until they have enough staff for full service again.
    “We appreciate how the community has been sticking by us all this time, and as soon as we are back up to speed we are planning a special customer appreciation,” she added.
    Bomgaars assistant manager, Nicki Sailors, said simply, “We aren’t getting many applications. Over the past months, we got a few applications, but they decided not to take the job for one reason or another,” Sailors said.
    “Whether they’re older or younger, a lot of people don’t want to work,” she added.
    Angie West, manager at Wauneta Crossroads, has been struggling to fill positions for some time now.
    She said at one time, she thought people didn’t apply because they could make money just sitting at home.
    “But now, I don’t know if it’s just the money or lack of daycare—which is hard to find,” she said.
    West said she’s not getting any applications at all for the positions she advertises.
    “I wonder how people can take care of themselves without finding work—have they just learned to live within their means after all this time, or are they just content to live on one income in the home?” she asks.
    She said she just keeps advertising that the need for workers is there.
    “It’s an unknown from day to day,” West said.
A different perspective
    Mary Eisenzimmer is a recruiting manager for 21st Century Equipment, who covers all 16 locations.
    “We didn’t shut down during the pandemic at any time because we were considered essential for farmers,” she said.
    The only shortage they usually have, and are advertising for in Imperial, is a diesel mechanic, said Eisen-zimmer.
    “There’s  a shortage for diesel mechanics everywhere though,” she added.
    The company has an aggressive recruiting campaign to try and get the younger generation interested in the farm equipment business in other areas like sales.
    “I travel to colleges to recruit students pursuing their degrees to consider positions all across our company locations,” she said.
    The company offers summer intern positions for students from colleges seeking business degrees, for example.
    “Our company offers really good benefit packages, and those benefits are a huge draw to applicants as opposed to only an hourly wage,” Eisenzimmer said.
    She said she also does a lot of high school recruiting to encourage careers for diesel mechanics for their company.
    21st Century Equipment has a 100% tuition program and a two-year associate degree for diesel mechanics, she added.
    “We believe in ‘Growing the kids to stay in their communities’,” said Eisenzimmer.
    It could be that Eisenzimmer, FVC’s Smith and West at Imperial Manor may be on to something.
    Maybe the plan to entice more applicants will be based on more than just wages—but what the companies can offer in additional benefits and compensations.
    Several factors may have been at play, including enhanced unemployment benefits, uncertainty around child care and concerns about COVID-19 exposure.
    Workers may also be trying to launch new careers or shift to jobs with more regular hours, better working conditions and better pay, according to News Channel Nebraska.
    The culture of the public has changed so much. Some people just don’t want to go back to work, it continued.
    Ricketts said Nebraska averaged the lowest unemployment rate throughout 2020.
    “There are about 39,000 job openings out there right now on our Nebraska Works website with about 15,000 people receiving benefits. So we’ve got more than two jobs for every one person on there,” he said.
    According to the Nebraska Dept. of Labor, the state has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. at 2.3%.