Jobs picture in Coshocton unlikely to change much in 2022
COSHOCTON — The cry from local businesses large and small across Coshocton County in 2021 was they had jobs, but nobody to fill them. That probably won't change in 2022.
Lynn Jacobs, director of Ohio Means Jobs of Coshocton County, said companies have to reevaluate what they're offering to draw in the next generation of workers. It might not simply be pay and benefits, but time off and other incentives.
The first week of January saw 213 full-time and part-time jobs available in Coshocton County, as listed with OMJ. There were no seasonal job offerings as those usually dry up after the holidays, Jacobs said.
Cleveland Cliffs was looking for 35 hourly production employees, Kraft-Heinz needed 60 production team members and McWane Ductile had 25 entry level production jobs open. Jacobs said help is needed in all fields and the fact that Coshocton's largest manufacturers had the most available jobs just meant they have the most positions.
A drive down Second Street will reveal signs asking for help at Pizza Hut, Coshocton Coffee Connection and Buehler's Fresh Foods among others.
The pandemic took its toll on the workforce all over with the most lasting blow being what Jacobs called The Great Resignation. Many chose to exit the workforce and not return. This was primarily Baby Boomers near retirement age and women staying home to take care of children with the steep drop in daycare options.
In 2007, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 67.6%, today its 60.5%. The number of workers in that period went from a little more than 6 million people to 5.6 million. More than 3 million Boomers retired in 2020 and 2.4 million women left the workforce from Febuary 2020 to Febuary 2021, compared to 1.8 million men for the same period.
"The fact is the labor shortage is permanent. Business as well as social services and all other aspects can no longer count on day-to-day business as usual. The economy and the human resource needs will force retooling for business large and small," Jacobs said. "Companies are scrambling to find and keep workers to meet production needs all the while they are struggling with raw material delays or shortages. A real recipe for the perfect storm."
Even with that, there are plenty of people across the nation looking for work. Jacobs said one obstacle is linking job seekers to the right jobs. While jobs were lost quickly during the pandemic, reclaiming them hasn't been as fast.
"More than 9 million Americans said in May they wanted jobs and couldn’t find them. Companies said they had more than 9 million jobs open that weren’t filled, a record high," Jacobs said. "As the economy reopens, the process of matching laid-off workers to jobs is proving to be slow and complicated, a contrast to the swift and decisive layoffs that followed the initial stage of the pandemic in early 2020."
Millennials, who are quickly becoming the largest pool of available workers, tend to prize time off to be with family and reenergize, Jacobs said, over more traditional incentives like health care and pay bonuses.
"Swing shifts and long hours are not popular with today’s emerging workforce," he said.
Jacobs also said an increased reliance on robotics and computer technology could change not only the number of human workers needed, but the skill sets they will need. It's the workers and companies that can adapt to change who will do the best going forward.
"Many businesses are waiting for the pandemic to evaporate, thinking things will soon return to normal. The worker shortage will be an issue for the next decade and longer," Jacobs said. "Those companies that are creative, who engage and retain the workforce may thrive where others will become extinct."
llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com
@llhayhurst
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This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Jobs picture in Coshocton unlikely to change much in 2022
