NORTON SHORES, Mich. — After 12 years as a case worker for the Department of Health and Human Services, Will Roberson thought it was time for a career change. He opened Shoreline Staffing on March 9, 2020. Four days later, everything changed.
"It was scary," he said with a chuckle. He can laugh about it now because after being shut down for three months, Shoreline Staffing is back open and Roberson, the company's CEO, is happy to be helping other people get back to normal life as well.
"The most rewarding thing is getting people to work."
But getting people to work is the biggest challenge for Roberson as well as other staffing agencies and just about anyone who's hiring right now. The latest jobs reports continue to show that job openings outpace overall hiring.
"Some people don’t feel safe and you know, it depends on what you’re making before you started getting unemployment. If there’s more money I guess financially, it makes more sense," Roberson says.
So how do employers get people back in the door? Having started his agency during the pandemic, Roberson is examining that question with fresh eyes. He says Shoreline Staffing's approach is community and retention focused.
"You’ve got to think outside the box and try to be creative. Think outside the box and try to get people to come in with signing bonuses and extra pay," he said.
Though Roberson believes a good salary or wage will be the biggest factor in getting people back to work, he says it's not the only thing people are thinking about right now.
"We try to focus on removing obstacles, and daycare and transportation are some of the huge obstacles that prevent people from going to work," he said.
Shoreline Staffing will pay a percentage of those daycare and transportation needs in order to help people who want to start working again. Roberson believes those extra services make it easier for Shoreline Staffing to place people compared to other agencies that don't.
The agency is also felony friendly and Roberson believes someone's past should not prevent them from achieving gainful employment.
"To me, that's like double jeopardy. They've been sentenced. They've done their time. They come home and they're being punished again, essentially. So what are people going to do? They're going to revert back to that life of crime," he said.
"We get those guys working. Guys and girls. And they're grateful."
To learn more about Shoreline Staffing or to contact them, visit their website.
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