Roundtable panelists search for labor shortage solutions

P&Q: Unemployment incentives such as $300 weekly federal unemployment bonuses and the idea of a $15 minimum wage are threats to aggregate businesses. What impacts are the unemployment benefits, at least, having thus far in 2021?

DICKSON: I’m sure it has to be hurting to some extent. I think our pay rates are far enough off the $15-per-hour range that people are willing to work a steady job. I think the hours that Karen referred to are a bigger impediment to people coming to work. We have over the last couple of years intentionally escalated some of the paygrades of our key people.

HUBACZ-KILEY: We do similar things also: giving bonuses for staying X amount of time, referral programs. Then, a lot of it is trying to keep the key people that you have. Because there’s always another company that’s like, ‘Hey, I’ll give you another dollar an hour.’

You have to take care of your employees. If you see something good, you reward it immediately. It can be something as small as a gift card. That’s what resonates because, one, you said thank you and, two, you gave them a little something that helps them – and they appreciate that.

JACOMET: One of the problems we’ve had from a hiring standpoint is we bring someone in, we’ve got a good salary, got good benefits and then we spend a couple weeks acclimating them, getting them trained, getting their 40-hour new miner training and then we put them out there and they’re like: ‘Oh, man, I didn’t know where we’re going to work third shift. I didn’t know I was going to have to come in at 5 o’clock in the morning. I didn’t know this.’

Part of MACC Tech is they’re going to know what’s expected of them. Hopefully, we can incentivize those young people through good salaries, benefits and all of the things that come with our industry. But they’re going to know what the expectations are. Hopefully, by the time they get through this program, there are going to be no surprises.

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