“Now Hiring” signs are still all around

Posted on December 6, 2021
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association president and CEO Mark Denzler. (WJBC file photo)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Here’s a twist on the “labor shortage” story.

A recent report showed a sixteen percent jump in costs related to hiring people and other HR-related matters. And that’s if you can find people to hire.

Illinois Manufacturers’ Association president and CEO Mark Denzler says there’s more to manufacturing than simply … manufacturing.

“In reality,” he says, “it’s high-tech and automated. And manufacturers are not only looking for people to work on shop floors, but for people to work in advertising and sales and accounting.

“When you look at the state of Illinois in particular, we have 250,000 fewer people working today than at the start of the pandemic. That just tells you people have not returned to the workforce.”

Back to getting people on board: recruiting, training benefits – they all add up.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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