Daily Archives: November 13, 2018

The 2018 Global Power 150 — Women in Staffing list is now online. This is a list of 150 most influential women in North America, Europe and around the globe.

“Around the globe the fight to increase female representation continues as women are outnumbered in leadership positions, boardrooms and the upper echelons of business. While women dominate the staffing industry at branch-level, this is not reflected in our C-suites,” said Subadhra Sriram, editor & publisher, media products at SIA. “It continues to be essential that we recognize female leadership and call out the immensely important roles these women play in developing, driving and delivering solutions, work models and value for the industry. It is exciting to see the list grow this year to include more of the executives who are making things happen across the workforce solutions ecosystem.”

This is the fourth year that Staffing Industry Analysts has produced a Women in Staffing list. This year’s list includes 100 influential women in the Americas — twice as many as past lists — and 50 more from around the world. The women are also featured in the November/December print edition of Staffing Industry Review magazine.

The list is sponsored by Bullhorn. Read about the 2018 Global Power 150 — Women in Staffing online here.

The manufacturing industry’s pre-existing workforce crisis could get even worse according to a new 2018 skills gap study released today by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute — the social impact arm of the National Association of Manufacturers.

The widening manufacturing skills gap is expected to grow from about 488,000 jobs left open today to as many as 2.4 million manufacturing jobs in 2028. In turn, $454 billion in manufacturing GDP could be at risk in 2028, or more than $2.5 trillion over the next decade, according to the research.

“Manufacturers in the United States are experiencing some of the highest levels of growth we’ve seen in decades, yet the industry seems unable to keep up with the resulting rebound in job growth,” said Paul Wellener, vice chairman, Deloitte LLP, and US industrial products and construction leader. “With nearly 2 million vacant new jobs expected by 2028, compounded by 2.69 million vacancies from retiring workers, the number of open positions could be greater than ever and might pose not only a major challenge for manufacturers but may threaten the vitality of the industry and our economy.”

Five out of 10 open positions for skilled workers in the US manufacturing industry remain unoccupied today due to the skills gap crisis, according to the report. These include positions for skilled production workers, supply chain talent, digital talent, engineers, researchers, scientists, software engineers and operational managers. The study points to the top reasons these positions tend to go unfilled, with the negative perception of the manufacturing industry topping the list, cited by 45% of survey participants, followed by the notable shift in desired skill sets due to the introduction of advanced technologies and retirement of baby boomers, both at 36%.

Manufacturing executives stated the top five skill sets expected to increase significantly in the coming three years due to the influx of automation and advanced technologies are:

• Technology/computer skills
• Digital skills
• Programming skills for robots/automation
• Working with tools and technology
• Critical thinking skills

To mitigate the impact of the skills shortage and begin to shrink the gap, most companies surveyed are focusing efforts on several specific areas, including adopting broader HR management practices to hire and retain talent, cited by 37%, and building knowledge transfer programs to pass on skills between retiring and new workers, cited by 32%. Twenty-four percent have turned to outsourcing certain functions, according to the report.

Additional approaches surveyed manufacturers are taking to solve the employment challenge include:

• Adopting learning and development programs
• Increasing flexibility in the hiring process
• Tapping retiring, experienced workforce
• Turning to automated technologies and embracing technology 
• Increasing wages and offering signing bonuses

The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Rivera Agri Inc. — a provider of temporary agricultural labor — for failing to protect employees working in excessive heat after a farmworker succumbed to apparent heat-related symptoms while working in a cornfield near Grand Island, Neb.

OSHA cited the company for a serious violation of the General Duty Clause, and proposed penalties totaling $11,641.

According to the agency, the heat index reached 100 degrees on two days in July. OSHA inspectors determined that the company failed to implement and train employees on a heat injury and illness prevention program.

The body of 52-year-old Cruz Urias-Beltran was found in the field on July 12, The Washington Times reported. A search had begun the evening before when he didn’t return from his work.

“This tragedy underscores the need for employers with workers exposed to high temperatures to take simple, well-known precautions — such as ensuring workers have access to water, rest and shade — to keep workers safe in extreme heat,” said OSHA Omaha Area Office Director Jeff Funke.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citation and penalties to respond.