Recruitment firms are becoming increasingly valuable for industrial manufacturing sites who need help to staff augment their technical workforce with maintenance technicians and reliability professionals. Many would agree that it’s a challenge to find skilled maintenance & trades people at your facility. This shortage of qualified candidates can significantly impact a company's productivity and maintenance operations. In response to the talent gap that we are facing, recruitment firms have emerged as a strategic solution. Many companies are now relying on the services of recruitment companies to aid in the search to find maintenance & reliability personnel for their open positions. These types of firms specialize in identifying and attracting top talent, leveraging their extensive networks, and expertise in industrial manufacturing.
Time is a critical factor in hiring for any maintenance & reliability positions, and recruitment firms can expedite the process. Just relying on internal resources, the average time to fill a maintenance & reliability position is around 66 days; however, with the assistance of a recruitment firm, this time can be significantly reduced to around three to four weeks. This time-saving advantage enables companies to quickly address staffing needs and minimize any potential disruptions to their maintenance operations.
Moreover, recruitment firms have proven effective in sourcing what are considered passive candidates. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, passive candidates constitute approximately 70% of the workforce. These professionals are not actively seeking new job opportunities but can be enticed by the right offer. Recruitment firms possess the tools and strategies to engage with these passive candidates and present them with compelling opportunities, expanding the pool of potential hires for maintenance technician positions.
Hiring mistakes can be costly, and recruitment firms help mitigate this risk. SHRM estimates that the average cost of a bad hire can be up to five times the individual's salary. By utilizing the expertise of recruitment firms, employers can benefit from their rigorous screening and selection processes. These firms thoroughly evaluate a candidates' technical skills and experience, ensuring that only the most qualified individuals are presented for consideration. This significantly reduces the likelihood of making a costly bad hire mistake.
When working with recruitment firm, employers can expect to see improved retention rates for maintenance technicians and mechanics. When working with a firm that specializes in industrial manufacturing, you’re also getting their industry expertise, extensive networks, robust screening process, market insights, and ongoing support before, during, and after the hire. All of these factors can contribute to improved employee retention rates and satisfaction at their new place of employment.
Recruitment firms also offer cost-effective solutions for staff augmentation. According to SHRM, the average cost per hire for a maintenance & reliability professional is approximately $4,129. It can also be said that when working with an industry specific recruitment firm, time can be cut out of the process, thereby saving money on the hiring process overall per candidate. These savings can be attributed to various factors, such as reduced time-to-fill vacancies, lower turnover rates, and the avoidance of costly hiring mistakes. Most recruitment firms also offer timed guarantees on the candidates that they place, meaning that they will backfill the position at no cost if the candidate leaves within so many days after their start date.
Recruitment firms that specialize in maintenance & reliability provide employers with access to a wider talent pool of maintenance technicians and mechanics. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the demand for industrial machinery mechanics and maintenance workers will grow by 14% from 2021 to 2031. This increasing demand, coupled with the shortage of qualified candidates, necessitates tapping into alternative sources for talent acquisition & staff augmentation. Recruitment firms have extensive networks and connections within the industry, enabling them to reach passive candidates and individuals with specialized skills who may not be actively searching for job opportunities.
Finally, by partnering with recruitment firms, employers can focus on their core business activities while leaving the hiring process to the experts. This leads to improved productivity and efficiency within the organization, as internal resources can be allocated to critical tasks rather than being exhausted by the time-consuming process of finding, recruiting, and selecting the right candidates.
In summary, the shortage of skilled maintenance technicians and mechanics poses significant challenges for employers, and the demand for maintenance & reliability professionals will continue to outstrip supply. However, working with recruitment firms can alleviate these challenges by providing specialized expertise, reducing time-to-hire, improving retention rates, accessing a broader talent pool, and offering cost-effective solutions.
