Montgomery Area Businesses Coping with Staffing Shortages

Businesses world wide are still struggling to find workers. Local businesses and business experts are trying to make sense on why the shortage continues.

Local restaurants and retail stores are having a hard time keeping up with the demands of their customers, with some businesses closing their doors at earlier hours or even being shut down for days at a time because of the worker shortage.

Bob Parker, Managing Partner of Dreamland BBQ, states that the lack of workers comes from how the job market adapted and still continues from the pandemic.

“It’s just change,” stated Parker. “A lot of people that would typically come in and look for that job in the restaurant business are doing something else. I don’t buy into people are lazy sitting at home anymore. I didn’t buy into that in the beginning.”

Food delivery services have sky rocketed due to people staying at home for quarantine and ordering out, while working from home has been offered to more workers thanks to the convenience of zoom.

Executive Director of the Lab on Dexter, Dr. Nichole Thompson, stated that the pandemic gave people time to reflect on their careers.

“People are at home trying new things,” stated Dr. Thompson. “COVID gave us time to sit back and analyze what we really wanted to do with our lives if our careers were in alignment with who we were.”

Now local employers are having to think outside the box and offer more benefits for people to apply to work for them. Nancy Dennis of the Alabama Retail Association says that this is the perfect time to get a job with all of the better benefits being offered.

“It’s a good time to get a job because wages are higher than they’ve ever been,” stated Dennis. “Employers are looking for employees, employers are offering bonuses and other things. There is still work to be found if you’re looking for work.”

Local businesses ask that customers be patient with their service, especially during the busy summer months.