For decades, we’ve tended to treat hourly workers, those at the lower-skill, lower-pay end of our businesses, as expendable and “less than” as candidates and employees. These people, as important to our business as any other, represent about 58 percent of the U.S. labor force according to the BLS—and because of their often customer-facing roles, they are instrumental in driving customer satisfaction, loyalty, and profits across industries, from manufacturing and healthcare to retail and hospitality. As we rebound from 2020’s enormous challenges this summer and fall, we’re expecting intense competition for these essential workers. Like all employees, they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect throughout the recruiting process. Employers who show they value their hourly people by enhancing both their recruiting practices and working conditions will be the ones that win and retain these essential workers.
