Shortage of Workers and Materials Frustrating Many Businesses

Latest Results from The Harris Poll

 The weeks leading up to the holidays may not be so merry and bright as businesses continue to contend with increased demand, fewer workers and the latest hit—a major supply chain crunch.

Shoppers are ready to hit the stores in-person and online this year as a recent survey from The Harris Poll and Roku found that holiday spending for consumers is expected to increase 5% year-over-year, and 86% plan to spend the same or more than they did in 2020.

While this should be good news for the American economic recovery after the forced COVID-19 closures of 2020, many retailers are urging shoppers to start purchasing earlier than ever to circumvent supply chain issues currently plaguing businesses.

Eighty-seven percent of people report being negatively impacted by supply chain issues over the past year, according to findings from Oracle, and this has left customers feeling frustrated (61%), impatient (46%), anxious (45%) and angry (34%). The majority (66%) are concerned this will ruin their upcoming holidays.

Across the nation, Express franchise owners say this is the perfect storm of high demand for the holiday season at a time when millions of employees retired from the workforce and others left for better opportunities or other obligations, causing supply chain issues that further delay the creation and delivery of goods.

“The only solution to easing the supply chain issues this holiday season is to hire more workers” said Chris Petty, franchise manager of the Central Oregon Express franchise office. “To meet product demands here in Central Oregon, many companies have increased wages, adopted more flexible schedules, and reduced the onboarding and interview times when hiring.”

 Bringing those on the sidelines back into the workforce is critical to easing the backlog of materials and goods, Express CEO Bill Stoller said.

“We saw healthy organic economic growth in the third quarter, and Americans are eager to spend their extra funds on loved ones over the next few months,” Stoller said. “While the demand for goods is exciting after the downturn of 2020, we need more workers to realize the full fiscal potential of the fourth quarter of 2021.”

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Chris Petty, call (541) 389-1505.

About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 526,000 people globally in 2020. For more information, visit www.ExpressPros.com.

The Central Oregon Express office is located at 61379 S Hwy 97, Bend, Oregon and serves the entire Central Oregon region. Local businesses and applicants are encouraged to stop by, visit www.expresspros.com/bendor or call (541) 389-1505.