Indotronix navigated labor and skill shortages to become the client’s number 1 supplier in under two years.

OVERVIEW

Indotronix’s recent experience with a leading Utility company found themselves having to source quality talent in Midwestern states whilst accounting for the regions’ low population density.

Furthermore, our client approached us to fill senior and specialized positions, especially in the IT infrastructure sector. Rapid technological advancement in the industry and an aging population have been additional factors to consider as we screen potential candidates. Our approach to these issues can be summarized by a quote by our account manager.

Every Location, Every Position, Every Candidate is different.

This meticulous, case-by-case approach has helped us source quality candidates and led us to the recognition of becoming the client’s number 1 supplier in less than two years. Here are the challenges we faced and how we overcame them:

Background

This client is one of the largest fully regulated utility companies in the US, operating primarily in the Midwest and Northeast. They have a proud legacy that stretches out across the 20th century. Today, the client and their subsidiaries operate across six states, providing natural gas and electricity to around 4 million customers. This case study focuses on the staffing solutions we’ve provided for them in the states of Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. The US has lost millions of workers since the start of the pandemic with the national labor force participation rate remaining below pre-pandemic levels, especially in the three aforementioned states. Indotronix’s success in this area despite these hurdles came down to our account managers and recruiters adopting enthusiastic strategies to headhunt candidates, at times even motivating them to relocate.

Challenges

Limited Labour Force Participation:

• To paraphrase the U.S Chamber of Commerce’s report: “Indiana has 72 available workers for every 100 open jobs, making it particularly challenging for employers to find qualified candidates. Kentucky faces similar challenges, with only 74 available workers for every 100 job openings, while Ohio’s manufacturing and infrastructure sectors are severely impacted by a skills gap, further exacerbating the workforce shortages in these states.”

  All three states were below the national average for labor force participation (62.6% as of June 2024). This economic climate warranted enthusiastic deep dive staffing approaches to access passive / inactive candidates. The account manager worked strategically to motivate and assist her recruiters to find quality candidates in novel ways, moving beyond online job postings to activate networks and get out in the field. It has been especially important to liaison with the client at every step of the hiring process, maintaining clear and constant communication ensures that the candidate we find will be a good fit.

Our Approach:

• Casting A Wide Net: Our recruitment teams advertised job openings across various platforms, including job boards, social media and industry-specific sites, to maximize visibility. This approach also included utilizing diverse sourcing channels and crafting inclusive job descriptions that appeal to a wider audience.
• Strong Referral Networks: Our account manager proactively worked on a strong referral network by chasing down potential leads and candidates by going through existing employees or business contacts. By leveraging these connections, Indotronix is able to source candidates that are a certain degree of pre-vetted and fit that specific job posting better. There is also a much higher retention rate with referral candidates.

Results:

• Some specific roles staffed successfully included: Senior Network Engineers, Service Delivery Engineers, Infrastructure Architects, IT Analysts, Lead Network Architects, Project Managers, Scrum Masters, Senior Solution Architects
• Though Indotronix was initially brought on as a vendor for IT roles, our responsibilities have since expanded to all other categories.
• Despite a slow economy, skill and labor shortages and other factors, Indotronix has risen to become the client’s number 1 supplier for 2023-2024, an achievement that took less than two years.

Conclusion:

Indotronix’s position as a leading staffing supplier leaves us in a unique position of both being acutely aware of shifts in the economy (such as skill and labor shortage) and also being responsible, through our staffing solutions, for supporting a company, bolstering their workforce and leaving them in a better position to excel despite the economic climate.