As companies struggle to find skilled workers, a new survey indicates that more and more companies may be turning to a largely untapped source of labor: women and a growing number of men who left the workforce for several years to raise a family.
In the survey of 100 human resource executives conducted by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., 50% said their companies informally work with former employees while 23% consider stay-at-home parents to be valuable targets in recruiting efforts.
"The labor market is in a fragile state with a low unemployment rate and a growing number of retiring baby boomers. Entry-level job seekers often lack the combination of soft and technical skills needed in today's fast-paced global economy. As a result, more companies are looking for experienced, easily trainable workers, which include former employees who took time away from their careers to raise their children," said John A. Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
"In the past, these employees simply terminated their employment and detached themselves from the workforce. Now, more companies are trying to maintain professional relationships with these individuals, even if in the form of an occasional email about new office developments from a department head," said Challenger.
