Survey reveals the biggest challenges facing businesses as peak season approaches

Hiring and retaining workers, while also keeping them safe and healthy and being able to produce enough products are the top concerns of supply chain companies as they head into the busy back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.

According to new research from leading staffing firms Staff Management | SMX and SIMOS Solutions, lingering supply chain issues, a tight labor market and the resurgence of COVID-19 continue to batter the supply chain.

In their annual Peak Season Jobs Survey, which they conduct each year to get a pulse on the issues facing supply chain companies, the companies found that while two-thirds have seen operations change because of COVID-19, 84% either expect their peak season output to return to pre-pandemic levels or have already returned to pre-pandemic levels. But many still operate with reduced or over-extended workforces.

Survey highlights

Employers have seen candidates turn down job opportunities due to:

  • 59% wanting to extend unemployment benefits
  • 57% being offered better pay elsewhere
  • 25% issues with childcare
  • Despite the difficulty most operations are having with finding workers, 64% reported they do not offer any additional perks/benefits to seasonal workers
  • 73% will keep COVID-19 safety measures in place, but only 10% will require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19
  • 56% of employers plan to increase the number of employees they hire for peak season compared to last year

And while health and safety remain vital to company success and worker retention, only 1 in 10 said they will require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. But they did estimate that 62% of employees will be fully vaccinated before peak season.