How are companies in the hardware industry adjusting to the new realities of the disrupted workforce? According to a recent survey, most of them intend to grow their teams in 2022.
In a business survey of his clients and contacts, Wolf Gugler, president of Wolf Gugler Executive Search, found that 78 percent of his respondents anticipate either adding to their headcount or remaining at the status quo for 2022. “Half of our respondents indicated they’re happy and not considering a move, while the other half are open to or contemplating changing employers.”
Workers looking for a change, he says, “will keep corporate and external talent acquisition specialists very busy.” Their work is especially rigorous currently because of the competitive nature of the hiring process—something that has not been the case in the past. “There truly is a war for good talent, which requires employers to get creative.”
That means being upfront with the pros and cons of a company and its culture, and the need to be ready to offer hiring bonuses, increase vacation packages, and just be more flexible in general around the work culture.
Gugler has been busy hiring in the outdoor living and hardware categories, both in Canada and the U.S. His clients come from across the spectrum of the industry. Vendors, stocking distributors, and retailers are all in the hiring mix. And the pressure is on recruiters to find individuals who are experienced in the hardware and home improvement industry.
“We are seeing more clients request that we headhunt from specific organizations to try and acquire talent that’s already familiar with their category,” Gugler says. “This is especially true in the Canadian market, with the doing away with non-compete employment contracts.”
Gugler says 2021 proved to be the third-best year he’s had in a quarter-century in business. “I predict that 2022 will match or better that.”
