Workforce Services has the programs and resources to help Utah employers attract, hire and retain quality employees in this competitive market.
Utah has a low unemployment rate at 2.3 percent (April 2023) and a high labor participation rate of 68.5 percent. This means that companies must compete for talent.
Troy Lamb, Workforce Development Specialist, says while competitive wages and benefits are always important when recruiting, job seekers also value flexible schedules, remote work opportunities, a positive company culture, tuition reimbursement and sign-on or referral bonuses.
Lamb says networking is one of the best ways to find high quality employees and your current workforce is a valuable resource for posting and sharing job opportunities. Provide incentives for them to bring friends and family to you.
Employers can also build their workforce through tapping into hidden labor pools like refugees, youth, individuals with disabilities, veterans or formerly incarcerated individuals.
Workforce Services can help employers access tax credits, free bonding assistance and other financial incentives when hiring from these untapped labor markets.
On-the-job training, internships or apprenticeships allow employers to train employees to the specific skills they need for their job.
Employers that implement these programs are eligible for reimbursements or incentives to help cover the cost of training and mentoring new employees.
If you are interested in hiring youth (ages 14 to 24) or sponsoring a paid internship for youth Workforce Services can help subsidize your training and mentoring costs.
There are specialists across the state to assist you in developing a program specific to your workforce needs.
Visit jobs.utah.gov to contact yours and to find more information about employer services.
You can post jobs, get access to more than 180,000 active job seekers, get economic data and more on that website as well.
There are also 30 American Job Centers across the state if you prefer in-person help.
Workforce Services also holds bi-monthly virtual job fairs where you can connect with hundreds of job seekers. The next one is in July. Contact your Workforce Development Specialist to sign up for a booth.
