Finding the right person for the job is no easy task. Candidates must have the right experience, and the right culture fit—two attributes that can be hard to find in the same person. When it comes to jobs with specific training requirements, it may be difficult to find a candidate that checks every box.
WorkSource’s Business Services team works with employers in Southwest Washington to help them find quality candidates, along with other key services that can help organizations save money and retain talent.
Wilcox + Flegel is a fuel and oil company in Longview, WA with several business lines – including transportation, retail convenience stores, warehouses, and more. I sat down with Senior HR Manager Nina Williquette to learn more about Wilcox + Flegel and how they’ve utilized WorkSource to optimize their hiring.
In Williquette’s own words, her job is to “help make Wilcox + Flegel a great place to work.” She first connected with WorkSource right before the COVID-19 pandemic through Business Services Navigator Susan Milke.
Susan shared information on WorkSource services, including the On-the-Job Training (OJT) and Incumbent Worker Training programs that offer wage reimbursements to employers.
One of the struggles Wilcox + Flegel faces is being able to find candidates with the right skills for the job. But their partnership with WorkSource has allowed them to widen their search when seeking candidates.
In the OJT program, WorkSource can partially reimburse wages for candidates while they learn the job. “We’ve very much all about finding the right fit in terms of values,” said Williquette. “If they’re missing some basic skills we can get them up to speed on, we’re going to put in the investment.”
Because of this, Wilcox + Flegel have effectively expanded the types of candidates they can hire because of the lowered cost of training that WorkSource’s OJT program offers employers.
In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were able to use the SharedWork program as well. “It kept our team whole when things were a little bit slower,” said Williquette. “That was a very important program for us as well.”
SharedWork is an Employment Security Department program that provides an alternative to layoffs for employers. With SharedWork, businesses can reduce employees’ hours between 10% and 50% to save on payroll costs and retain talent.
By using this program, Wilcox + Flegel was able to maintain their staffing in a slow period, which set them up to be able to react accordingly when business bounced back.
Every employer’s needs are different. Discovering these needs is part of how our Business Services team works with local organizations.
“WorkSource will partner with you on your needs. Every time I’ve reached out, they’re committed to sitting down and understanding what the needs are and then offering programs to support,” said Williquette.
If you’d like to learn more about how WorkSource Business Services can help your business, contact Mike Vezzola at mvezzola@worksourceswwa.com or call at 413.335.2038.
To learn more about the SharedWork program, visit their website here.
WorkSource is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Washington Relay Service 711.
This program receives support and funding from a U.S. Department of Labor grant(s) provided through Workforce Southwest Washington. Read more about WSW federal funding at WSW Funding Disclosures: https://workforcesw.org/federal-funding-disclosure
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