As the labor market loosens, workers may be more willing to work nights and weekends
As the labor market loosens, workers may be more willing to work nights and weekends
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve released its Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District — aka the Beige Book. It’s the seventh this year. And as we paged through it over the past couple of days, a tidbit from the Philadelphia Fed caught our eye: A staffing firm in the region noted to central bankers that it’s having an easier time finding employees who are willing to work weekend and night shifts.
27-year-old Ness Madera-Guerra started teaching trumpet, piano and guitar at a music school in Naperville, Illinois, last winter.
But teaching alone wasn’t earning Madera-Guerra enough money. He’s got $50,000 of student debt to pay back and a car in rough shape.
So, earlier this year, he took on a second job doing admin at the school. That means he works into the evenings and on weekends and misses out on life stuff.
“I’ve had so many instances where friends or family asked me if I’m free to come to, you know, hang out, and I’m like, ‘Sorry, I can’t, I have work,'” Madera-Guerra said.
Willingness to work when others are not may be telling us the once very tight labor market is loosening up, said Penn State Abington economics professor Lonnie Golden.
“People are reconsidering their income needs and maybe could find ways to time their classes, time their childcare, to what the employers are offering,” Golden said.
And for some employers, weekend and night work is what they have to offer.
That’s true for Rob Sieban, who runs 15 flea markets around the country where you can score anything from a diamond engagement ring to a lunchbox featuring an old TV show.
“There was one, I remember was the Partridge Family, which was really kind of fun,” Sieban said.
Sieban needs workers to load items in and out, serve food and clean up overnight. To make those jobs more attractive he started offering workers their pay right after their shift, as opposed to two weeks later.
And he said in the past five months, hiring has gotten a bit easier
“We are seeing people come saying, ‘Listen, you know, it’s just harder for me to stay ahead. So I’m looking for a part time job,'” Sieban said.
There are other perks too — Sieban offers profit-sharing and insurance. And he said sellers will sometimes leave their wares behind.
So, weekend workers may get the chance to score a Partridge Family lunchbox.
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