This article first appeared in the January 2017 issue of Wine Business Monthly
By Linda Higueras, The Personnel Perspective
Today’s Job market is a challenging environment for employers
seeking to fill open or new positions with candidates who can contribute to the continued growth and success of the business. The laws of supply and demand are apparent in the job market, and many wineries have experienced a short supply of qualified candidates as their hiring demands have increased.
Given the unemployment rate of 4.2 percent in Napa and 4.1 percent in
Sonoma, human resources professionals are, more than ever, looking for
creative approaches to reinvigorate their recruiting model—and they are not alone. Mirroring the national unemployment rate of 5 percent (Source: US Dept. of Labor), 2016 was a year of growth and low unemployment in other wine-growing regions as well. The unemployment rates as of August 2016 in other states were: Washington, 5.7 percent; Oregon, 5.4 percent; Texas, 4.7 percent; New York, 4.8 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.