Newsletter February 2023
Recruiters for the Copier Channel® for more than 30 years, Copier Careers® has been the only recruiting firm exclusively dedicated to connecting Copier Channel employers with experienced service technicians, copier sales representatives, sales managers, service & operations managers, controllers, support staff, and MPS/MNS experts. Start your month off right with Newsletter February 2023: Copier Channel news and career advice. Search copier jobs now.
Last month we published the 2022 Year-End Q&A as part of our biannual industry analysis series. Our January post excerpted our recruiters’ expert advice for employers and candidates. This month, we’d like to highlight a few more tidbits from our team.
Employer 2022 Year-End Q&A Highlights
- This is no time for a “wait and see” approach in recruiting or hiring. The worst thing you can do is think about the candidate market that was instead of the way it is now. With the extreme shortage of skilled people and multiple industries in the hunt, employers should be nimble and adapt to the market. Retool your hiring process for efficiency. Set clear goals and be ready to flex on salary.
- At the end of 2022, many employers were trying to find balance between speed and caution in their candidate searches. Employers are carefully considering hiring needs against their ability to offer greater compensation — without devaluing their longtime employees. Finding that sweet spot in this market will require resolve, diplomacy and the patience of all parties.
- Everyone is hiring, and every business has challenges. Larger companies can be bogged down with bureaucracy, unable to move quickly. Others can move faster but might not have competitive compensation. Smart employers understand those challenges and ask us to evaluate their hiring process. Improving process — from compensation to timing and how many interviews are too many — is critical to making great hires. We’re here to help.
- Even though money talks, it is not the only card employers have to play. In our relatively small industry, word gets around about companies with a high turnover rate, problematic management or difficult territory. Beyond a cash incentive to make a move, many candidates point to quality-of-life issues as a top consideration in making a change.
- Employers who lose their sense of urgency in their hiring processes are likely to lose great candidates. Be realistic about compensation, benefits and the work-life balance needs of prospective employees. If you are disrespectful of their time in the hiring process, it sends the wrong message about the work environment of your organization.
Want a hand?
We recruit for any role from techs to executives and everything in between. We work to find industry-experienced professionals and bring in new talent from comparable fields. We are dedicated to helping the industry’s top employers grow and evolve in every economic climate. Contact us today to learn how we can help!
Candidate 2022 Year-End Q&A Highlights
- Even though this is a candidate’s market, be sincere in your quest for a new position. In a tight market, nobody has time to dance with a candidate who is not really interested in making a move. Be up front with your employer about your needs. If they can’t meet them, weigh the pros and cons of staying and decide a course of action. Then stay or move on.
- Good news! Your skills are in demand, but there is always a limit to what employers can offer. Think beyond compensation and consider location, opportunities to enhance your skills, work-life balance and other perks when you consider an offer.
Ready to Talk?
We recruit for any role from techs to executives and everything in between. We are dedicated to helping the industry’s best professionals find careers with top employers. Browse our job board or submit your resume today!
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Despite the big news stories of layoffs and “no one wants to work anymore” rhetoric, the data shows the US unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% – a 53-year low. US companies created 517,000 jobs in January, blowing the projected 187,000 increase out of the water.
CNBC quotes Daniel Zhao, lead economist for Glassdoor, “Today’s report is an echo of 2022′s surprisingly resilient job market, beating back recession fears. The Fed has a New Year’s resolution to cool down the labor market, and so far, the labor market is pushing back.”
Noncompete News
The FTC’s proposed rule banning noncompete agreements sparked a debate in January. Public comment on the proposed rule is open until March 20th.
For the Ban:
The FTC argues, “by stopping this practice, the agency estimates that the new proposed rule could increase wages by nearly $300 billion per year and expand career opportunities for about 30 million Americans.”
“The freedom to change jobs is core to economic liberty and to a competitive, thriving economy,” said Chair Lina M. Khan. “Noncompetes block workers from freely switching jobs, depriving them of higher wages and better working conditions, and depriving businesses of a talent pool that they need to build and expand. By ending this practice, the FTC’s proposed rule would promote greater dynamism, innovation, and healthy competition.”
The FTC continues, “in many cases, employers use their outsized bargaining power to coerce workers into signing these contracts. Noncompetes harm competition in U.S. labor markets by blocking workers from pursuing better opportunities and by preventing employers from hiring the best available talent.”
Against the Ban:
CNBC reports dissent from the Chamber of Commerce. “Today’s actions by the Federal Trade Commission to outright ban noncompete clauses in all employer contracts is blatantly unlawful,” said Sean Heather, their antitrust expert who called the provisions “an important tool in fostering innovation and preserving competition.”
Others warn that the blanket ban is too broad and could effect many NDAs as well.
The New York Times reports, “Kristen Limarzi, a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher who previously served as a senior official in the antitrust division of the Justice Department, said she believed such a rule could be vulnerable to a legal challenge. Opponents would probably argue that the relevant federal statute is too vague to guide the agency in putting forth a rule banning noncompetes, she said, and that the evidence the agency has on their effects is still too limited to support a rule.”
Bloomberg reports Chamber President Suzanne Clark: “If this rule goes forward, we will challenge in court their authority to even make it.”
Legislation:
Sparked by this debate, the Workforce Mobility Act was reintroduced with bipartisan support on February 1st. According to ABC 13 News, the act would:
- “Narrow the use of non-compete agreements to include only necessary instances of a dissolution of a partnership or the sale of a business;
- “Charge the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Labor with enforcement, as well as making explicit a private right of action in federal court;
- “Require employers to make their employees aware of the limitation on non-competes, as studies have found that non-competes are often used even when they are illegal or unenforceable. The Department of Labor would also be given the authority to make the public aware of the limitation; and
- “Require the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Labor to submit a report to Congress on any enforcement actions taken.”
MPS Market News
Technavio’s latest report predicts the Managed Print Services (MPS) market to grow by $6,991.94 million by 2027.
The key drivers for growth are cost-cutting optimization efforts by business leaders. However, increasing use of digital media may be a growth impediment.
The report predicts the cloud-based segment will grow significantly by 2027, citing globalization and the increased geographical spread of end-users.
Key companies profiled for this report included ARC Document Solutions Inc., Canon Inc., EuroForm AS, Exela Technologies Inc., Flex Technology Group, HP Development Co. LP, Konica Minolta Inc., Kyocera Corp., Lexmark International Inc., Novatech, Ricoh Co. Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Seiko Epson Corp., Sharp Corp., Toshiba Corp., Vereco Inc., WBM Technologies Inc., Xerox Holdings Corp., YS Soft Corp AS, and Brother Industries Ltd.
Last month we discussed our recruiters’ advice for 2023. One of the hallmark issues in hiring is so-called “wage inflation,” so we were curious to hear your predictions on the subject. We had a solid turnout of 12,547 votes this month!
The overwhelming answer was “Yes!” 37% said they expected wage inflation to continue but at a slower rate while 34% said it would definitely continue. 23% thought it would level off this year. Only 6% think wages will return to “normal” levels.
As many have commented – can you call it “wage inflation” for roles that have been historically underpaid? We’ve been advocating for better pay for technicians for years, warning that the industry will run out of techs unless they make big changes. Whether you call it “wage inflation” or “market value wages,” it’s clear it’s becoming the new normal.
POLL QUESTION:
- Yes, but it’ll slow down (37%, 4,660 Votes)
- Yes, definitely (34%, 4,302 Votes)
- No, it’ll level off (23%, 2,868 Votes)
- No, they’ll return to pre-pandemic levels (6%, 717 Votes)
Total Voters: 12,547 (December 29, 2022 @ 11:26 pm – No Expiry)
Loading …Some comments from y’all:
- “Can we really call it wage inflation when a copier tech makes less than a bus driver? Or when certain gig work pays more? 40k isn’t cutting it anymore, sorry.”
- “Older techs might be living in homes which have fixed monthly payments. Younger techs will not be living in homes but in apartments. The rents in my city have gone up 33% in one year. Wages must go up if you want to keep technicians.”
- “Wages need to come up to inflation cost or people will jump to a different job/career to make up for loss of income.”
- “I always get a snicker out of this sort of loaded question because I think at this point in time most of us should know that pay increases seldom match inflation anyway. Keeping employee wages down is just one avenue of profit for business owners, large and small.”
- “The government is in control. Once we have no back orders; supply chain fixed; ports able to pull product off ships and plenty of chips for autos, computers, copiers and printers; everything we will see inflation go down. The banks are now watching debt ratios and if we can spend smart, increase savings and starve the bank from credit card income we will see them wanting to lend again and put pressure on the government to lower interest rates. Supply and Demand is a business model that has been used for price structuring. It’s a huge task to keep people working, smart spending and increase savings so we get through this.”
- “Essential workers during and post pandemic highs are not getting the compensation for work that has been performed to keep the companies up and going. I would like to see positions posted for managers in the service industry. As far as the comment of outdated technicians, I don’t believe that is an accurate statement. There are a lot of younger but unskilled technicians coming into this field and quite frankly it is disappointing to see. I don’t see employers hiring technicians with basic electronics skills and it’s been quite sad to see how the companies are dropping their expectations for their front-line representation. Just my opinion.”
- As an employee, I hate them – they limit my options (54%, 8,475 Votes)
- As an employee, I don’t mind them (19%, 2,982 Votes)
- As an employee, I’ve haven’t signed one (13%, 2,040 Votes)
- As an employer, I need them to protect my business (7%, 1,099 Votes)
- As an employer, they’ve kept me from hiring good candidates (4%, 628 Votes)
- As an employer, I don’t use them (3%, 471 Votes)
Total Voters: 15,694 (February 1, 2023 @ 6:42 pm – March 1, 2023 @ 4:23 pm)
Loading …Comment on Poll:
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