The Power of National Presence: Why Staffing Agencies Should Think Big

In this new era of work, the future belongs to those who can think and operate on a national scale. It's time for staffing agencies to embrace this change and reap the benefits of a truly national presence.

The traditional boundaries of local hiring are dissolving in today’s evolving job market. The rise of remote work, coupled with an increasingly interconnected global economy, has transformed how companies find talent and how job seekers approach their careers.

PRT Staffing thinks this shift presents a unique opportunity for recruiting and staffing agencies to expand their horizons and embrace a national presence.

“Identifying industry trends is critical for staffing firm leaders, who are charged with developing strategic initiatives toward growth. Understanding those trends is also important for staffing firm managers, recruiters, and other staffing professionals, who must implement those strategic initiatives and prepare for uncertainty in the industry,” says the American Staffing Association (ASA).

Let's explore why thinking big can lead to significant advantages for both agencies and their clients.

The Rise of Remote Work

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a trend that was already in motion: the widespread adoption of remote work.

“Remote work is becoming commonplace in many industries, and [one] study suggests that 22 percent of the American workforce will be remote by 2025,” reported USA Today.

USA Today found the following remote work stat:

• According to the Pew Research Center, around 22 million employed adults (aged 18 and over) in the U.S. work from home all the time, equal to roughly 14 percent of all employed adults.
  
  
• Just over one-third of workers in the U.S. who can work remotely do so all the time — while 41 percent are at least part-time remote on a hybrid setup.
  
  
• According to a survey we conducted, 58 percent of white-collar workers prefer to work remotely at least three days a week.
  
  
• Only 16 percent of white-collar workers would consider a role that doesn’t offer any days of remote work.
  
  
• 42 percent of office workers would take a 10 percent pay cut to have the flexibility to work remotely.
  
  

This seismic shift has fundamentally altered the talent acquisition landscape, opening new possibilities for both employers and job seekers.

Remote work has:

• Eliminated geographical constraints for many roles.
• Increased the pool of available talent for companies.
• Allowed job seekers to pursue opportunities regardless of location.

For staffing agencies, this change means that the ability to source talent nationally has become not just an advantage, but a necessity.

Expanding Talent Pools: Breaking Free of Local Limitations

Historically, many companies limited their hiring to local candidates due to practical constraints. However, this approach often resulted in a restricted talent pool, especially for specialized or high-demand roles.

A nationally present staffing agency can break free from these limitations, offering clients access to a vast and diverse range of candidates.

“Expanding geographic reach and developing new service offerings can increase market share and profitability,” says the ASA.

Certain industries require highly specialized skills that may be scarce in any given local market. For example:

• Cybersecurity experts with experience in specific technologies.
• Engineers with expertise in emerging fields like renewable energy.
• Data scientists with specialized knowledge in machine learning algorithms.
• Aerospace engineers with skills in advanced propulsion systems and aerodynamics.
• Biotechnology researchers specializing in gene editing techniques.

By casting a wider net across the entire country, staffing agencies can more easily locate these rare skill sets, providing immense value to their clients.

Multiple Locations, Multiple Advantages

While remote work is on the rise, many industries still require a physical presence. Having offices in various regions allows staffing agencies to gain deep insights into local job markets, cultural nuances, and regional economic trends.

This knowledge is invaluable when matching candidates to opportunities and advising clients on local hiring practices.

Many large companies operate across multiple states or regions. A staffing agency with a national presence is better equipped to serve these clients, offering consistent service and a unified approach across all locations.

This capability can lead to stronger, more comprehensive partnerships with major clients.

PRT Staffing understands that multiple locations equal multiple advantages as we have offices in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and New Mexico, encompassing some of the most dynamic growing economies in the U.S.

Enhanced Flexibility for Clients

Agility is more important than ever in today's fast-paced business environment. A staffing agency with a national presence offers clients unparalleled flexibility in their hiring strategies.

With a national network, staffing agencies can quickly respond to clients' needs to scale up or down in different areas. Whether it's a seasonal surge in retail staffing or a sudden need for manufacturing personnel in a new location, a national agency can swiftly mobilize resources to meet these demands.

The ability to offer both local and remote candidates gives clients the best of both worlds. For roles that require a mix of on-site and remote work, agencies can provide options that perfectly fit the client's needs, drawing from a national talent pool.

Leveraging Technology for a National Reach

To effectively operate on a national scale, staffing agencies must embrace cutting-edge technology. This technological adoption not only streamlines operations but also enhances the experience for both clients and candidates.

Advanced applicant tracking systems, AI-powered matching algorithms, and data analytics tools enable agencies to efficiently manage a vast network of candidates and job openings across the country. These technologies help in:

• Quickly identifying the best matches for specific roles.
• Tracking candidate pipelines across multiple regions.
• Providing real-time insights into hiring trends and market demands.

“In 2024, organizations will find more and more ways to harness the potential of generative AI to improve worker productivity and company output,” says the ASA. “Generative AI can automate tasks, improve the quality of candidate matching, assess candidate skill and potential, and create personalized career plans for candidates and employees.”

The rise of video conferencing and virtual collaboration tools has made it possible to conduct entire hiring processes remotely. Agencies with a national reach can leverage these technologies to:

• Facilitate interviews between clients and candidates regardless of location.
• Conduct virtual job fairs and recruitment events.
• Support remote onboarding processes for new hires.

“Virtual interviewing became essential in 2020 for most companies when in-person job interviews were suddenly stopped due to social distancing orders,” says the Society for Human Resource Management. “Video interviewing accelerates the entire hiring process. Setting up onsite interviews with candidates and all relevant stakeholders is a chore for recruiters and sometimes fraught with canceled and rescheduled appointments.”

PRT Staffing's National Approach

At PRT Staffing: The Personnel Response Team, we've embraced the power of a national presence. With offices strategically located in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and New Mexico, we're positioned to serve clients across diverse regions while tapping into varied talent pools.

Our national approach allows us to:

• Provide skilled workers across multiple sectors, including Construction, Industrial and Energy, Manufacturing, Hospitality and Events, and Disaster Recovery.
• Offer comprehensive staffing solutions that adapt to local market conditions.
• Deliver consistent, high-quality service to clients with multi-state operations.

By combining our national reach with deep local expertise, we're able to offer unmatched staffing solutions that truly meet the evolving needs of today's businesses.

For businesses seeking staffing solutions, partnering with an agency like PRT Staffing can open doors to a world of talent and opportunities. For job seekers, it means access to a wider range of positions that align with their skills and career goals, regardless of location.

Contact PRT Staffing today to help build your team, regardless of where the talent and jobs may be located.