How to End a Worker Shortage With a Smartphone

The economy is booming, wages are rising, and unemployment is at its lowest in twenty years. While Americans continue to reap the benefits of a post-recession recovery, this positive economic climate has empowered many workers to leave their jobs altogether, primarily incentivized by the wide array of job openings. This has led to a surprising increase in the rate of voluntary terminations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2.4 percent of workers quit their job this May, almost double that of May 2010. To combat this growing issue, many big names in the service industry are turning to modern day solutions from job-searching platforms to fill the gap an unexpected opening can leave on a business.

Snag (formerly Snag-a-Job) launched a new service in April of last year, snag.work, an on-demand hiring service in which industries throughout the hospitality sector can post shift openings to help combat a shortage of workers in an instant. Operating currently in two areas on the eastern seaboard, Richmond, Virginia and the Greater Washington D.C. area, prospective workers are properly vetted with background checks and other measures by Snag specialists and then given access to a variety of shifts that best match their qualifications. Workers can choose from serving jobs in restaurants, to cashier positions in retail stores, and even event staff for hotels and resorts and Snag has plans to expand their services to more locations nationwide.

The success of this platform is undoubtedly due to the rise and popularity of the “gig economy” worldwide. Employment options like Uber and Favor have transformed from their inception as part-time alternatives to supplement existing income to a viable career choice for many workers tired of the standard ‘9 to 5’ work schedule. Restaurants in particular can benefit from services like snag.work; an industry constantly plagued by worker shortages.

The snag.work model seems to be a win-win for both businesses and eager employees alike. Gone are the days of chaos when a server fails to show for a Saturday dinner rush and gone are the days of distress when a cashier goes on vacation during the Black Friday weekend. The solution to strenuous hiring processes and unexpected turnover is now in the palm of an employer’s hands, and with a web-based application that touts job placement in as quickly as thirty seconds, it’s hard to underestimate the power of today’s gig economy.