The Grand Island Independent Many Nebraska businesses are struggling to find enough workers in today's booming economy, and companies in rural areas have been hit particularly hard, according to a survey released Tuesday. The large metropolitan areas around Omaha and Lincoln seem to be faring better at hiring and paying workers, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Quarterly Business Conditions Survey. For many rural areas, labor shortages are at a critical stage.
Grand Island is no exception to that trend.
It's been kind of hard getting people ever since we opened two months ago. Businesses in metropolitan areas are competing with rural businesses for skilled workers, especially in construction and retail trade, Lamphear said. More workers are leaving rural areas than are coming in, and the wage gap between metropolitan and rural areas is growing. Young people from rural areas are being drawn to metropolitan areas by higher salaries, Lamphear said. Brian McMahon, owner of Associated Staffing, a Grand Island employment agency, said the local shortage of workers has been prevalent for the last two years.