Operational workers make up a huge proportion of employees worldwide. Studies show that more than half of all employees in the United States they are workers in operational roles, making it essential to optimize these recruitment processes.

That's why we've created this operational position recruitment guide. Next, you'll learn more about the industries where these workers predominate and the best practices for filling vacancies.

What is an operational worker?

An operational worker is often mistakenly thought of as a policeman, firefighters, postmen, etc. Operational workers are in all types of industries, from retail to manufacturing, healthcare, sports, public schools, agriculture and many more. Broadly speaking, they can be defined as workers who are paid per hour worked and who carry out tasks that require their physical presence.

What is operational recruitment?

Recruiting operational roles is a complex process that consists of finding the right places where candidates are looking for work and then searching for the candidates who will be suitable for the required position. In each case, tests will be carried out looking for certain characteristics:

• Skills or certifications that qualify workers for certain positions
• People who enjoy working in support, customer service, or customer service positions
• People who are aligned with the culture of vacancies

What industries typically hire operational workers?

Practically every industry has some point of contact between the company and the customer. This means that all industries need operational workers. However, in some industries, opportunities are limited. In others, such as the healthcare sector, operational workers make up the majority of the workforce.

Next, we'll look at some industries that typically hire operational workers.

Agriculture

Agriculture is the largest industry globally with about 858 million jobs. In the United States alone, the agricultural industry has 19.7 million jobs. These jobs range from farm labor to food production, food services, leather production and more.

Operational jobs in agriculture

• Farm workers
• Fishermen
• Rangers
• Vendors
• Meat packer

Retail

The retail sector is a large industry that employs 497 million workers globally and between 16 and 17 million workers in the United States. While some are not operational workers (such as accountants or human resources), the vast majority are.

Retail operational jobs

• Cashiers
• Administrative
• Sales
• Customer Care Representatives
• Supervisors of operational workers

Production

This is another important sector that employs 427 million worldwide and between 12 and 13 million people in the United States.

Operational jobs in production

• Productive workers
• Inspectors, classifiers and quality control professionals
• Machinists
• Purchasing agents
• Assemblers

Construction

Construction includes a wide range of workers, from the person who fixes a water leak to the workers who build skyscrapers. In 2022, BLS statistics show that this sector employs close to 7.7 million workers in the United States and there are about 265 million construction workers in the world.

Operational jobs in construction

• Obreros
• Major Master of Works
• Operators
• Engineers
• Carpenters
• Plumbers
• Electricians

Education

Education includes several subcategories that support students of all types. For example, librarians are operational workers in this industry. There are also a wide range of teaching positions, from entry-level to adult education. Each school district has operational workers who support the sector such as counselors, student service workers, substitute teachers, cooks and managers who work during the school year.

This sector employs about 226 million people worldwide and 1.7 million in the United States.

Operational jobs in education

• Preschool, Primary, and Secondary Teachers
• Higher education
• Tutors
• Librarians
• Physical education teachers
• Helpers
• Support employees including managers, cooks, counselors, etc.

Salud

The health sector is interesting: globally it is one of the sectors with the least operational workers, employing only 148 million people. But in the United States, the healthcare industry is huge, practically the largest in operational jobs. According to data from the most recent census in the United States, 20 million people work in health and social assistance.

Operational jobs in healthcare

• Doctors
• Nurses
• Dentists
• Paramedics
• Clinical Laboratory Technicians
• Ophthalmologists
• Mental Health Therapists
• Masseurs
• Midwives
• First Aid Workers
• Surgeons
• Veterinarians

Gastronomy

Gastronomy is another sector comprised of a large majority of operational workers. Globally, nearly 122 million people work in this industry. In the United States, about 11 million people They work in restaurants.

Operational jobs in gastronomy

• Waiters
• Receptionists
• Chefs
• Kitchen assistants
• Supervisors

Key elements for operational recruitment

We seek to fill vacancies as efficiently as possible. The following guide highlights the keys to success.

Quality experience for the candidate

Not all companies prioritize providing a great experience for candidates, but you should. A great experience increases the reputation of the employing brand and encourages your future employees to be successful. Start the recruitment process on the right foot and you'll attract the best talent.

The following three elements are critical to providing a good recruitment experience:

Velocidad

A quick recruitment process makes your vacancy more attractive. No one wants to wait days or weeks after completing an online request to receive a response. If your recruitment process is slow, you could lose good candidates to the competition. In a survey conducted by PWC, the 67% of respondents say that slow recruitment processes are the most frustrating part of the job search and lead to a bad experience.

Even those who are looking for employment while having a job value a fast process. It makes them feel valued and not like just another number among so many candidates.

Efficiency

Efficiency is all about making a good impression. A disordered and disorganized recruitment process speaks of a company where chaos is the norm. Candidates tend to withdraw their applications from companies with inefficient recruitment processes and focus their energy on companies with efficient processes.

Empathy

As we mentioned before, people don't enjoy being treated like a number and the empathy is the key. Recruiting with empathy means providing a personalized experience in which you fulfill the role of assistant to the recruited person. Answer their questions, send reminders, and do everything you can to offer support.

Automated operational recruitment tools

Automated tools are the key element for successful recruitment because they help facilitate the process by eliminating manual tasks that are tedious for recruiters.

For example, a platform like Emi could help create and automate job postings, monitor social networks, and even facilitate communication with candidates through automated emails for interview dates and times, among other administrative tasks.

The right sources to attract the best talent

Creating a good pool of candidates means being in places where candidates can find you. This means finding the right job sites and job boards.

With 850 million users, LinkedIn is a popular site for job seekers. CompuTrabalho, Indeed and Talenteca can also be useful.

Recruiting on social networks is a trend today. Currently, the 59% of the world's population uses social networks, so posting jobs on sites like Facebook is a good way to find candidates.

A mobile recruitment strategy

El Recruitment and Benchmarking report for 2022 from Appcast shows that 67% of job applications in 2021 were made from mobile devices. It is estimated that this number will grow because it is simple, convenient and attracts candidates. Do you remember that we mentioned that half of the world's population uses social networks? These applications are accessed from mobile devices. To be competitive in the market, you need a mobile-friendly strategy. That is, to provide more information about availability for SMS interviews or messaging applications.

Shorter hiring time

Reducing hiring time means saving money for your company. It also ensures that you can attract the best candidates before they get tired of waiting and looking for other opportunities. Make sure you have the best talent accelerating the training of your employees.

Referral Program

Until a 91% of employers rely on referrals to attract talent. Expanding your referral program is important because it's an incredible way to find new employees. The referral program allows you to ask for references from your best employees, which enables new hires by evaluating fewer candidates.

Improve your operational recruitment process with Emi

Operational workers are the backbone in most industries. Making good hires means a lot of work and having the right tools. Use Emi's tools to filter the right candidates, reduce hiring time and execute tasks associated with the recruitment process.

Start saving costs, streamlining the recruitment process and getting better hires with Emi. Request a demo today.

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