A Growing Labor Shortage
By Lisa Gulland-Nelson, Chief Communications Officer, Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation
With thousands of open jobs in the Fargo-Moorhead region and one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, attracting talent often tops (or nearly tops) the list of challenges for regional companies. Simply put, the region doesn’t have enough people to fill the available jobs. The lack of talent also becomes a barrier to growth for companies. For example, if a company doesn’t have enough people to get the current workload done, the company can’t take on additional work.
And the challenge is expected to get worse in the next decade. According to Lightcast, a leading labor market analytics firm, we are facing an upcoming acceleration of retirements, with fewer workers expected to enter the labor market. That along with other factors, highlights a critical need that will continue to grow.
“It’s actually a global trend where there are fewer and fewer people to do critical work across industries like manufacturing, construction, skilled trades, and healthcare. Our research shows the U.S. is going to see an estimated shortage of 6.2 million workers by 2032,” said Josh Wright, Head of Growth, Lightcast.
In addition to the increasing labor shortage, in Fargo-Moorhead, misperceptions of our region offer an additional challenge to recruitment. Often candidates are surprised at the amenities they can find here, including things like proximity to the many lakes in Minnesota, outdoor activities, or great restaurants.
“Attracting talent to our region is not always easy given the common views on weather, activities, and general stereotypes. Thankfully, the GFMEDC has tools and resources that showcase our vibrant community that we can use to help inform prospective team members about the wealth of opportunities for them both professionally and personally,” said Andy Luikens, Lead Recruiting Program Manager, RDO Equipment Co.
Responding to the Workforce Challenge
In answer to the workforce challenges facing our region, the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation (GFMEDC) has been supporting companies with their talent attraction efforts for more than 20 years.
Starting in 2023, thanks to a series of grants from the State of North Dakota, the GFMEDC launched a series of targeted talent attraction marketing campaigns. The organization has been showcasing the unique opportunities and quality of life in the FargoMoorhead region to individuals living in regions across the country where the data shows there is a surplus of candidates who could make more money by moving here (based on the differences in wages and cost of living).
The campaign goals are to change perceptions and attract talent to the region. By leveraging compelling storytelling, strategic digital marketing, and personalized engagement, the campaigns have been effectively highlighting the region’s strong job market, vibrant community, and amenities. Along with changing perceptions, the campaign aims to make it easier for companies trying to attract talent to the region. The campaigns running through the GFMEDC can help educate those potential candidates about what the region offers, therefore supporting regional companies when they market their jobs.
Cutting Through the Noise, Gaining Attention
Overall, the campaigns have garnered 24 million impressions (exposures to ads), more than 135,000 users to the Live in FM Area website, and a database of 20K individuals who are interested in learning more about the region. The campaigns support brand building as the organization tells our region’s story and works alongside regional companies to recruit talent to the region.
The results demonstrate that the campaigns have cut through the noise, connecting with the right audience. Fargo-Moorhead’s appeal resonates with people in targeted markets, especially when showcasing the strong job opportunities and quality of life available in the region.
One of the campaigns garnered a lot of attention by offering two separate “FM Weekend Getaway” prize packages that provided a weekend of fun in Fargo-Moorhead.
The campaign, focused on attracting alumni back to the region, pulled in close to 20,000 visitors who signed up for a chance to win one of the prize packages.
“What an amazing giveaway- my husband and I are so excited to go back to Fargo for a weekend and visit all of our favorite spots from college together this summer. We graduated in 2020, so visiting the new Brewhalla will be our first stop. Thank you!”
In addition, the GFMEDC conducted follow-up surveys of roughly 10,000 people in the database, gathering more information about their preferences and habits.
Survey Responses Provide Valuable Insights:
66 % have never lived in Fargo
58% have some tie to the FM Region, either family, friends or both
83% are either likely to consider moving to a different city or are already thinking about it
The top three features that would motivate respondents when considering relocation were:
74 % Quality of life
69% Lower cost of living
67% Job opportunities
The information will inform future campaigns and any communications.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the chance to return to our hometown. This means more than just a trip— it’s a journey back to our roots, our memories, our friends, our family, and the place that shaped who we are. Thank you for making this homecoming possible!”
It Takes a Community
As the fight for talent intensifies, communities that can align to build a more attractive and engaging community and collaborate on efforts to attract, develop, and retain talent will be better positioned to win the talent war.
Evidence of collaboration is peppered across the Fargo-Moorhead region. The region boasts a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, solid education industry partnerships, and many engaging events that foster a stronger sense of community and belonging. Organizations and businesses are continuously partnering on events and programs that enhance the community. A great example is Folkways, an organization dedicated to creating experiences that support a stronger culture and increased belonging. Folkways regularly organizes and hosts events like the Red River Market and the Night Bazaar.
“Strong communities attract and keep great people. In Fargo-Moorhead, that’s exactly what sets us apart. People are often surprised by the deep sense of connection here, thanks to a culture of collaboration and a network of partners working together to help everyone feel at home,” said Tifanie Gelinske, Sr. VP Workforce Development, GFMEDC.
No better proof of that than a recent ranking by WalletHub which ranked Fargo as the number two least stressed city in the country. The study analyzed 182 cities based on stress factors like work, finances, family life, and health/safety, and Fargo stood out with one of the lowest overall stress scores in the nation.
While the region boasts many examples of collaboration, continued focus on enhancing the region to attract and retain talent will solidify long-term success.
“Alignment is so critical here, alignment around partners, alignment around key data to understand what the most indemand roles are that we need to fill. You have a huge opportunity for this region to vault forward. If we look back to this moment in five ten years, you have an opportunity to say we went on a whole new trajectory; we’re growing, we have a lot of opportunity and we seized that opportunity and really, really took this region out to a whole new level,” said Josh Wright, Head of Growth, Lightcast.
As the increased labor shortages demand more innovative solutions from communities across the nation, the strength of the FM Region’s collaborations and its ability to creatively solve the workforce challenges facing companies will mean success or failure as we face this looming crisis.
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