In a recent Pop-up Poll conducted by Women In Optometry and Vision Monday, 86 percent of respondents said that staffing is more difficult now than it was prior to COVID-19. Just more than 11 percent said the challenge of finding great staff is about the same, and 2 percent said it has become easier.

The demand for staff is being felt by most respondents, with only 9 percent reporting that they currently have no job openings in their businesses. The plurality, 43 percent, said that they have two-to-three positions open for full-time employees right now. Another 34 percent said they have one full-time slot open, and 6 percent each said that they are currently looking to fill four-to-five full-time positions and more than six positions.

Positions are available across the board, with the largest demand for opticians, reception staff and ophthalmic techs, followed by ODs.

By far, the top choice for recruiting by most people was a general job-posting site, like Indeed, Monster or Zip Recruiter, with 84 percent of respondents saying this was a top choice. Respondents could select more than one option. The next most popular choice for recruiting is asking current employees for recommendations (46 percent). Social media sites like Facebook (23 percent) and LinkedIn (18 percent) were also popular.

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