MONDAY, Sept. 11, 2006, 11:19 a.m. –
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Business Watch
By Joel Dresang 

More than half of the companies surveyed by a Brookfield-based staffing company say they’re finding it difficult to find qualified or reliable employees, according to a report released this morning by QPS Companies Inc.

QPS says 56% of the 300 companies responding say it’s hard to find the help they seek. At the same time, 49% say they’d like to add to their staff, and 57% plan on raising wages.

The survey finds that less than 70% of the respondents — which includes manufacturers, banks, printers, distributors and information technology firms in Wisconsin and northern
Illinois — rely on drug screening and criminal background checks for job candidates. Much less use job-specific skills testing or check academic credentials to help find the right workers.

QPS has a staff of 150 in 18 offices and employs about 3,600 assigned workers each week.