MidwestShoring: What is It & Why is It so Valuable?

It is often said that people from the American Midwest have a work ethic like no other. From coast to coast, people talk about how hard Midwesterners work as if it’s a phenomenon. Funny thing is, those of us from the Midwest don’t think about it as something special or unique – hard work is ingrained in our culture. 

The Midwestern way of life means most people from the heartland get an incredible amount of work done on time, with accuracy, without complaint, and with humility, which has led to a rise in what we at Swip call “MidwestShoring.” This is a recent trend in the software development industry. When hiring, nationwide companies tend to search for and hire Midwest talent first, bringing value to their company culture and their bottom line.

What most people don’t realize is that with Midwest talent comes Midwest pricing. Midwest software development companies are MUCH more affordable than companies from the coasts or large cities, like Silicon Valley.  There is no reason to pay more for a project just because the company is located in a more populated area, especially when Midwest talent rivals those developers.

Midwestern Work Ethic: A Higher Standard

From youngsters, Midwesterners are raised to work until the work is done, stay humble, treat others as we, ourselves, want to be treated, and never stop learning. We learn from example that by working hard, we can achieve whatever we set out to do. Our motto is work hard, play hard!

We pride ourselves on attracting top tier talent from around the country. People who understand what needs to be done, how to do it efficiently, how to be respectful of clients’ budgets, and how to get it done right the first time.

It is uncharacteristic and almost uncomfortable for Midwesterners to not do what we’re supposed to be doing – working toward a goal and using our God-given talents to make great things happen. Being from Illinois, I never thought about our regional work ethic. Working hard is just what we do, no special effort required. However, as discussions of the Midwest’s work ethic increasingly come up on social media and in conversations, I realize there is something to be said about it. 

As early as we can remember, Midwesterners have been taught …

• You can’t take the work out of work, so just do it.
• You can build anything you dream of with hard work.
• Hard work leads to reward. 
• Humility is the best approach.
• Always do what’s right, especially when no one is watching.
• Stay humble.
• Honesty first… always!
• Being nice is not a bad thing.  
• It’s disrespectful to be late; better to be early, just in case.
• Help your neighbor when he or she needs a hand, without expecting payment.
• Care about and take care of the people around you.
• What comes around goes around.
• Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.
• Showing emotions isn’t a weakness, it binds us all together.

Midwestern Workers in Hot Demand Across the Country

A connection shared a story with me the other day about outworking his west-coast counterparts 2-to-1. When his manager found out he was from the Midwest, he simply stated, “Well, that explains it!” 

Another example comes from a friend who migrated to Florida from Michigan and took a sales job. She kept trying to see her clients all day on Fridays, but couldn’t get meetings in the afternoons. She soon learned very few of her clients worked past noon on Fridays (many went to lunch and just didn’t come back) and most didn’t schedule meetings Monday mornings. In her mind, this was a wasted opportunity. She’s now living in Missouri, happily working Friday afternoons and Mondays mornings.

Maybe it’s from the hard work of farming or growing up in rugged, natural conditions, but the Midwest harvests values that have shaped America’s heartland with friendliness and dedication, and now those Midwestern workers and their values are in hot demand by companies across the country. Instead of offshoring talent, especially in technology solutions, companies are now MidwestShoring.

Why MidwestShoring is on the Rise

MidwestShoring is on the rise because employers are having a hard time finding employees and contractors who want to work hard (or work much at all, let alone go above and beyond); those who are adaptable, self-disciplined, innovative, and honest. 

They want people who are willing to get the job done “come hell or high water” (one of many sayings we hear growing up!). Most employers long for employees and contractor-partners with common sense, genuine kindheartedness, and a serious drive to reach goals. Midwesterners offer all of this and more.

The following 10 attributes play a huge role in how Midwest workers’ core values can positively impact an entire company – from being reliable and engaging in teamwork to finishing the project and reducing risk – and why MidwestShoring is creating competition among employers to hire the best of the best.

Midwesterners are …

1. Taught that if you want something, you work for it. No freebies!
2. Happiest when they’re working toward their goals.
3. Genuinely friendly and courteous – they’ll say hi to and smile at strangers and hold the door open for the person behind them.
4. Tough, both emotionally and physically, due to hardcore Midwest living.
5. Not afraid to get their hands dirty or get thrown into the deep end of a project.
6. The first to admit that they don’t know what they don’t know, then be sure to learn it.
7. Used to working on farms, in family businesses, and working from a young age.
8. Educated with excellent degrees from the high concentration of quality Midwest educational institutions.
9. Adaptable and efficient in the most extreme situations.
10. Great communicators who speak a “common” language.

MidwestShoring & Powerful Technology Solutions

Many people around the country believe the Midwest is just a fly-over region, offering nothing but farming. They visualize country folk driving tractors everywhere. This could not be further from the truth. The Midwest has quietly become a hub of brilliant business minds and tech talent. So much so that St. Louis is referred to by some as “the next Silicon Valley.” There are countless investment-grade tech startups and global technology companies with their roots in the St. Louis area, including Square.

The demand is so great for hiring Midwest software developers, coders, business process and robotics automation experts, mobile app and AI specialists, and the like, no matter where you are in the US, it’s a challenge to find these professionals. Our team at Swip Systems, another St. Louis startup from the mid-90s, is a prime example of Midwest tech talent offering powerful technology solutions.

If you have been trying to hire a Midwestern tech expert without results, there is another option. Swip Systems partners with many types of companies to provide outsourced software development and technology solutions. With Swip Systems, you can enjoy the benefits of enhancing your internal team’s skill set with our team’s expertise. We also offer full-scope projects from concept to go-to-market, getting you there faster with more accuracy and less risk.

Swip Systems’ Midwestern team will dig into your technology to identify the most ideal solutions for your needs. We work hard five days a week or more, always do the right thing for everyone concerned, and help you reach your goals with the utmost efficiency.

The Bottom Line … Midwestern Work Ethic Leads to MidwestShoring for Employees & Contractors

The Midwestern work ethic and the traditional values of those who are raised, educated, and working hard in the Midwest have led to MidwestShoring – a nationwide demand for employees and contractors from the heartland. 

Companies from coast-to-coast realize the benefit of having Midwestern talent on their teams and are MidwestShoring for everything from manual labor, trade skills, and emergency workers to management, technology, and business development. 

The Swip Systems team is proud to be from the Midwest, located in the greater St. Louis area, and always ready to serve our nationwide and international clients. 

Let’s Have a Friendly, Midwestern Conversation

If you’re ready to find out first-hand what MidwestShoring for powerful technology solutions is all about, then Swip Systems is the right choice for you. We would love to show you how easy and welcoming it is to work with us Midwesterners.

Let us know how we can help! Simply reach out and schedule an exploratory conversation about your business technology needs or ideas. We look forward to meeting you… 877.377.SWIP