2009 Emerging Workforce Study

Spherion Staffing has sponsored a longitudinal study spanning more than a decade (1997 – 2009) backed by the well known international polling firm Harris Interactive. The economic meltdown of 2008 has been a game changer that will likely have lasting influences on our financial, housing and of course, labor markets. Worker’s opinions about their career and how they fit into the workplace have continued to evolve, and perhaps accelerated by the economic issues we face. How employers attract, cultivate and retain talent in an era where social media, e-recruiting and employer branding are creating shifts in thinking are compounded by the ever dwindling supply of qualified workers from layoffs to retirement of an aging workforce. One thing is clear, key workplace strategies are being rebuilt with a view to an uncertain future.

People are the driving force behind every organization, the essential factor in its success or failure. Why then do so many organizations still adhere to the notion that merely showing up for work means their workers are engaged? Or that a paycheck is enough for employees? The Emerging Workforce Study uncovered two key components crucial to re-engaging and satisfying the existing talent pool: growth opportunities and work/life balance.

An overwhelming majority of workers today prefer a job that allows them to think creatively (95%) and identify new and better ways to do things (88%). Employers seeking profitability leverage should harness workers’ inherent desire towards efficiency and innovation. However, most companies overlook their existing talent base as an answer to the impending labor shortages and knowledge gaps that will surely exist.

Further, the study of more than a decade continues to support the same conclusion: workers want and need work/life balance options that will lead to increased job satisfaction, productivity and retention. Yet, there is an ever widening disconnect between employers and workers with regard to work/life balance programs. This is a damaging mismatch that continuously disaffects retention. By 2015 the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 76% of U.S. jobs will demand highly skilled employees. The emerging workforce, it turns out, is comprised of the most educated, most driven and successful workers the labor market has to offer. These are also the workers to whom work/life balance is very important.

Employees are seeking greater connection to their organization’s mission and alignment of their personal values with those of their employer. As a result, the Emerging Workforce Study found that a company’s clarity and commitment to its mission directly impacts its ability to attract, satisfy and retain worker. To thrive it is increasingly important companies find ways to make those connections, reinforce them and to communicate their commitment through word and deed.