Changing Outlook of the American Workforce
July 25 2003
Around forty per cent of US workers would like to leave their jobs for new opportunities in the next 12 months, despite the troubled national economy and a difficult employment market, according to the 2003 Spherion Emerging Workforce Study.
The study is conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Spherion Corporation and reveals a surprisingly confident workforce poised to seek new jobs as soon as opportunities arise:
- 52 percent of survey respondents indicated a desire to change jobs. Of these, 46 percent talk about doing so within the next six months and 75 percent within the next 12 months.
- 54 percent of survey respondents indicated growing confidence in their ability to earn a stable income outside the conventional work structure.
- 86 percent of workers cite work fulfilment and work/life balance as their number one career priority; conversely, only 35 percent of workers said being successful at work and moving up the ladder were their top priorities.
The Study is the third in a series investigating changes in the American workforce in the context of ongoing social and economic events. Previous studies were conducted in 1997 and 1999 and revealed the emergence of a new breed of employees, tagged the 'Emergent Workforce'.
Emergent workers are distinguished by a set of workplace values and expectations that vary drastically from the traditional. They tend to feel more in control of their careers and want an employer that rewards them based on performance, whereas 'traditional' workers believe that an employer is responsible for providing a clear career path and, in return, deserves an employee's long-term commitment. Nearly half of the American workforce is now classified as 'migrating' from a traditional mindset to an emergent mindset, and by 2007, Spherion predicts that the emergent population will represent more than half of the U.S. workforce, with a traditional workforce of only eight percent.
The survey also suggests that employees are placing greater priority on family. Ninety-six percent are attracted to employers who offer ways for them to make time for personal responsibilities and personal development such as flex-time, job sharing and telecommuting, but most employees work for employers that don't offer such work/life balance options.
Robert Morgan, president of Spherion employment solutions, says that 'Despite the current economic downturn - or perhaps because of it - more and more workers are self-motivated, taking charge of their own careers and searching for a balance between life and work. Today's employees are more receptive to working outside conventional employment structures through alternatives such as contract, temporary or consulting arrangements.
'The unprecedented confidence and expectations of employees are consistent with trends we have tracked since 1997. The strengthening of these trends, even in a continuing economic downturn is proof positive that we've entered a new era'.
The Study was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Spherion Corporation, among a statistically valid national sample of 500 telephone and 2,778 respondents interviewed online. Respondents were aged 18+ and working 30+ hours a week. The latest of the 3 polls was conducted the week of July 7, 2003. Spherion Corporation provides recruitment, technology and outsourcing services in North America, Central America, Europe and Asia/Pacific
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there were 111,832,000 full-time U.S. workers in 2001. The Saratoga Institute estimates (2002) that average cost of staff turnover is 1.5 times the annual salary of a replaced worker, or $55,977 per employee.
All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.
