*Secondary Locations in Davenport, IA; Columbus, OH; Washington, DC; Tampa, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Raleigh, NC.
The job market hasn’t been easy to navigate over this last year. Companies have felt the recent pressures as employees quickly shift jobs and reevaluate what is most important to them in their employer. Last December 2020, ICONMA shared a poll on LinkedIn that surveyed the Most Important Qualities in a New Employer. Later on, in 2021, we reposted the same survey to determine how much our employees’ priorities have shifted over a year of ups and downs.
The poll results did not change drastically, as over 60% of the voters said sustainability at a company is most important to them both times ICONMA shared the survey. Working for a stable company during the COVID-19 era meant that you were fortunate enough not to become laid off or receive a pay cut in 2020. ICONMA preserved during the hardships the pandemic brought on the workforce by creating new service offerings, remaining loyal to their staff, and avoiding significant layoffs.
Over 20% of voters said that work-life balance was most important to them in a new employer. This could mean anything from employers promoting a healthy lifestyle, flexibility and providing the option to work from home. However, some industries can be more accommodating to a flexible work schedule than other career paths. However, there are still ways managers can support a healthy work environment, no matter what industry. An excellent place to start is by checking in on your employee’s workload regularly, encouraging them to take lunch breaks and vacation time.
Companies have been using a variety of techniques to retain their employees. Investing in career development, training opportunities, encouraging work-life balance, and even raising compensation. These are just a few of the many new incentives that businesses use today to hire and retain talent. However, from our survey, we received insight that it is not all about compensation, and the workforce is more interested in working for a secure and stable company.
Job security isn’t just beneficial for employees; it’s critical to business success as well. Secure employees will spend less time worrying about their job security or stressing how they will pay the bills. Turnover can be costly, as research suggests that direct replacement costs can reach as high as 50%-60% of an employee’s annual salary, with total costs associated with turnover ranging from 90% to 200% of the annual wage. This is one of the many reasons sustainability is currently so important to both the organization and its employees
The Department of Labor recently reported that there are there “8.7 million potential workers who
have been looking for jobs and are counted among the unemployed.” If you or someone you know is looking for a great new career at a company that is serious about investing in its employees? Check out our listings across the country on the ICONMA Job Portal. We have many internal openings in sales, account management, recruiting, and more.
October 18, 2021