business services

Business Owners Caution Former Students of Competitive Market

Latest Results from The Harris Poll

OKLAHOMA CITY — American employers continue to show interest in hiring college graduates with more than half (55%) planning to hire recent alumni, a positive trend over the past few years, aside from a dip in the first half of 2023.

This is according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey in which companies also outlined other in-demand demographic segments and industries.

In addition to college graduates, hiring managers say they plan to employ college students (41%), vocational/career tech graduates (37%), high school students (23%) and adults with a disability (21%). Fewer companies plan to hire immigrant workers in 2024 (19%) — lower than the first half of 2023 (23%) and the second half of 2022 (24%).

Some also plan to hire retirees (16%), migrant workers (15%) or justice-involved individuals (13%).

Laborers Needed, Full-Time Employee Demand Surges

Businesses are also looking to hire employees in many key departments in 2024, most commonly in general labor (28%), customer service (27%), sales (27%) and IT/technology support (26%).

Interest in hiring specifically for IT/technology support has increased since the second half of 2022 (26% in the second half of 2023 vs. 23% in the second half of 2022).

The majority of hiring managers (86%) report their company plans to hire full-time employees, either hourly (61%) or salaried (52%) this year, with interest in this group the highest it’s been since the survey began in 2020.

Hiring Landscape

“There are a lot of jobs out there, but it is much harder to land them than in the previous two years,” said Jake Domer, Senior Vice President of the Specialized Recruiting Group. “Graduates will have to be more deliberate, strategic and work hard — but the opportunities are there.”

He adds that overall hiring is still good for college graduates, however, the market has become more competitive and constrained towards proven skills vs. education.

In West Virginia, Express franchise owner Chad Drainer says his market has tightened, and it’s a tough one for college grads to dive into.

“I believe the market is worse than previous years because of concerns with the economy,” he said. “Many companies have tightened their budgets. When they are hiring, they are looking for more experience.”

When alumni start the job hunt, Domer says demand will always be there for the healthcare industry, while Drainer encourages them to consider an additional avenue.

“I believe the best opportunity for college grads is in any sales capacity, whether that is insurance, marketing, advertising sales or staffing,” he said. “Most companies are more willing to hire the right attitude and drive and are willing to train a salesperson.”

Workforce Prep Starts Now

To future graduates, Drainer encourages them to be open to new opportunities to gain experience.

“The perfect position may not be readily available after graduation,” he said. “Take a position to continue to sharpen skills and gain work-related experience.”

Workforce prep is a subject dear to Domer’s heart as he prepares his daughter to graduate college in a few years. For college seniors, he suggests:

• Don’t get caught up in the “down” narrative. There is still a significant labor shortage at all levels, and this is only getting worse with the rate of retirement of boomers and the historically low birth rates in the U.S.
• Get out and meet employers face-to-face. Don’t rely on a “post and pray” approach of submitting online applications only.
• Make sure your social presence is professional. Everyone will look at least, if not further, at LinkedIn, Instagram and other platforms.
• Internships are critical to giving students a real-world perspective.
• Use expanded networking and mentorship opportunities offered by colleges.
• Utilize reputable and reliable recruiters, such as ones available through staffing agencies, to avoid falling for “unicorn” job posts that are scams.

“I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2024 and a warm welcome to the workforce,” said Bill Stoller, CEO of Express Employment International. “While many things have changed since my college graduation years ago, a diligent work ethic and dedication to lifelong learning remains a cornerstone of career success. If you’re prepared to do the hard work of investing in yourself, the road ahead is paved with endless opportunities.”

Survey Methodology
The Job Insights survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Oct. 31 and Nov. 10, 2023, among 1,007 U.S. hiring decision-makers.

For full survey methodologies, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

Health Issues, Caregiving and Schooling Acceptable 

Latest Results from The Harris Poll

OKLAHOMA CITY — Although sizable unexplained work gaps (36%) may deter some U.S. hiring managers from interviewing applicants, an overwhelming majority (95%) of decision-makers recognize valid reasons for such interruptions.

This is according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.

1 in 3 Delaying Family Plans

Latest Results from The Harris Poll

OKLAHOMA CITY — A lack of work/life balance is impacting job seekers in a very personal way as one-third of employed U.S. job seekers (34%) report having to put starting a family on hold due to a lack of work/life balance. And nearly 3 in 5 (59%) say it’s essential that their future company prioritizes work/life balance as they look to start a family.

This is according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.

“From what I’ve seen, a generational focus shift is happening for many after seeing their parents devoted to work at the expense of their private lives and family time,” said John Roller, an Express franchise owner in New Hampshire. “As a result, there is less of a desire to start families altogether, with many choosing to delay until ‘everything is in place’.”

Across the country in California, fellow Express franchisee Neil McMillian adds that with so many couples having to work to earn enough for a reasonably comfortable life, it’s not surprising that work/life balance is a priority for job seekers.

“However, maybe a work/life ‘harmony’ or ‘integration’ would be a better description of what companies and employees should be looking to achieve in the future,” he said. “Work/life ‘balance’ implies or suggests the two are competing priorities rather than being complementary priorities.”

Creative Benefit Offerings

In a tight labor market, companies are having to meet candidates half (or all the) way on benefits, and Roller said several of his clients have “bent over backward to retain employees who have dealt with personal issues,” including:

• Lending an employee a truck so he could get to work when he was evicted from his apartment.
• Picking up and driving an employee to work each day when his car was being repaired.
• Creating a special shift so an employee could take his child to school every day.

Kim Sullivan, an Express franchise owner in Wisconsin, attributes the rise of job seekers delaying families to the rising cost of childcare and says businesses can do more to help shoulder the burden.

“Childcare is expensive and can be difficult to find, so yes, it doesn’t surprise me that people would have to really think through when the best time is to start a family,” she said. “One way a company could improve work/life balance is provide on-site daycares, more part-time employment and more job sharing. Perhaps also offer paid time off in smaller increments than whole or half days.”

Impact on Recruiting and Retention

Failing to offer flexible arrangements or other means of achieving work/life balance can harm a company’s ability to recruit and retain candidates, ultimately affecting the bottom line.

“We hear from a lot of candidates who are looking to work remotely or have the option to work some days remotely,” Sullivan said. “They will turn down opportunities that require on-site attendance 100% of the time.”

With more than 40 years of experience in human resources, Roller said he has implemented many programs in the past that focus on improving work/life balance for employees.

“These types of programs are now becoming less of a request and more of an expectation,” he said.

As with any other segment of the workforce, embracing working parents is crucial for businesses, according to Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller.

“It’s evident from this survey that job seekers are feeling forced to choose between their careers and home lives,” he said. “A little bit of creative flexibility can help attract and retain top talent for skills that are desperately needed.”

Survey Methodology
The Job Seeker Report was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from Nov. 9 to 26, 2023, among 1,002 adults ages 18 and older.

For full survey methodologies, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

However, Offering All Desired Benefits Impossible

Latest Results from The Harris Poll

OKLAHOMA CITY — Offering all the benefits employees want is seemingly impossible, according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey. However, companies appear tuned in to the advantages benefits may provide — including attracting and retaining employees, as well as potentially easing turnover rates.

Nearly half of U.S. hiring managers (48%) report more employees at their company have asked for better benefits this year, compared to last year, because of an increase in the cost of living. But delivering on this expectation may not be possible for all. Two-thirds feel it’s impossible to offer all the benefits employees want now (66%).

While half of hiring managers (50%) anticipate their company’s traditional benefits will remain the same next year, it appears some companies are trying to meet the demands. More than 2 in 5 (42%) report their company plans to increase benefits in 2024 — up from the second half of 2022, where 37% planned to increased benefits in 2023.

Seventy percent of hiring managers say their company has modified benefits specifically in the hopes of retaining current employees or attracting new ones.

Around 3 in 10 report they have offered cost of living raises (31%) and/or increased the amount of paid time off offered to employees (27%). Others say their company has offered customizable benefits packages (21%), offered additional healthcare incentives such as a gym membership or mental health resources (21%) and/or increased the amount of sick leave available (21%).

These modifications may even help to alleviate turnover, as better benefits and perks being offered at other companies are thought to be contributing to employees’ desire to look elsewhere for employment.

Reducing Benefits

As the labor market has softened and employment costs have soared, Express experts across the country said clients are pulling back on the generous benefits that were extended not too long ago.

“Clients have stepped back from attendance awards, retention bonuses and even referral bonuses,” said Nancy Reed, Express franchise owner in Texas. “They don’t think they need to be offering so many bonuses now that there are more people available seeking employment.”

Companies were forced to be creative with retention efforts coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic due to record unemployment, and Express franchise owner Alyssa Chumbley in Indiana cites examples such as an onsite meal service, 30-minute arrival grace windows, shorter shifts and money for “shout-out” appreciation gift cards given between coworkers.

“The creativity of benefit options has dwindled, and the extension of offerings are less abundant,” Chumbley said. “However, flexibility in screening and onboarding, in addition to schedule flexibility once hired, continues to be apparent in order to retain employees.”

Despite the availability of more workers in the current labor pool, continuing to shape a healthy company culture should be top of mind for business owners to avoid affecting the bottom line.

“Turnover can cost as much as up to 150% of the departing employee’s salary, not to mention the strain on the remaining staff,” said Bill Stoller, Express Employment International CEO. “It’s not feasible to offer every desired benefit but choose the ones that resonate the most with your workforce. Investing in people is what makes them stay.”

Survey Methodology
The Job Insights survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Oct. 31 and Nov. 10, 2023, among 1,007 U.S. hiring decision-makers.

For full survey methodologies, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

Unprofessional Behavior Likely to Cost Offers Latest Results from The Harris Poll

OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite expecting professionalism in interviews, U.S. hiring managers say they’ve seen it all from candidates — and job seekers report they have a few wild stories to tell about recruiters, too.

This is according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.

National Broadcast Hosted by Express Employment Professionals

OKLAHOMA CITY — Hear from top industry leaders in staffing and market research in the latest virtual installment of ExpressTalks: Equipping Business Leaders for the Year Ahead on Tuesday, March 26.

Participants will hear from experts Sheena Hollander, International Spokesperson, Director of Corporate Communications & PR at Express Employment International, and Latoya Welch, Vice President, Research for Public Release for The Harris Poll, as they take a deep dive into hiring decision-maker and job seeker survey data that reveals challenges for the months ahead, but also several opportunities.

The free, one-hour webinar starts at 11:30 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, March 26, and attendees can register online at ExpressPros.com/ExpressTalks.

Come away with data-driven knowledge to:

• Create experiences employees need and expect from their employers
• Ideate sustainable benefits that positively impact your organization
• Mitigate unexpected turnover and initiate practices to retain skilled staff

About the Experts

Hollander boasts a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication and Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma and began her career at the United Way of Central Oklahoma. Building on her business development, operational management and communications expertise, she transitioned to Ackerman McQueen, a national advertising and media agency, serving as Vice President in the Office of the Chief Operating Officer where she worked on matters related to business operations, strategic and crisis communications, client relations, new business outreach and personnel with various national clients.

At Express, Hollander manages the Corporate Communications Team, overseeing media relations, social media/branding, external communications, crisis management and community relations efforts for nearly 900 franchise locations globally.

Fellow presenter Welch has provided market research and consulting services to her clients for more than 15 years and has worked at The Harris Poll since 2014. As a Vice President on the Research for Public Release Team, Welch provides end-to-end management of quantitative research, offering actionable intelligence and strategic recommendations to help shape her clients’ communication programs.

She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics with a dual concentration in Marketing and Communication from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Welch also earned a Master of Arts degree in Communication Management from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California.

Prior to joining The Harris Poll, she worked in the research arm of several well-known public relations agencies, including Edelman, Ogilvy and MSLGROUP.

“Our longtime partnership with The Harris Poll has proven to be invaluable, providing real-time feedback from both hiring managers and job seekers that paints a more complete picture of the workforce,” said Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller. “Armed with this data and insight from our expert speakers, leaders can feel confident about implementing relevant takeaways at their businesses and organizations.”

This program has been approved for 1 HR credit hour with SHRM, HRCI, HRPA and CPHR.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

Demonstrating Passion for the Role Key for Job Seekers Latest Results from The Harris Poll

OKLAHOMA CITY — As companies receive applications, information and candidates may blend — but U.S. hiring managers say certain factors can help prospective employees stand out.

This is according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.

Demonstrating passion for the role (52%), quantifying their achievements (43%) and showing that they’ve researched the company (43%) are among hiring managers’ top methods for a candidate to stand out to their company.

Having a personal referral from someone who works at the company (38%), showing their creativity (36%) and keeping the resume short/concise (36%) may also be beneficial.

Beyond Tangible Qualifications

About half of job seekers believe, to a company, dependability (52%) and work ethic (49%) are absolutely essential skills/traits for a candidate to possess when applying for a job.

At least 2 in 5 also believe communications skills (45%), ability to work well in a team (43%), willingness to learn (43%) and time management skills (40%) are also absolutely essential.

Perhaps a sign of a shift in the generational workforce, Millennials, Gen X and boomers/seniors are more likely to consider dependability absolutely essential compared to Gen Z (50%, 58%, 64% vs. 29%). However, Gen Z is far more likely to consider problem-solving skills absolutely essential compared to Millennials and Gen X (56% vs. 38%, 36%).

Distinguished From the Competition 

As U.S. job seekers consider which skills/traits may be important to have, they also think about the ways to stand out when applying to a job.

Nearly half of U.S. job seekers say that demonstrating passion for the role (48%) or quantifying achievements (48%) will make them stand out.

At least one-third also believe that keeping their resume short/concise (38%) or showing their creativity (33%) will separate them from the competition.

No more than 3 in 10 believe reaching out to the company (30%), having a visually appealing resume (30%), including links to relevant work (26%), including contact information upfront (23%), connecting on social media (15%) or including a photo (13%) would be beneficial.

Women are more likely than men to believe that demonstrating passion for the role (56% vs. 43%), showing they’ve researched the company (49% vs. 40%), having a personal referral from someone who works at the company (49% vs. 37%) or including a cover letter with the application (38% vs. 25%) would help them stand out.

“In the competitive landscape of job interviews, it is vital for candidates to grasp the importance of standing out,” said Bill Stoller, Express Employment International CEO. “It is not merely about meeting basic qualifications, but surpassing expectations with distinct strengths and qualities that make a lasting impact.”

Survey Methodology

The Job Insights survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Oct. 31 and Nov. 10, 2023, among 1,007 U.S. hiring decision-makers.

The Job Seeker Report was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from November 9 to 26, 2023, among 1,002 adults ages 18 and older.

For full survey methodologies, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.