Combatting The National Teacher Shortage

The national teacher shortage the country is facing is well known by now, and many states are scrambling to find ways to fight it, New Jersey included. Some states, like California and Arizona for example, have resorted to lowering the barrier to entry for teachers, including removing testing requirements or even no longer requiring a college degree. While strategies like these may get more teachers in the door, they don’t address the fundamental problems which are driving teacher shortages, such as a lack of young teachers applying.

Here in New Jersey, school districts are facing that exact issue. Some school districts in New Jersey have a reputation of being unwelcoming to new teachers fresh out of college, as well as younger teachers as a whole. According to a report from NJ.com, younger teachers face an uphill battle when starting out their careers in NJ schools. For example, some NJ schools are limited by inflexible employment options which favor seniority over merit/talent. This is a major issue, as studies show younger teachers favor job mobility and flexibility over stability. Some NJ school districts will take away a teacher’s tenure rights and even pay status if they switch jobs, discouraging mobility.

Furthermore, younger teachers tend to have a decent amount taken out of their paychecks. According to the Sunlight Policy Center, new teachers are forced to join the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and an NJ state pension plan, which combined take away around 11% of their pay each year. And when pay increases do occur, they usually favor older teachers and seniority rather than potentially younger teachers who have more talent.

Some of these issues may discourage younger talent from applying to certain school districts. Here are some tips that come from the Sunlight Policy Center and educators themselves that can help schools across the country improve their teacher recruitment:

  • Make teaching more open to new teachers and college graduates, who favor mobility and career ladders over stability. You can also amend current policies which could potentially discourage newer teachers from applying.
  • Offer more competitive benefits packages and salaries to incentivize teachers to apply.
  • Explore options under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to see if you can provide your school with more/better resources to attract and retain teachers.
  • Offer professional development opportunities to teachers to help them refine their skills, such as workshops, seminars, and more. This could be a big selling point to younger teachers.
  • Go to colleges where soon-to-be graduating teachers will be leaving and looking for work. This is a good place to find talent. For example, handing out flyers and pamphlets at teacher fairs or giving them to career advisors at universities can help boost recruitment efforts.
  • Reach out to old teachers who may have left for a specific reason, and see if they would be interested in coming back. Sometimes teachers leave for a very specific reason, such as having a conflict with a certain administrator. Check in on them and see how they’re doing. Even if they’re not interested in coming back, they may have friends who are looking for work and seek them out.
  • Job boards are a great way to attract candidates who wouldn’t normally be able to attend the local job fair. They greatly extend your recruitment reach.
  • Start the recruitment/hiring process as early as possible. Studies show that schools that start earlier often receive more qualified candidates.

Schools in New Jersey, as well as across the country, are facing teaching shortages that threaten their ability to provide quality education to their students. Instead of using strategies that may only address the surface of the problem, schools should be focusing on methods that will tackle the problem on a fundamental level.

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a long-standing, woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey. We have a vast amount of experience in the education space, working with hundreds of private, public, and charter schools across the country to recruit both students and faculty. 

Tips for the Upcoming School Year

We’re in the last few weeks of summer, and preparations for the new school year are ramping up. And it’s not just students going back-to-school shopping. Teachers too are planning out their lesson plans and schedules. Whether you’re going back to the same school or applying to a new one, here are some tips that teachers can use to help prepare themselves for the new school year:

  • Don’t just be a teacher. Be a learner as well. Go over the last school year to see what worked and what didn’t. Did a certain lesson plan go over really well with the students? Bring that over to this year. Did students struggle with a certain chapter of the textbook? Maybe revise that for this year so the information is conveyed better.
  • Being a learner also includes being a student yourself. Consider exploring professional development options, such as webinars, online courses, and more. Your school may even offer development opportunities themselves. Developing yourself professionally will allow you to improve your skills and talents even further, making you a more valuable teacher and job candidate.
  • Know how you’re going to communicate with parents, students, and colleagues. Being prepared with all the proper technology and apps is crucial to effective communication. Does your school use Google Classroom, Zoom, or something else entirely? Find that out now and make the necessary preparations to get these set up so they’re ready on the first day of school.
  • Set defined goals for yourself for the upcoming school year. Planning out how you want to change or improve gives you something to work towards. Make sure the goals you set are specific and achievable. Vague or abstract goals will only confuse you and not give you a clear path to achieve them.
  • If you’re applying to a new school, make sure your resume is updated with all the new relevant skills that will make you stand out and be competitive. Did you teach a remote class during the pandemic? Put that on there. Being digitally savvy as a teacher has become more important than ever with the increased demand for remote/virtual learning. If you recorded some of these lessons, include them in your portfolio to show schools the lessons you taught.
  • Be willing to work as a guest teacher or substitute. If you’re just starting out, taking smaller positions such as these will give you valuable classroom experience, and allow you to network.
  • Use job boards to find job openings you may not have found on your own. They can greatly expand your job search and allow you to apply to even more schools.

The start of a new school year is always an exciting time. Not just for the students, however, but for teachers too. Teachers get to resume teaching, meet new classes, and have the opportunity to revise and improve their skills further. Follow these tips to get started on the right foot and have a successful year!

 

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a long-standing, woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey. We have a vast amount of experience in the education space, working with hundreds of private, public, and charter schools across the country to recruit both students and faculty. 

 

So much fanfare over the July Jobs Numbers. Here’s what recruiters need to know.

 

It was the first Friday in August. The time slowly inching its way to 8:30 am. It’s only a few agonizing minutes until the jobs number was to be revealed just as it is the first Friday of every month.

The experts had weighed in with their forecast and were bracing the nation for a disappointing number – having predicted 258,000 jobs. This was a precipitous drop from the 372,000 jobs created in July.

A decline in the jobs created made total sense to SCG.  We have closely tracked layoffs for select industries over the past nine years. Those layoffs have been increasing every month over the past 6 months. Those eventually should be reflected in the unemployment rate. Right?

But then, the Bureau of Labor Statistics threw us all a huge curve. They announced the number for jobs created was over double that the experts had anticipated. It came in at an unbelievable 528,000. That’s more than twice the initial projection.  With 3.5% unemployment.

 

What goes into the Bureau’s calculations?

The report is based on two separate surveys.

The Establishment Survey gathers information from 145,000 nonfarm businesses and government agencies for some 697,000 work sites and about one-third of all payroll workers.

This data estimates the number of people on payrolls in the U.S. economy, the average number of hours they worked weekly, and their average hourly earnings, along with several versions of the unemployment rate.

 

The Household Survey is based on monthly interviews of 60,000 households by the Census Bureau. The participants provide their employment status during the week including the 12th day of the month. The BLS measures unemployment by dividing the total number of unemployed people looking for a job by the total number of individuals in the labor force.

 

Here is the official report based on the July data.

 

As impressive as that number is, we cannot sustain 500,000+ new jobs per month with the 3.5% unemployment. Just not enough talent. That is made even more difficult with the nation’s continually shrinking Employment Participation Rate (the percentage of individuals who are working or actively looking for work).

 

Why is this report essential to recruiters?

SCG sees this information as vital insight into the competitiveness of the recruitment landscape. As the market tightens, recruiters face the need for increased budgets and use of invasive strategies to reach the more plentiful – but less persuadable – passive candidates.

 

For a deeper dive…

Open the July Data link above and scroll to the bottom. You will find access to about 25 in-depth reports.

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey with expertise in recruitment advertising. If you need assistance, contact your Account Manager or visit our website at: SCGADV.COM

Offices: NJ | NY | FL | SD | GA | PA | OH | AZ

recruitment marketing and cats

Recruitment Marketing and Cats

recruitment marketing and cats

Monday, August 8th is International Cat Day!

I was never a cat person. We always had dogs. Then a mama cat gifted me with kittens, twice, and my journey to crazy cat lady began. Don’t worry. We found homes for many and with the support of my favorite vets, we got everyone checked out, vaccinated, and made sure there wouldn’t be more kittens.  Cat behavior is interesting and got me thinking about how it correlates to my recruitment marketing business at SCG.

#1 – Cats are like passive candidates. You can’t force your intentions on them. They have to come to you. If you dangle the right toy/treat/message and wait patiently, they will eventually acknowledge and respond.

#2 – Looks can be deceiving. Our cats are adorable but have a killer instinct, keeping birds, chipmunks, mice, etc. on notice. In recruitment marketing, you need to review resumes carefully and don’t judge too quickly. You also shouldn’t judge on appearance. Some very talented employees may come with tattoos, piercings, or non-traditional hair choices.

#3 – I often find “gifts” from the cats that aren’t necessarily on my wish list. Sometimes it’s about aligning background and experience with the appropriate open requisition and not just judging against the job applied for.

#4 – I’m a morning person. Many of the cats are night prowlers. I try to understand their behavior and adapt accordingly. When hiring for different shifts, think like your candidate. Put your message out on late night radio or tv. It’s usually less expensive than those coveted drive time radio slots or prime time tv. Host a virtual hiring event or just have a chat bot available for questions overnight.

#5 – Like people, cats need to feel welcomed as part of the team. We recently took in a new cat that needed to be rehomed. He hid under the bed for days. Super timid. Then we put a collar on him and his personality dramatically shifted. Suddenly, he engaged with humans and cats alike. It seemed he needed to feel secure in his new home. In recruitment marketing, whether it’s a branded polo shirt, computer bag, coffee mug or something else, welcome new hires with something that says they are part of the team. For those working onsite, also consider a special badge or pin that identifies new hires so that coworkers can spot them and help when they seem lost or might need assistance.

#6 – Every cat has their own language. Who knew…purring is not the official cat language. Some cats vocalize with sounds that are almost words. Our Amelia has a high-pitched trilling meow. Others are almost silent unless they feel threatened and may hiss or growl. Candidates also have different communication styles. In this market, be open to communicating via phone call, email, text…at least in the beginning. Unless it’s critical to the job function, listen to words as much as communication style. Interviewing can be a stressful situation and well qualified candidates may not perform well. When looking for bilingual candidates use bilingual messaging in ethnic media and be mindful of cultural differences/sensitivities.

Catalina is the cat who started it all and is now Queen of the clowder. From a homeless girl in trouble to a beloved family pet who never strays, she’s found her place. May your recruiting journeys be equally rewarding.

Tina Davis

Tina Davis
VP, Account Services
SCG Advertising & PR

Trendwatch

SCG Trendwatch: Recruitment Industry News & Insights – June 2022


Trendwatch







Welcome to your monthly round-up for busy HR professionals. Each month, we share the latest news, strategies, tools and trends affecting the recruitment landscape. Check in each month for the latest updates from all over the web. 

Survey: Half of companies didn’t meet hiring goals last year

Hiring woes have followed employers throughout 2022. At the beginning of the year, local chamber of commerce leaders reported that businesses in their respective regions were struggling to find new workers and that a lack of workers was the biggest factor affecting their local economies.

GoodTime’s report notes the difference between in-office hiring and remote hiring, which may reflect ongoing tensions regarding the choice between moving to a hybrid or fully remote structure versus retaining a mostly in-office workforce.  Read more…

 

Finding it hard to get a new job? Robot recruiters might be to blame

Martin Burch had been working for the Wall Street Journal and its parent company Dow Jones for a few years and was looking for new opportunities. One Sunday in May 2021, he applied for a data analyst position at Bloomberg in London that looked like the perfect fit. He received an immediate response, asking him to take a digital assessment.

It was strange. The assessment showed him different shapes and asked him to figure out the pattern. He started feeling incredulous. “Shouldn’t we be testing my abilities on the job?he asked himself.  Read more…

  

Employers Grapple with Surge in Mental health issues

More employees are struggling with mental health conditions, and, as a result, employers are fielding more requests for accommodations and dealing with increased absenteeism. Pandemic-related stress at work and at home was a significant part of this trend during the last two years.

Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and other nondiscrimination laws, most employers must provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with mental health conditions.  Forty-three percent of employers have seen a spike in reasonable accommodation requests related to mental health since the coronavirus pandemic started, according to a new survey from law firm Fisher Phillips.

“We are seeing an increase of employees requesting remote work or a hybrid schedule to accommodate their anxiety and depression,” said Emily Litzinger, a Fisher Phillips attorney in Louisville, Ky. “Additionally, there have been an uptick of requests relating to bringing an emotional support animal to the workplace to help ease the stress related to in-person work.”   Read more…

  

Candidate Ghosting now #1 Challenge for Talent Acquisition Teams

Candidate ghosting is now the number one challenge for recruiters and TA teams.

That’s the inside scoop from our latest global survey of 375 TA practitioners, which we conducted in partnership with Brazen, a leading virtual hiring event and online career fair platform. Aside from their top challenges, our survey also delved into the activities, tactics, and technologies participants are leveraging to attract and source new talent these days.  Read more…

  

Tech Industry Job Market Drops After Decade-Long Immunity

For the first time in more than a decade, the tech industry doesn’t seem to be immune from the downturn hitting other parts of the economy, reports Bloomberg. Job cuts and a disagreeable investment climate are hitting big companies like Stripe and Instacart, and may affect smaller organizations as the financial damage spreads. Read more…

 

A wave of layoffs is sweeping the US. Here are firms that have announced cuts so far, from Carvana to Wells Fargo

Layoffs are sweeping across American businesses in the first half of 2022.

Peloton has already laid off thousands of employees this year. Online car dealer Carvana slashed 12% of its workforce. Even traditionally layoff-resistant companies like Netflix are making cuts, and now real estate brokerages are cutting hundreds of jobs. Read more…

 

Zoominfo acquires Comparable, provider of culture compensation data

ZoomInfo has acquired the recruitment marketing and employer branding platform Comparably. The company said the transaction is intended to help customers proactively attract and engage talent.

A destination for employee reviews and salary data, Comparably attracts job seekers looking for information on company cultures and employee insights. The platform also provides employers with SaaS solutions to amplify and enhance their employer brand and recruitment marketing. Comparably offers custom content, search engine optimization and media recognition through the company’s Best Places to Work awards. Read more…

Pool Tables & Snack Machines Are Out: Remote Working Is The #1 Perk Employees Want

remote workRemember the days when in-office happy hours and pool tables were the coolest thing employers could offer? It’s 2022 and employers need to find new ways to attract and retain workers in a post-pandemic world. Today, the comfort and convenience of working from home – wearing sweatpants all day and avoiding long commutes – is the top benefit employees value most.

The Covid-19 pandemic showed us that many jobs can be performed from home, and employees aren’t ready to go back into the office. Before Covid (BC), work from home was a nice perk to have, but the standard corporate line was that productivity and collaboration suffered. When we were forced to adapt for our health and safety to maintain operations, we quickly realized that for most office workers who spend the majority of their day on computers or phone calls, we could, and we liked it.

BY THE NUMBERS

Here are some interesting remote work statistics that show us where we are today:

  • 86% of employees want fully remote or remote first work environments (Buffer, 2022)
  • 66% of employers are redesigning their workplaces to accommodate hybrid work arrangement (Microsoft Work Trend Index, March 2021)
  • 58% of currently remote workers would look for a new job if they were required to return to the office full-time. (Robert Half, 2022)
  • 24% of workers would be willing to take a 10-20% pay cut to work remotely (FlexJobs, April 2021).
  • 55% say they work more hours remotely than at the physical office (Owl Labs, 2021)
  • 70% said a permanent remote job would have considerable improvement or positive impact on mental health (FlexJobs, April 2021)

PROS & CONS

Remote working offers many advantages to employees including no long commutes, cost savings, work day structure and geographic location. On the flip side, concerns noted include inability to unplug from work, loneliness, less collaboration with coworkers and needing to schedule everything. Managers are concerned about career progression and mentorship especially with early career and entry level workers.

While come companies like SAP, Spotify, Salesforce, and Twitter have embraced the new normal and adopted permanent fully remote or hybrid work models, according to recent Microsoft survey, half of company leaders already require, or plan to require, that employees return to work full time in the office within the next year. Bank of America announced that as of March 1, 2022 all employees will have to return to the office five days a week. In an effort to ease the transition back, they are trying to make it fun, resorting to lots of staff lunches, birthday cupcakes and creating meetings they hope staff would be interested in.

WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS DO?

In an already tight labor market, employers now need to compete with organizations that offer fully remote or hybrid work models. Remote workers also allow employers to reach a wider talent pool geographically.

For employers who are unable to offer fully remote workplace, it’s time to get creative and find new ways to support employees and their overall well being. Options to consider include:

  1. Hybrid work model. (This can be defined in different ways including custom schedules in and out of the office, required in-person team meetings, etc)
  2. Flexible schedules. (Four day work weeks, flexible start and end times, etc.)
  3. Child care assistance
  4. Commuting incentives
  5. Increased paid time off
  6. Paid family leave
  7. Offering mental health days
  8. Investing in company culture and workplace experience

I was one of those lucky workers who was able to work from home throughout the pandemic. When it was first announced March 2020, I welcomed it, thinking I’d be home for 3 weeks, a month tops. On top of that, I was 7 months pregnant and it was the perfect time to nest. Thanks to my employer’s flexibility, even after my maternity leave ended, I was able to enjoy extra time home with my newborn daughter while balancing my work demands. While it has been a transition returning to the office, I embrace the opportunity to collaborate in person and socialize with my colleagues once again. And to be honest, I’ve never fully gotten used to zoom meetings.

Would I have been able to work remote as my first job out of college? I am so grateful for the mentorship and role models during my first years working. I met some of my best friends that I still have to this day. I would regret not having those opportunities to learn, grow and meet people.

References:

https://www.unum.com/about/newsroom/2020/december/work-perks

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2022/03/31/bank-of-america-exec-on-return-to-office-plan-we.html

https://buffer.com/state-of-remote-work/2022

https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/remote-work-statistics/

Manufacturing Employment. A short history.

There was a time – actually, spanning many decades – when manufacturing led the growth of the world’s largest economy. Back in 1920 approximately 40% of the jobs in the United States were in manufacturing and other blue-collar fields. Today, that figure is only about…wait for it…20%. Quite a fall.

Equally astounding is the fact that manufacturing as a share of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has dwindled from 27% to 12%. It’s no wonder there have been so many layoffs in manufacturing.

What goes up must go down.

Manufacturing employment reached its zenith in June 1979 with 19.6 million jobs. But by June 2019 that had dropped to only 12.8 million – 35% from the peak hit 40 years ago.

Why were there so many job losses?

The reality is that the United States was slowly moving to service-related industries.    Under those circumstances corporations found it more appealing to ship the manufacturing overseas where it was cheaper. Think what impact there was on manufacturing jobs in America when Chinese imports quadrupled from 2001 and 2004.

Also, manufacturing as an industry found they could keep their production up as they became more and more automated. Of course, this meant fewer workers were needed.

40 years of job losses.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the 40-year period from 1979 to 2019 when job losses were steady and as dramatic as the job gains were in the prior 40 years. In 1979 manufacturing captured 22% of the nation’s job market. By 2019 that percentage dropped to only 9 percent. (Yikes!)

During the period 1979 to 2019 manufacturing lost 13% of the total nonfarm job market. Fortunately, those in the job market had adjusted their skills along with the job market (not surprising) and the job gains in the service-providing industries filled the void left by manufacturing.

Manufacturing jobs during the pandemic.

So, how did the pandemic affect manufacturing? Not bad. In comparing February/March 2020 to 2022 employment dropped from only a smidgen from  12,717,000 to 12,657,000. Unemployment fell dramatically from 4.1% to 3.1%. but Job Openings more than doubled at 389,000 to 802,000.

What are the predictions for the future?

Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting mild employment growth in the manufacturing sector. Only about a 5% increase in manufacturing employment in the decade stretching from 2020 to 2030.

It will be interesting to see how accurate that prediction will be. Of course, in the same table, the BLS is showing a small drop in employment in the Federal government. I’ll believe that when I see it. So, we’ll see how the predication for manufacturing plays out.

Energize your Recruitment Efforts

As a woman of a certain age, I’m actively working to slow aging and stay physically fit, looking forward to an active retirement.

A good friend convinced me to join Orangetheory Fitness (OTF). OTF works for me because I get bored easily and no two workouts are quite the same. Our coaches push us through a mix of treadmill, rower and weight floor activities that build strength and endurance.  I often sing, dance and joke through a workout. Today wasn’t one of those days. We ran hills (treadmill elevation) and I was doing okay. No speed records but getting it done. Then the weight floor did me in. As coaches swung by to offer advice and adjust my form, I struggled with arm work using light weights and was left frustrated and discouraged.

A lot of my talent acquisition friends are feeling the same way about Recruiting. They do the work, modify their form and if they are lucky enough to get applications, the candidates ghost the process or don’t make it through, all while employees are leaving out the back door.

There are NOW HIRING signs everywhere you look. So why is recruiting so difficult?

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) allows you to get results faster than working out at a steady moderate pace. We all need to work smarter rather than harder. Progress comes when you push yourself.

  • Are you posting and praying that candidates will see the ad and apply, or actively sourcing?
  • Are you crafting your message and strategy from the perspective of the target audience? You have to understand your target and speak their language.
  • Are you giving them a reason that they should consider working for you? I passed several billboards recently that said JOIN OUR TEAM! and WE’RE HIRING. That’s it. No reason why I should work for that employer? What do you have to offer that another employer doesn’t?
  • Are you creating brand ambassadors within your current employee population by using testimonial videos, social media sharing, and a culture that they want to brag about?
  • Are you taking your message to the candidates in their day-to-day life with Mobile Display Ads, Streaming TV, branded coffee sleeves, text messaging, Pizza Box ads, and more….
  • Are you actively retaining your current employees?

If you didn’t answer yes to every question, you have some work to do. I’d love to help you fill in the gaps and I’d be happy to share an OTF class pass so you can build the strength to continue pushing through. I will be back at it, starting fresh, next week and will running the annual Atlanta Mission 5k tomorrow.

the great resignation

“I Quit!” Are we in the period of The Great Resignation?

the great resignation

It’s spreading through companies faster than the omicron variant. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a record 4.5 million workers who quit their jobs in November 2021. This represents a whopping 3% of the total workforce and a remarkable 37% increase over November 2020. This number (the BLS calls it “quits”) gives credence to those who now say we are in the period of The Great Resignation.

 

As dangerous as that seems to the health of businesses everywhere, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the number of hires outpaces the number of quits. There were 10.6 million job openings at the end of November and 6.9 million unemployed people. My calculator shows 1.5 jobs per unemployment person.

 

So, the nation is flush with jobs but short on candidates willing to fill them.  This gives the American worker great confidence to quit their current job to seek better pay, move to more desirable jobs, or even make a step up the corporate ladder. Nirvana!

 

Calling this The Great Resignation may be a bit misleading. So many envision a mass exodus with those quitting and leaving the workforce to live out their lives on a beautiful tropical island.  The truth is that most are quitting only to stay in the job market but with another employer and – most likely – higher wages and greater opportunity.

 

We can see this in the BLS Participation Rate report which reflects the percentage of the population that is either working or actively looking for work. The rate was dropping precipitously from the pre-pandemic level of 62.6% in March 2020. However, now it is “working” its way back up (pun intended) as it reached 61.8% in November 2021.

 

Industries Most Affected

Leisure and Hospitality                                6.4% quits

Retail Trade                                                    4.4% quits

Professional and Business Services           3.7% quits

Trade, Transportation and Utilities            3.6% quits

Healthcare and Social Assistance               3.0% quits

Click here for a more comprehensive list.

 

To be sure, there is plenty of bad news out there as cash from the government begins to dry up, inflation is proving not to be as transitory as economists first thought as it continues to eat into the sizable wage increases that so many individuals were thrilled to receive. And Covid is still not defeated. But the workforce is still feeling emboldened to say “adios” to their employer for the opportunity to enjoy greener pastures.

SCG Survey

Poll: Employees consider company’s reputation, alignment with their own views more important than higher salary

SCG Survey

Views on vaccine also impactful, says nationwide, online survey of 1,500 adults

WHIPPANY, NJ (Oct. 20, 2021) – A nationwide survey of 1,500 adults indicates that 84.03% of respondents are willing to accept lower financial compensation to work for a company with a stellar reputation. A similar number – 79.59% – say it’s important to have an employer who shares their views. These results – from an SCG Advertising + Public Relations survey – seem to indicate that businesses and other employers ignore employees’ values and perspectives at their own peril.

 

Completed on October 12, 2021, the online poll also looks at vaccine policies, finding that 74.19% of respondents favor a position with a fair salary and vaccine policies they agree with, versus a higher salary and a vaccine policy in contrast to their own beliefs.

 

Full, sortable data from the survey is available here. Also included is a free, interactive white paper that features a downloadable infographic, as well as a “LISTEN” acrostic that can serve as a strong, visual reminder of the value of listening.

 

“It’s crucial that employers consider whether their organization’s beliefs align with those of current and prospective employees,” says Michael Cherenson, executive vice president for SCG Advertising + Public Relations. “The results of our poll are intriguing, and should be particularly resonant at a time when so many companies are struggling to attract and retain talent.”

 

Indicative of how serious workers are about being content with and comfortable in their employment is the most recent JOLTS (Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey) report, which shows that a record 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs during August. It’s a striking figure – which is equivalent to 2.9% of the entire U.S. workforce – and is made even more so by separate, recent research indicating that the actual cost to an organization related to an employee resigning may be as much as 50% of that individual’s annual salary.

 

Click Here For Your Copy Of Our Interactive White Paper

Another example of how important it can be to embrace positions valued by employees is United Airline’s recent decision to require all workers to be vaccinated. The move was extremely popular with candidates for employment, as evidenced by the airline having received 20,000 applications for 2,000 open flight attendant positions. For United, this represents a decidedly accelerated application rate, versus its typical, pre-pandemic ratio.

 

This said, Cherenson also notes that along with employees, business leaders must also assess the perspectives and values of other key stakeholders.

 

“While the survey data indicates the value of aligning policies with employees, organizations also need to be in sync with where their customers, clients, and society at-large stand on core issues,” Cherenson explains. “When there’s any sort of misalignment, an organization needs to work harder and smarter. To be clear, this survey’s results don’t suggest an organization should shrink from its larger obligation related to vaccines and the public health infrastructure, which a majority of Americans support. Rather, it indicates the advisability of organizations communicating as strategically and proactively as possible with their various publics.”

 

Viewing the poll results from a somewhat different perspective, only 7% of those surveyed said they would consistently choose the higher salary in response to all three questions. In other words, more than six in 10 would consistently follow their gut, versus unquestionably choosing the higher salary.

 

Of further note, in August 2001, SCG Advertising + Public Relations conducted a similar survey. It asked whether those polled would accept a lower level of compensation to work for a company with an excellent reputation. Fully 78% of respondents indicated they would.

 

“That initial survey’s results are in line with this latest poll, but it’s intriguing to see what’s changed in 20 years,” says Cherenson. “Back in 2001, 78% of those surveyed indicated a willingness to forgo a higher salary to be connected with a well-regarded organization. Today, in response to the same question, six percent more people express a preference for the company with a stellar reputation. View side-by-side, the 2001 and 2021 results appear to indicate an ongoing, societal shift – one that should substantially impact how businesses and other organizations present and define themselves.”

 

 About SCG Advertising + Public Relations

Headquartered in Whippany, NJ, SCG Advertising + Public Relations has organizational roots dating to 1958. The agency provides comprehensive communication services for a broad range of clients. Its satellite offices are located in the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Diego, and Tampa.

 

# # #