Survey of American Workers Finds a Quarter Looking for Change
Prudential Insurance recently did a “Pulse of the American Worker Survey” with Morning Consult in March 2021 which provided a number of eye-opening insights on the state of the American worker after a year of remote-work policies have been in place.
Read on for the insights that can help shape your approach to fostering employee satisfaction and attracting the best possible candidates when you are looking to recruit.
Remote and flexible policies a must
If you talk casually with friends right now, the attitudes toward remote work will be all over the place. Some workers prize the flexibility, while parents decry the ability to get quality work done while children are underfoot.
What the Prudential poll finds is that an overwhelming amount of workers (87%) will want at leas some at-home work to continue (defined as at least one day a week at home). Fully 1 in 3 workers would pass up the opportunity to work with an employer that insisted that they be on site full time.
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Strong desire for some in-person work
That 87% figure notwithstanding, workers are concerned with getting face-time. Two in three workers feel that they need at least some face time in order to advance professionally. This highlights the need for companies to adopt creative thinking in the way they reopen their offices, potentially giving the option for some in-person work with other days at home.
Career switching will increase
One in five workers in the survey said that they had changed careers during the pandemic, with half of those respondents expecting the change to be permanent.
A quarter of workers plan to look for a new job once the pandemic is over, signaling what might be a new era of change and disruption to many industries.
If you are considering making a career change or boosting your marketability, check out our resources on online training that can give you an edge in the job market.
Money strongest benefit of WFH
When workers were asked what they liked most about work-from-home, saving money came out on top, followed by reduced commuting time, more time with family, more sleep and the ability to focus on health and wellness.
Challenges and Opportunities in Remote Work
Surveyed workers reported that they found it easy to replicate core components of the job such as communicating with colleagues, learning on the job and sharing best practices. What was difficult was socializing and forming bonds with coworkers, respondents reported.
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Tips on retaining workers
Curious about doing a better job of retaining employees? Prudential’s survey identified mobility as a major driver of employee happiness, whether that means Check out our guide to what matters most to employee satisfaction here.
