01/03/2018

This Is Keeping Employers Up At Night

Employee Loyalty—Keeping Top Talent

What’s keeping employers up at night? Employee retention.  A more transient society plays into this but so does a struggle by employers to offer the pay and benefits necessary to keep employees with them long term. One study indicates that 69 percent of employees say searching for new jobs is a regular part of their routine. This month's Action Brief explores the changing landscape of employee loyalty and what businesses can do to decrease turnover of valued workers.

The unemployment rate, currently at just over 4 percent, is partially driving what is known right now as an “employees market.” The natural rate of unemployment is between 4.5 and 5 percent. Rates below that threshold make it increasingly difficult for businesses to retain enough workers to maintain ideal operational capacity. In addition, there is a mismatch between the skill sets employers need and those possessed by the unemployed population

Further complicating things for employers is the tendency of millennials and members of Generation Z to change jobs more frequently than their baby boomer counterparts. In 2016, a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study showed that 18-35 year-olds in the workforce had an average tenure of 1.6 years on the job. The “gig” economy and the of lure entrepreneurial adventures are detracting even further from workforce stability. In addition, some urban areas experiencing high-business growth are also facing housing shortages and/or unaffordable housing prices for middle and lower class workers, making it difficult for potential employees to help fill jobs in those locales.

Even if businesses aren’t feeling the pinch in the recruiting and hiring stages, it's still important for them to evaluate their employee loyalty levels and retention plans. Why? Turnover can be expensive—some studies put the cost at 6-9 months of the employee’s salary—other studies estimate a higher cost. Turnover can also lower productivity levels, reduce employee morale, and jeopardize trade secrets.

Please click here to read the complete article from MBAResearch, an OSAE partner in excellence and youth development practices.