Few Adults on the Job Hunt

New ASA Survey Points to Need to Re-Examine Recruitment and Retention Strategies

Relatively few U.S. adults plan to look for a new job this year, according to the results of a new American Staffing Association survey. The ASA Workforce Monitor^TM shows that work-life balance trumps pay for many employees. The study was conducted online in March by Harris Poll among 1,000 U.S. adults.

Six in 10 employed adults express little likelihood of seeking a new job opportunity this year, according to the survey findings. Work-life balance and schedule flexibility ranked higher than pay or wage potential in what employed adults value most about their current jobs. But pay or wage potential and benefits would be the most important considerations in deciding to change jobs.

“The ASA Workforce Monitor results underscore the fact that employers need to rethink their recruitment and retention strategies,” said Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer. “Quality of life matters in retaining current employees. Compensation matters most in recruiting employees to change jobs.”

Moreover, Wahlquist says, employers should be realistic about tapping the pool of the unemployed: Four of 10 able-bodied, working-age unemployed adults (38%, excluding retirees) have no plans to look for a job in the next year. A future ASA Workforce Monitor survey will explore what, if anything, would compel this population to re-enter the workforce.

The ASA Workforce Monitor also explored people’s opinions about relocating for a new job:

• More than seven out of 10 adults are unlikely to relocate for a new position.
• Half of those less likely to relocate say they like where they live and don’t want to change it, and four in 10 don’t want to leave family and friends.
• Two-thirds of those more likely to move for a new job say pay or wage potential would be most important in deciding whether to relocate, with benefits close behind as another consideration.

Method

Harris Poll conducted the survey online within the U.S. on behalf of ASA March 3–9, 2015 among a total of 1,000 U.S. adults age 18 and older (540 employed and 460 unemployed). Results were weighted on age, education, race/ethnicity, household income, and geographic region where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

To learn more about the ASA Workforce Monitor and to download high-resolution infographics on survey results, visit ASA Workforce Monitor.

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About the American Staffing Association

The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.

About the ASA Workforce Monitor

The ASA Workforce Monitor is a periodic survey commissioned by ASA and conducted online by Harris Poll among 1,000 or more U.S. adults age 18 and older. The survey series focuses on current workforce trends and issues. For more information about the survey series, visit ASA Workforce Monitor.