2013

According to the Emerging Workforce Study, a comprehensive study of US employers and workers released by Spherion, the recession has birthed a new standard of business model that has caused a resurgence of the emergent worker mentality, one which focuses on a free agency-style of employment.

​Growing need for building brand influencers from the inside

The new workforce has been shown to have a much stronger desire for corporate mission and values, which have taken on a significant role in the retention of top talent. Employers who have a clear mission and follow through on that mission have higher levels of satisfied workers, better employee retention, and a greater number of employee referrals. These, in turn, lead to increased business productivity.

Social media’s impact on building brand and corporate disconnects

  • 45% of all workers believe a company’s social media presence is influential when choosing a new employer. Yet, only 27% of companies believe social media presence is influential on how a candidate views their organization.
  • Attempting to build on brand, the number of companies that have a social media strategy increased by 21 percentage points (to 45%) since 2009. However, the percentage that felt their program was successful increased only slightly, from 24% to 30%.​

Additional highlights from the 2013 Emerging Workforce Study: 

  • Companies with well-developed brands/mission have a 70% rating for keeping current employees for the next five years, compared to just 34% for companies with no clear mission.
  • Job satisfaction ratings are at 70% for those with solid brands, compared to just 23% for those without.
  • 41% of employees working for a company without a clear mission are likely to seek employment elsewhere, compared to just 21% working for a company with a solid mission statement.
  • Nearly one quarter of employees (23%) say their company does not have a clear corporate mission.
  • Only 46% of respondents say their company is effective at communicating their corporate mission.
  • And only 51% of workers say their company follows through on their mission well.
  • 41% of workers rate “a company whose online mission and values are followed through upon” as important to their retention.
  • 47% of workers agree that “when considering new employment, a company’s online reputation will be equally important as the offer I am given.​"

Emerging Workforce Study - Previous Findings

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