Where Are the Workers?

Insights from employers and working-age adults in Greater Akron

June 10, 2022
Introduction
About This Project
A Collaborative, Multi-Part Approach

NATIONAL SCAN OF WORKING-AGE

EMPLOYER
EXISTING ADULT
PERPECTIVE
RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE

“WHERE ARE THE WORKERS?” REPORT AND INSIGHTS

Data and insights for employers and practitioners

Expected release: Q3 2022
 Employer
Perspective
Employer Surveys and Discussions
Greater Akron survey
Companion survey – NEO region Employer roundtables
Roundtables Sessions Registrations
Survey Responses
Greater Akron 6 77
Greater Akron 254
Medina 1 30
Medina 33
Portage 2 17
Portage 99
Summit 3 30
Summit 122
Region 22 463
Region 766
The labor market feels tight
because it is tight!
Northeast Ohio’s employers are feeling it.

Sufficient pool of qualified

Talent Shortage? High Turnover? applicants?
No Yes
137 32
No
22% 6%
172
35%

Yes No
Yes 325 467
499 65% 94%
78%
The most elusive workers…

18-30
Hardest to recruit (47%)
Quitting the most (44%)
LABORER 33%
year-olds FRONTLINE
17%
PROFESSIONAL 13%
FULL TECHNICIAN 12%
TIME
hardest to
recruit
 Employers are trying to address.
What is the biggest difference between today and pre-
pandemic in your efforts to attract and hire talent?
1. Increasing benefits/salaries (including flexible work
hours, hire-on bonuses)
2. Expanding job description to reach wider applicant
pool/hiring less qualified candidates
3. Partnering with new organizations or training
providers
What is the biggest difference between today and pre-
pandemic in your efforts to retain your talent?
1. Offering bonuses/incentives
2. Promoting more from within the company
3. Supporting workforce to gain new skills (e.g. tuition
reimbursement, in-house training)
Employers are saying…

• Raising wages isn’t enough

• Need to place greater emphasis on company culture

• Need to have flexible policies, including offering a hybrid work

environment

• Continue to struggle to find motivated employees

 Working Age Adult
Perspective
This workforce product was partially funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product
was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no
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Methodology and Survey Overview
• Conducted 12-minute surveys with working age adults in
Summit, Medina and Portage Counties via phone and web:
• 2,400 interviews (800/county)
• 18+
• Representative of area population by county
• Larger sample size allows for key groupings to be well represented

• Conduct focus groups with individuals who completed a survey:

• 5 focus groups with 6-10 participants
Who Has Responded?

COUNTY POP N POP % SAMPLE N SAMPLE % WEIGHT

800 800 800 Medina 179,116 20.3% 800 33.3% 0.61
Portage 162,476 18.4% 800 33.3% 0.55
Summit 540,810 61.3% 800 33.3% 1.84

County data was weighted to

make each proportional to
the overall 3-county area.
Summit Medina Portage
Completed To Do
Who Has Responded?
EMPLOYMENT STATUS

19% Employed Full-Time

Employed Part-Time
2% 40% Retired
Furloughed/Laid Off
Not Employed
23%

16%
 Who Has Responded?
Racial Identity

Age Asian,1.5%
Multi-racial,
34% Something
33% American 2%
else, 1.5%
Indian, 1%
Native
Hawaiin, 0%
22%
Black/African
American,
10%

11%
3% First language something
other than English

18-24 25-44 45-64 65+

White, 85%
 Who Has Responded?
Pre-K-12/add’l. 48% 48%
Gender childcare implications
for work

Other, 1% 30%

Children in Home 18%

Male, 42%

Female, Yes,
Under 18 18 months to 5 to 11 years 12 to 17 years
months 4 years
57% 31% Ages of Children
No,
69%
 Who Has Responded?
Educational Attainment
38% Family/Household Income

8%
Currently enrolled in
23%
25%

24% postsecondary education or 19%

22% job training program
14%

12% 8%
7%
5%

4%

1%
Grade school

College grad
High school

Some college

Post grad
Some high
school

grad
WHAT THEY
TOLD US
 Work interrupted by the pandemic
• 26% of all workers were laid off
• 28% of workers had hours cut/took
a pay cut
• The lower a worker’s household
income, the more likely they were to
Did the extra unemployment benefits or other
pandemic-related assistance allow you to stay
out of the work longer or allow you to be more
selective about your job when you returned
back to work?
80%

have their hours cut, and this

60%

40%

income loss has sustained. 20%

0%
A lot A little Not at all

Under $25,000 $25,000-$49,999 $50-000-$74,999

$75,000-$99,999 $100,000+
People are quitting without jobs lined up.
In the past 12 months, Did you have another
job lined up before you quit?
have you quit or left your job?

No, 56%

Yes
23%
No
77% Yes, 44%
They’re leaving for a few key reasons.
14.00%

12.00%

10.00%

8.00%

6.00%

4.00%

2.00%

0.00%
Toxic Work Environment Schedule Conflicts In Transition Low Pay
 Today’s employees feel overworked.
In the past 12 months, have you…
Among currently employed. N=1,342 59%

40%

22%

Called in sick due to burnout Felt you had too much to do at work Increased stress at work since
and not enough time to finish pandemic
everything
They will probably keep leaving.
In the next 12 months, how likely will you… (very or somewhat likely)
Among currently employed. N=1,342

39%
31%
22% 19%
10% 7%
Quit your job Look for a new job Lose job/be laid off Retire Start a business/become Start any freelance or
self-employed contract work
Most planning to quit will look for another job.
A smaller majority could be convinced to stay in
their role for the right incentives.
Of those planning to quit, do you plan to Is there anything your employer could do
look for another job? to encourage you to stay?

No
16% No
47%

Yes
84% Yes
53%
 The 40% of employed people planning to look for
another job are largely looking for a change and
confident they’ll find a new job that’s at least as good
as what they have.
How confident are you in being able to find a job with the Will you look in the same industry or a different
same income/benefits? industry?
Will you look in the same industry or a different industry?

Not too/ not Different Different

at all industry position
15.9% 50% 60.0% Same
position
Very Same 40.0%
42.3% industry
50%

Somewhat
41.8%
 One in three retiring this year is doing so
earlier than planned.
Men 67% 33% Black/Multi 21% 79%
All Workers Planning to Retire

Women 71% 29% White 80% 20%

Earlier than anticipated,

31% 0% 50% 100% 0% 50% 100%

Household Income
Under $25,000 30% 70%
As planned, $25,000-$49,999 54% 46%
69% $50,000-$74,999 68% 32%
$75,000-$99,999 92% 8%
$100,000+ 82% 18%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Gig work has expanded options for
workers in a time of uncertainty.
21%
Have done freelance or contract work in the past year
(Uber, DoorDash, babysitting, yardwork, etc.)

84%
69% 66%
26%
See it as their Started within the ENJOY this type of are CURRENTLY
MAIN JOB past TWO YEARS work doing this type of
work

4% Of retired respondents have done this

type of work in the past year
21%
Of “not employed” respondents have done
this type of work in the past year.
 Most people without jobs aren’t
looking for one.
Are you currently looking for work?
Employment Status
Retired, 23%

Furloughed
/Laid Off, 2% No, 57%
Employed Part-
Time, 16%

Not Employed,
19%
Yes, 43%

Employed Full-
Time, 40%
 Attitudes and priorities are shifting.
Since the pandemic, has work become more or
less important to you? Boomer + 18% 40% 42%

Gen X 17% 47% 36%

No More
Change Important
Millennials 29% 47% 24%
29% 28% Men 30.0% 42.0% 28.0%

Women 26.0% 42.0% 32.0% Gen Z 48% 28% 24%

Less
Important
43% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%
More Important Less Important No Change

Almost half of younger workers say work is more

important now than it was pre-pandemic.
Money talks. But it’s not everything.
Other top factors
In thinking about the ways you earn money both now and in the future, how important are
each of the following. . .
Importance of salary information inclusion
2%
in job listing (all respondents) 8% 9% 12% 13% 14% 16%
16%

35% 25% 20%

Somewhat 35% 25%
24% Not 36%
2%

82%
62% 67%
57% 56% 61%
48%

Very
74%
Good wage Meanginful Flexible hours PTO Medical/Dental Retirement Advancement
work benefits plan
Very Important Somewhat Important Not very/at all Important Column2
respondents who are working or plan to return to work
Work environment flexibility is
important to many workers.
Current work environment for employed Workers’ desired environment
workers
Fully from home Fully from
14% home Fully from
23% workplace
36%
Mostly from
home
12%

Mostly from
Mostly from home
Fully from
workplace 24%
workplace
17% Mostly from
57%
workplace
17%
 Work environment flexibility is
important to many workers.
Importance of Flexible Hours
Work Flexible Hours by Work Status White 53% 38% 9%
Full- Yes No Black 74% 20% 6%
time 52% 48% Multiracial 54% 35% 11%
Part- Yes No Other 68% 21% 11%
time 80% 20%
18-24 61% 33% 5%
25-44 60% 32% 8%
45-64 50% 41% 9%
65+ 55% 32% 13%
a significant
Children in household 60% 34% 6%
portion of Children under 5 64% 29% 7%
current workers No children 54% 36% 10%
work flexible Males 49% 40% 11%
schedules Females 62% 31% 7%

Very important Somewhat important Not very/at all important

Top barriers to employment overall
51%

23% 34%
30% 30% 30%
29% 29%
Moderate
Extreme 20%
15% 13%
18% 18% 18%

28%

14% 15% 16%

12% 12% 11%

Pay too low to Health issues Childcare issues Disabilities Concerns for health Lack of training Criminal record
support family of yourself or
someone in family

A closer Profiles of
look: lower income
workers
Household Income Under $25,000
Compared with combined survey results,
respondents are:
• Are more likely to be women
• Are more racially diverse
• Have lowest educational attainment
• Were more likely to be laid off during the
pandemic and found it harder to find work
Getting Ahead: Training and Mobility
Training needs and barriers are high.
• Highest need for more training and education to get ahead,
• Highest level of difficulty getting necessary training,
• Lowest awareness of available training, and
• Lowest likelihood of saying available training that they’re aware of is
good for their needs.
Sentiments, Behaviors and Priorities
• Least satisfied; feel lease safe, least appreciated, least appropriately
compensated, least likely to say they earn enough to meet their needs.
• Report employment barriers as “extreme or moderate” at higher rates
than other groups with few exceptions.
• Planning to look for a new job in the next year.
• Most likely to start a business and to start gig work.
• Want flexible work hours and accessible, opportunities for advancement
and affordable childcare more than any other income group.
The Home
Stretch…
What’s Next
•Working-age adult focus groups are
underway
•Release of findings to community
 coming soon
www.conxusneo.jobs/watw

Christine Marshall
Michelle Collins Executive Director,
Vice President, ConxusNEO Summit and Medina Area Council of
mcollins@conxusneo.jobs Governments
christine.marshall@workforcearea2.org