FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2020
Contact: Katherine Trombetta, 417-841-3389 or [email protected]
Momentum State of the Workforce Survey Results Released
The City’s Department of Workforce Development has announced the results of the sixth annual Momentum State of the Workforce Survey. Results were highlighted at a February 19 luncheon attended by nearly 350 business, education and community leaders.
Besides revealing the results of the survey, Commissioner Zora Mulligan with the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, delivered a keynote address that highlighted Missouri’s progress in achieving a highly trained workforce to bolster economic growth throughout the state and in the Ozark Region.
Some key take-aways from the Momentum Survey are highlighted below.
· When asked the likelihood of expanding operation within the Ozark Region within the next 24 months, 27% were “very likely” and 35% were “somewhat likely” to expand. In addition, when asked how likely companies were to expand outside the region, 69% said they were “very unlikely” to expand elsewhere.
· Hiring plans over the next 12 months for full-time employees shows an upward trend over the last six years with nearly half of the companies surveyed saying they plan to increase hiring within the upcoming year. This is up from 40% in 2019.
· Workplace issues that are a cause of concern to employers: employee retention which increased 4% over last year from 42 to 46 percent. Cost of health insurance was another big concern for employers jumping from 36 to 43 percent. Transportation concerns rose from 13 to 17 percent and childcare concerns steadily increased as well. One new point of interest — nearly one third of companies said a lack of diverse candidates is a concern.
“We were pleased with the survey results and look forward to collaborating with community partners to enhance workforce development initiatives in the coming months,” said Sally Payne, Interim Director of Workforce Development for the City of Springfield.
To access the full survey results and an executive summary, visit www.springfieldmo.gov/momentum. For more information, contact Katherine Trombetta at [email protected] or 417-841-3389.
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