Shiftboard,
a global leader in workforce scheduling, today released findings from a
new survey that uncovered insights into the hourly worker mindset and
what matters most to these workers.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190521005288/en/
(Graphic: Business Wire)
“There are nearly 82 million hourly workers in the U.S., and they make
up more than half of the American workforce,” said Steve O’Brian, VP of
marketing at Shiftboard. “Nearly every sector of the U.S. economy is
struggling to find and retain workers. Employers can leverage this
report to better understand how to attract, motivate and retain hourly
workers.”
According to survey findings, what workers want most is more control
over their time. The ability to influence their work schedules
significantly affects job satisfaction, which can have a significant
impact on worker turnover. Forty-nine percent of hourly workers would be
willing to take a reasonable pay cut for more control over their
schedule. Comparatively, 56 percent of hourly workers would be willing
to take a reasonable pay cut for better health benefits.
“The study revealed very interesting findings on worker attitudes,”
added O’Brian. “For example, making a significant contribution to the
success of their organization was more important to hourly workers than
their non-hourly counterparts. We’re finding that wages are only part of
the equation. Employers need to look beyond obvious factors to
effectively increase satisfaction and retention for today’s hourly
employees.”
Empowerment is lynchpin to employee retention
The research indicates work-life balance isn’t defined by conforming to
a standard 40-hour work week. Hourly workers want more control over
their work schedules, and they want to feel empowered to adapt work to
life, whatever their lives may look like.
While 68 percent of the overall respondents indicated work-life balance
was important, 77 percent of hourly workers polled said work-life
balance was necessary for job satisfaction. Additionally, 87 percent of
hourly workers said it is extremely important to have control over the
days and times they are expected to work.
Other survey findings about hourly worker preferences include:
-
89 percent would rather work longer days to have more days off between
scheduled shifts. -
85 percent say their schedule impacts their overall job satisfaction
and 80 percent said it impacts the likelihood they stay with their
employer. -
78 percent want to work a set number of hours without overtime being a
requirement; however, 88 percent want the ability to work more hours
for more pay, and 93 percent are willing to work overtime, as long as
it’s not required.
Win-Win for employers and workers
“Our team members are our most valuable asset and we are continuously
exploring ways to create a more positive working environment,” said Wes
Swearingin, SVP of operations at Medline. “Two years ago, we launched a
strategic employee scheduling initiative to leverage our employees’
preferences while increasing productivity and retention numbers. The
initiative has helped create a healthier, more productive workplace
while also saving our organization time and money.”
Gender and generational differences
The survey also analyzed how gender and generational preferences
compared. Consider the following:
-
76 percent of male workers indicated their work schedule impacts their
productivity vs. 68 percent of female workers. -
75 percent of male workers said their work schedule impacts their
emotional and psychological well-being vs. 68 percent of women. -
78 percent of workers between the ages of 18-34 believe their schedule
impacts the quality of their work vs. 69 percent of workers 35 and
older. -
55 percent of workers 18-34 say having consistency in the days and
times they work is necessary for job satisfaction vs. 44 percent of
workers 35 and older.
Methodology and sample size
Shiftboard partnered with Lux Insights to conduct research on the
perspectives of U.S. workers and how work-scheduling influenced job
satisfaction and worker retention. A sample of more than 2,000 U.S.
adults age 18 and over was surveyed. The margin of error is ± 2.1.
Survey respondents self-identified as working in shifts, being paid
hourly, or never having done shift work in the past.
For additional insights, download the full
report.
About Shiftboard, Inc.
Shiftboard is the leading provider of enterprise workforce scheduling
software. Built around the hourly workforce, where scheduling, real-time
communication, and change management are at the core of day-to-day
operations, our solution helps organizations transform their businesses
through automation. Thousands of customers choose Shiftboard to help
lower labor costs, increase worker productivity and decrease employee
turnover. To date, Shiftboard has supported over 245 million scheduled
shifts, providing the employment pipeline for over $3 billion in wages
earned. For more information, please visit www.shiftboard.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190521005288/en/