According to the results of the 2011 ERC/Smart Business Workplace Practices Survey, hiring and retaining employees is the most prominent challenge faced by Northeast Ohio organizations.
Results of the survey, conducted by ERC in collaboration with Smart Business Magazine, show a trend regarding the recruitment, hiring, and retention of qualified candidates as the top organizational challenge faced by organizations for nearly a decade. While the poor economy was cited as a primary challenge for employers the from 2009, hiring and retention has emerged once again as the top challenge for local businesses.
Additionally, the survey results show that organizations are investing more in hiring and retaining talent, as a result of this challenge. Specifically, employers reported spending a higher percentage of their recruiting budget on online advertisements (33.7%) and are increasingly using internet job boards to find candidates (77.8%). Also, more employers are providing financial assistance for training and development (90.7%) than in past years.
In recent years ERC has seen an increase in both the use of our member-based resources and our fee-for-service areas related to hiring and retaining employees. Despite the economy, employers continue to be focused on retention-boosting programs like training, employee development, and employee engagement initiatives.
To access more information about the ERC/Smart Business Workplace Practices Survey, please click here.
