America Employed

In an ever-changing job market, job seekers are placing new and compelling priorities at the forefront of their career choices as a majority are willing to sacrifice better pay for flexible schedules.

This is according to a recent survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals.

Salary and work-life balance appear to be among the key factors for desired positions, as around 4 in 5 report these components are absolutely essential/very important (83% and 79%, respectively). They also place importance on the job duties and responsibilities (78%), benefits (76%) and personal fulfillment (68%) of positions.

Nevertheless, job seekers also place a significant emphasis on autonomy and control over their work environment and schedules. A substantial portion considers flexible working hours (62%) and the option for remote work (53%) as absolutely essential or highly important aspects of a job.

Approximately 3 out of 5 job seekers (58%) would be willing to accept a lower salary if it granted them the opportunity to work remotely, and a nearly identical percentage (57%) would make this trade-off for the chance to have flexible working hours.

In addition to the emphasis on flexible work arrangements, nearly half of job seekers (48%) say joining a company with initiatives focused on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) is absolutely essential/very important to them.

An overwhelming majority of hiring decision-makers (89%) and job seekers (83%) share the belief that it is vital for a company not only to be diverse, equitable and inclusive but also to create an environment where employees genuinely feel a sense of belonging.

“Employers can empower job seekers by fostering a workplace culture that embraces flexibility and inclusivity,” Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said. “By recognizing and accommodating the diverse needs of their workforce, organizations not only attract top talent but also nurture an environment where both employees and the company can thrive.”

The Job Insights survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between June 13 and June 26, 2023, among 1,010 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 3.2 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

The Job Seeker survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between June 13 and June 26, 2023, among 1,006 adults ages 18 and older. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, household income and propensity to be online, to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Hollander, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, employing 579,000 people globally in 2022 and more than 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.