SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4 News) – Salt Lake County Economic Development released new research to help employers with workforces shortages and retention.
Prior to the epidemic, researchers found in 2018 workforce shortages and employee retention were some of the are some of the biggest challenges small businesses faced in Salt Lake County.
Economic development director Blake Thomas said at the same time he saw an uptick in national conversations about automation. The two issues together gave opportunites for leaders to discuss how Utah’s workplace might look in the future.
According to the research, 33,400 jobs in Salt Lake County are at 98%-99% risk of becoming automated. Their research in 2019 discussed how automation could impact various industries and to help others in that line of work transition to new job opportunities.
“When we undertook this research, we were looking to improve the lives of residents and help local
businesses,” Thomas said. “In light of the current crises, this research is even more important to help
guide decision makers towards solutions that ensure the health, safety and economic security of our
residents in a post-coronavirus economy.”
The Employee Values Report focused on what employers can do that will help with employee retention and job satisfaction.
“When combined with supportive company policies and sufficient resources, participants were willing and excited to demand a great deal of themselves to produce work they could be proud of,” the report states.
While employees often applied to jobs based on pay or title, they were more likely to stay in a job with the benefits of flexibility and a company culture of support, respect, and collaboration.
More information on the Future of Jobs reports can be found at https://slco.org/future-of-jobs.
