Jobvite’s 12th annual Job Seeker Nation Report uncovers new concerns, challenges, and priorities for workers while navigating job seeking process amidst COVID-19
More than half of surveyed workers have or plan to have a second source of income outside of their current job, compared to 36% surveyed in February 2020
INDIANAPOLIS (March 30, 2021) – Today, Jobvite (www.jobvite.com), the leading end-to-end talent acquisition suite provider, published its 12th annual Job Seeker Nation Report, The Rise of the Optimized Workforce, an in-depth look at the behaviors, views, and preferences of the modern workforce roughly one year since the onset of the pandemic.
The 2021 Job Seeker Nation Report gathered responses from more than 1,500 adults, with the resulting data revealing that two-thirds believe getting a job in 2021 will be more challenging than the year before. Sixty-four percent of workers also believe the job seeking process is more stressful currently, especially for working parents, and one-quarter have changed industries since this time last year.
The job market shift has led stress levels, job insecurity, and financial concerns to skyrocket, especially among working parents. In contrast, purposeful awareness of social and racial justice issues has drastically altered job seekers’ expectations of employers, particularly when it comes to COVID-19 safety measures, diversity initiatives, company culture, and remote work. Forty-two percent would reject a job offer if the company lacked diversity or clear goals for improving diversity in hiring, and 58% would decline a job opportunity if the employer did not have clear COVID-19 protocols in place.
More than half of surveyed workers (53%) have or plan to have a second source of income outside of their current job, compared to 36% surveyed in February 2020, with the main reason being a need for additional income. Alarmingly, 30% of respondents said they, or someone in their immediate family, has gone without food for 24 hours in the past month due to a lack of food or money, an increase of 11% since this time last year.
“Over the past year, the pandemic has greatly altered the dynamics of the U.S. labor market, bringing about what we believe to be ‘The Rise of the Optimized Workforce,’ fueled by the profound change in the concerns, challenges, and priorities for workers and job seekers nationwide,” said Aman Brar, CEO of Jobvite. “COVID has had a significant impact on the workforce, making it evident that employers and recruiters must have a complete understanding of how to adjust efforts to meet the demands of varied realities—for individual work experiences of today and tomorrow.”
Jobvite’s 2021 Job Seeker Nation Report helps job seekers, employers, and recruiting decision makers understand:
- How job market perceptions have shifted over the past year amidst COVID-19
- The increase in stress and job insecurity among workers
- Expectations for employers on diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives and COVID-19 precautions
- The importance of company culture, employer brand, and remote work opportunities
- The impact of the pandemic on working parents
- The effect of the current job market on salaries and negotiations
Additional key findings from the report include:
State of Job Seekers Today
- 41% report that they, or someone in their immediate family, is afraid of losing a job – a 13% increase compared to 2020
- 36% could not participate in a video interview due to a lack of adequate access to technology or Wi-Fi
- 40% say catching COVID-19 is the biggest stressor in the job seeking process, followed by mental health struggles (38%) and long work hours (34%)
Remote Work
- 35% have declined or would decline a job offer that required them to work full time on location, in an office, or at a worksite
- 74% said remote work figures prominently in their decision to reject or accept a job offer
- Despite the rise in remote work, 86% say company culture is somewhat important or very important to them, up from 37% in 2019
COVID-19 in the Workplace
- 60% have inquired about current or prospective employer’s COVID-19 safety measures
- 49% think employers should require employees to get the vaccine, while 36% disagree
- 25% have taken advantage of their employer’s mental health benefits more since the onset of the pandemic
- 42% report working more hours since the onset of the pandemic
Jobvite’s 2021 Job Seeker Nation Report was conducted by Zogby Analytics in February 2021 and examines the views and behaviors of 1,511 adults (ages 18+) in the U.S. who were working full time, part time, or were looking for work during Q1 2021.
To read more about workers’ evolving expectations in the workplace, download Jobvite’s 2021 Job Seeker Nation Report in its entirety. For more information on Jobvite, visit www.jobvite.com.
About Jobvite
Jobvite is an end-to-end Talent Acquisition Suite that takes a marketing-first approach to intelligently attract dream candidates, automatically screen for the highest quality, engage employees invested in the future, and retain the people who care the most about your organization by combining the power of AI and the human touch. Jobvite is proud to serve thousands of customers across a wide range of industries including Ingram Micro, Schneider Electric, Premise Health, and Zappos.com. To learn more, visit www.jobvite.com or follow the company on social media @Jobvite.
