2022 Job Seeker Survey Summary

Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC) – 2022 Job Seeker Survey Summary

It becomes more apparent each year with the HERC Job Seeker Survey that providing employees with a flexible work environment is one of the key drivers of employee recruitment and retention. The 2022 HERC Job Seeker Survey clearly displays that employees are seeking work environments that value the employee as a whole person, which includes considering their needs outside the office. Our Spartans are not only employees, they are also parents, caregivers, spouses, and so much more! WorkLife issues affect every one of our employees and are undoubtedly a DEI issue, as the caregiving role disproportionately falls on women and especially women of color.

Here are some of the ways in which the MSU WorkLife Office is working towards creating a whole-person workplace by providing support, guidance, and services to our Spartans:

Expanding caregiving supports through the creation of the Family Employee Resource Group and the Adult Caregiver Employee Resource Group.
Expanding our outreach to final round applicants: We are now offering our services to final found applicants before they accept their position with the university. By connecting with our potential employees, we can provide them with information on relocation and housing options, childcare providers in the area, and begin to form a community connection before they even start their position. This type of forward thinking lets our potential employees know that we support our employees from the ground up and we strive to create an inclusive, whole-person workplace.
Expanding our outreach to newcomers: We are finding an increase in the number of newcomers that are seeking out the services that the WorkLife Office provides, and we are getting feedback that our newcomer consultations are incredibly helpful.

The WorkLife Office is continually researching the most recent data regarding WorkLife issues and support options. We are sharing the summary below to highlight some of the major findings in the 2022 HERC Job Seeker Survey, specifically around the areas of WorkLife, Flexwork, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

For a copy of the original report and a demographic breakdown of the respondents, see the 2022 Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC) Job Seeker Survey Report

N= 2,061

WorkLife

How to appeal to job seekers:

Highlight existing opportunities and benefits: Salary, career advancement, work-life satisfaction, and seeking remote/flexible options were the top four reasons for searching for a new job.

How to Retain Employees:

Promote health and well-being: When rating employee benefits, the following options were all listed above salary: healthy workplace culture, supportive supervisor/leadership, health benefits, and work-life satisfaction.

Provide mental health support: Respondents reported not seeing the prioritization of mental health in their workplaces. Highlighting available mental health programs can help increase employee retention. As it relates to the Covid-19 pandemic, only 29% of those surveyed agree that their employer has prioritized their mental health.

When asked, “Why are you searching for a new job”- Respondents chose seeking higher salary, career advancement, and work-life satisfaction as their top three reasons.

Sample responses to why respondents were seeking new employment:

“Employer is not keeping pace with the market regarding work/life balance, total compensation, growth opportunities, and overall flexibility.”
“Due to COVID, working on campus has proved to be more difficult with a young family at home and my employer will not allow work from home any longer.”
“I have hit a ceiling at my current institution, I am experiencing a high level of burnout, and I do not feel supported by toxic leadership and a current rotating door of managers.”

Focusing on a healthy workplace with supportive leadership is key to keeping employees: Healthy workplace culture and supportive leadership were rated as the top two career aspects considered when searching for employment for both minority & underrepresented and white respondents.

Flex Work

How to appeal to job seekers:

Communicate remote options: Many workers are currently working remotely. Clearly explaining expectations of in-office requirements will save time for both recruiter and job seeker.

Remote Work Options:

Remote work options play a part in job seeking: 74% of job seekers would “definitely” or “probably” be persuaded to choose a remote job over in-person, if given the chance.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

How to appeal to job seekers:

Demonstrate your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion: DEI in the workplace is important to job seekers. Concrete evidence, including salary equity, inclusive workplace culture, and a positive reputation from employees, are the most important DEI factors.

As mentioned above in the WorkLife section, focusing on a healthy workplace with supportive leadership is key to keeping employees:

For minority & underrepresented job seekers, “acceptance of my background” was rated third, while “work-life satisfaction” was third for white respondents.
DEI offices can be brought in to help demonstrate actionable ways of acceptance in the workplace for employees of different backgrounds.

Which career aspects and employee benefits do respondents consider “very important”:

Minority and underrepresented respondents rated several categories more than 10% higher than white respondents. These categories included “diverse workforce,” “acceptance of my background,” and the availability of a mentorship program.

Diversity and inclusion policies are “somewhat” to “very” important to the majority (81%) of respondents.

Reminding employees of the work of their institutions’ DEI office can help in employment satisfaction.

When asked, “From your perspective, how important are each of the following indicators of an employer’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Responders rated these three indicators as the most important:

Salary and compensation equity (78%)
Has an inclusive workplace culture (72%)
Has a positive reputation from current employees (71%)

Read the full report
2022 Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC) Job Seeker Survey Report