Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 20, 1990 TAG: 9007200207
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Cox News Service
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The report indicates that most top managers are aware of "radical work force shifts coming in the next decade," but few have found effective ways to deal with a dwindling pool of workers made up increasingly of women, minorities, the elderly and immigrants who regard English as a second language.
Despite the "downsizing" of many industries, layoffs on Wall Street and elsewhere, and worries about a looming recession, the American economy is "entering a period of labor scarcity," said the report, "Workforce 2000 - Competing in a Seller's Market: Is Corporate America Prepared?"
The report is based on survey replies of 645 American corporations. It was prepared by Towers Perrin, a management consulting firm, and the Hudson Institute, a non-profit research group, and presented Thursday to a Senate task force on the work force and work-place readiness.
"The work place of the future is, to a great extent, already here," the report concludes. "Many of the employers in our survey group are already struggling with implications of recruiting and managing a work force composed less and less of white American males."
The survey found that most of the companies are already having trouble finding qualified workers, and virtually all expect even greater recruitment difficulties.
Recognizing problems of a changing labor force has largely not been followed by implementing solutions, the survey showed. For example, the most common reason for rejecting job applicants is inadequate writing and verbal skills. But employee training is not "a priority at many companies, at least measured by monetary outlays," the report said.
Likewise, many companies lamenting the dearth of skilled workers are not tapping a ready resource - their own aging employees. Only 3 percent of the companies had "gradual retirement" programs that keep older workers on the job, at least part time, past the age of 65.
However, the report of the reality of an aging America has hit home with a growing minority of firms. Nearly one-third of the surveyed companies use retirees as consultants or on special projects.
The survey focused employer concern about the coming labor shortage, skills gap and changing demographics of the work force. Among the key findings:
Nearly three out of every four of the companies were concerned about the new complexities of managing a culturally diverse work force. The average surveyed firm's work force is just about half female. Minorities compose at least 20 percent of the work force in over half of the companies.
The labor shortage has arrived. Already, 70 percent of the employers report at least some difficulty in recruiting technical workers, 63 percent in finding professionals and 55 percent in hiring secretaries and clerks. Greater difficulties are expected in finding future workers of almost all kinds.
Most companies have changed, at least somewhat, to accommodate the greater number of women in their work force. More than 80 percent have formal policies against sexual harassment; 32 percent offer special supervisory training for women; and 30 percent offer extended maternity leave and days off for care of sick children. However, only 15 percent had on-site or near-site day care, and only 8 percent had support systems for women managers.
Faced with a labor shortage, companies are becoming more aggressive in recruitment. Half of the firms are running job fairs or looking for applicants outside the local area. Nearly one-third are retraining present workers for future jobs.
by CNB