EMPLOYMENT

The CPN will work to recruit new employer partners and raise awareness about the benefits and incentives for hiring from non-traditional employment pools.

Business begins and ends with the bottom line. The CPN champions non-traditional employment pools and equitable hiring opportunities. However, for the business owner -- our prospective employer -- we still have to show how creating an inclusive corporate culture impacts the bottom line in their favor.

  • What are the most common reasons why high performing employees leave their job? David Mizne points to a survey of 7000 employees in his article, Top 10 Reasons Why Employees Leave their Jobs

    • Bad Bosses (50%)

    • Too much workload

    • No recognition (82%)

    • Broken Commitments

    • Relationships with co-workers

    • No Telecommuting/work flexibility (36%)

    • Lack of career advancement opportunities (45%)

    • Micromanagement

    • Vague goals/No clear direction

    • Overall corporate culture

    Everyone can agree that a work environment that maintains a current of discontent is costly. It shows up in all kinds of behaviors and outcomes for employee types: Disengaged, Low Motivation Slackers, Drama Lamas, Water Cooler Gossipmongers, as well as Inappropriate Behaviors and Commentary Boundaryless. Any one of these employee types can add a level of toxicity to the workplace and effect the bottom line by reducing employee productivity or even retention rates.

    Estimates on turnover impacts to the bottom line are readily available. There are variables to consider in calculating turnover costs such as market conditions, roles, skill levels, company size, permanent versus part-time, and training levels. So, there is some variance among experts. But, when the final numbers are tallied, hiring well and retaining good employees is important to the bottom line! The estimates from:

    • National Association of Colleges and Employers (0-500 employees): $7,645

    • Society of Human Resources Management: $4,129 and 42 days to fill a position

    • Glassdoor: $4000 and 52 days to fill a position

    In J.P. Kotter and J. L. Heskett’s 1992 book, Corporate Culture and Performance, one of the most widely acclaimed studies of corporate culture to date, they took a deep dive into how corporate culture affects long-term economic performance studying the corporate cultures of 200 companies over an 11 year period. Their Findings concluded that organizations with strong corporate cultures that facilitate adaptation to a changing world are associated with strong financial results.

    Revenue Growth 682% 166%

    Employment Growth 282% 36%

    Stock Price Growth 901% 74%

    Net Income Growth 756% 1%

    Average Increase for 12 Firms with Performance-Enhancing Cultures

    Average Increase for 20 Firms without Performance-Enhancing Cultures

    The most successful of the organizations they analyzed:

    • Placed high values on their employees, customers, and owners

    • Facilitated adaptation to a changing world

    • Encouraged leadership from everyone in the firm

    • Provided for bottom-up communication and advancement

    In this season, we have seen and, hopefully, changed forever, how we see our neighbors, who we call our brothers and sisters, and our legacy in the workplace for systemic change. As we focus equity, diversity, and inclusion going forward -- to create real change, and sustainable change, we have to acknowledge that discrimination, bias, stigma, isolation of cultures, and most of all, systemic apathy has led a devastating contribution to poverty for MANY people groups.

    Seeking Inclusion for Protected People Groups in Non-traditional Employment Pools? Consider…

    • Race

    • Color Religion

    • National Origin

    • Sex and Sexual Orientation

    • Low-income

    • Veterans

    • Reentry (justice system involved)

    • Disabilities

    • Youth

    • Pregnancy

    • Family Status

    • Chronically under/unemployed

    Community Support for Inclusive Hiring - There is a network of agencies and non-profits that work with employers and provide incentives to help qualified, motivated people who are often overlooked connect with employment opportunities.

    Transportation - NCDOT and local transit providers can coordinate van pools, carpool resources, and first mile/last mile services depending on locations.

    Human and Social Services Providers - Can be enlisted to recruit and onboard talent, provide management and employee trainings, facilitate corporate culture development strategies, team building activities, and peer support.

    Education and Training – NC Technical Colleges recruit employers for non-curriculum career pathways as well as intern and journeyman curriculums. Vocational Rehabilitation works to train businesses, staff, and employees to ensure inclusive environments for people with disabilities.

    State and Federal Agencies Provide Incentives – Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC), On-The-Job (OTJ) Training subsidies, NC Works Centers have supportive recruiting services, Vocational Rehabilitation Services can include on-site accommodations and job training.

    Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC) – Federal tax credit available to employers who hire individuals from eligible target groups with significant barriers to employment. Tax credit is dependent on target group hired, wages paid in Year 1, and the number of hours worked. Range is $1,200 to $9,600 for each employee. Contact NCDOC, Division of Workforce Solutions.

    Disabled Access Credit (DAC) – Helps small businesses make their workplace accessible to employees and customers with disabilities. Contact NC DHHS Regional Employment Specialists: Western 828-608-5690; Central 336-629-1040; Eastern 252-355-9010.

    Federal Bonding Program (FBD) – US Department of Labor provides Fidelity Bonds that guarantee honesty for “at Risk,” hard-to-place job seekers offering $5000 and up during the first 6 months. Includes employees with criminal records, bad credit, or history of substance abuse. Also, employees that receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), economically disadvantaged with little work history, veterans dishonorably discharged. No charge to employer. Contact NC DOC: www.bonds4jobs.com

    On-The-Job (OTJ) Training Program – Applicant eligibility is under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and applies to participants who are assessed and found in need of, and suitable for, training services. Employers can recoup up to 50% of applicant’s wages for the training period. Contact NCWorks Career Centers.

    Food and Nutrition Services Employment and Training (E&T) Program - Provides training for employees who are economically disadvantaged receiving Food and Nutrition Services. Employer’s eligible expenses for re-imbursement may include up to 50% administrative, direct program expenses, and some supportive services associated with On-The-Job Training.

    The Bottom Line? Equity and inclusion are good for business.

The Connection

Pre-COVID-19, Wake County was enjoying an unemployment rate of just over 3%. Unemployment peaked as the effects of the pandemic hit full force in May and began recovering by June. The rate climbed as high as 11.5% before leveling out to 7.1% in June 2020. Wake County is faring better than the both the state (7.7%) and national unemployment averages (11.2%) as June of 2020. Unemployment, the unemployment rate in Wake County was 5.7% December 31, 2020.

In an article written by Molly Kinder and Martha Ross, Reopening America: How to Save Lives and Livelihoods, the effects of the pandemic on low-wage workers was put under the microscope. First with the massive loss of employment in retail, hospitality, and food industries noting that unemployment rose to 21.2% for people with less than a high school diploma and only 8.4% for those with a bachelor’s degree. The article also cited the increased exposure and vulnerabilities to the virus as essential workers, as people with healthcare disparities, increased number of underlying health conditions, more densely populated neighborhoods and households.

Active Projects

The CPN will continue to recruit/identify employers interested in solutions to high turnover rates and inclusive hiring.   Project will largely be conducted through the use and analysis of GIS tools and public data.  Project goals include the outreach and engagement designed to recruit employers and provide information about incentives and local non-profit employment service providers.