Workers feel trapped by economy
By Stephanie Armour
USA Today
Workers burned out by productivity demands and paltry raises are poised to start quitting once the economy turns around, new research shows.
The only problem is that the end of the recession hasn't brought new jobs.
The August unemployment rate essentially was unchanged at 6.1 percent. Yesterday, major employers Levi Strauss, International Paper and 3Com announced layoffs totaling more than 4,000 jobs.
Who's feeling the strain:
High performers. High performers are 32 percent more likely than lower performers to say they'll be looking for a job in the next year. That's because many of them feel underrewarded and underappreciated, according to the survey of more than 1,100 full-time employees by New York-based Sibson Consulting.
"Top performers are the most unhappy," says Gerald Ledford, senior vice president in Sibson's Los Angeles office. "People can't leave when unemployment is higher. There's pent-up demand to leave."
Managers. Nearly half of middle managers are looking for another job or plan to do so when the economy recovers, based on a new survey by management consulting and technology services firm Accenture. Of those looking, about two-thirds plan to intensify their searches when the job market strengthens.
That's a sign that middle managers — often the most critical players to a company — are feeling burdened by the extra work demands wrought by mounting competitive pressures.
"Middle managers are the backbone of an organization," says Ellen Hertz, a partner at Accenture in Minneapolis. "They represent the next generation of leadership, so it's very critical."
Others feeling trapped by the economy include workers who feel their employers are falling short.
Fifty-three percent say they are unhappy with pay, up from 44 percent in 2002, according to a poll by CareerBuilder.com. And 45 percent are unhappy with career advancement opportunities, up from 36 percent in 2002.
The longer the jobless recovery drags on, the harder it will be for companies to maintain the morale and productivity of employees who want to leave.
"The steps they're taking are pathetic," Ledford says.
Some employers say they've got programs in place that help employees remain motivated. At Silverlink Communications in Burlington, Mass., employees have equity in the voice applications company.
Says CEO Stan Nowak: "There are companies out there where employees have been beaten into submission. We have the motivation, I hope, for people to be very loyal."
The bad news concerning jobs continues to mount.
Facing pressure to lower the prices of its clothes, jeans maker Levi Strauss & Co. said yesterday it will cut up to 650 jobs in the United States and Europe to slash expenses.
International Paper Co. plans to cut about 3,000 jobs, or about 3.5 percent of its work force, in the next year to help improve profits.
3Com Corp. said it expects to reduce its work force by about 1,000 jobs as it hires others to handle all of its manufacturing and distribution and closes a plant in Ireland as part of a plan to save money and improve efficiency.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
