Workforce Report Outlines Needs of Bartow Companies

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Employers and education partners throughout Bartow County have a long history of partnership.

That partnership was called upon three years ago and again recently, to help articulate the collective needs of county employers in a way that educators and community stakeholders can relate to and set goals to meet those needs.

The initial result of that work was the 2012 Bartow Workforce Needs Assessment.

Most recently, those results have been updated and compiled into the 2015 Bartow Workforce Needs Assessment.

The 2015 Bartow Workforce Needs Assessment Committee’s five major tasks included: compiling existing research; preparing the data collection tool; launching the survey; collect and analyze the confidential employer data; and prepare the final report.

The study period was from April through August, with the survey period among all Bartow employers from May 28 to June 20.

According to the report, 71 survey takers represented 65 individual companies. Those participating in the survey were mostly leaders -- managers, directors, presidents, etc. -- in their respective companies. They also represented a diverse group of small, medium and large employers.

A quick snapshot of some of the findings:

• 52.9 percent reported they do not consider employee retention to be a “significant issue.” On the flip side, the remaining companies reported turnover to be an issue, with a collective 38.2 percent annual turnover rate.
• Respondents rated 22 work ethic characteristics for their importance in the workplace, and for their need to improve among current workforce (for the sake of analysis, the 22 characteristics were categorized into 3 groups: Interpersonal Skills, Behaviors and Personality Traits).
• The top five topics indicated regarding emerging knowledge required of future workforce include technology, machine controls/automation, computer literacy/Microsoft Office, basic math/GED and customer service/phone etiquette.
• 57.4 percent of the respondents said that their annual training budget was less than $9,999, “reiterating the importance of affordable continuing education opportunities for Bartow companies,” the report states.
• 63.6 percent of respondents noted the company does not offer some type of college tuition assistance for its employees.
• 60.56 percent of respondents indicated plans to expand their workforce over the next five years.
• 69.6 percent of respondents indicated skill levels as the most adverse factor significantly impacting the company’s hiring decisions. Background was indicated as the next highest adverse factor at 59.4 percent, followed by drug test results (49.3 percent), attendance (37.7 percent) and other (20.3 percent).

The complete results of the 2015 report can be viewed here.

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