SHRM Poll: The Ongoing Impact of the Recession—Overall Financial Health and Hiring

1. SHRM Poll: The Ongoing Impact of the Recession—Overall Financial Health and Hiring November22, 2011

2. Introduction • This is part one of a series of SHRM poll results about the ongoing impact of the recession. Overall results will be reported separately in three different topic areas: • Recruiting and skill gaps. • Overall financial health and hiring. • Global competition and hiring strategies. • Industry-specific results will be reported separately for each of the eight industries that were included in the sample: • Construction, oil, mining and gas. • Federal government. • Finance. • Health. • Manufacturing. • State and local government. • Services—professional. • High-tech.

3. Key Findings • What percentage of staff have organizations laid off since the U.S. and global recession began in December 2007? Overall, 77% of organizations indicated they had lost 10% of employees or less in 2011, whereas in 2010 65% of organizations reported losing less than 10% of employees. • How does organizations’ financial health compare to where it was 12 months ago? Results in 2011 were very similar to 2010 results. Two-thirds of organizations reported either no change (24% in 2011, 25% in 2010) or experiencing a mild to significant recovery (42% in 2011 and 2010), while one-third were in a mild (26% in 2011, 24% in 2010) or significant decline (8% in 2011, 9% in 2011).

4. Key Findings • Are organizations currently hiring? Nearly three out of four organizations (73%) were currently hiring full-time permanent staff. Larger organizations (500 to 24,999 employees) were more likely to be hiring compared with smaller organizations (1 to 499 employees). • For what type of positions are organizations hiring? Most hiring is at nonmanagement levels (72% for hourly and 71% for salaried positions), and more than one-half (54%) of organizations are hiring for management positions such as directors and managers. About one out of five organizations (22%) is hiring at the executive/upper management level.

5. Key Findings • Are organizations creating new positions or replacing jobs lost? In 2011, more organizations (58%) are mainly hiring direct replacements of jobs lost than they were in 2010 (41%), while fewer organizations (30%) are hiring for completely new positions in 2011 than they were in 2010 (47%). The proportion of organizations that are adding new duties to the jobs lost has remained unchanged at 12%. The smallest organizations (1 to 99 employees) are more likely to be hiring for completely new positions than are larger organizations (100 or more employees). • Do completely new positions require new and different skill sets compared with the skills required for the jobs lost since the recession began? More than one-half (57%) of organizations require a mixture of new skills and the same type of skills for new positions, whereas 15% require completely new and different skill sets and 28% require approximately the same types of skills as those required before the recession. When these positions required at least some new skills, 63% of organizations reported difficulty recruiting, especially among small organizations (1 to 99 employees).

6. Thus far, what percentage of full-time permanent jobs have been lost at your organization since the U.S. and global recession began in December 2007? Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. *2010 data had different categories than 2011 data: “Less than 10% of staff” and “10% to 20% of staff”.

7. Thus far, what percentage of full-time permanent jobs have been lost at your organization since the U.S. and global recession began in December 2007? Comparisons by industry The federal government and the finance industry are more likely to have had no layoffs than the construction, mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, state and local government, professional services, and high-tech industries. The construction, mining, oil and gas industry is more likely to have lost more than 50% of staff than the federal government, finance, manufacturing, and professional services industries.

8. Thus far, what percentage of full-time permanent jobs have been lost at your organization since the U.S. and global recession began in December 2007? Comparisons by organization staff size Smaller organizations (1 to 499 employees) are more likely than larger organizations (500 to 24,999 employees) to have had NO layoffs. Smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees) are more likely than larger organizations (100 to 24,999 employees) to have laid off more than 50% of staff.

9. In relation to the U.S. and global recession, would you say your organization's overall financial health is declining or recovering compared with 12 months ago?

10. In relation to the U.S. and global recession, would you say your organization's overall financial health is declining or recovering compared with 12 months ago? Comparisons by industry The construction, mining, oil and gas, finance, manufacturing, services—professional, and high-tech industries are more likely to be in a significant recovery than the federal government and state and local governments. The finance industry is more likely to be in a mild recovery than the federal government, health, state and local government, and high-tech industries.

11. Is your organization currently hiring full-time permanent staff? Note: n = 2,286.

12. Is your organization currently hiring full-time permanent staff? Comparisons by industry The health industry is more likely to be currently hiring full-time staff than the construction, mining, oil and gas, federal government, and professional services industries. The high-tech industry is more likely to be currently hiring full-time staff than the construction, mining, oil and gas, and federal government industries. Comparisons by organization staff size Larger organizations (500 to 24,999 employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1 to 499 employees) to be currently hiring full-time staff.

13. At what level(s) is your organization hiring? Note: n = 1,660. Percentages do not total 100% because respondents were able to select multiple response options. Only respondents whose organizations were currently hiring full-time staff were asked this question.

14. At what level(s) is your organization hiring? Comparisons by industry The health industry is more likely to be hiring executive/upper management employees than the construction, mining, oil and gas, finance, manufacturing, professional services, and high-tech industries. The high tech industry is more likely to be hiring nonmanagement salaried employees than the construction, mining, oil and gas, federal government, finance, health, manufacturing, state and local government, and professional services industries.

15. At what level(s) is your organization hiring? (continued) Comparisons by industry The finance, health, manufacturing, and state and local government industries are more likely to be hiring nonmanagement hourly employees than the federal government, professional services and high-tech industries. Comparisons by organization staff size Larger organizations (500 to 24,999 employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1 to 499 employees) to be hiring executive/upper management staff.

16. At what level(s) is your organization hiring? (continued) Comparisons by organization staff size Larger organizations (500 to 25,000 or more employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1 to 499 employees) to be hiring other management-level employees (e.g., directors, managers). Larger organizations (2,500 to 24,999 employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1 to 2,499 employees) to be hiring nonmanagement salaried employees.

17. Which of the following best describes, in general, the nature of full-time positions your organization is currently hiring? Note: Only respondents whose organizations were currently hiring full-time staff were asked this question.

18. Which of the following best describes, in general, the nature of full-time positions your organization is currently hiring? Comparisons by industry The state and local governments are more likely to be hiring direct replacements of jobs lost since the recession began than the construction, mining, oil and gas, federal government, finance, manufacturing, professional services, and high-tech industries. The high-tech industry is more likely to be hiring for completely new positions than the federal government, finance, health, and state and local government industries.

19. Which of the following best describes, in general, the nature of full-time positions your organization is currently hiring? Comparisons by organization staff size Larger organizations (500 to 24,999 employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees) to be hiring direct replacements of positions lost since the recession began. Smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees) are more likely than larger organizations (100 to 25,000 or more employees) to be hiring for completely new positions.

20. Compared with the skills required for jobs lost since the recession began, do these completely new positions require any of the following skills? Note: n = 467. Only respondents whose organizations were hiring full-time staff for “completely new positions” were asked this question.

21. Compared with the skills required for jobs lost since the recession began, do these completely new positions require any of the following skills? Comparisons by organization staff size Approximately the same types of skills for completely new positions Smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees) are more likely than larger organizations (100 to 24,999 employees) to require approximately the same types of skills for completely new positions. A mixture of new skills and the same types of skills for completely new positions Larger organizations (100 to 24,999 employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees) to require a mixture of new skills and the same types of skills for completely new positions.

22. If the new jobs being created by your organization require new and different skill sets, how easy or difficult do you think it will be or has it been thus far to find qualified individuals for those positions? Note: Only respondents whose organizations were hiring full-time staff for positions with “new duties added to jobs lost” or “completely new positions” that required either “a mixture of new skills and the same types of skills” or “completely new and different skills” were asked this question.

23. If the new jobs being created by your organization require new and different skill sets, how easy or difficult do you think it will be or has it been thus far to find qualified individuals for those positions? Comparisons by organization staff size Smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees) are more likely than larger organizations (500 to 24,999 employees) to report that it will be or has been very difficult to find qualified individuals for jobs requiring new and different skill sets.

24. Demographics: Organization Industry Note: n = 2,286. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

25. Demographics: Organization Sector Note: n = 2,187.

26. Demographics: Organization Staff Size Note: n = 2,161.

27. Demographics: Other • Is your organization a single-unit company or a multi-unit company? • Does your organization have U.S.-based operations (business units) only or does it operate multi-nationally? n = 2,196. n = 2,226. • Are HR policies and practices determined by the multi-unit corporate headquarters, by each work location or both? • HR department/function for which you responded throughout this survey n = 1,444. n = 1,442. Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

28. SHRM Poll: The Ongoing Impact of the Recession Methodology • Response rate = 11% • Sample composed of 2,286 randomly selected HR professionals from eight different industries in SHRM’s membership • Margin of error +/- 2% • Survey fielded August 18-September 2, 2011 For more poll findings, visit www.shrm.org/surveys Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHRM_Research