57% Lack Capacity to Increase Workforce

Latest Results from The Harris Poll

Sixty percent of companies plan to increase their number of employees in the first half of 2022 primarily due to increased workloads (49%), according to a new survey from Express Employment Professionals conducted by The Harris Poll.

This is followed closely by the need to fill positions due to employee turnover (46%) and fill newly created positions (46%), while a third (34%) cite expanding into other categories or markets as the reason for their increased employee count.

However, as much as companies may long for additional employees to manage the weight of an ever-increasing workload, the ability to do so may stall this effort with nearly 3 in 5 U.S. hiring decision-makers (57%) saying they need more employees to manage their workload but do not have the capacity to hire.

While businesses across the country are grappling with this worker shortage, the lack of employees also runs the risk of burning out their current ones.

“The retention of employees is no easy task but it is one that is extremely important. I have found that this can be best accomplished by providing an environment that is fun, collaborative, and your team can thrive. We have a very ‘open door’ mentality in our office and our team all feels that they are supported and can come to anyone on our leadership team with concerns and they will be heard. It takes years to create a positive work culture and minutes to break it.” said Chris Petty, Franchise Manager of the Central Oregon Express franchise office.

Creating a quality company culture is a good investment, even when labor market conditions are more ideal, said Bill Stoller, CEO of Express Employment International.

“If you nurture an environment where people feel valued and motivated, the rest will follow,” he added. “It’s tough times like these where businesses should be growing, but on a foundation that can support it.”

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Nov. 10 and Dec. 2, 2021, among 1,009 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Chris Petty, call 541-389-1505.

About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 586,000 people globally in 2021 and 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.

The Central Oregon Express office is located at 61379 S. Hwy 97, Bend, Oregon and serves the tri-county region.  Local businesses and applicants are encouraged to stop by, visit www.expresspros.com/bendor or call 541-389-1505.

About Bill Stoller

William H. “Bill” Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.