A positive investment for America

Maj. Elizabeth Gagot, from the Army Reserve's Employer Partnership Initiative, talks to Pooja Chauhan, a Talent Acquisition for Abbott, about how the Army Reserve can help her company with recruitment issues.

By 1st Lt. Olivia Cobiskey
EPI Director of Marketing - Media

NEW ORLEANS - Job security continues to weigh on the minds of workers in the United States.

The number of employees who believe their job is "not at risk" dropped slightly to 47 percent compared with 51 percent roughly six months ago, while those who think their job is "significantly at risk" held steady at six percent.

The findings are detailed in a poll, "The Continued Economic Downturn: Employee Perspective," released Sunday by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) at its 61st Annual Conference and Exposition in New Orleans.

Even as 50 percent of employees fret over pink slips, the importance of job satisfaction continued to rise for the third year -from 79 percent in 2007 to 86 percent in 2009, said Steve Williams, director of research at SHRM.

"Although employees say the weak economy has no negative impact on overall job satisfaction, the recession is the reason why job security is the top ranked factor to workplace satisfaction among HR professionals and employees in 2009," said SHRM President and CEO Laurence G. O'Neil. "Job security is the number one aspect for job satisfaction this year, topping benefits, compensation and feeling safe at work."

According to the 2009 Job Satisfaction Survey, employees at organizations "somewhat affected" by the recession are more likely to be satisfied than employees at organization that have been "greatly impacted" by the economy.

Employers have said the economy has directly affected employee benefits, according to the SHRM 2009 Employee Benefits Survey Report. Companies are scaling back on health care and welfare, housing and relocation, and business travel benefits.

"The recession plus rising health care costs are causing companies to evaluate all operating costs closely, even employee benefits, where a reduction in some benefits is required to survive the economic crisis," O'Neil added.

Mental health coverage was the only benefit in this category to be offered by more organizations in 2009 than 2008. More companies also started offering money management courses and retirement funds employees could contribute to.

Soldiers from the Army Reserve's Employer Partnership Initiative were on hand at the annual conference to help HR managers tackle some of those issues.

The EPI program is a new initiative with three interrelated training and credentialing, as well a potential health care sharing.
Employers who hire Army Reserve Soldiers will see a drop in employee costs for recruiting, training and health care benefits.

Army Reserve Soldiers are pre-screened, and can apply their credentials in the workplace almost immediately, said Lt. Col. Kris Carle, an Outreach STRATCOM Officer with Army Reserve Communication, in her booth at the Convention Center Sunday.

"The Army Reserve is a positive investment for America," Carle said.