01/27/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/27/2022 09:47
January 27, 2022
As state and local governments face unprecedented workforce shortages, an alarming number of public sector employees say they are considering leaving their jobs. A new MissionSquare Research Institute survey finds more than half (52%) of public sector workers are inclined to leave their jobs voluntarily - whether to change jobs, retire, or leave the workforce entirely - driven largely by burnout and compensation issues.
The findings are detailed in a new research infographic, The Great Resignation and COVID-19: Impact on Public Sector Employment and How Employers Can Help. View a video of the findings. The results are based on a national survey of 1,100 state and local government employees fielded by Greenwald Research in November and December 2021.
"The research offers approaches that public sector employers can implement to prevent workers from walking out the door," Liss-Levinson said. "According to employees, the top three actions their employers can take to retain workers are to increase salaries, offer bonuses, and show more appreciation for employees and the work that they do. Fortunately, we are seeing some jurisdictions moving in this direction, but the Great Resignation across the entire U.S. workforce makes retention all the more difficult for public employers."
Additional research findings are as follows:
MissionSquare Research Institute will release the full survey results in February 2022.
This research follows previous polling conducted in May 2021, October/November 2020, and May 2020 to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public workers' financial and employment outlooks and health and safety concerns. Visit the Institute's COVID-19 and the Public Sector Workforce: Collected Resources for previous infographics and reports.
MissionSquare Research Institute promotes excellence in state and local government and other public service organizations to attract and retain talented employees. The organization identifies leading practices and conducts research on retirement plans, health and wellness benefits, workforce demographics and skill set needs, labor force development, and topics facing the not-for-profit industry and education sector. MissionSquare Research Institute brings together leaders and respected researchers. More information and access to research and publications are available here.