Express Employment Professionals’ America Employed and Canada Employed series explore the state of employment in North America, including everything from hiring expectations and HR challenges to job seekers’ optimism and shrinking the skills gap. Learn about the latest insights uncovered in a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.
Employers and workers are experiencing a disconnect; while most companies are confident they can protect job security, many employees are unsure.
U.S. employers are backing their confidence with action. Eighty-seven percent of hiring managers report their company uses specific policies or practices to support job security, including:
- Upskilling/reskilling opportunities (37%)
- Reducing expenses in other areas to avoid layoffs (35%)
- Creating emergency funds/reserve budgets (28%)
- Utilizing flexible staffing models (27%)
- Using data analysis to forecast staffing needs (26%)
- Covering the cost of employee education (25%)
Canadian employers (79%) use specific policies or practices to support job security in similar ways. While companies are taking steps to protect jobs, external factors continue to weigh heavily on workers. Sixty-eight percent of hiring managers and 75% of job seekers say changes to government policies (e.g., tariffs, taxes, regulations) have a bigger long-term impact on job security than internal company decisions.
These practices align with what job seekers say would make them feel more confident about long-term job security:
- Training for additional roles/responsibilities (40%)
- Clearer communication from senior leadership (36%)
- Access to cross-training or upskilling programs (33%)
Read more about the latest employment insights in America Employed at ExpressPros.com and Canada Employed at ExpressPros.ca.
