Stress and burnout are rising in the U.S., but jobs are plentiful and Americans are willing to move to new places for work.
Why it matters: The CEOs who can get company culture right, and the mayors who can sell their cities, have an unprecedented opportunity to lure top-tier talent.
By the numbers: Three stats from a new Gallup workplace report tell this story.
- 71% of Americans believe this is a great time to look for a new job.
- 58% are stressed at their current job daily.
- 20% are likely to move to a new city in the next year.
The big picture: There's a chance for unhappy workers to find better jobs, for smaller, non-coastal cities to attract new residents, and for companies to poach talented employees.
- Willingness to move (27%) is even higher among workers under 40.
Between the lines: The companies that are winning the Great Resignation and attracting top talent are the ones that are getting company culture right, says Jim Harter, chief workplace scientist at Gallup.
- As we've reported, company culture is quickly becoming as important to workers as compensation and promotions.
- Elements of a strong workplace culture include managers who act like coaches and invest in workers' careers, as well as leaders who consistently explain why they're making the decisions they make, he says.
- "Build a culture where people's lives are better overall when they come to work," Harter says. Then, market it.
And cities can step in too.
- A number of smaller cities — including Tulsa; Greensburg, Indiana; and cities in Vermont — are trying to sell themselves to newcomers, leaning on similar pitches about workers' well-being.
- They're marketing their green spaces, their safe communities and their affordability.
The bottom line: The silver lining in the rise of stress and worry in the workplace is that millions of workers are up for grabs — and many companies and smaller cities are poised to win that fight for talent.
