Executive Summary - Study Overview This section provides a summary of the Voice of the Workforce study conducted in 2023 by the Center for the Future of Work at the Oklahoma State University Spears School of Business. The goal of this study was to better understand the needs and experiences of Oklahoma’s workforce. These findings are summarized as they relate to employers as areas of progress, continued focus and opportunity. Areas of progress for employers in Oklahoma: Autonomy in work: Many respondents indicated that they can determine how their work gets done and make their own decisions at work (p. 23). Flexible work: Many respondents indicated that their company offers flexible work schedules (21.7%) and an additional 30.6% of respondents said flexibility is offered based on position (p. 32). Talent retention: 30.2% of respondents stated they are extremely unlikely to leave their current position in the next six months, while only 12.1% stated they were extremely likely which may indicate that ‘the great resignation’ has slowed in Oklahoma (p. 33). Areas of continued focus for employers in Oklahoma: Pay and rewards: When it comes to compensation and benefits, in general, most respondents were somewhat satisfied with their pay and rewards and felt that it was in line with their skills and experience. (p. 21). Meaningful work: Most respondents indicated that they find their work meaningful and interesting, and it challenges them to do their best. An area of opportunity is helping employees find and pursue work where their interests are better aligned with their tasks (p. 26). Career development: Most respondents somewhat agreed that they have a clear career path or development opportunities at their company (p. 22). Areas of opportunity for employers in Oklahoma: Psychological safety: In general, respondents somewhat agreed with items related to psychological safety, which is when employees can speak up or share ideas without fear of being punished or embarrassed. Some indicated that mistakes may be held against them or it's not safe for them to take risks at work, which is an area of opportunity (p. 29). Work-related Stress: Many respondents somewhat agreed that they experience stress often at work and that stress has impacted their ability to perform their job well at times (p. 31). Effective feedback and supervisor support: Most respondents indicated that, while their job responsibilities were clearly defined, many were not receiving regular feedback or communication about job performance. In addition, while workers feel that their supervisors have the skills and experience needed to lead, results were mixed if workers receive the support they need from their supervisors (p. 27, 28).
WorkTrends 2024
04
Powered by FlippingBook