Hourly workers prioritize upskilling and stability over job hopping

Hourly workers want to advance within the companies they work for. That’s the big takeaway from the most recent ‘The Voice of the American Workforce’ report. The study, which is the biggest survey of hourly workers in the U.S., shows that as the labor market has cooled, so too have employees’ willingness to quit their jobs in search of something better. Stability is back in style again.

The report, which was published by the industrial staffing company Employbridge, shows that hourly workers’ priorities have changed. Pay rate is still the most important factor when looking for a new job for 41% of respondents, but that figure represents a decrease from previous reports. Meanwhile, more respondents (31%) answered that advancement opportunities were most important.

According to the report, workers are increasingly interested in pursuing higher wages within their current positions through training, upskilling, and by taking alternative shifts. Ninety-seven percent of respondents said they’d be willing to invest time in learning a new skill. Of that 97%, 17% said they’d be willing to invest over 10 hours a week, 25% 5-10 hours, 37% 2-4 hours, and 26% 1-2 hours, respectively.

The most desired skills differ between industries, but automation/robotics technician is popular across the surveyed fields. This suggests that hourly workers recognize that the importance of automation and artificial intelligence will continue to grow in their sectors.

Beyond career advancement, many hourly workers value flexibility. Close to 25% of respondents said they’d prefer four 10-hour shifts per week to the traditional 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Yet only 10% of respondents were working that schedule when they were surveyed. Sixty-six percent of respondents said they preferred day shifts, down from 70% in 2022. More hourly workers said they were interested in working weekends than in the previous report, but it remained the least popular shift.

Hourly workers these days also value a good workplace environment. Outside of pay raises, 19% of respondents said companies could win their loyalty by being ‘understanding of obligations that come up in personal life’. Another 18% said their loyalty could be had by ‘good company culture/feeling valued.

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“Hourly workers had previously been given the rap amongst employers of being transient, but this year’s Workforce has spoken loudly and clearly – procuring opportunities to advance within a company is far more appealing than job hopping, and investing in a deeper skillset is something most want and expect to do to increase their value within the workplace,” said Cathi Canfield, Vice President of Talent Development and Social Responsibility at Employebridge,

“In addition to offering opportunities for upskilling, we also encourage employers of hourly workers to focus on long-term career pathways through advancement and upskilling opportunities, starting with the interview and onboarding processes to show employees they plan to keep them on board for a long time. Offering flexibility within shifts and a focus on fair treatment and appreciation will also help employers retain hourly workers for the long run.”