Home > News > Blog > Chamber workforce survey results

Chamber workforce survey results

November 30, 2021
Workforce Survey Results

Workforce attraction is the No. 1 concern of regional employers right now and identifying and addressing workforce gaps is a priority for the Quad Cities Chamber. The findings of a recent survey of our members will guide our work as we develop strategies to meet the region's employment needs and help our partners successfully attract and develop talent. Here are the results: 

Survey Respondents

  • A majority (53%) of responders were small businesses, with 50 or fewer employees residing in Scott County (60%) and Rock Island County (50%)
  • The top five jobs currently open by employers are:
    • Office and Administrative Support occupations 25%
    • Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance occupations 22%
    • Management occupations 19%
    • Food Preparation and Serving-related occupations 15%
    • Business and Financial Operations occupations 13%
  • Employers are offering work-based learning opportunities for students in the form of internships (54%) and job shadowing experiences (21%)
  • Employers anticipate future job growth (66%)

Hiring Challenges

  • Lack of qualified applicants is reported as the most common difficulty in filling positions (74%)
  • Positions tend to be open more than three months (38%)
  • Recruitment (38%) and retention (32%) are the highest employer workforce priorities
  • Employers are using a range of options for advertising open positions with social media ranking highest, followed closely by job boards, word of mouth and company blog/websites.
  • Only 15% of responders are using state workforce agencies to find employees.
  • Largest anticipated job needs are:
    • Food Preparation and Serving-related occupations (365 positions)
    • Construction and Extraction occupations (222 positions)

Future Hiring Initiatives

  • Future Hiring Needs:
    • Management occupations (35%)
    • Office and Administrative Support occupations (27%)
    • Business and Financial Operations occupations (20%)
    • Production occupations (20%)
  • Employers are willing to provide on-the-job training opportunities (95%)
  • Employers indicated an interest in offering new work-based learning opportunities (70%)
  • Highest ranked characteristics employers are seeking include work ethic (28%) and reliability (28%)
  • Replacement of retiring workforce will be with new hires (71%)
  • Responding to hiring difficulties companies are re-evaluating compensation, benefits and incentives (55%)