Economic consulting firm Moody's Analytics forecasts U.S. job growth by geographic region and by industry. Surprisingly, it’s forecasted that Florida to be in pretty good standing by 2nd quarter 2012 (compared to 2nd qtr. 2011)…guess will have to wait and see! (check out USA Today's job growth forecast)
But in the meantime…we’ve been speaking to clients and wondering what the takeaway is from this (what seems to be) never-ending recession.
What insights have we gained that have changed our way of thinking and will stay with us forever?
Here’s what some professionals have recently shared with us:
Executives
Company owners and senior management say they’ve been forced to frequently reevaluate their business strategies – but they’ve learned to appreciate the benefits of this tactic and plan to continue it even post recession. Many have also developed a renewed respect for both employees and customers, saying a primary goal is to more actively find ways to nurture and maintain all relationships.
Managers
The value of retaining and (eventually) hiring top talent sticks in the minds of those making personnel-related decisions. They’ve seen the advantages of having multi-talented workers on board and most plan to more carefully screen existing and potential employees to better understand their fit within the agency. Job seekers are already rebranding themselves in hopes of landing jobs – it’s important for employers to have some reassurance that the person they hire will be the same one that comes through the door everyday.
Service Personnel
Companies are struggling to maintain customer service amid sinking sales and declining employee morale. The administrative staff who have survived rounds of job cuts feel a range of emotions – from relief, to gratefulness, to humbleness to determinedness. Many plan to do everything possible to further develop their skills and stand out, realizing from here on in, the only job security to be found is the kind they make for themselves.
Producers
It takes a special person to be able to sell in a down economy. These sales pros now see themselves as full-service counselors who must provide direction to all kinds of clients. They’ve also learned to give would-be buyers as many options as possible, so prospects feel they have choices and are not forced into decisions.
Other producer-related tactics born of the recession and expected to continue:
- Take working vacations (many fear the losses that come with actual vacations)
- Be as accommodating as possible
- Keep all promises
- Thank, thank, thank the customers with follow-up emails, phone calls, food, etc.
And the one lesson echoed by representatives of all four groups…
“Plan for the future but, more importantly, plan on the future not going as planned.”
