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WORKERS HOLDING STEADY IN WAKE OF TERRORIST ATTACKS, NEW NATIONWIDE SURVEY FROM ACT•1 REVEALS
Findings Show Americans Strongly United in Feeling Immobilized In Wake of September’s Tragic Events
TORRANCE, Calif. (November 16, 2001) — While the nation struggles to return to some semblance of normalcy in the aftermath of September 11, a new nationwide survey shows that, career-wise, Americans overwhelmingly feel risk-averse and seemingly frozen in place.
Despite the conventional wisdom that people would begin to re-assess priorities, their working lives and the status quo in the wake of the attacks, the survey -- conducted by MarketFacts TeleNation of Chicago for ACT•1 Group, an industry leader in managed services and quality human resource solutions – reveals a population not yet ready to readjust its work/life goals. The ACT•1 Career Assessment Study asked more than 600 Americans whether they plan to alter their career priorities and planning as a result of the events of September 11 – or had already done so.
An overwhelming percentage of respondents across all demographic groups indicated that they have not made any changes in their career plans as a result of the attacks.
Of those surveyed, nearly 92 percent indicated that they had no plans for career changes as a result of the attack, with men (93 percent) being slightly more reluctant to make career moves than women (91 percent). Three percent of respondents are re-thinking career options on their own; nearly two percent are reassessing career options and have already sought career planning assistance; another two percent intend to seek career planning assistance, but have not yet done so; and one percent has already made a job or career change.
Overall, the findings show that younger respondents with lower incomes, at the start of their careers and with less at stake, are the most likely to re-evaluate their career paths in light of September 11. High-income, mid-career respondents were shown to be much more cautious and likely to "hold fast" to what they have. Among industry segments, workers in construction, manufacturing and services are relatively more likely to be re-thinking their career priorities.
"These results tell us a great deal — not just about the post-attack economy, but about how people react to tragedy," said Janice Bryant Howroyd, chairman, CEO and founder, ACT•1 Group. "The compelling question is, 'what is incubating in people's hearts and minds while they remain numb?' We’re not yet talking about ourselves – we don’t want to think about the answers. In times of crisis, most people shudder at the idea of voluntarily inviting change.
"The overwhelming consensus clearly indicates that for so many, embarking on a new career path right now just seems too daunting, even as we’re rethinking our relationships to each other and our place in the world," Bryant Howroyd said. "The survey suggests that most people want to embrace the status quo as they experienced it prior to September 11. Familiarity gives us comfort and lets us heal on our own time."
The terrorist attacks on the United States, combined with massive layoffs, rising unemployment and the confirmation of recession all have made the world seem like a very uncertain place indeed, she noted, suggesting that the longer-term consequences could be detrimental if new opportunities are bypassed. "Combined with the specter of a nation at war, it’s hard now for many people to be aggressive in their careers," Bryant Howroyd said. "But now is not the time to freeze up in fear. And it is surely not a time to compromise who you are personally to become who you wish to be professionally."
From Attitudes to Action
Amid a raft of anecdotal accounts of business executives who want to travel less, and workers who want to telecommute more to spend more time with families, attitudes have yet to crystallize into action. According to Bryant Howroyd, worries about the war on terror have been exacerbated by general concerns about the economy and a fear that, if you lose your current job, another one may not be just around the corner.
Among the key findings:
- Industry segments unsettled . Among industry groups, those in the manufacturing/construction sector are most likely to be considering their career options (11 percent), followed by those in services (8 percent), with government, education and the retail/wholesale segments roughly even at 4 percent each. Those in finance/real estate, healthcare, high technology and the professions were least likely to be rethinking their career priorities. Tellingly, workers in the hard-hit transportation and public utilities sectors are also holding in place.
- Money matters . Respondents with higher incomes – that is, those earning more than $75,000 annually -- were much less likely to consider making a change; those below that income threshold were almost three times as likely to reconsider their careers as their more prosperous counterparts.
- The youngest say ‘maybe.’ The youngest population sampled -– those ages 18-24, who may not yet be settled into long-term career paths -- were more open to using Sept. 11 to reassess their priorities.
- The next-youngest say ‘no.’ Not so for their immediate elders, those ages 25-34. Among the entire population, members of that age group were the least likely to be rethinking their careers.
- Families seek family time . Americans with children in the household were more likely to be open to changing careers, indicating that some may be re-evaluating their lifestyle choices to include additional family time as a result of the attacks.
- Regions differ . Those residing on the West Coast were least amenable to considering a career change, while those in the Southeast showed the greatest interest in reassessing career options.
Despite the obstacles of recession, layoffs and the prospect of more attacks, Bryant Howroyd recommends moving forward, with the emphasis on "moving."
"Taking some sort of positive action — whether it’s looking for a better job, taking a computer class, attending religious services or doing volunteer work — may be just the ticket to overcoming the post-attack stress that has become so pervasive in our nation," she said. "This latest series of horribly unsettling developments, post-Sept. 11 – the anthrax attacks and now the downed American Airlines flight in Queens – could prove to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, either sending us into a deeper retreat or, more hopefully, finally shaking us from our immobility."
The ACT•1 Career Assessment Study of 636 Americans was conducted on October 26-28, 2001. For a copy of the survey results, please call 818/719-9299.
About ACT•1 Group
Based in Torrance, Calif., ACT•1 Group services employer needs throughout California and in the metropolitan areas of Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Washington, D.C. from a network of 77 strategically positioned offices. According to Working Woman magazine, ACT•1 is the largest woman minority-owned employment agency in the United States, with major clients including Sempra Energy, the Ford Motor Company, Amgen, SGI, Sprint, Worldcom, Health Net and The Gap. In July of this year, the company was awarded "Supplier of the Year" by the GMSDC (Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council). ACT•1 employs in excess of 55,000 temporary "stars" and 400 full-time employees throughout the United States. Supplying the demands of growth, ACT•1 Personnel is ISO 9002 Certified. With proprietary software and technology-based systems, ACT•1 has grown from a WMBE leader to an industry leader in managed services and quality human resource solutions, and strives to "keep the humanity in human resources."
Press contact:
Chuck Pearson
ACT•1 Group
Director of Marketing
(310) 750-3400
cpearson@act-1.com