On Friday, June 27, 2025, Richie Shapiro, Director, Solutions Development, Employbridge, joined MAX to discuss the latest findings from the Voice of the American Workforce Survey, the nation’s largest survey on what attracts, motivates, and helps retain hourly workers. Now in its 19th year, the survey reveals what matters most to the people who are the engine of the U.S. economy – and provides employers with data and insights on which to build flexible workforce strategies.
Here are a few highlights of insights shared by Shapiro:
- Pay remains the biggest motivator when looking for a job. It is still the most important motivator across all industries. There is more of an openness to work alternative shifts if it comes with a pay increase.
- As a general rule, opportunities for advancement and upward mobility are more important than they had been in the past.
- Now that jobs are better than they were before, workers are more likely to leave due to unfair treatment than for an objectively better job.
- Upskilling and training remain a high priority for hourly workers to continue growing in their careers.
Click here for the presentation slides.
Click here for a recording.
ABOUT MAX MINUTES
Launched in 2014, the mission of MAX is to advance economic resilience in the Atlanta region by strengthening connections, collaborations, and practices among workforce developers and organizations engaged in workforce development.
Through our webinar series, MAX Minutes, MAX seeks to bring timely insights to providers, intermediaries, and other partners in workforce. MAX Minutes features talks by key experts in the Atlanta region and beyond on important workforce matters.