Do Engineers Have It Made? More Than Two-Thirds are Exploring New Opportunities, and Most Think They'll Get Them

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Feb 22, 2017, 05:00 ET

MILWAUKEE, Feb. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As demand for engineering talent grows, employers will increasingly struggle to hang on to their best and brightest: 67% of engineers say they are likely to explore other job opportunities this year and 81% are confident they will land that new role. In this highly competitive talent landscape, employers need to rethink talent retention; this is according to a national survey conducted by Experis, the professional resourcing and project-based solutions arm of ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN).

Engineers are likely to explore new job opportunities in 2017, according to the latest report from Experis.

Download the "Focus on Engineering 2017" report and infographic here: http://www.experisjobs.us/exp_us/en/engineering-career-resources.htm

This annual survey, released for National Engineers Week (February 19-25), finds that though job hopping is on the rise, the majority of engineers (96%) are happy with their career choice and have no plans to switch — 95% would recommend engineering to others. This is good news, as a positive industry outlook is essential to building a pipeline of future talent, but the current skills shortage shows there is still a ways to go before supply catches up to demand.

"Engineering roles continue to rank among the most difficult jobs to fill both in the U.S. and around the world, according to our global talent shortage survey," said Rich Hutchings, Experis Vice President, Engineering. "The talent crunch and ease of job hopping today means employers need to get serious about their retention strategies, and that requires a deeper understanding of what engineers really want from their jobs. From pay and office culture to work-life balance, employers cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent."

The results show engineers' priorities have shifted since last year, and they are getting more selective about where they work. While pay remains the top draw for candidates, "workplace environment" has jumped up to the number two spot (up from number four in 2016), and "more interesting / challenging work" is now on the list. Both point to the importance of company culture as well as a desire — particularly among Millennial and Gen Z workers — to gain the experience and skills that will help pave the way towards advancement and future employment.

The full list of top considerations for engineering candidates includes:

Salary, bonuses and/or incentives
Better work environment/culture
More interesting/challenging work
Improved work/life balance
Health benefits
Feeling valued/appreciated

For more information on attracting and retaining engineering talent and other industry best practices, visit: http://www.experisjobs.us/exp_us/en/engineering-career-resources.htm

About Experis
Experis™ is the global leader in professional resourcing and project-based solutions. Experis accelerates organizations' growth by attracting, assessing and placing specialized expertise in IT, Finance and Engineering to deliver in-demand talent for mission-critical positions and projects, enhancing the competitiveness of the organizations and people we serve. Experis is part of the ManpowerGroup family of companies, which also includes Manpower, ManpowerGroup Solutions and Right Management. To learn more, visit www.experis.com.

About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN) is the world's workforce expert, creating innovative workforce solutions for nearly 70 years. We connect more than 600,000 people to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day. Through our ManpowerGroup family of brands – Manpower®, Experis®, Right Management® and ManpowerGroup® Solutions – we help more than 400,000 clients in 80 countries and territories address their critical talent needs, providing comprehensive solutions to resource, manage and develop talent. In 2016, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the sixth consecutive year and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com.

SOURCE ManpowerGroup