Survey shows top priorities for Flathead job seekers

A newly completed statewide survey on Montana residents shows that in a time when businesses are desperate for employees, the Flathead Valley workforce is searching for value in work, not just pay.

LC Staffing, the state’s largest talent acquisition agency, recently conducted the survey that probed job seekers’ priorities as they search for work.

As expected, 85 percent of survey respondents listed wage as one of their three main considerations. But only 47 percent of those people said wage was their top deciding factor when selecting a job.

Roughly 57 percent stated wage was not the most important deciding factor. Instead, job seekers wrote that they expected their work to be challenging, have flexible hours, have a good environment and be part of a company that demonstrates appreciation for what they do.

LC Staffing Kalispell Branch Manager Janie Hunter said while the survey reinforced what the company had been hearing from job seekers, it gave tangible numbers to a shift in the workforce mindset.

As workforce demographics change between generations, people are no longer just looking for a stable job to survive, she said.

“As we are beginning to see millennials become more prominent in the workforce, as a generation, millennials are more directed toward finding meaningful work and making a difference as a whole, either in the community or even the world,” Hunter said.

With the county’s unemployment rate teetering between 4 and 5 percent, businesses have more pressure to sell themselves to future employees.

As of Monday, there were 965 jobs listed on the Kalispell Job Services website. In June, Kalispell jobs reached a record high when it hit 1,000 listings.

“When it comes to being able to find good, long-term employees, it comes down to businesses listening to what job seekers are looking for,” Hunter said.

Of the 400 residents surveyed, 70 responded to the online form and of those, 66 percent lived in the Flathead Valley, according to LC Staffing.

Meaningful work was listed in the top three priorities by 50 percent of respondents. That statistic was closely followed by a desire for a well-organized company with a supervisor who invests in staff with work-related training, which scored nearly 49 percent.

Kristen Heck, president of LC Staffing, said competitive wages always will be a key factor in finding workers. She said the majority of Flathead Valley employers who are filling jobs are starting new hires around $12 per hour or more.

“This survey also clearly shows that many Montana job seekers recognize huge value in employer offerings that cannot be quantified with a dollar sign,” Heck said.

Hunter said she tells her Kalispell clients that to draw in stable employees, they have to put into words how their organization is making a difference and describe to employees how they can be part of that mission.

Along with outlining a business mission, she said little things can show a worker they’re appreciated. For example, she said one larger business began to offer free healthy snacks in the break room. A smaller business began providing their employees with bus passes.

“Businesses are having to find creative ways to make employees feel valued, and you can see that starting in Montana,” Hunter said.

Reporter Katheryn Houghton may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at khoughton@dailyinterlake.com.