For the past few months or so, my office has been interviewing union workers we represent to find out how they are doing post-election and in the current economy. As we move further away from the lockdown days of the pandemic and delve into the “new jobs” that have unfolded, I want to know how workers are feeling and what exactly they value.
So far we’ve spotted some interesting takeaways.
First, workers are concerned about the impact of inflation on their wages, but not as much as I would have expected. I suppose if we had asked the question in the summer the answers might have been different. But with gas prices approaching nearly $3 a gallon, some inflation fears appear to be fading.
Still, people are concerned about the high cost of healthcare. The cost of health insurance seems to influence people’s attitudes towards their work more than wage rates. That may be because workers who feel underpaid or undervalued can move to another job. But regardless of work, everyone pays a lot of money for health care.
People mostly tend to enjoy their work. More than 70 percent of the employees we surveyed say they enjoy their work and feel most valued by their employers.
Surprisingly, just over 70 percent say they feel physically ready when they show up. And just over 60 percent say that when the bell rings, they feel emotionally ready for work. I think these numbers point to the overwhelm of full-time employees after they retire. Poor health and diet, stressors at home and imperfect sleeping habits are often the causes of physical and emotional pain at work. It would make sense for employers to take an interest in ensuring the health of their employees and encouraging better habits.
While every employee wants to earn a higher salary, people who believe they are being paid fairly for their work have realistic expectations about how much salary they should be paid each year. Most employees are not greedy. They just want what everyone else gets in annual pay increases.
When asked if they felt safe at work, all said they usually felt safe, with almost half saying they always felt safe at work. This is what you would expect from a group that enjoys their work and feels valued in their work.
There is a high demand for fairness in the workplace. People are usually not interested in special or better treatment. They simply want to be treated fairly – no better and no worse than their colleagues.
A majority of employees feel they will be able to enjoy a retirement, but all would like to have larger contributions to their retirement plans, whether it’s a 401-K type or an old-style pension . With longevity increasing since the turn of the century, many people can expect to live well into their 70s, and most want to be sure their money will last them.
Eric Brown is an attorney with offices in Connecticut. He can be reached at 888-579-4222 or online at thelaborlawyer.com.
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