Lane Workforce Partnership Releases 2022 State of the Workforce

Lane Workforce Partnership has released its 2022 State of the Workforce report for Lane County. The report was created to explore the current labor situation in order to better understand the market so that businesses can better plan for how they can tap into the community and adapt to shifts in Lane County’s workforce. The 2022 report consists of an overview of post-COVID workforce issues, an examination of who is in the workforce, how employers can attract them, and what it takes to retain them, as well as a sector-by-sector synopsis of Lane County’s major industries.

The 2022 report confirms a workforce trend that employers have been identifying since reemerging from a global health crisis – a notable shift in workers’ priorities. Traditional employment incentives such as salary, job titles, and career advancement opportunities aren’t as appealing as they once were. Workers have reevaluated their preferences, and more and more employees across generations are increasingly attracted to meaningful work, stability, and a robust work/life balance.

“… in reality, the labor force participation rate – the share of people working or looking for work – is higher in Oregon than it was pre-pandemic. People are working. This leads to the conclusion that we don’t have a workforce shortage – but rather a ‘shift’ in the workforce.”

– From the Introduction to the LWP 2022 State of the Workforce Report

Backed by research from the Oregon Employment Department and U.S. Census Bureau, the report goes on to examine economic trends, employment growth, wages, education, and diversity in the workplace, sector by sector. A few noteworthy points from these examinations:

• Some of the increase in the total number of workers is due to an increase in self-employment. As a result, a shortage of workers is causing many employers to have difficulty filling job vacancies.
  
  
• An increase in real wages was not enough to keep the wage gap between Lane County and the rest of the state from expanding.
  
  
• Roughly 62% of high-wage, high-demand job openings require postsecondary education or training.
  
  
• While the number of total workers grew by 6%, or 8,500 workers, from 2000 to 2021, the rate of change in most races and ethnicities far surpassed that pace.

About Lane Workforce Partnership
Lane Workforce Partnership is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization and one of Oregon’s nine local workforce development boards. Lane Workforce Partnership, the designated local Workforce Development Board for Lane County, Oregon, funds and delivers programs that empower job seekers to meet the current and future workforce needs of employers in Lane County.  Programs and services are delivered through a network of local partners including employers, labor groups, government, community colleges, high schools, community-based organizations, and economic development.