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WORKFORCE STUDIES

The Greater Des Moines Partnership has conducted two recent studies of the workforce in the Greater Des Moines (DSM) region. The studies gathered data on employee attitudes, perceptions and preferences, and the resulting analyses give employers insights and actionable steps to meet the needs of employees and create a strong work cultures. 

2024 DSM Workforce Insights Study

To further understand evolving workforce needs for the region, the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Baton Global and Reworc conducted the DSM Workforce Insights Study: Skills of the Future in 2024. The Study gathered data from over 1,500 employees across 22 regional organizations to assess the ongoing evolution and preferences of the DSM workforce. 

Key Findings from the 2024 Survey Include:

  • The most crucial skills for the future emphasize human qualities. Participants believe that human skills are the most critical for the future. Human skills are needed for highly complex and/or highly collaborative work activities. Examples of these skills include communication and active listening.   
  • DSM workforce members largely have confidence in their employer’s abilities to upskill them. Employers have opportunities for collaboration and upskilling through internal development and training programs, by partnering with a local institution of higher education or private training providers. 
  • AI is on the workforce’s mind. Participants said AI is the most important technical skill needed for today’s workforce. Employers can consider additional training and educational emphasis — both on the ethical and technical use of data, as well as the adaptation of AI in the workplace. 
  • Market opportunities for learning. Leadership should make room for learning in their organizations and consider how offerings are communicated and marketed internally among team members, while also increasing access to their offerings.  
  • Gen Z is confident in employers’ skill development efforts. Lifelong learning is highly important to Gen Z, indicating a cohort of the workforce that is ready to learn, sees value in lifelong learning and is confident in their employer's support.  
  • Different industries = different capabilities. Each industry represented in the survey had different skills that rose to the top, but all had a similarly high level of average preparedness across all skills.   
  • High value with room for optimization. More than half of the reported work time was spent on what participants deemed high-value activities. The study saw an increase from 2023 to 2024.   
  • Flexibility is critical. The balance of work and personal considerations continues to be a highly valued work attribute. Flexibility is cited as a critical benefit that the workforce has come to expect  
  • Straightforward management. Participants value clear and straightforward processes from their leaders. Participants look toward leaders to set clear expectations, be willing to listen and provide timely feedback. 
  • Making room for innovation. Participants indicated that what has worked in the past can be innovated collaboratively and inclusively to succeed in the future.  

Download the Study

 

2022 Workforce Trends and Occupancy Study

In early 2022, The Partnership commissioned a study of knowledge workers in DSM. The DSM Workforce Trends and Occupancy Study provided DSM employers with insight into workplace and work preference styles of knowledge workers. The source of the data is hyper-local. The study included responses from 5,197 knowledge workers from organizations in DSM. The DSM Workforce Trends and Occupancy Study is the first-ever community-level study of its kind.  

Multiple subjects were addressed with this study. The Partnership along with the research teams at Bâton Global and Reworc crafted a set of questions to ensure the survey experience would provide robust data to make decisions with.  

The survey covered five primary subjects including:  

  1. Work Behaviors: The types of things workers are actually doing day-to-day  

  1. Mobility: Where workers have been working and plan to work  

  1. Attributes: Key characteristics of their organization and the surrounding environment  

  1. Work Culture: Both current and desired—with the competing values framework 

  2. Downtown: The priorities, satisfaction and utilization patterns of workers

Workforce Trends and Occupancy Study Playbook

The Playbook is a talent-based resource created based on the results from a Greater Des Moines (DSM) knowledge workers study. The Playbook presents the findings of the study as well as detailed insights and actionable steps that can be taken to address the current and future needs of the local workforce. 

The Playbook lays out 13 work-plays on topics such as: 

  • Celebrating wins in a variety of ways 
  •  Creating forums for reflections about the team
  • Delegating growth opportunities
  • Creating business process maps
  • Balancing preferences for work-from-home and hybrid models
  • Finding meaningful opportunities for in-person work
  • Ensuring effective meetings 

Get the Playbook