Team NEO Announces Starting Wage and Benefit Survey
1/16/2008
Team Northeast Ohio (Team NEO) is partnering once again with Kent State University – Stark Campus, to conduct a survey to gather and report starting pay and benefits data to help attract business here. This research will provide data for 250 professions in the 16 county Cleveland Plus region, representing the combined labor markets of Cleveland, Akron, Canton and Youngstown and their associated suburban and rural counties.
The survey is being conducted because current data available from the state includes only median and average wages, which can be skewed due to the region’s history of veteran workers and low rates of workers changing jobs, commonly called “churn” in economic terms. The organization has found that most businesses considering expansion in Northeast Ohio ask about labor costs during the first meeting. “There is a direct necessity for starting wage and benefits information for recruiting workforce and business in Northeast Ohio,” according to James Robey, Ph.D., Vice President of Research for Team NEO. “The data collected from this survey will allow us to provide timely and accurate information that helps us showcase Northeast Ohio’s viable business environment.”
Team NEO, in collaboration with its partner chambers and county-based economic developers, have determined the businesses to be surveyed based on occupations usually in demand by companies that are new to the region. The group has identified the 250 occupations that are most important to the region and its growth. These include professional and skilled labor professions.
The survey is being mailed this week to businesses with more than 25 employees in targeted industries in Northeast Ohio via Team NEO’s regional chamber partners, including Greater Cleveland Partnership, Greater Akron Chamber, Stark Development Board, Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and county chambers from Ashtabula to Ashland, including Medina, Lorain and those in between. Recipients are being requested to complete and return the survey by February 11 and return to the Kent State University – Stark Campus. The survey developers have confirmed that all responses will be kept confidential. Participating establishments will receive a copy of the full report, to be completed by May 31.
“This is the second year we are collaborating with our regional chambers and communities to collect this valuable data,” said Thomas Waltermire, Team NEO’s Chief Executive Officer. “This information is not available by any other group and is beneficial to firms that are looking to locate their business in our region so they can gage workforce norms.”
The survey is being paid in part with Federal Workforce Investment Act funds via the United States Department of Labor.
Team NEO markets Northeast Ohio to attract business investment in targeted industry clusters.
The organization is a joint venture of the largest metropolitan area chambers, representing 4 million people in 16 counties. Team NEO serves as a central resource, informing and serving those considering investment in Northeast Ohio and is a co-founder of the Cleveland Plus Marketing Alliance, a coalition to drive strategic, long-term marketing for Northeast Ohio. For more information, visit www.teamneo.org.
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