- 70% of the respondents didn’t think U.S. chief executive officers were “working hard enough”
- United States is becoming increasingly productive and cost competitive
- Private sector must maintain the freedom to source jobs globally based on market demands
Bill Westwood, partner, industry leader, Industrial Leadership and Talent Consulting, Korn/Ferry International
As we vault toward this year’s U.S. presidential election, economics dominate the debate. Shuttered factories and long unemployment lines tell the story of an economy that continues to create jobs at an anemic rate.
My firm recently polled hundreds of people on how to stoke job creation. The results were a microcosm of the nation’s political debate and whether the public or private sector holds a solution or is more the root of the problem.
Who holds the key to reviving the U.S. economy and creating good, high-wage jobs? The president? Congress? The Federal Reserve? Private industry? Our poll of U.S. workers found that the answers are, respectively, “yes, no, no and definitely not.”
The 84,000 jobs created in June hardly serve as an inspiration for voters to reward either party. However, our survey found that a substantial majority of workers polled (63%) believe the president has a big impact on job creation. At the same time, fewer (55%) believe the president, Congress and the Fed can work together to create jobs. Given the political gridlock that has paralyzed Washington, even this modest majority seems overly optimistic.
So how do we stimulate job growth? Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents think government spending can play a positive role, particularly in areas like sustainable energy solutions, information technology, and infrastructure.
