Employees Pessimistic About Job Security, Survey Says

Compiled ByTraci Purdum More than one out of four Americans believe they could lose their job in the coming year, according to a recent Career Confidence Index survey by Right Management Consultants, Philadelphia. The survey, which polls 1,000-plus full-time employees several times a year, also found that 79% of Americans expected unemployment to rise in the coming year, 83% said it would be difficult for laid-off employees to find similar-paying work and 30% said it was not possible to advance in their careers with their present employer. "That is not good news for employers," says Richard J. Pinola, chairman and CEO of Right Management. "[I]n difficult times it is imperative that high-performing employees feel they have the opportunity, the coaching and the tools to develop within their companies. The economy will turn at some point, and companies should be taking steps now to secure their top talent."