Mailing Systems Technology - September/October 2008 - (Page 13) ECONOMIC IMPACT WOMEN 35% in ‘07 29% in ‘08 INCENTIVES RETENTION 94% in ‘07 96% in ‘08 25% Just as there is a national trend of fewer employed women, mail centers also saw a reduction in full-time female workers. The number of mail centers providing employee incentives has dropped from 29% in ’07 to 25% in ’08. One good bit of news in a bad economy: Employees stay put. Only 4% of employees turned-over this year, the least ever reported. LAYOFFS AND HIRINGS 29% New Jobs ANTICIPATED 13% Layoffs 23% 17% WHY THE LOSS: 1. Budget/Downsizing (34%) 2. Volume Decreases (25%) 3. Improved Efficiency (24%) 4. More Electronic Communications (13%) 5. Outsourced (4%) While the economy is having the biggest impact on layoffs, a move to more electronic communications is starting to affect the mail industy. (Percents are based on those who are decreasing staff size.) 22% ACTUAL 19% New Jobs Layoffs In 2007, 29% of managers expected to increase staff and 13% expected layoffs. Unfortunately they were wrong on both accounts. Only 22% added staff and 19% decreased staff. This year 23% of managers expect to increase staff and 17% anticipate layoffs, the highest since the turn of the century. CULTURAL CHANGE THE E-MOVE TECHNOLOGY SHIFTS MORE WITH LESS 2007 2008 Managers of mail centers in insurance companies are most likely to be reducing staff size because of the move to electronic communications. Traditionally, inserter operators were the most highly paid mail center workers. There is a shift to addresser operators gaining and sometimes surpassing inserter operators. In 2007, the average volume processed per worker was 9.7 million pieces annually. In 2008, it is expected that workers will process 10.4 million pieces. Effeciency or doing more with less? According to results, most likely the later. WWW.MAILINGSYSTEMSTECHNOLOGY.COM | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2008 13 http://www.MailingSystemsTechnology.com
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