DULLES, Va. – Workplace and workforce issues headline the release of the annual Gauge Report published by Unanet and CohnReznick for the government contracting industry.
Workforce hiring overtakes the uncertainty of the economy as the primary business challenge for government contractors. The upheaval caused by the pandemic has forced leaders to reshape their workforce to meet growing market demands.
The report digs into a variety of business challenges GovCons face, including managing the complexities of taxation when workers are in multiple states, benefit strategies, labor shortages, and using technology to improve efficiency.
The report said 21% of companies indicated they have made significant changes in hiring and retention as a result of the pandemic, with 18% saying changes have come with mixed results.
Nearly 70% of companies are offering full-time or hybrid work-from-home arrangements.
Yet, amid these workplace shifts, 68% of GovCon business leaders cite optimism about the current economic environment.
“Allocations for federally funded work are at an all-time high, meaning GovCons have reason to be upbeat about their own economic stability, but resources to service government contracts are more scarce, and that conundrum has leapt to the top of the list of what keeps business leaders up at night,” said Rich Wilkinson, senior director of GovCon Industry Marketing for Unanet. “This offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reimagine the government contracting industry workplace and workforce. Everything from who, how, when, and where is on the table for change in a way like never before.”
Christine Williamson, PMP partner at CohnReznick, said this year’s report is dedicated to shedding light on the workplace through helpful benchmark and comparison data, including talent needs, skills composition, costs, strategy and policies, and challenges.
“With over 1,170 respondents, the report is vast and engaging, while also offering some solutions to solve workplace challenges, like streamlined IT,” Williamson said. “What ultimately comes through is the GovCon industry’s interest in reimagining how we work in order to win more business, service, service it with adequate and efficient staff, and offer a positive experience to employees.”
Click here to download the Gauge Report.
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