Shiftboard, a global leader in workforce scheduling, shed light on the evolving landscape of hourly employment with its recently published 2023 State of the Hourly Worker report. They surveyed over 2,250 U.S. adults ages 18 – 65, which included 1,630 who self-identified as shift or hourly workers, to uncover the needs and priorities of today’s hourly employees.

This release of this report couldn’t have been timed better. As shift-based industries like manufacturing and energy grapple with challenging market conditions and ongoing labor shortages, today’s managers need help finding and retaining top talent.

Strategies to Drive Awareness of the Report

We worked with Shiftboard on their 2019 State of the Hourly Worker report, and our team was excited to drive into 2023’s survey results to pinpoint newsworthy themes and trends that would resonate with employers and journalists.

Work-life balance took center stage for hourly workers as a make-or-break factor in job satisfaction and retention. Notably, the presence of five generations in the workforce, each with unique preferences and needs. Additionally, the survey revealed sectoral differences, with distinct trends and needs evident among various industries, including energy, manufacturing, healthcare, and staffing, as well as disparities between union and non-union workers. The survey revealed tough challenges for shift managers to balance a diverse workforce.

At the same time we reviewed the survey, Shiftboard achieved a milestone in one of the key sectors. In 2022, Shiftboard experienced record-breaking growth in the manufacturing sector in North America. However, from our experience working on similar projects, we knew that simply highlighting this growth would not create the desired buzz. That’s why we wove together Shiftboard’s growth with the survey findings to provide a data-driven narrative that would captivate journalists while subtly highlighting Shiftboard’s achievements. This approach allowed us to reference Shiftboard’s success in a less promotional light, which is vital since journalists favor stories that resonate with their audiences without appearing overly salesy.

After determining the strategy, we created two press releases, one announcing the survey findings and the other focusing on Shiftboard’s manufacturing growth, highlighting manufacturing findings from the survey. In doing so, we could dial in the content to ensure the information was relevant and engaging for different sectors, including HR and manufacturing industries. This approach showed a clear understanding and consideration for the journalists’ beats and the audiences they serve, which not only increased our chances of coverage but also fostered media relations.

Another tactic we identified was to take advantage of all the rich data at our disposal by creating a multimedia element for the State of the Hourly Worker press release. We helped craft an infographic narrative to enhance the visual appeal and engagement of the press release, which increased its appeal to journalists and improved the likelihood of media coverage.

So, How Did It Do?

We reached out to over 150 journalists across HR and manufacturing outlets, which resulted in 11 articles, plus more in the pipeline.

Here’s a sneak peek at our current coverage:

1. Recruiting Headlines, “Millennials and Gen Z want Flexible Scheduling,” 4/5/23
2. Supply & Demand Chain, “Why Employers Should Adopt Schedule Flexibility,” 4/6/23.
3. Human Resources Director, “What do next-gen workers want from employers?” 4/6/23
4. Nicolas Behbahani, “Work-Life Balance is Necessary for Job Satisfaction,” 4/9/23
5. Chief Learning Officer & Talent Management, The key to retaining hourly workers? It’s their schedule, May 30
6. HR Daily Advisor, “Work Schedules: The Secret to Improved Employee Morale and Retention,” 6/29/23

It’s been a pleasure working with Shiftboard to drive visibility and engagement for its report!