Low turnover rate bodes well for C-19 recovery

There’s more evidence that Utah’s economy went into the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic positioned for a quicker recovery because of its strength. Employers Council released finding of its HR Metrics Survey on turnover rates, which found that Utah employers reported a lower average employee turnover rate in 2019 versus 2018.

Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming, the other states that Employers Council serves, all reported higher employee turnover in 2019. While the survey does not reflect any data from the recent economic decline and job losses resulting from the ongoing pandemic, it does help illustrate the strength and stability of Utah’s job market prior to the downturn, the organization said.

Utah’s turnover rate dropped from 25.6 percent in 2018 to 23.7 percent in 2019.

Survey findings were collected from 302 employers in Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming and represented a cross-section of industries, including government, manufacturing, natural resources, nonprofit, technology, financial and real estate, insurance, healthcare, retail and wholesale, service, construction and utilities.

“For the first time in two years, Utah’s turnover percentage has lowered and our survey data shows a decrease in Utah employees leaving their employer in 2019 campared to 2018,” said Ryan D. Nelson, president of Employers Council’s Utah office. “This could be for a number of reasons, including employers updating their applicant screening process or improving their company pay and benefits policies to entice employees into staying. The positive numbers reflect Utah’s economic strength going into these trying times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Employers Council serves more than 4,500 employers of all sizes and industries with resources for help in  providing the resources needed to build and maintain profitable organizations. Members are assisted by over 70 human resource, organizational development and survey professionals and 60 staff attorneys out of offices in Salt Lake City; Scottsdale, Arizona;  and Denver, Colorado Springs, Loveland and Grand Junction, Colorado.