Building From the Bottom Up

America’s lowest earners are also its most essential workers: truck drivers, packers and shippers, grocery clerks, servers, healthcare assistants, housekeepers, and janitors. Despite working long hours in difficult jobs, many of these workers are trapped in positions with low wages and little or no prospects for advancement. Most employers believe they have policies in place to help these workers. However, a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. low-wage workers (Upward mobility survey of low-wage workers - Questionnaire) and a matching survey of 1,150 U.S. business leaders (Upward mobility survey of employers of low-wage workers - Questionnaire) show that implementation is poor. Workers don’t get the support they need in the form of mentorship, training, or career guidance. This results in stagnant wages for workers and high churn for companies. As companies struggle to fill positions in the post-Covid recovery, they will need to invest in retaining and nurturing talent—especially for the lowest earners who perform the most critical tasks. Low-Wage Worker Survey What is the experience of America’s lowest wage earners—those earning below $40,000 a year—when it comes to upward mobility? Are workers able to aspire to an increase in pay or a promotion or both after a reasonable time of employment? A survey of 1,025 low-wage workers aged 21 or above and with at least three years of continuous experience shows that there are many barriers and too few contributors to advancement. Workers want stability and growth, but instead stagnate in poverty-trap positions. The survey questionnaire and the survey results can be viewed below. Employers of Low-Wage Workers Survey A survey of 1,150 business leaders at U.S. companies across the managerial spectrum—from the C-suite to mid-level managers to front-line supervisors—shows employers are out of touch with the upward mobility experience of low-wage workers. Most employers believe they have policies in place for mentoring, training, and providing career pathways to low-wage workers. In reality, companies do not adequately measure outcomes and implementation is weak. This results in high churn and constant hiring. The survey questionnaire and the survey results can be viewed below.

美国收入最低的劳动者同时也是其最不可或缺的一线从业者：卡车司机、包装员与发货员、杂货店员、餐饮服务员、医疗护理助理、客房保洁员与楼宇保洁员。尽管这些劳动者长期从事高强度、高压力的工作，但多数仍被困于低薪岗位，且几乎没有职业晋升前景。尽管大多数雇主声称已出台相关政策以帮扶此类劳动者，但针对1000余名美国低薪劳动者的《低薪劳动者向上流动调查问卷》（Upward mobility survey of low-wage workers - Questionnaire），以及针对1150名美国企业管理者的《低薪劳动者雇主向上流动调查问卷》（Upward mobility survey of employers of low-wage workers - Questionnaire）的对比调查显示，相关政策的落地执行效果极差。劳动者无法获得导师指导、技能培训或职业规划等必要支持，这直接导致劳动者薪资停滞不前，同时企业也面临高人员流失率问题。在后新冠疫情复苏阶段，企业正面临岗位空缺难题，此时它们亟需投入资源以保留并培养人才——尤其是那些承担核心工作任务的低收入劳动者。

### 低薪劳动者调查
美国年收入低于4万美元的最低收入群体，在职业向上流动方面有着怎样的经历？劳动者在合理雇佣时长内，能否实现薪资增长或职位晋升，抑或是两者兼得？本次调查共招募1025名21岁及以上、且拥有至少3年连续从业经验的低薪劳动者，结果显示，低薪劳动者的职业晋升面临多重障碍，且有效的助力渠道极度匮乏。劳动者渴望获得职业稳定与成长空间，却最终被困于"贫困陷阱"型岗位，薪资长期停滞不前。本次调查问卷及调查结果可参阅下文。

### 低薪劳动者雇主调查
本次调查共覆盖1150名美国企业管理者，涵盖高管层、中层管理者至一线主管等全管理梯队。结果显示，企业管理者对低薪劳动者的职业向上流动体验严重脱节。多数雇主声称已建立导师指导、技能培训及职业发展通道等相关政策，以帮扶低薪劳动者，但实际上企业并未对政策效果进行充分评估，且落地执行力度薄弱。这直接导致人员高流失率与持续的招聘成本投入。本次调查问卷及调查结果可参阅下文。