Demographic shifts, changing expectations shaping workforce
David Snipes, grant director for the Greater Ohio Workforce Board, spoke at a recent career expo at the University of Akron-Wayne College. Snipes warned employers of a continuing labor shortage.
Dan Starcher
In today’s labor market, businesses face an unprecedented talent shortage that threatens growth and innovation. This challenge is rooted in demographic shifts, aging populations, changing workforce compositions, and evolving employee expectations around work-life balance, flexibility and purpose.
Before a career expo held at the University of Akron-Wayne College during In Demand Jobs Week, David Snipes, grant director for the Greater Ohio Workforce Board, warned employers that he didn’t have much good news to deliver. One of the many hurdles Snipes discussed was one without a quick fix — a shrinking workforce.
“One of the biggest challenges we are facing is a shrinking pipeline of young workers,” Snipes said. “By 2028 we're looking at a net loss of 6,300 people under 25. That means fewer entry-level workers, which is a long-term risk for the labor force.”
The workforce landscape is undergoing a transformation mainly driven by demographic shifts that are reshaping how organizations attract, retain and manage talent.
“We're also seeing a troubling trend with Gen Z, roughly 4 million people in the U.S.,” Snipes said. “Gen Z is not in school, working, employed or in any training, some experts say.”
Compensation remains important, but benefits such as mental health support, professional development programs and a positive workplace culture are becoming equally critical factors in employee satisfaction.
Organizations that fail to adapt to these shifting priorities risk losing talent to competitors who better address these needs.
Richard Owens, Wayne County Job & Family Services director, sees the trends Snipes spoke about.
“There are more job openings than job seekers,” Owens said. “Our numbers in the county bear that out. Although over the past four months, we have seen a drop-off in the number of postings on ohiomeansjob.com, so that trend might be reversing, but we will have to keep an eye out for that.”
Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for Wayne County.
