2026 REPORT
Letter From Action Greensboro
A Foundation We Can Build On Four years ago, Action Greensboro set out to ask our region’s employers one question, and to keep asking it: What do you need from Guilford County’s workforce? Four annual surveys and more than 1,500 responses later, we have something few communities can claim: a longitudinal picture of employer talent demand that now spans a complete economic cycle. Those four years covered the post-pandemic hiring peak, the sharpest inflation in a generation, and one of the longest national hiring slowdown outside a recession. Some of what we measured moved with that cycle, and throughout, North Carolina continued to outperform the nation. But the findings that matter most never moved. Employers: •
Named the same essential skills
•
Struggled to find the same capabilities
•
Identified attracting talent as their defining challenge
Locally, those constants now meet a rising curve. Guilford County’s wave of investment in advanced manufacturing, batteries, and aviation will deepen demand for exactly the roles employers already name as hardest to fill. That demand is structural, and it is coming.
Four Years of Benchmarking With the 2026 survey, the Guilford County Talent & Workplace Survey completes its fourth year and surpasses 1,500 cumulative hiring manager responses. Four years of consistent data now let us separate what shifts with the economy from what holds steady, and it’s the steady findings that tell us where to invest.
Talent and Workplace Survey Report
The good news is that our community has built an extraordinary foundation. From Guilford County Schools and GTCC to our colleges and universities, workforce boards, nonprofits, and economic development partners, the pieces are in place. The opportunity now belongs to the business community. Employers have a chance to help shape the next generation of workforce solutions by partnering with educators, taking advantage of existing resources, and helping create new programs where gaps remain. The strongest talent pipelines are built with employers, not simply for them. That’s why this year’s report does something new. Alongside each recommendation, you will find one practical step you can put in motion. This is not an overhaul, but a single move, because the employers making the progress are not necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets. You do not have to do all four. Pick the one costing you the most, take the first step, and tell us what happens. When enough employers each make one meaningful change, an entire region moves forward. Thank you for continuing to invest in Guilford County’s future, and in the people who will build it. Cecelia Thompson Executive Director, Action Greensboro
Purpose The Guilford County Talent and Workplace Survey Report is offered as a trusted source of data on industry, talent, and workplace trends. The report provides the outlook and perspective of hiring organizations operating in Guilford County. The online survey captures insights on the industry and talent landscape of the Triad. The Guilford County Talent and Workplace Survey seeks to inform the efforts of community stakeholders, policymakers, and employers as we look to strengthen our talent pipeline.
Table of Contents 01
Key Findings............................................. 2 Talent Workplace Outlook About Survey Respondents
Objectives • Better understand Guilford County’s 2026 workplace landscape • Better understand the hiring needs of our region’s employers • Better understand the essential skills for today’s local workforce
02
Current Talent.......................................... 6 Employee Turnover Generations in the Workplace
03
Workplace Landscape............................. 8 Benefits Upskilling and Internal Workplace Mobility
• Inform and connect regional stakeholders and policymakers with current talent and workplace information
Workplace and Schedules Internships Corporate Community Involvement
04
Talent Attraction and Selection............ 12 Target Candidate Market Recruiting Budget, Timeframe, and Candidate Quality Today’s Workplace Challenges Essential Skills
05
Summary.................................................16
06
Responding Organizations....................18 ActionGreensboro.org 1
Section 01
Key Findings
2 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
Key Findings
Survey Highlights The top three drivers for turnover are:
Talent
Retirement
19%
Pay Rate
89%
is the average turnover rate for Guilford County companies.
continues to top the list for reasons a candidate declines an offer.
of local organizations recruit talent primarily in Guilford County.
Workplace
Top 3
<50%
54%
benefits offered to employees include health insurance, paid time off, and dental insurance.
of local employers recruit from Guilford County universities, colleges, and community colleges.
of respondents indicate they hire interns.
Outlook
Low Pay
Family Reasons
4-YEAR TREND
What Four Years Confirm Three findings have held every single year: professionalism, communication, and teamwork rank as the most essential skills; problemsolving and analytical thinking as the hardest to find; and attracting suitable candidates as employers’ top challenge. Consistency across four years turns these from annual observations into the defining features of our talent market.
The most essential skills for today’s new hires: • Professionalism/Work Ethic • Verbal Communication • Teamwork
95%
62%
98%
of local employers provide some internal or external opportunity for employee training and skill development.
of new hires hold either a college or university degree.
of respondents did not indicate that Guilford County’s community amenities were a factor in declining a job offer.
The most difficult skills to find in new hires: • Logical/Analytical Thinking • Problem Solving • Professionalism
ActionGreensboro.org 3
Key Findings
About Survey Respondents 166 Respondents Participated
69% 43%
of respondents’ organizations are headquartered in Guilford County.
For-Profit Nonprofit
57%
74% of respondents represent organizations with fewer than 250 employees in Guilford County.
Industry Representation
74%
23%
Professional Services
of respondents’ local workforce is permanent staff.
21%
Nonprofit
78%
12%
Education Manufacturing
9%
Healthcare
7%
Retail
6%
Financial Services
5%
Government
4%
Information Technology
4%
of respondents participated in a hiring process in the last 12 months.
Respondent Management Profiles
18%
Creative Arts
3%
Distribution & Logistics
2%
Food Processing
2%
Bioscience
2%
Aviation & Aerospace
1%
Top Management (CEO, CFO, COO, Owner/Operator)
Automotive
<1%
Mid-Level Leader/Manager (Department Head, Director, Area Manager)
0%
22%
37% 23%
10%
20%
30%
HR Manager/Director/Senior Business Partner Other 4 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
Key Findings
Respondent Business/Organization Profiles Organizational Size in Guilford County
Company Size Globally
<10 Employees
27%
<10 Employees
21%
10–49 Employees
28%
10–49 Employees
22%
19%
50–249 Employees
50–249 Employees
13% 14%
250–1,000 Employees
13%
250–1,000 Employees
1,000+ Employees
13%
1,000+ Employees
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Annual Revenue of For-Profit Responding Organizations 6%
$0–$100K
11%
$100K–$1M
36%
$1M–$5M 25%
$5M–$25M
22%
Over $25M 0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Companies With Local Headquarters
30% 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Average Operating Budget of Nonprofit Responding Organizations $0–$25K
0%
$25K–$100K
0% 7%
$100K–$250K
39%
$250K–$1M 14%
$1M–$5M
39%
Over $5M 0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Current Growth Respondants expect on average:
31% 69%
19% growth over the next 12 months.
29% Guilford County
growth over the next several years.
Elsewhere Of responding organizations headquartered in Guilford County, 12% are professional services, 24% nonprofit, 17% education, 6% government, 4% manufacturing, and 6% healthcare. ActionGreensboro.org 5
Section 02
Current Talent
6 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
Current Talent
Employee Turnover In 2026, Guilford County respondents indicated an average 19% annual turnover rate.
54%
In 2026, the most cited reasons for employee turnover are:
of respondents use a formal exit interview process to help understand turnover.
Reasons #1 Family (25%) #2 Other* (20%) Pay #3 Low (20%) #4 Retirement (19%) Opportunity #5 No to Advance
Excluding “Found a Position Elsewhere” and “Involuntary Turnover,” the following reasons for turnover stand out among industry sectors:
Nonprofits
Manufacturing
Professional Services
The top reasons for turnover for nonprofits include low pay, no opportunity for advancement, retirement, and family reasons.
The top turnover reasons for manufacturing include retirement, no opportunity for advancement, and low pay.
(17%) *E.g., Returning to College, End of Internship
Top reasons for turnover within professional services include retirement, issues with fit in company, no opportunity for advancement, and family reasons.
Top Five Efforts to Reduce Turnover 73%
Improving Training and Development 59%
Improving Onboarding
56%
Improving Workplace Culture 48%
Offering Better Pay 41%
Improving Work Life Balance 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Improving training and development continues to be a leading strategy for reducing turnover among local employers. The percentage of organizations reporting an annual training budget under $10,000 increased from 53% to 55% this year—highlighting a growing gap between priorities and investment. 4-YEAR TREND
The Retirement Signal, Four Years In Retirement has climbed from a minor, write-in turnover reason in 2023 to a consistent top-three driver since. As Baby Boomers reach retirement age through 2030, this is the most predictable workforce shift in the data and the one employers can plan for furthest in advance.
ActionGreensboro.org 7
Section 03
Workplace Landscape
8 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
Workplace Landscape
Benefits The most offered benefits provided by companies include:
The least offered benefits in Guilford County include:
• Health Benefits
• On-Site Childcare
• Paid Time Off
• Immigration Sponsorship/Employee and Family
• Dental Benefits
• Student Loan Repayment
• Retirement Benefits
• Recharge Days
• Vision Benefits
Most Frequently Offered Employee Benefits 91%
Paid Time Off 84%
Health Benefits Dental Benefits
79%
Retirement Benefits/Matching
77%
Vision Benefits
77% 75%
Bonuses/Incentives 71%
Onboarding Published Mission and Value Statements Training Opportunities
70%
Physical Office Environment
68%
71%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
In 2026, fewer employers are offering flexible work options, with hybrid schedules down by 17% and fully remote work down by 3% compared to 2025. Additionally, the percentage of employers providing pay for continuing education dropped by 7%, signaling a continuing shift in workforce support priorities.
Young Professional Employee Benefits Offered Locally 80%
71%
70%
70% 60% 43%
50%
36%
40%
29%
30%
27%
20%
9%
10% 0%
Onboarding
Internal Training Opportunities
Hybrid Work
Remote Work
Formal Mentoring
Pay for Higher Education/ Continuing Education
Student Loan Repayment
ActionGreensboro.org 9
Workplace Landscape
20%
Benefits (continued)
Have employee resource groups including women, young professionals, mental health and LGBTQIA+ allies.
Family-friendly benefits remain a vital part of supporting today’s workforce, with employers recognizing their role in attracting and retaining talent. This year, 41% of local organizations reported offering parental leave, 48% offer flexible scheduling, and 48% provide family leave options.
Family-Friendly Workplace Benefits Provided Locally
80% 70% 60% 50%
48%
48%
41%
40%
27%
30%
20%
20% 7%
10% 0%
Flex Time
Family Leave
Parental Leave
Wellness Room
Childcare Benefits
On-Site Childcare 4-YEAR TREND
A Widening Training Gap
Upskilling and Internal Workplace Mobility
The share of employers reporting annual training budgets under $10,000 has risen every year from 46% to 55% across the survey’s run, even as training remains their number-one retention strategy. Commitment to development is near universal; the capacity to fund it keeps narrowing.
On average, organizations are filling 29% of their roles with internal promotions or hires. responding organizations provide some internal or external 95% ofopportunity for employee training and skill development. respondents indicate that their organization’s annual 55% oftraining budget is less than $10,000.
Most Critical Skill Development Needed for Today’s Workforce 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
83%
49%
Communication/ Feedback and Listening
Design Thinking/ Innovative Problem- Solving
10 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
46%
SelfAwareness
39%
39%
37%
Understanding Data
Networking
Conflict Management
Workplace Landscape
Workplace and Schedules In Guilford County, respondents indicate that the majority of their permanent employees work fulltime in person at their workplace. On average, those full-time employees working a flexible schedule are working 36 hours a week.
Internships
54% of respondents indicate they hire interns, most of whom complete their internships in the summer or on an as-needed basis throughout the year.
Corporate Community Involvement Of respondents who reported that their organizations are engaged in the community, charitable giving and board leadership are the most frequent ways in which they engage. Paid time for voting and mentoring were among the lowest pathways for community engagement.
How Are Organizations Engaging With Guilford County 80% 70%
64%
62%
60%
60% 43%
50% 40%
38%
33%
30%
26%
26%
Mentoring
Advocacy
20% 10% 0%
Corporate/ Charitable Giving
Board Leadership
Corporate Partnership Paid Time for Paid Time for Volunteer With Guilford Voting Volunteering Opportunities County Schools
ActionGreensboro.org 11
Section 04
Talent Attraction and Selection
12 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
Talent Attraction and Selection
Target Candidate Market Where respondents are recruiting by geography: • Greensboro, NC (89%) • Across the State of NC (39%) • Nationally (33%) • Globally (7%)
4-YEAR TREND
The Pipeline Opportunity Employers recruit primarily within Guilford County, rising toward 90%, yet fewer than half recruit from the county’s own colleges and universities, a gap unchanged across four years. The region’s strongest recruiting instinct still points away from its most reliable talent source.
How Employers Are Sourcing New Hires 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
65%
59% 49%
49%
21%
Word of Mouth
Job Aggregator Websites
Social Media
Guilford County’s Universities and Colleges
Universities and Colleges outside of Guilford County
Recruiting Budget, Time Frame, and Candidate Quality On average, responding organizations spend 9% of their annual operating budget on talent attraction and recruitment.
1%
increase from 2025 average
Industries with the largest recruiting budgets include manufacturing, professional services, and distribution and logistics. 33% of respondents indicate it takes 1–2 months to hire for Guilford County positions.
4-YEAR TREND
Four Years, One Answer on Community In every year of the survey, virtually no employer has cited Guilford County’s community amenities as a reason candidates decline offers, 3% or lower each year. When candidates say no, it’s about pay, not place. For a region competing for talent and investment, that’s a four-year vote of confidence.
In 2026, the average offer acceptance rate is 78%.
48%
0%
of respondents indicate pay rate was the reason a candidate declined a job offer.
of respondents indicated that Guilford County’s community amenities were a factor in declining a job offer.
ActionGreensboro.org 13
Talent Attraction and Selection
Recruiting Budget, Time Frame, and Candidate Quality (continued) Employers Find the Quality of Their New Hires to Be:
These Options Best Describe the Educational Level of a Typical Guilford County Hire: 44%
Somewhat High 34%
OK
58%
College/University High School Diploma
13% 12%
Somewhat Low
12%
Some College/ University
Excellent!
10%
Associate’s Degree
8%
Master’s Degree
8%
Terrible!
0% 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Professional License
2%
Industry Certifications
0%
Doctoral Degree
0% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Today’s Workplace Challenges Open Box Text Question & Answers
1 2
Greatest challenge as a company: • Qualified Talent Recruitment; Employee Retention; Skilled Labor Recruitment; Funding and Capital Access; Business Growth Management; Cost and Expense Management
Most pressing talent and workplace challenges: • Attracting suitable candidates (57% of respondents) • Filling jobs in a timely manner (35%) • Retention/turnover (32%)
3
Chronically unfilled positions: • Teachers; Electrical Technicians; Engineering; Maintenance; Manufacturing; Sales; Nursing
14 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
Talent Attraction and Selection
Essential Skills In 2026, the top five most essentials skills for new hires include:
In 2026, the skills most difficult to find in new hires include:
#1 Professionalism/Work Ethic #2 Verbal Communication Skills #3 Teamwork/Collaboration #4 Organization/Time Management #5 Problem-Solving/Critical Thinking
• Problem-Soving/Critical Thinking • Professionalism/Work Ethic • Logical/Analytical Thinking’ • Adaptability/Resilience • Written Communication Skills
Verbal Communication Skills, Teamwork/ Collaboration, and Interpersonal/Relationship Building have been replaced by Leadership/ Personal Growth, Negotiating/Conflict Management, and Logical/Analytical Thinking.
Adaptability/Resilience has dropped out of the top five most essential skills.
New Hires: Essential Skills Needed Compared to Difficult-to-Find Skills 4.58
Professionalism/ Work Ethic
3.13 4.56
Verbal Communication Skills
2.72 4.48
Teamwork/ Collaboration
2.50 4.33
Organization/ Time Management
2.87 4.33
Adaptability/ Resilience
3.20 0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Essential Skills for New Hires
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Difficult Skills to Find in New Hires
ActionGreensboro.org 15
Section 05
Summary
16 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
Summary
Your Playbook
4-YEAR TREND
Four Years In: What We Know and What We Do We’ve asked Guilford County employers the same questions for four years now, through the best hiring market in a generation and the slowdown that followed. The findings that matter haven’t changed which means the moves that work haven’t either. Here’s what the data says you can do.
After four annual surveys and more than 1,500 hiring manager responses, these findings are no longer a snapshot. They are the structure of Guilford County’s talent market and the foundation for the recommendations that follow.
Develop for the skills you can’t hire for.
Build your bench from local campuses.
1
For four straight years, you’ve told us the same thing: professionalism, communication, and teamwork are what you need most, and problemsolving and analytical thinking are what you can’t find. Candidates who arrive with all five fully formed aren’t coming in the numbers you need, so the employers winning this are building those skills in-house instead of waiting them out.
3
Take Action: Pick the one skill gap that costs you most, and add it to onboarding or a stretch assignment this quarter. Don’t wait for the perfect hire.
Take Action: Commit to one intern or apprentice from a local campus this cycle. The pipeline starts with a single relationship.
Make your training dollars go further.
2
Nearly every employer in the county offers training, and you’ve named it your top retention strategy four years running, but most of you are doing it on a budget under $10,000. Small budgets don’t have to mean small impact when you pool, partner, and use what the community already offers. Take Action: Before you build training from scratch, check what’s already available through local partners. You’re likely paying to reinvent something down the road.
You recruit here, and 89% of you hire primarily within Guilford County, but fewer than half of you recruit from the county’s own colleges and universities—even while the same technical and skilled roles stay open year after year. The talent you’re searching for is training a few miles away, and the employers who show up on campus first are the ones who get it.
Plan for the retirements you know are coming.
4
Retirement has climbed into your top three reasons for turnover, and the demographics say that won’t reverse. This is the rare workforce challenge you can see coming, and the employers who plan for it keep the institutional knowledge the rest lose overnight. Take Action: Name the two roles you’d struggle most to backfill if the person retired tomorrow, and start capturing what’s in their head now.
ActionGreensboro.org 17
Section 06
Responding Organizations
18 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
Responding Organizations
Thank You to All of Our Survey Participants Including the Following Who Agreed to Be Published: AAR
Ghassan’s Fresh Mediterranean Eats
My Girls Catering & Food Trucks
ACR Supply Co.
Graham Personnel
National Proteins & Oils, Inc.
After Gateway, Inc.
Greensboro Baseball, LLC
NC A&T State University
Apex Systems
Greensboro Bound
NCCJ
Arch Mortgage Insurance Company
Greensboro Sports Foundation
New Garden Landscaping
Bank of America
Greensboro Swarm
Noah’s Arc Welding LLC
Berkshire Corporation
Guilford County
Northwestern Mutual
Beyond Sports, NC
Guilford County Partnership for Children
Oliver Rubber
Bonset America Corporation
Guilford County Schools
P&G
Boulton Creative
Guilford Technical Community College
Performance Foodservice
Brady Services
High Point University
ProAmpac
Branch Civil
Hudson Financial Services
RC Public Health
BrightBridge ABA
ITG Brands
RJ Reynolds
Bryan Foundation
Jeff Harris and Associates
Rosa Foundation
City of Greensboro
Joyful Pediatrics
Savvy Nerds
Civil Rights Museum
KARL MAYER North America
SGS
Cone Health
Kneaded Energy
Sharpe Pursuits Inc.
CWS Greensboro
Koury Corporation
shift_ed
Dawn Abundant Life Empowerment Center, Inc.
Lafacial Hair and Nail Salon
SHP
Downtown Greensboro Parks, Inc. Early Childhood Center Encompass Solutions, Inc. Family Support Network of Central Carolina
Lenovo Lincoln Financial Lingo Staffing Lionheart Academy MASS Tech LLC
Fellowship Hall
Melissa Greer Realtor BHHS
First Horizon Coliseum
Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum
Fleet Feet Greensboro
MM Interior Design Group
Forge Greensboro
Moore Music Company
Signature Wealth Strategies Smith Leonard PLLC The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro The Bradley Group The Fresh Market The Sister Circle International Town of Summerfield Toyota of Greensboro Triad Adult & Pediatric Medicine Triad Business Journal Triad Clinical Trials UNC Greensboro UWGG VF Corporation WGHP-TV Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP Xtern Software YMCA of Greensboro YWCA High Point Ziehl - Abegg ActionGreensboro.org 19
Thank You! Thank You to the Local Organizations Who Supported Survey Distribution: Business High Point Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Guilford Nonprofit Consortium
Thank You to Our Research Partner: Madelynn Stackhouse, Stackhouse Management Solutions
Special Thanks to Action Greensboro’s Supporting Foundations: The Bell Foundation The Cemala Foundation The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro The Cone Health Foundation The Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation The Edward M. Armfield, Sr. Foundation The Joseph M. Bryan Foundation The Stanley & Dorothy Frank Family Foundation The Tannenbaum-Sternberger Foundation The Phillips Foundation
20 Talent and Workplace Survey Report
Think Greensboro! Get Engaged in Our Talent Programs! Campus Greensboro Greensboro’s ability to grow, retain, and attract a welleducated and skilled workforce is essential in today’s knowledge-based economy. Campus Greensboro improves connections between talented college students and our business and leadership community and works to prepare these students for the 21st-century workforce. For more information, contact Mary-Helen Kolousek, Manager of Campus Greensboro Student Engagement, at mkolousek@actiongreensboro.org.
Boomerang Greensboro Boomerang Greensboro is a creative and ambitious campaign aimed at recruiting young professionals back home to live in Greensboro. Boomerangs are people who grew up in Greensboro or attended a local college and then moved back after spending time away. For more information, contact Cecelia Thompson, Executive Director of Action Greensboro, at cthompson@actiongreensboro.org. boomeranggso.com
campusgreensboro.org
synerG Young Professionals synerG is a thriving network that gives the city’s young professional community opportunties to strengthen their leadership and professional skills, make meaningful connections, and shape the future of Guilford County for the better. For more information, contact Nyila Johnson, Manager synerG Young Professionals, at njohnson@actiongreensboro.org. synerG.org
Guilford Talent and Workforce Guide The Guilford Talent and Workforce Guide provides a directory of area resources that support our labor market at all stages of employee development. Use it to grow your team or find ways to more deeply engage the workforce you already have. Each organization includes a direct contact to deliver help quickly and answer any questions you may have. For more information, contact Melissa Smith, Director of Workforce Development Solutions, Chamber of Commerce, at msmith@greensboro.org. greensboro.org/workforce
For other talent development questions and solutions, contact Bramley Crisco, Director of Talent Development, at bcrisco@actiongreensboro.org.
ActionGreensboro.org 21
ActionGreensboro.org