A report, which details the survey results from the region’s first wage & benefit is now available. Conducted in partnership with economic development organizations and professionals from across the region, the report details the wage and benefits structure within the manufacturing sector of 11 counties in Northeast Tennessee and three counties and one city in Southwest Virginia.
The project began in late 2020, with research and data collection on the part of the partners involved. The survey was launched in mid-February and was open until mid-May. This window gave human resources professionals time to complete the survey and for Sensible Surveys, the vendor responsible for data collection, to assist. The weeks since the survey closed have been used to assess the data, design the report and tie up loose ends with individual manufacturers.
“Absolutely none of this data would be available without the partnership and cooperation that every economic developer and their respective organizations brought to bear on this project,” said Mark Stevans, Director of Special Projects for the FTDD, and project lead for the survey. “This is an excellent example of what we are capable of when we work together,” said FTDD Board Chair and Mayor of Greeneville, W.T. Daniels, “I am proud of the staff of the FTDD for spearheading this, and I want to thank every company that invested time in completing their survey.” Each manufacturer that responded to the survey and local economic professionals will have access to the results online, which can be filtered for ease of use.
Plans are already underway to conduct an update to the Regional Wage & Benefit Survey from late 2022 through early 2023. The working group will convene in the fall to discuss the report, strategize, and fine tune the process before moving on to secure grant funds for round two. This year’s survey and report were funded by the United State Department of Agricultural Rural Development, utilizing Rural Business Development Grant funds.
Additional details and a request to receive a copy of the report can be found at ftdd.org/report.
For questions related to the Regional Wage & Benefit Survey, please contact Mark Stevans, mstevans@ftdd.org.