Chapter 1: Introducing the Workmorphis Hidden Worker Series
Companies have overlooked 27 million “hidden workers” for years.
The “Hidden Worker” Series by Workmorphis summarizes emerging insights about hidden workers and identifies methods companies can use to find them.
Introducing the Hidden Worker Series
In early September, Harvard Business School and Accenture released a report titled Hidden Workers: Untapped Talent. The report shines light on a phenomenon that contributes to some of today’s most urgent workforce challenges: the hidden worker phenomenon.
According to the authors, the term “hidden workers” refers to an estimated 27 million people in the U.S., many of whom want to work and are actively seeking work, but whose job seeking efforts consistently fail due to hiring processes that focus on what they don’t have (such as credentials) rather than the value they can bring (such as capabilities).
The Hidden Worker Phenomenon:
Companies are desperate to find workers with the skills they need, and many are struggling to grow as a result.
At the same time, 27 million people in the U.S. are unemployed or underemployed and eager to get a job or increase their working hours but remain “hidden” from most businesses.
Hidden Workers: Untapped Talent is packed with useful insights, outlining the history and causes of the issue and what companies can do about it. Most interestingly and ironically, the report identifies that the very processes companies use to find workers are what is preventing them from finding workers.
Engaging hidden workers is absolutely essential to compete in the modern economy, and Workmorphis’ Hidden Worker Series will explore why and offer new methods companies can use to find them.
Workmorphis and Hidden Workers
Companies that have not hired hidden workers before are almost always skeptical. However, they quickly realize that the diverse set of individuals who qualify as “hidden workers” are among the most loyal, hard-working, and valuable employees. Companies that learn how to effectively engage hidden workers understand that the imperative to hire them is more about return on investment than it is about charity or corporate social responsibility.
According to the report, hidden workers include individuals from the following populations:
- Carers of children
- Carers of adults/older people
- Veterans
- Refugees/asylum seekers
- Immigrants
- People from less advantaged backgrounds
- People with mental health challenges
- People with developmental/neurodiversity challenges
- People with a physical disability
- People with a history of substance/alcohol abuse
- People who were previously incarcerated
- Retirees/post-working age population who could work
- Young people not in education, employment, or training
- Relocating partners and spouses
- People with health problems
- People without traditional qualifications
- People without degrees/advanced degrees
- People without a history of employment
- Long-term unemployed
The Workmorphis team has extensive experience with successfully engaging hidden workers from a variety of backgrounds. We have worked with second-chance companies that hire people being released from incarceration, led policy initiatives to help employers navigate hiring people in recovery, designed programs to help unemployed and underemployed workers learn new skills for a career change, and so much more.
Further, we have access to a diverse network of partners, including companies, non-profits, and other organizations whose primary mission is to engage and advance opportunities for specific populations of hidden workers.
What to Expect From This Series
The Workmorphis Hidden Worker Series is designed to help companies and other workforce-focused organizations learn about this phenomenon and take action to address it. We will provide concise summaries of emerging insights from studies such as Hidden Workers: Untapped Talent by HBS and Accenture, The Demographic Drought by EMSI Burning Glass, and others. Most importantly, we will provide actionable information and methods companies can use to unlock access to this valuable and untapped source of talent.
The series will be released in three chapters:
Chapter 1: Introducing the Workmorphis Hidden Worker Series
Chapter 1 offers readers an introduction to the concept of hidden workers and what Workmorphis is doing to help companies engage them through this series.
Chapter 2: Summarizing What We Know About Hidden Workers
Chapter 2 provides a concise summary of the hidden worker challenge, causes, and recommendations from a combination of the latest reports and studies. This chapter will also include commentary and additional thoughts by the Workmorphis team, which has extensive experience working across sectors to engage and serve populations of hidden workers.
Chapter 3: Actions Companies Can Take to Engage Hidden Workers
Chapter 3 conducts a deep dive into individual populations of hidden workers. This part of the series will feature guest content from experts and organizations whose mission is to engage and advance opportunities for specific populations of hidden workers. Content from this series will be organized and released by individual population (e.g., veterans, immigrants and refugees, neurodiverse populations).
Engaging hidden workers is an essential strategy companies must employ in the 21st century to compete and attract talented individuals of diverse backgrounds.
As a cross-sector workforce consultancy uniting business, education, and government to solve workforce challenges, Workmorphis is honored to join your organization on a mission to engage hidden workers. Our priority is to build upon insights from studies such as Hidden Workers: Untapped Talent and leverage the collective strength of our partner network to empower companies and hidden workers to grow together, now and in the future.
About Workmorphis
Workmorphis provides a full suite of services to help organizations across the U.S. revitalize their workforce, including workforce planning strategies, skills transformation, diversified workforce pipeline strategies, employee support and empowerment, and more.
Connect with us to offer your insights or learn how we can help you transform your workforce.
Meet the Author
Emily Fabiano is the founder of Workmorphis, a cross-sector workforce consultancy helping organizations build a more resilient workforce to thrive in a changing economy. Fabiano has deep experience in workforce transformation at the government level, working at the cross section of workforce strategy, economic development, and public policy. With a keen understanding of the unique challenges facing today’s and tomorrow’s workforce and the ability to communicate across sectors, Fabiano brings a new level of understanding and collaboration required to address the necessary changes to better connect industry and education to prepare people for jobs.
