Ok, so we have probably all felt married to our job at one time or another. But seriously? Would you?

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In a February survey of  about 1,250 US adult employees working full or part time, some 15% professed such love for their work that they said they would be willing to marry their job. According to staffing automation software and performance management consultants Taleo, of Dublin, California, this is up from 9% at the same time last year.

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Given the current economic travails depressing the employment market, that is not really such a high number and smart employers are looking past the current glut of applicants hungry for any work they can find to the tightening that is sure to follow with the inevitable recovery. A 2004 Yahoo poll (when times were better and opportunities were abundant) found that nearly half (47%) of US workers were ready to change jobs “at the next opportunity”. Those numbers have fallen to about 25% in the current employment environment (with 13% now “actively looking”). The consequences of a large increase in employee turnover just as demand finally starts to accelerate are significant and go far beyond the obvious increase in hiring costs. For example, what it the impact on a company’s productivity, or even its ability to meet its production requirements, if 25% - 50% of its best and most experienced workers leave over a short period of time?

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Employers may not be able to make in-laws of their employees, but  now is the time to be laying the groundwork for retention programs that will at least keep them in the family when happy days are here again.

It is hard to get out of bed in the morning any more without being deluged by reports of massive job losses and layoffs. Whole industries seem to be shedding employees like autumn leaves. Unemployment at more than 7%; monthly lob losses in five figures; long lines at job fairs; Congress tripping over itself to “rescue” failing companies as the talking heads solemnly invoke Depression era images of breadlines and unspeakable financial disaster. But if we can take a little break from preparing for the end of “life as we know it”, a startling fact emerges. Some companies are still hiring! Some industries are still growing! There ARE jobs out there. But where?

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According to The Herman Group, a management consultancy focused on future trends in hiring, employment and workplace issues, companies are hiring in a variety of industries right now. “Companies are still hiring,” notes their 28 January Weekly Trend Report.  Among the specific companies cited are Whole Foods, Boston Consulting Group, Scotts Lawn Service, and Fortune Magazines “Best Place to Work” NetApp. Not only are individual companies still seeking employees, but whole industries continue to create jobs. The insurance industry, health care providers of all sorts, wireless telephony companies and … yes… call centers are all still hiring.

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Looking down the road a bit, the report suggests that “highly skilled workers will continue to enjoy opportunities no matter how high unemployment goes.” And regardless of your opinion of the government’s “economic stimulus” plans, massive spending on infrastructure projects are certain to be a part of any legislation. This bodes well for heavy construction and the many industries that support it. Alternative energy projects and “green” initiatives will also likely thrive under the new regime in Washington.

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None of this is to say that times aren’t hard right now. As Ronald Reagan famously said “When your neighbor loses his job, its a recession. When you lose your job its a depression.” But lets not lose sight of the fact that setbacks and challenges are not the same thing as a lack of opportunity. Even in these discouraging times, jobs and opportunities continue to be available.