ResourcesReportsState of Work: Mid-Atlantic

2026

State of Work: Mid-Atlantic

Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

In the State of Work 2025: Mid-Atlantic, TriNet surfaces what's really happening inside small and medium-sized businesses across the region, from both sides of the desk.

Mid-Atlantic employers see their workplaces working well. Employees see something more mixed. Across nearly every measure in this report, employers rate the state of work more positively than employees do, and in a few categories the gap is significant. But the region also shows real bright spots, tight alignment on benefits and mental health, and one interesting reversal in how employees are actually using AI at work.

Based on surveys of 128 employers and 125 employees across Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia-based SMBs. Data collected June 30 to July 2, 2025.

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State of Work: Mid-Atlantic 2025 illustration

Satisfaction

Employers Are Very Satisfied. Employees Are Split.

Mid-Atlantic employers report high satisfaction with their work/life balance. Employees are more positive than negative, but a meaningful share sit in the neutral middle. And the hours picture reveals a bigger disconnect underneath.

88.3

of Mid-Atlantic employers report satisfaction with their work/life balance

73.0

of employees report satisfaction, a 15-point gap

14.0

of employees are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, compared to just 2.3% of employers

The hours gap is wider than it looks.

76.4% of Mid-Atlantic employers believe employees work the right number of hours. Only 51.0% of employees agree. That 25-point gap starts to make sense when you look at the actual hours worked: 37.0% of employees report working 41 or more hours per week, and employers estimate that share is closer to 16%. The workload employers see and the one employees are living aren't the same thing.

Work/Life Balance Satisfaction

“How satisfied are you with your work/life balance?” | Employer = personal satisfaction. Employee = self-reported.

Item	Very Dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Somewhat Dissatisfied	Neither	Somewhat Satisfied	Satisfied	Very Satisfied
Employer	2.3 %	1.6 %	5.5 %	2.3 %	20.3 %	37.5 %	30.5 %
Employee	2 %	2 %	9 %	14 %	17 %	24 %	32 %

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Engagement

Strong Engagement Numbers. Real Turnover Risk Underneath.

Mid-Atlantic employees report high engagement by their own account. Employers see it as even higher. And when the question shifts from engagement to job search intent, the perception gap gets sharper.

82.4

of Mid-Atlantic employees report moderate or extreme engagement

96.1

of employers estimate the same, meaning employers see almost no disengagement where 17.6% of employees report it

35.2

of employees plan to switch jobs within a year. 73.6% of employers believe 25% or fewer are looking

Employers overestimate connection to leadership. They're closer on connection to work.

The disconnect shows up in a specific place. Employees feel about as connected to the company mission as employers assume (43.2% vs. 42.5%). They feel about as connected to their actual work, too. Where the picture breaks down is leadership. Only 29.6% of employees feel extremely connected to leadership, while employers assume 41.7% do. The commitment to the job itself isn't the issue. The relationship with leadership might be.

Employee Engagement Levels

"How engaged are employees at work?"

Item	Somewhat/Slightly Engaged	Moderately Engaged	Extremely Engaged
Employer	3.9 %	47.7 %	48.4 %
Employee	17.6 %	28 %	54.4 %

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Knowledge

Employers Are Confident About Skills. Employees Are Uncertain.

Mid-Atlantic employers see urgent skill gaps across nearly every category. Employees don't. Employers are also more confident that employees already have what they need to succeed today. Employees are less sure.

91.0

of Mid-Atlantic employers say employees have the knowledge and skills to succeed. Only 71.0% of employees agree

28.0

of employees say they only "somewhat" have what they need, compared to 9.0% of employers who say the same

62.5

of employers say upskilling to adapt core skills is critical, compared to 32.0% of employees, a 30-point gap

One area of clear alignment: AI expertise.

37.5% of employers and 36.8% of employees agree AI expertise is a top skill to develop. That's the only skill category where the two sides line up. On leadership, creative skills, upskilling, reskilling, and data analytics, employers rate every category 15 to 30 points higher than employees do. Either employers are seeing skill gaps employees haven't recognized in themselves, or they're overestimating how much retooling is needed.

Skills Employees Need to Develop (Next 3+ Years)

“Which skills will be most important to develop?”

Item	Upskilling	Creative Skills	Leadership/Managerial Skills	Reskilling	AI Expertise	Data Analytics	None of them
Employer	62.5 %	60.2 %	57 %	41.4 %	37.5 %	35.9 %	3 %
Employee	32 %	38.4 %	38.4 %	28.8 %	36.8 %	28.8 %	10.4 %

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Empowerment

Employers Say Flexibility. Employees Say Voice.

Mid-Atlantic employers and employees don't share the same picture of what an empowered experience looks like. Employers lead with flexibility in where people work. Employees put having a voice first.

64.1

of Mid-Atlantic employers say flexibility in work location defines an empowered experience, more than any other factor

47.2

of employees say having their input sought and voices heard defines empowerment, more than any other factor

49.2

of employers say ownership over work and outcomes is part of empowerment. Only 25.6% of employees agree

Why employees leave

When you shift the question from what empowers employees to why they leave, the priorities shift. Both groups say better pay and better benefits are the top drivers of departure. From there, the two lists split. Employers point to a better title or promotion at 33.6%. Only 12.0% of employees say that's why they left. Employers also over-index on better flexible hours (34.4% vs. 12.8%) and better work/life balance (35.9% vs. 18.4%). The one place employees rate higher: leaving a toxic workplace (16.8% vs. 11.7%). The exit signal employers may be missing is the one that's hardest to fix with a benefit change.

What an Empowered Experience Looks Like

“What does empowerment look like at work?”

Item	Flexibility in location	Training & Dev	Technology Resources	Info Shared Freely	Ownership over Work	Autonomy over Time	Employee Voice	Mentorship
Employer	64.1 %	56.3 %	51.6 %	50.8 %	49.2 %	46.9 %	46.1 %	39.8 %
Employee	38.4 %	36.8 %	43.2 %	40.8 %	25.6 %	24.8 %	47.2 %	24.8 %

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Benefits

Employers and Employees Agree: Benefits Drive Decisions.

For Mid-Atlantic employers and employees, benefits are one of the clearest areas of alignment in the report. Both sides consistently rate the same benefits as extremely important, and the top-rated categories (medical, retirement, and paid vacation) are exactly the ones that influence whether someone takes a job or stays in it.

50.0

of Mid-Atlantic employers and 44.0% of employees rate medical insurance "Extremely Important," the top-rated benefit in the region

48.0

of employees rate retirement plans "Extremely Important," even higher than the 37.3% of employers who assume the same

34.4

of employers and 34.4% of employees rate mental health coverage "Extremely Important"

Benefit Importance — "Extremely Important" Ratings

"% rating this benefit 'Extremely Important' when looking for a job"

Item	Medical Insurance	Pension & Retirement (401(k))	Paid Vacation & Sick Time	Life Insurance	Dental Insurance
Employer	50.0 %	37.3 %	52.8 %	44.8 %	44.8 %
Employee	44.0 %	48.0 %	42.4 %	37.6 %	35.2 %

Item	Mental Health Coverage	Vision Insurance	Parental Leave	Childcare Assistance	Education Reimbursement
Employer	34.4 %	42.1 %	42.9 %	32.0 %	37.1 %
Employee	34.4 %	31.2 %	31.2 %	25.6 %	23.2 %

Where benefits carry the most weight.

Medical, retirement, and paid vacation sit at the top of the list for both employers and employees. These are the categories that shape whether someone takes a job, stays in one, or starts looking. Mid-Atlantic employers already rate these three benefits highly, and employees confirm the priority. On retirement specifically, employees rate it as extremely important at a higher rate than employers assume, which points to an area where a strong plan can go further in retention than employers may realize.

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HR Expectations

Both Sides Want 24/7 HR. Employees Feel It Almost as Strongly.

Mid-Atlantic employers strongly endorse 24/7 HR access, and employees agree at a rate that comes close to matching them. What separates the two groups isn't whether HR should be always-on. It's the intensity of the conviction.

90.2

of Mid-Atlantic employers agree HR should be a 24/7 function

72.8

of employees agree, closing much of the gap seen in other regions

30.4

of employees strongly agree, compared to 35.3% of employers, an unusually close intensity match

HR Should Be a 24/7 Function

“To what extent do you agree: HR should be a 24/7 function” | Combined Agree: 90.2% employers / 72.8% employees.

Item	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Neither	Somewhat Agree	Agree	Strongly Agree
Employer	0 %	3.9 %	2.0 %	3.9 %	15.7 %	39.2 %	35.3 %
Employee	1.6 %	4.0 %	5.6 %	14.4 %	21.6 %	20.8 %	30.4 %

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AI in HR

Employees Are Using AI for the Hard Stuff.

Mid-Atlantic employers use AI more often than employees do, and they're broadly comfortable with it across HR functions. The more interesting story sits in one specific category, where employees have quietly become power users despite lower employer endorsement.

71.0

of Mid-Atlantic employers use AI at work at least weekly

43.2

of employees use AI at work at least weekly. 33.6% rarely or never use it

45.6

of employees use AI frequently for interpersonal concerns, the function where employer acceptance is lowest at 58.9%

AI Frequency of Use

"How frequently do you use AI at work?”

Item	Never	Rarely (1-2x/yr)	Occasionally (1-2x/mo)	Moderate (1-2x/wk)	Great Deal (multiple/wk)
Employer	1.8 %	6.4 %	20.9 %	35.5 %	35.5 %
Employee	13.6 %	20.0 %	22.4 %	24.0 %	19.2 %

AI Acceptability vs. Employee Usage by HR Function

Employer acceptability = % rating Moderately or Extremely Acceptable. Employee use = % using Almost Every Time or Every Time.

Item	Payroll	Benefits	Personal HR Questions	Performance Reviews	Raising Interpersonal Concerns	Training & Development
Employer	70.1 %	77.4 %	73.6 %	73.5 %	58.9 %	64.7 %
Employee	38.4 %	46.4 %	38.4 %	36.0 %	45.6 %	45.6 %

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Employees are ahead of employer expectations in the places it matters most.

Benefits questions are where employers and employees line up most closely: 77.4% employer acceptance meets 46.4% frequent employee use. The interpersonal category is where the story gets interesting. Employers are least sure about AI's fit here (58.9% acceptance, the lowest of any function). But employees are using it anyway. Nearly a third say they use AI "almost every time" when navigating workplace communication and coordination. That suggests employees have found AI useful for the parts of work that involve other people, not just tasks. Employers looking to guide AI adoption may benefit from what employees have already figured out.

Interested in a free HR strategy call?

Download the Full Report

Explore workplace trends across AI, employee engagement, remote work, and more in the full Mid-Atlantic State of Work report by TriNet.