The Great Resignation is here, and at the current time, it doesn’t appear that workers will put the brakes on quitting their current roles. It’s no secret that the global pandemic served as the major catalyst for the Great Resignation based on its ability to upend our usual and customary work structures. Corporate leaders fast-tracked the implementation of remote work and initially employees ramped up their productivity, as no one wanted to be without a paycheck during a global pandemic. Though, as employees settled into their new normal, it also provided an opportunity for workers to contemplate life’s priorities, both personal and professional.
This blog explores four major transformations occurring in employee thinking, across the United States, that’s causing corporate indigestion as well as four potential fixes to stop the continued march of employees to new opportunities.
Take a moment and see if the four causes of the Great Resignation mentioned below aligns with the sentiments you’re experiencing within your own corporation.
- Employees and managers are poorly aligned regarding remote work – In most cases, employers are eager for a return to the past, with employees in the office every Monday through Friday. Employees on the other hand want options. The option to work remotely, the option to come into the office a few days a week, and the option to come into the office only when it’s absolutely necessary. In some instances workers also feel that upper management isn’t giving them the support they need to succeed and grow in this new work environment. When the plans of an employee do not align with their employer, many employees consider quitting.
- Rising dissatisfaction regarding stagnant work environments – In some companies, employees might be dissatisfied with a lack of innovation and/or a lack of work-life balance, which might push them to consider quitting. They realize that their personal and professional priorities do not necessarily align with company management and that life is just too short to hang around and wait for change to occur. Instead, employees are bringing about the change.
- The appeal of flexibility – People like having options. Options provide people with a sense of freedom. The pandemic put this into crystal clear focus, as employees realized that the flexibility of remote work allowed them to be productive on the work front and on the home front. It also allowed many people to explore the benefits of freelance work. Traditional schedules no longer make sense to the majority of the workforce.
- Rising anxiety of compromising safety in certain industries – Some industries have extensive interaction with the public, such as healthcare, retail, and hospitality. These workers bore witness to the significant impacts of the pandemic. Many people in these sectors became scared of getting infected, scared of their employers’ willingness to put them in harm’s way and simply preferred to quit and look for alternatives.
Now, let’s look at some strategies corporations can adopt to help their hiring managers and management ride, survive, and eventually thrive in the face of the Great Resignation.
- Create a strong talent pipeline – With a significant percentage of the workforce joining the Great resignation, your organization can look at this as an opportunity to tap into this talent pool. Ensure that you offer what employees are looking for in today’s market, such as efficient talent management, work-life balance, a commitment to DEI, and a good corporate reputation.
- Provide flexibility for work-life balance and promotions – Flexibility and work-life balance rank high among employees. Make sure that you provide your talent with the flexibility to choose between remote and hybrid work models to build an effective employee first culture. State this clearly in job postings.
- Develop efficient strategies to manage talent – The Great Resignation has opened the floodgates of freelance and remote work opportunities for a talented workforce. Make sure you develop thoughtful processes to not only source the right talent but also to properly manage them based on new work dynamics.
- Reach potential candidates on social media – Today, it’s important to know where to reach talent. Social media channels should not be overlooked. A high percentage of talent researches an employer’s brand across social media channels. Leverage this opportunity to connect with talent.
Like many corporations, your organization is probably in the midst of turning this attrition drive into an opportunity to attract that right talent. As you’re searching for top-tier executive talent, SucceedSmart has hiring managers like yourself covered. SucceedSmart’s innovative executive search platform is built for your needs and the future-ready executives you’re looking to hire.
Check out the articles below for more information on the Great Resignation and how corporations can maintain their current workforce while concurrently searching for new talent.
The Great Resignation: Retain Your Top Talent By Overcoming These Six Traps
‘Great Attrition’ or ‘Great Attraction’? The choice is yours
