The Secret to Keeping Employees
Through the Great Resignation
A record-breaking 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in August. This number translates to 2.9 percent of the workforce, the highest ever rate of people voluntarily quitting, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The mass exodus began in April 2021 when 4 million Americans left their jobs, and it has since been coined The Great Resignation.
In this climate, the American worker can afford to be picky. With 10.4 million job openings at the end of August, organizations are scrambling to fill ever-widening gaps as more employees consider jumping ship.
The implications of the current labor shortage are far-reaching for job seekers, employers, and the economy. In this blog article we will explore what factors have spurred The Great Resignation, and what organizations can do to retain their employees through it.
What happened?
The pandemic has changed the nature of work in more ways than one. At the beginning of 2020, only 6 percent of employed Americans worked primarily from home, and by May more than 30 percent worked from home due to the nationwide shutdown. People learned quickly that they could be just as productive working remotely, while saving time and resources previously spent commuting. Many realized the ability to work on their own terms was a critical component of their ideal work-life balance.
At the same time, conditions spurred by the pandemic made it nearly impossible for most employees to maintain any balance. As people struggled to keep up with their jobs, teach their children, and care for their families, some employers responded not with greater flexibility and increased compassion but more stringent policies and stricter oversight. Work became another source of mounting stress for employed Americans, and burnout grew inevitable.
For a nation faced with the sudden loss of many freedoms, people craved control in all areas of their lives, including work. They realized compensation and benefits were no longer their most important job perks, and instead, autonomy and purpose now topped the list. They buckled down and ground out work with eyes on the light at the end of the tunnel—a vaccine that promised freedom once again.
This perfect storm raged from March 2020 to March 2021, setting the stage for The Great Resignation. As vaccine rates increased and society reopened its doors last spring, some employers required their employees to return to a physical office, assuming work could go back to the way it used to be. Yet people who lived through the pandemic were not the same. Their priorities had shifted, and they were eager to regain control.
And regain control they did. They quit the jobs they no longer loved. They said good-bye to the managers they couldn’t stand. They sought greater meaning in their work and full ownership of their career.
What can you do?
As employees are taking control, so too can you as an employer. You are not helpless in the midst of The Great Resignation. Your workforce learned what was most important to them and how to advocate for their wellbeing. You can learn how to better value and support employees and retain them for years to come. Here’s how:
Show appreciation. What better season than now to thank employees? Take time to show your people you value not only the work they do, but who they are as people. Deliver a simple and cost-effective thank you through a free e-card or give employees an extra day off before the end of the year. Send a holiday care package, retail gift card, or lunch via DoorDash. Encourage employees to recognize each other and create a formal system by which they can do so. These small gestures help to build a culture of gratitude throughout your organization.
Offer flexibility in the workplace. Perhaps more important than appreciation, your employees crave autonomy. A lack of flexibility was a major impetus for The Great Resignation, so try offering your people more choice. For example, set a short duration of core working hours for all employees, and then allow them to work their remaining hours based on their preferences and schedules. Maintain a telecommuting policy for people who prefer to work from home, and when in-person meetings are necessary, establish office workdays with plenty of advance notice. The more autonomy you provide, the more your employees will feel trusted, safe, and fulfilled.
Recognize what your employees offer. Work hard to make your employees feel known. Every person in your organization is unique and understanding what each individual offers is important for your company’s success, too. Ask employees what tasks they like to do and when they feel at their best. Then, create opportunities for them to accomplish meaningful work. Use personality and strengths assessments to formalize the process. Finally, connect the exercise to employees’ career development and teams’ performance.
When your employees are empowered to be their best selves and feel appreciated for how they contribute to your organization, the threat of The Great Resignation will quickly fade into the distance as you build a happier, healthier workplace. We at Cynuria Consulting help our clients connect, inspire, and transform their employees for a better future. Learn more about how to support your employees and create a culture of meaning and belonging.
