To Survive The Great Resignation

Workers are resigning numbers this year, making an already difficult post-pandemic season nearly unmanageable for HR. It's no longer just about finding new talent - which is challenging in this job market - but also about retaining the talent you have already.

According to a Microsoft study released earlier this year, 41% of the global workforce is considering leaving their current company this year, and those expectations are already becoming a reality.

The number of workers who resigned from their jobs in April only was the highest in nearly 20 years, with nearly 4 million people quitting, bringing the quit percentage to 2.7% of those employed.

Provide true work flexibility in terms of location and schedule

Most employees' ultimate dream is to be able to work wherever and whenever they choose, doing work that provides fulfilment and growth. This form of setup is ideal because it provides employees with the freedom and independence they desire and require in their daily lives while also allowing them to do work that feels meaningful. This is a component of the employee business model at companies that have already transitioned to a remote-first culture.

However, this is only a preferable or feasible option for some employers. They are unwilling to give up the significant benefits that a regular in-person, in-office job brings to culture, cooperation, and unity around a common goal for the entire organisation.

If your company isn't going entirely remote, here are a few ways to achieve as close to that degree of adaptability as possible. This will make a huge difference in attracting (and retaining) the required talent.

Allow employees to work from home for at least a few days per week.
Allow employees to choose which days of the week they want to work remotely versus in the office.
Allow employees to schedule their daily work hours around their preferences (e.g. starting and ending early)

Have a mission that is bigger than 'the work'

Younger employees have always been interested in what an organisation represents when looking for work. That involvement has grown even stronger in recent years of service for the people and involvement in the social program.

These candidates want to find meaningful work that continues to stand for something. This entails organisation morals that go beyond profit. These may include:

creating environmental equity
constructing or helping societies
promoting mental health and well-being

But remember that you can't simply choose a popular cause and plaster it on all your recruitment and selection materials as your specific task. That isn't genuine, and candidates will recognise it. What you should be able to do is describe to your current employees and conduct some internal deep thinking and brainstorming as a team about how your work contributes to a better world.

Aside from your regular duties, you could also include:

paid volunteer time
charitable contributions and company match
fundraising events for teams

A workable mission and vision are excellent examples of a value proposition for employees the entire organisation is dedicated to connecting successful companies and great talent. It's a very people-oriented concept, and it attracts applicants who are excited about the prospect of supporting it.

Encourage genuine employee connections

While talent today prefers remote work to return to the office five days a week – and so many big-name companies agree – one aspect of office life remains important to them: meaningfully trying to connect with other team members.

Consider all of the various ways employees naturally connect with one another during the course of a workday when they are in a relatively similar physical workspace:

seeing each other every day in person
starting to catch up over a snack or a drink
in-person meetings in real time
lunchtime chit-chat
mini-parties in the desk aisles

Even if "employee events" isn't on their job search criteria, companies that prioritise employee relationships in their corporate culture (especially when working remotely) will encourage more talent than those that don't.

For example, some companies, including some big companies like Microsoft, fly everyone to a really cool destination once a year and call it their yearly kickoff or team retreat. Many companies also hold all-day events regularly for things like team building, new worker orientation, and strategic planning sessions.

Making time for employee relationships in these ways is important for morale because it gives people something thrilling to look forward to doing together. It's one of the most effective employee sustainable value examples you can use in your organisation.

Provide programmes that promote work-life integration

If your company closes some or all of its office spaces in favour of remote or hybrid work, you haven't actually eliminated the office; rather, "the office" has been relocated to employees' homes. The goal becomes work-life integration rather than work-life balance for employees.

Supporting your employees' work-life interconnection will be a massive differentiator for keeping and attracting talent today, recognising this is a new way. To accomplish this, it is critical to assist employees in creating a fluid and positive environment in which their personal and professional lives can coexist and not compete for their awareness.

It also entails addressing the additional costs many employees bear from working from homes, such as caretaking costs, internet bills, and technology to aid in time management.

Here are some programmes that are increasingly common in companies that value healthy work-life integration:

one-time or regular home office stipends for all equipment requirements
monthly adjustable meal stipends or subsidised food delivery
a monthly flexible wellness stipend or a monthly cellphone and technology remuneration for ongoing tech needs
backup childcare, caregiver assistance, and general family stipends for all types of families

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