Let’s turn back the clocks for a moment, to early January 2020. Yes, we don’t really want to think about those early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they were the watershed moment that changed the face of the working world, probably forever.
The new normal
Amid stay-at-home orders across the world, office workers ditched their daily commutes to work from dining room tables, couches, and beds in their own homes. Zoom calls and Teams Meets replaced face-to-face collaboration. ‘Semi-gration’ became a thing, with people suddenly realising that they were able to work just as well – and sometimes even better – from anywhere they could find a Wi-Fi signal.
No turning back
Fast forward two years and many of those ad-hoc measures have evolved into real and sustainable long-term arrangements. With workplaces slowly opening up, and hybrid working arrangements becoming the norm, many people are coming to the realisation that remote working arrangements suit them far better than a traditional 9 – 5 desk-bound office schedule.
People are quitting their work in droves, in what is termed the ‘Great Resignation’ – in broad terms, COVID-19 upended the centuries-old notion of what work is and how it should be done.
So, what can be done to mitigate this migration?
Listen when people speak up
It’s not rocket science. People leave jobs when their jobs no longer meet their needs. Many would happily stay with their employer if they could work out some changes, whether in pay, hours, opportunities for advancement, the freedom to work from anywhere, or other diverse factors.
One of the major challenges for employers is understanding that different people value different things; there’s no one-size-fits-all remedy. To find solutions, employers need to listen to their employees. The kinds of changes people seek collectively could help reshape the entire organisation for the better.
Good news – the Great Resignation is not inevitable!
We all know that replacing employees is enormously expensive. But the great resignation is not inevitable. Leaving a company is often someone’s last resort, and it wouldn’t take much to get them to stay.
To retain star employees, business leaders need to open new opportunities for their staff to help shape their work lives – and, by extension, the organisation as a whole – and reap the rewards.
At Express Employment Professionals, we help our clients find the star workers who will take your business to the next level. To find out more, visit our Contact Us page to find an office near you, or fill out our convenient online form to get in touch.