On average, 4 million Americans are quitting their jobs each month in 2022! This trend is not limited to the United States alone. The pandemic, remote work and self-reflection led people to re-evaluate their priorities at work, and their life as a whole. The Microsoft Work Trend Index shows that more than 40% are considering leaving their current jobs this year.
Whether you have been hit by the “Great Resignation” or not, here are somethings you can do to reduce turnover and prepare for the evolving employment landscape.
Have regular conversations
Make sure you know what your team members are thinking and feeling. Give feedback about what’s going well, not just when development is needed. People will go the extra mile if they know they are valued and supported at work. Regular check ins will foster a space of trust and psychological safety.
Encourage open dialogue and show your own vulnerability. A leader who can be open and vulnerable, asking for help while still being present for their staff will lead the way for challenging thoughts and feelings to be present. Creating a space where people can talk about their challenges will foster a supportive environment, where people will want to stay and work things out, rather than seeking a ‘better situation’ elsewhere.
Flexible work options
The pandemic proved that working from office is not a pre-requisite for getting work done. While some people are happy to return to the physical workplace, others have no intention of going back to a brick and mortar office.
Companies are trying to get ahead of this by allowing remote and hybrid work options. Asking your employees to come to office every day could be risky. You may lose your best performers and if employees are forced to return, they may simply switch to remote jobs elsewhere.
Avoid extending the remote work option to a chosen few. Keep the remote policy as equitable as possible, without leaving anyone feeling left out.
Support your employees with effective training
Shifting to a permanently hybrid workforce is not easy. You may have the tech infrastructure in place but your employees need a cultural shift to adapt to the new working style else they may feel isolated and more likely to leave.
Managers need training to lead hybrid teams effectively. Even if they have managed remote teams during the pandemic, there’s no guarantee they know how to make everyone feel connected and supported in the hybrid model. Otherwise, remote team members may feel their manager favors people in the office, or in-person employees may feel their remote manager doesn’t care.
Corporate role play training with professional actors can help managers practice challenging conversations; learn to manage difficult team feedback and coaching interactions, and become adept at managing hybrid teams effectively in real-life scenarios.
Offer alternatives
Burnout is a common reason for resignations. Even after the pandemic, the risk of employees resigning due to burnout is high. Giving employees time off is not enough. These initiatives are effective only if they’re matched by efforts to manage the employees’ workloads to prevent burnout.
The pandemic was a life-altering event, enough to make anyone pause and reconsider what they are doing with their lives. You may not be able to retain every employee but it’s a good idea to make lateral moves possible within the company along with help to transition into new roles and teams.
Offer access to e-learning videos and virtual training to enable upskilling. Virtual, interactive training inspires connection and a growth mindset within the team. Virtual training from Peers and Players gives your people the opportunity to work with professional facilitators, corporate role-players and coaches, with the safety and convenience of being at work or home. Professional actor/coaches will hone presentation skills, perform role-play scenarios, practice challenging conversations, and give personal feedback and coaching.
Learn from the experience
Not all reasons behind employees moving on may be in your control but being proactive about what you can control can help you beat the Great Resignation wave and keep your best people around.
If some employees ultimately choose to resign, don’t forget to ask them what you could have done to support them. Make sure you learn from the experience, don’t take it personally but keep developing yourself, and your own skills. It may help you retain the next person, while developing your remaining team.
