"I don't think this job aligns with my purpose anymore."
In a long list of the aftereffects of the pandemic, the change in people's approach toward their careers has been a prominent one. Many workers are reevaluating their priorities and trying to find the right balance between work and home. So, it's easy for employers to lose out on their best performers right now if they face low job satisfaction, an effect of the Great Resignation.
In essence, the Great Resignation is a wave of employees leaving their jobs, largely brought on by COVID-19. From the United States to Japan, the internet is flooded with research showing staggering numbers of people moving out of their current jobs to find something better. Some are even starting their own dream ventures, gaining the courage they initially lacked. Burnout, a growing sense of purpose, and having been through the worst during the COVID-19 pandemic—these have been some of the major reasons that changed people's mindsets toward balancing work and life.
Economies are recovering. Organizations are no longer laying off employees, but employees are taking more ownership over the trajectory of their careers and choosing to find new jobs.
There's no one-size-fits-all solution for a problem that encompasses every possible kind of human behavior and personality type. Every employee will prioritize things differently and possess a different set of values. So, what can you do to make sure your best talent doesn't let go of you?
Here's a list of 10 simple and mindful employee retention strategies to ensure work satisfaction among your people.
Regardless of your current work status—whether you’re working from home, working on-site, or a blend of the two—Zoom meetings are an essential component of the new normal. The frequency of these meetings might change, but they have taught us how to operate beyond the conventional. But constantly staring at screens has taken a toll on employees’ health, leading to headaches and even affecting some people’s eyesight. We have some suggestions for how to make the most of time spent on Zoom:
With so much more free time, employees seek to upskill themselves to sustain and grow in their professional lives. A great way to engage your employees is to give them opportunities to learn and develop new skills. Per McKinsey's research, lifelong learning leads to happiness. Highly engaged employees, when given the skills to grow in their career paths, are more energized by new work opportunities and more satisfied with their employers. This is an excellent strategy for employee engagement and retention.
Lack of communication from management is a common complaint at workplaces identified both pre- and post-COVID. Another pertinent issue in the work-from-home model is the lack of bonding possible within the restriction of Zoom screens. It's essential to make sure your team is aligned, and poor communication may interrupt that.
Your company has an existing work structure, whether it’s a five-day or a six-day model. What's trending these days as an experiment (which is running successfully) is a four-day working model. Research shows that 20% of the workforce could work as effectively as they did in the office with three to five remote work days a week.
Anonymous feedback does wonders for an organization. Some ways you can gather this feedback include:
It's a trying time for many businesses. Complex markets, hard-to-manage operations, and the pressure to ensure that the company is moving in the right direction must all be juggled among the instability of the ongoing pandemic.
When there is a growing demand for qualified people and increasing competition, the balance of power shifts from the employer to the employee, so if employers want to attract and retain the best and the brightest minds, they must offer an attractive value proposition to prospective employees.
It's great if you offer health benefits and insurance to your employees, but that's not enough anymore. People are scared about their well-being and health, especially due to COVID, and the concern is justified. But when people know that their company cares for them, there will be low employee turnover.
“Digital transformation” is the new buzzword. Make use of up-and-coming technology toolkits that enable your employees to work effectively and efficiently, both on-site and away from the office.
An employee-of-the-week award is not going to cut it anymore. You must reward and recognize your employees every time they go out of their way to do their jobs better.
According to Harvard Business Publishing, workers at high-trust companies experience 74% less stress, over 100% higher energy, 50% greater productivity, and 13% fewer sick days as compared to workers at low-trust companies.
These suggestions are merely the beginning of a mutual, healthy relationship with your team. Let us know @polly_ai which of these techniques worked the best for you. And in case we missed something, feel free to let us know and join in the conversation. Remember: happy employees, happy you!