What's Happening with Our Employees?
FACT: Employees are quitting at record numbers. The Great Resignation, also known as the Big Quit or the Great Reshuffle, was a period in early 2021 and beyond when many US employees voluntarily left their jobs. The phenomenon peaked between November 2021 and April 2022, with an average of 4.5 million people quitting each month, totaling over 50 million in 2022. This was a rate of quits not seen since the US Bureau of Labor Statistics began its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey program in 2000. Retirement Trends: Many people leave the workforce due to retirement. The aging population in many countries, including the United States and several European nations, has contributed to a significant number of retirements in recent years.
The COVID-19 pandemic also influenced workforce dynamics. Some individuals chose to leave their jobs due to health concerns, caregiving responsibilities, or changes in personal priorities.
All of this is what is happening with our employees. The question is what can we do about it as leaders, team members, and managers? The first is to understand why people leave.
In addition to the above social impact, here are some key factors that impact employee engagement and staying at an organization:
Management Mishaps like Micromanagement – Overly controlling management styles can stifle creativity and autonomy, making employees feel undervalued and frustrated.
Unprepared management – Because of the pandemic and workforce shortage, we are throwing our employees into positions without preparation. (and expecting great things!
There’s no room to Grow –Employees who see limited opportunities for career advancement may seek opportunities elsewhere.
Lack of recognition – Employees are feeling unappreciated. Employees who feel their contributions are not valued will try to see recognition elsewhere.
Poor Communication – You’re not checking in with them. When communication from management is inconsistent, unclear, or nonexistent, employees may struggle to understand expectations or feel disconnected from the broader organization.
Workplace is too rigid – During the pandemic we created a flexible workforce, and now we are trying to put the “beast” back into the box and employees value that agility that they had.
Your mission is muddled. There is a lack of clear direction. Employees may feel uncertain about the organization's goals or their role within it if management fails to communicate a clear vision.
This generation wants / needs work-life balance. Mental health is important, so is balancing family and work priorities.
Get to know your employees to understand where they are and what brings them fulfillment. Look at your team as individual contributions with skills and ambitions. You can mix them around to best align their skills, interests, and capabilities.
The point is that you need to do something. Employee engagement doesn’t just naturally happen. It requires purpose, intention and a plan to look at what your team and individual team members are and what they need. Create a plan. Conduct a temperature check on your culture and the general level of engagement. This temperature check goes beyond your annual employee surveys. Talk to your employees to find out where they are and what needs to be done to create an effective and positive culture.
Download the Job Benchmark Process to learn more and contact us today to schedule a free consultation with Barbara Ann Sharon at basharon@trainingedge.com or 610.454.1557
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