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The New York Times called it Quitagion; others call it The Great Resignation. But what is it and how can we fix the pandemic of resignations?
The pandemic seems to have a lot to answer for when it comes to workers quitting their jobs with many people seeing a change in their priorities when it hit. Victoria Short, CEO of Randstad, puts some of it down to burnout. Saying that “some teams have been running too hot for too long”.
So how do you stem the tide of workers quitting?
We’ve put together our top 5 tips on ways to reduce attrition in your workforce.
Avoid the black hole of onboarding and plug the gap
In care and education, delays can happen due to compliance and DBS/Online Disclosure processes that have to take place before a new hire can start.
Teacher recruitment has other obstacles. Typically taking place between February and June and job start dates not until the beginning of a school year, this delay often outweighs any that compliance and DBS checks can take.
Plugging the gap between the acceptance and start date with tech like Green Room Onboarding - where new starters feel loved, appreciated and know what to expect before they’ve even started - can make a huge difference.
Show workers that you care and ask them how they’re feeling
Check in on your workforce morale. If they’re disengaged, then it’s just a matter of time before they quit. Put together an engagement survey - how are they feeling about themselves, their work, their future and about you as an organisation. And make sure you’ve really thought about everything, including those difficult to ask questions. As John Tarrant from DNA said, “it’s even more critical that you actually take action based on the results you get.”
It might sound like a small thing, but people thrive off receiving praise. Many workers will resign if they feel unappreciated - 66% of employees in fact. Show them some recognition for the great work they do – most people get a buzz from it, and they’ll stay and want more!
Flexible working - is it here to stay at your company?
Many of your employees will no doubt be used to waking up in the morning and popping into the next room at home to start their day of work. And for many, they’ll expect a degree of flexibility and home working to continue when infections drop and restrictions ease even further. A survey by People Management, said a staggering 47% of employees would consider quitting if flexible working was taken off the table.
Some nations have now removed the guidance to work from home. If you intend to tell people to return to the office, think carefully about how it’s positioned. Are workers comfortable in talking to you about their fears or anxieties about an office return? Listen to what they have to say, take their concerns seriously and consider how you can support them better.
Communicate career opportunities
Many workers simply might quit to grow their career. But if they can do that with your company, you need to make sure they know that and achieve those opportunities with you! When you’re advertising for a new job, give your own workers the opportunity to apply first before it’s advertised externally.
