Highlights
- Great resignation is a term coined by Anthony Klox, a professor at Texas A&M University. According to the great resignation trend, many workers quit their jobs post the covid-19 pandemic.
- They are looking for flexible work schedules and better skill-based opportunities.
- Low perks and pay, better work-life balance; workers looking for better career growth are some of the reasons why workers are leaving their present jobs.
- It's time for the leaders to reimagine the workspace to meet the workers' goals, be it flexible work or salary negotiations.
Pandemic shift
From resignation to reimagination
The Covid-19 pandemic has revolutionized the way people work, worldwide. For about two years, people were locked in the comfort of their homes—no commuting to work, better work-life balance, more time with family, and so on.
However, when the workplaces started opening up, organizations across the board faced the phenomenon of "Great Resignation."
Great resignation is a term coined by Anthony Klox, a professor at Texas A&M University. According to the great resignation trend, many workers quit their jobs post the covid-19 pandemic. They are looking for flexible work schedules and better skill-based opportunities. In this scenario, leaders across the board are embarking on a path of revamping the existing workplace, famously called the 'The Great Reimagination of Work.'
Primary Reasons
Why are workers leaving the workplace?
According to Pew Research Center, the primary reasons US workers left their job in 2021 were low pay, poor career advancement opportunities, and feeling disrespected at work.
There are many reasons why workers are leaving their present jobs. Some of them are:
Low perk and pay: According to the 2022 Millenial Survey, salary is one of the top reasons millennials leave a company. Also, salary negotiations can be mentally exhausting for the employees. Some of them manage to get the desired hike, while a few others feel let down.
Better work-life balance: The Covid-19 pandemic made people understand the importance of health and personal relationships. They could spend more time with their loved ones than ever before. Hence, post-pandemic, they do not want to lose the good personal-professional life balance they have built up over the last two years.
Workers looking for better career growth: Employees are no longer satisfied with their present job when they have ample remote work opportunities available online.
High demand for flexible work schedule: According to Zippia research, 68% of US workers like to work remotely. However, as the Covid-19 wave recedes, many reputed organizations expect people to report back to the office.
Roadmap
Making the transition
The workers have undergone a phenomenal shift in how they view and complete tasks. It's time for the leaders to reimagine the workspace to meet the workers' goals, be it flexible work or salary negotiations. The best way is to start listening to the employees, understand their pain points, put the right person in the right place, and create a friendly work culture.
Listen to the Employees: Organizations can start by lending an empathetic ear to their employees and understanding their exact pain points. Wellness surveys give organizations an idea of employee happiness and productivity. For instance, brand Salesforce conducted well-being surveys during the pandemic and found that the surveys made it easier for them to reimagine and mold the workplace.
Change from Outcome to Output Basis Work: Gone are those days when organizations could solely rely on the quantity of the work and assess employee productivity. The need of the hour is to focus on the larger outcome.
Eliminate Redundant Tasks: Eliminating repetitive tasks is another way of enhancing employee productivity and freeing them from monotony. However, there is some good news. Abby's survey shows that 62% of financial services workers use software robots in the workplace and have succeeded in eliminating redundant tasks.
Recruit Existing Workers for New Positions: It is always good to identify talented employees from the existing workers in an organization. This way, leaders can acknowledge the efforts of current employees and create a sense of belonging.
Redefined Work Place: Be it a physical, hybrid, or virtual workplace, a dose of innovation can make the organization realize the great reimagination of work. For example, many Australian companies use gamification strategies to train their student workforce.
- Listen to the Employees: Organizations can start by lending an empathetic ear to their employees and understanding their exact pain points. Wellness surveys give organizations an idea of employee happiness and productivity. For instance, brand Salesforce conducted well-being surveys during the pandemic and found that the surveys made it easier for them to reimagine and mold the workplace.
- Change from Outcome to Output Basis Work: Gone are those days when organizations could solely rely on the quantity of the work and assess employee productivity.
The best way is to start listening to the employees, understand their pain points, put the right person in the right place, and create a friendly work culture.
- Eliminate Redundant Tasks: Eliminating repetitive tasks is another way of enhancing employee productivity and freeing them from monotony. However, there is some good news. Abby's survey shows that 62% of financial services workers use software robots in the workplace and have succeeded in eliminating redundant tasks.
Recruit Existing Workers for New Positions: It is always good to identify talented employees from the existing workers in an organization. This way, leaders can acknowledge the efforts of current employees and create a sense of belonging. According to a Deloitte report, Hewlett Packard has a " Homecoming " program to attract former employees back into its fold. This program aims to use the expertise of former employees to increase organizational value.
Redefined Work Place: Be it a physical, hybrid, or virtual workplace, a dose of innovation can make the organization realize the great reimagination of work. For example, many Australian companies use gamification strategies to train their student workforce.
Making the move
Adopt a listening culture
Great reimagination is necessary for any organization to survive in the post-pandemic era. Workers are no longer satisfied with existing perks, in-office setup, or routine redundant tasks. They need a flexible work environment for better career growth and to realize their highest potential. Organizations that can fully empathize with the needs of 21st-century workers are the ones that can see tremendous growth potential.
