It’s staggering! In August 2021 alone, 4.3 million workers quit their job. This is a real thing, and a big issue for employers. They need to stop the hemorrhaging. Businesses should wake up to the fact that changes are here to stay and how they did things before is not going to work anymore.
According to The Wall Street Journal, “U.S. workers left their jobs nearly 20 million times between April and August this year…” and Business Insider, proposes that “Job transitions among Gen Z are up 80% year-over-year. For Millennials, they’re up by 50%.”
So what’s the answer to the Great Resignation?
First and foremost a recognition of this issue needs to be had by employers. They need to stop hiding their heads in the sand. Once the issue is recognized it really boils down to three words:
Flexibility, flexibility, and flexibility.
For those that can work at home… Priorities have changed.
Leisure time is much more valued by Millennials than previous generations. They will trade compensation for time and independence. Now that they have had a taste of working from home (thank you Covid), it has become critical to them for a good work-life balance, quality family time, and better mental health overall. Powerful motivators to move on if their current company is just not “getting it”.
For those that can’t work from home… Choice is good.
Workers want choice. They want more choice around who, what, and when they work. Something that is pretty foriegn to the F & B industry in general.
Basically, the craziness of the past year and half has led many workers, particularly those in low-wage jobs, to reconsider what matters most in life, ultimately causing the workforce to move-on.
Come into the fold.
Some employers are actually making adjustments. They’re:
1. Focusing on better management skills. Gallup found that “it takes more than a 20% pay raise to lure most employees away from a manager who engages them, and next to nothing to poach most disengaged workers.”
2. Improving job quality. Today’s workers want interesting jobs, and interesting people to work alongside (virtual and/or face-to-face). They want meaningful work, but they also want meaningful relationships.
3. Giving them the right tools. Investing in the right software tools can be a huge motivator. (Bonus for the company: Typically they don’t need as many employees with the efficiency this can offer.) Making sure they offer a SME (subject matter expert) program to help motivate is critical. They’re sharing this wealth with multiple employees as well. If a company loses a SME then there are others to fill in. Redundancy is good for the business and employees alike.
Give them a reason to stay!
Become an “employer of choice”. Is your company where employees recommend their friends and family to work at? Are they your evangelists?
Some items to help do that:
- Four-day workweeks and flexible shifts can be very attractive to younger workers, working moms, and more.
- Rotating people through various jobs, and offer choice and new skill development, are exciting to many workers.
- Introduce new employees around your company, and making time for them to build relationships, will make them feel valued and that they belong in your workplace.
The old-school thinking of “giving them a job and paying them is enough” is not working anymore. Be creative!
Coolearth Software can help with employee morale and “stickiness” with our powerful, state of the art, user-friendly software tools for your plant management needs. Keep them interested and retain the workforce needed.
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