Navigating The “Great Resignation”: How To Retain Employees When No One Else Can

The “great resignation” is undoubtedly upon us, and companies that fail to adapt to the shifting dynamics of today’s new remote and hybrid work world are at risk of losing their top talent. Employees are evaluating their jobs under the microscopic lens of a new, pandemic-induced perspective. And guess what?

Provide a Roadmap For Successful 1:1 Communication

Provide managers with a blueprint to help them plan ahead

• Pick a frequency, date, and time
• Draft an agenda
• Lead with open-ended questions
• Avoid status updates
• Focus on building a stronger personal connection with direct reports

Set Your Managers Up For Success

Bad managers drive even the best employees away

• On the flip side, good managers can help develop the future generation of leaders
• They can only do that if they’re given the guidance and tools they need to thrive as a boss

Coach Managers On Soft Skills

The term “soft skills” relates to skills that aren’t necessarily job-specific or technical in nature. Soft skills are often more personality-focused, involving social skills or character traits that are transferable regardless of industry.

• Some of the most desirable soft skills for people in management roles include empathy, adaptability, creativity, attention to detail, and attention to learning.

Prioritize Flexibility and Autonomy Within The Workplace

The traditional 9-to-5 workday is being slowly phased out as companies transition to hybrid or fully remote setups on a permanent basis.

• Try defaulting to an asynchronous communication setup that accommodates employees from different time zones
• Adopt a production-based model of compensation
• Allow employees to autonomously set their working hours and schedule

Embrace the New World Of Work-From-Home And Hybrid Teams

70% of workers want flexible remote work options to continue post-pandemic

• 60% of respondents would prefer to work from home
• Companies that embrace remote or hybrid setups have a better chance of retaining their current employees and attracting new talent

Assess Your Current Company Culture

Closely examine the following: workplace diversity, professional development opportunities, employee morale, value alignment, employees’ opinions of leadership, and the culture of the company.

• These areas may not seem critical, but they are all important contributors to the overarching goal of a healthy and thriving workplace culture.

Identify Gaps You Can Fill To Improve Workplace Culture

Take a hard look at the areas where your corporate culture falls short

• Identify how you might improve your culture based on your employees’ feedback
• Roll out changes based on prior survey input
• Survey employees again to see how they feel

Use Purpose Archetypes To Understand What Drives Employees

By understanding which category employees most closely relate to, company leaders can gain a better sense of employees’ ideal communication methods, motivators, and fit for specific roles.

• Consider identifying purpose archetypes for existing employees and new hires by asking them a series of questions that match them with a particular archetype

Build a World-Class Company Culture

Your company’s culture plays a critical role in whether employees feel welcomed and valued by their company and peers.

• Be on the lookout for classic signs of an unhealthy corporate culture, such as gossip, office politics, low morale, and poorly defined company values.

Connect Employees Virtually

Video conferencing apps and async communication platforms like Slack offer a variety of ways for companies to make meaningful, virtual interactions readily available to employees

• Set up virtual “watercooler chats”
• Have Slack channels devoted to “fun” non-work topics
• Hold virtual “office hours”

Remember That Employee Retention Is A Long Game

It’s not enough to revamp your processes now and then do nothing for 25 years.

• Companies that commit themselves to prioritizing employee retention now will not only find themselves better prepared to weather this current storm but can also establish employee retention measures as a permanent part of their internal processes for the storms to come.

Provide Managers With Tools That Simplify The Management Process

Provide managers with beneficial tools that improve the management process

Outline Clearly Defined Paths For Growth

Lack of opportunity for growth was the top reason employees left their jobs

Match Employees With Work That Aligns With Their Purpose

Turn your eye to job compatibility

Improve Engagement By Helping Employees Find Purpose

Employees who feel fulfilled at work are more engaged and more likely to stay with the company long-term

Define Growth Paths With Job Leveling

By implementing a job-leveling structure, companies can define specific competency requirements for each role in their corporate hierarchy.

• From there, they are able to communicate these requirements to all employees, so it’s clear what the employees need to do to proceed to the next level.

Track Goal Progression Using Trello

Managers can use 1:1 boards to track each direct report’s progress on individual goals, as well as outline the steps needed for personal growth development.

Invest In A Company-Wide Work Management Software

Trello

• Keep employees and clients in the loop
• Set up automated updates through Slack, Jira, email, or other connected apps to instantly notify interested parties when a project is completed or requires review
• Improve collaboration across departments
• Track project status
• Card labels and boards make it easy to identify exactly what stage the project is in-without having to chase down the person in charge

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