By- Aditi Maheshwari

The Great Resignation, also known as the Big Quit and the Great Reshuffle, is an economic trend in which employees resign in large number voluntarily from their jobs, starting in 2021. Causes could be anything from salary stagnation, inflation, long-lasting job dissatisfaction, and the desire to work for companies that prioritize their mental and physical health, or preference to join companies with better remote-working policies.

Some economists believe the Great Resignation can be considered as a general strike by employees. However, the main reason for such big quit seems to be that employees want organization$s to treat them more humanly. The greatest asset of any company is their talented manpower. When a company invests in the welfare of its employees the company’s performance is bound to improve as people are happy to work there. Happy employees make the customers happy too. So, basically it is a win-win solution for all.

The Great Reshuffle is more complex than just directly corelating it to providing better packages and perks of employment. It’s the responsibility of the company to provide supportive and engaged leadership and foster a work culture that prioritizes everyone’s health whether physical, mental or emotional. To attract and retain employees, many things collectively need to be taken care of – income + health + social connectivity + empathy + civility, as the companies we work for have a great influence on our lives. If everyday becomes a struggle, it will sooner or later lead to quitting for the sake of peace and wellbeing of the individuals concerned.  

If you want your company to retain and attract best talent in the job market, apply the following strategies:

1)  Give.

Make sure your company offers well thought off benefits to its employees. Merely compensating for a gym membership is not sufficient, the benefits should address their physical and mental health, nutrition, and stress reduction too. Today’s hybrid workforce has created problems with communication and as a result people don’t get the feeling of belongingness, which makes them feel undervalued for their contributions. Slowly they lose interest in the company and their performance also reduces and they are more prone to search for other companies with better job profiles leading to the big quit. Workplace culture if maintained healthy, can return a 25 percent savings on associated costs. This, in turn, results in increased turnover, reduced absenteeism and an increase in productivity.

2)  Communicate.

Microsoft$s Work Trend Index coined the term "hybrid paradox," referring to people that want flexibility to work from anywhere, but at the same time desire for more in-person connection. This information coincides with a 2021 study by the Society for Human Resource Management, which revealed that 35% of those they polled have felt more isolated and sometimes abandoned while at work and 28% have felt their loyalty for their employer has been taken for granted. A constant flow of communication eliminates such feelings of isolation and reinstates dedication of employees towards their companies concerned. One of the biggest barriers is mindset of employers who count such initiatives as burdensome and back out as a result leading to the big reshuffle. Overcommunicate in creative ways about all of the wellness schemes available to your employees and encourage them to use the benefit. Make sure you involve all and don’t neglect anyone in the process.

3)  Make it fun.

The interaction should be fun, engaging, social and most importantly without any bias and prejudice. Encourage your employees to make physical activity a part of their workday through scheduled dance workouts or stretch breaks, walking meetings or time off to go take a fitness class or attend a therapy session or simply spending 10 mins. of your day laughing together with your team members. An increase in movement influences creativity, collaboration and productivity positively. Physical activity has been proven to improve focus and concentration levels.

In a survey conducted by Peerfit, a physical health benefits program, 42% of its users witnessed improved relationships both personal and professional, and 42% created new friendships. Their sleep and mental health also improved, as did their waking energy levels.

4)  Lead by example.

Make sure your C-suite and members leading the organisation are not only talking the talk, but also walking the walk. They need to set personal example and make employees prioritise self-care. You can reinforce this message by conveying it’s a company-wide initiative and placing it as one of the agenda in company meetings or discuss it even one-on-ones with direct reports to encourage positive involvement.

5)  Appreciation.

One of the most under-rated elements is the art of appreciation. Appreciate your employees when they do good work and make sure your entire team listens to those words of appreciation. Acknowledge their presence and show gratitude towards them for their valuable contribution. Do this form the bottom of your heart and not just on face value, because the energy with which it is conveyed can be felt by others. This impacts more than any monetary compensation can do. Here, keep in mind that if there is something that needs improvement, convey it in person and not in front of the whole team. This safeguards the person from any humiliation and in turn builds trust.

Be a source of inspiration. Don’t just fall in the statistical game of money rather build on humanity. Civility is a magic wand that can reap great results.

Pic Courtesy: iStock