Millions of people worldwide are quitting their jobs in what experts call the Great Resignation.
The pandemic has left many workers questioning how they want to spend their time, weighing up job changes, further education or a break from the workforce altogether.
In March, a Microsoft study found that 41% of the global workforce is likely to consider resignation within the next year. In the UK alone, 60% of workers are currently considering a career change.
So how can you manage the great resignation to retain staff and boost morale? It’s all about prioritizing purpose and connection – even in the remote workplace.
1. Lead mindfully
You know what they say: people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers. Your management style has a huge say in how your employees feel about their work and whether they’ll stick around long-term.
Cultivating a mindful leadership style will help you tune in to what’s going on for your team and where they might need more support, giving them a more positive employee experience.
2. Stay flexible
You might want to call everyone back into the office in an attempt to reconnect. Not so fast – not everyone feels safe about heading back to the office just yet. While some have ongoing childcare duties to balance and others have grown comfortable with the benefits of working from home. It’s likely your employees all sit at different points along the continuum.
Allowing your people the flexibility to do what works best for them is something they value. Ensure there is a range of supported options and check in with your employees about what they need to do their best work.
3. Get social, but make it optional
If you’re concerned about a lack of connection between team members, consider introducing a regular, low-commitment catch-up like a virtual happy hour, where staff have the chance to connect if they wish.
Don’t expect everyone to show up every time. Make sure you show up regularly because that way your people will more likely see you as someone they can count on.
4. Supercharge your team
Is your team ready for fresh input? Fabulous helps teams soar by focusing on developing healthy habits that enable them to reach their full potential.
Drawing on behavioral science, Fabulous combines immersive sound experiences that allow employees to take short, mindful pauses. 3-to-8 day challenges are designed to quickly bring about enduring positive change. Challenges focus on improving eating and sleep habits, creating meditation routines, as well as engaging in more purposeful living and managing stress and anxiety.
Teams can also work together on challenges to strengthen their bond and access productivity tools to help eliminate distractions.
What’s next?
A backlog of resignations from 2020 has fuelled the Great Resignation when many employees chose to ride out the toughest months of the pandemic in employment before turning to what might come next. So with any luck, 2022 should bring a little more stability.
You can lock in that stability for your employees by prioritizing their well-being. Support your team to reach their full potential.
