If you’ve lost employees to the “Great Resignation,” you may be wondering, “What do my employees want? How can I keep good staff from leaving?”

Many employers have been asking the same questions. While the answers can vary by industry and age group, studies suggest that the pandemic has caused a mindset shift among workers. They’ve had time to consider the frustrations surrounding their jobs, both before and during the pandemic. Whatever their pain point, many have decided enough is enough.

Time for a Change

According to Inc., the pandemic has created a new employer-employee dynamic. “Since forever, the conventional wisdom held that in downturns, the employer could get away with almost anything; employees needed work and so would be grateful merely to have a job — frills and niceties were 100 percent unnecessary. But the common thread that runs through virtually every motivation for the Great Resignation departures we are seeing is a decision to no longer accept the unacceptable.”

What do Employees Want?

In addition to stress, health concerns and burnout, employees face additional pandemic-related frustrations. They want their employer to trust them to get their work done, even if they continue to work remotely. They want clear communication from managers – but not micromanagement. They’re looking for job growth — and support from their employer to reach their goals.

In fact, as the pandemic continues, many workers are concerned about career stagnation. In a recent survey, “43% percent of respondents said their career paths have either stalled or slowed to a crawl, and 47% said they are currently looking for a new job that provides growth opportunities.”

Other compelling reasons for a job shift include poor management, toxic work environment, a desire for higher pay or a better work-life balance.

How can Employers Respond?

With more than half the workforce contemplating a job change, it’s clear that many employers need to pay more attention to their employees’ needs.

“It’s become compulsory for companies to make serious investments in their employees’ wages, opportunities, and overall wellbeing, if they weren’t doing so already, if for no other reason than it’s simply good for business,” notes a recent BBC Worklife article.

Steps for businesses to consider:

• Invest in leadership training and weed out bad managers.
• Review how your company handles raises and promotions. Examine “time between promotions, size of pay increases, tenure, performance, and training opportunities,” recommends Harvard Business Review.
• Regularly seek employee input on what is and is not going well.
• Recognize employee contributions, successes and milestones.
• Assist in employee career growth and goals. Provide opportunities for them to work on projects that align with their own interests.
• Examine your compensation package and make sure it’s competitive.

Investing in the talent you already have and demonstrating you care about them as individuals, with needs both inside and outside the workplace, can help build a more contented workforce that’s less likely to leave.

Are you looking for qualified staff?

Let the recruitment experts at Pro Resources Staffing Solutions guide you through the talent search process.