At this point, most of us have either heard of or experienced the effects of the Great Resignation. A record number, 4.5 million people, voluntarily left their positions in November 2021 alone. This amount of resignations was an all-time high, and unemployment rates continue to soar.
People are leaving for various reasons such as undesirable pay or benefits, lack of work-life balance, etc. Therefore, as people re-enter the workforce, they are asking more from their employers than ever before. Employees want the opportunity to learn and grow; they want to work for a company that cares about their well-being and they want flexibility in their working arrangements.
In this blog, we break down ways employers can keep up with the evolving work environment to ensure their teams are happy and satisfied with their work.
Promoting Development at Your Company
A recent Gallup poll stated that 87% of millennials and 69% of non-millennials rate career growth and development opportunities as highly important to them in a job. It’s essential for employers to consider how they’ll promote career growth as a part of their company culture. Promotions are typically one significant way to highlight development, but it’s not always a viable option. There are other ways to reward hard work and encourage growth, for example:
- Consider a professional development budget for certifications, conferences and networking events.
- Provide time and resources for your employees to learn new skills at work.
- Celebrate wins when employees graduate from a program, earn a credential or reach a goal
- Provide regular coaching and feedback.
Employee Wellbeing
Employers should always consider how they can support and care for their employee’s physical and mental health. With a wellbeing strategy in place, you’ll not only notice an increase in employee engagement, but will motivate the team to reach their goals. When employees feel well, they tend to perform better. Studies show that workers are 13% more productive when happy! Here are some examples of how to support employee wellbeing:
- Increase opportunities for time off
- Offer an Employee Assistance Program
- Review team workloads and job design
- Offer paid volunteer days
- Offer a health and wellbeing allowance for employees to use at their discretion (ex: gym membership, massage, new sneakers!)
Embracing Remote/Hybrid Work
Flexible work arrangements will be the norm, not the exception moving forward. Studies show that 62% of employees believe working remotely positively impacts engagement. Not only that, but 61% of employees prefer being fully remote.
The freedom to work from anywhere has become the most sought-after benefit during the pandemic. In fact, according to new research from the WFH Research Project, people value flexibility as much as a 10% pay raise.
However, with remote work comes different challenges, such as employee engagement. Engaging remote employees requires a strategic approach and long-term commitment to your team.
Here are some examples:
- Stay connected through technology such as Zoom, Slack, Teams, etc.
- Schedule regular team meetings and incorporate video calls with screen sharing.
- Assign mentors to new hires (new hires need extra support when working remotely).
- Plan in-person team or company retreats and outings.
- Establish healthy boundaries around schedules and assignments.
Use Cura HR to Help Keep Your Team Happy
Cura HR creates custom solutions for every project and client by combining our years of experience with fresh ideas and a forward-thinking approach. We connect trending concepts with time-tested tools and proven processes, to build unique solutions for every situation.
Whether you need help leveling up your team’s talent, building out your employee wellbeing programs, or planning an engagement strategy, Cura HR has your back! We’d love to learn about your business and how we can take your people programs to the next level.
