The ‘Great Resignation’ is far from over

The ‘Great Resignation’ is affecting industries across the world. But, worryingly for employers, a survey of more than 14,000 employees in 27 countries by Qualtrics found that this trend is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Qualtrics’ report found that 65% of employees are planning to stay in their jobs in 2022; this is down from 70% in 2021.

However, the drop between 2021 and 2022 is most significant for senior leaders, and particularly women.

While 81% of male senior leaders intended to stay in their jobs in 2021 and this dropped 9% to 72% in 2021, the drop was 18% from 86% to 68% for female leaders.

Tara Belliard, employee management scientist at Qualtrics, noted: “The data shows us that female leaders are the most likely to leave. It’s important that they’re given the right support.

“Work with leaders to reassess targets. Work with them to understand what kind of support they need, rather than piling on more pressure.

“Make sure they know it’s a collaborative process and that you’re hearing their concerns and will take action to help, including the right training, talent, and technology.”

Focus on employee experiences in a hybrid model

On the topic of technology, Qualtrics report found that employees are underwhelmed by both workplace tech tools and the office experience in the hybrid working model.

Only 30% of those surveyed by Qualtrics said the tech they use at work exceeds their expectations and this falls to 23% for workplace experience.

It is clear that employers need to step it up to deliver “world-class digital experiences that enable both in-person and digital collaboration”.

But what do employees want from their hybrid work experience?

While they still want to go to the office, 35% of employees told Qualtrics they would search for a new job if they were forced to return to the office full time, while 37% said the office was not an enjoyable place to be.

Instead, employees want flexibility about when they go in, more support to respond to further workplace disruption, as well as better tech and communication from leaders.

Talking about the findings, Qualtrics head of employee experience advisory services Benjamin Granger commented: “There’s clearly a disconnect between the experiences employees expect and what employers are offering in hybrid work environments.

 “The value of offices has evolved from simply being places for people to work from to creating opportunities for collaboration and socialization.

“Understanding what people need to be effective and efficient in their roles is essential for curating workspaces that will encourage employees to bring their best selves to work.”

Focus on D,E&I and wellbeing

Another priority for workers in 2022 and beyond, is genuine action and progress in terms of diversity, equity, inclusion (D,E&I) and belonging.

2020 saw a focus on social injustice in society as a whole, but particularly in the workplace, and now employees are feeling empowered to push their organizations to create fairer and more inclusive workplaces.

Therefore, Qualtrics recommends that companies that want to survive the ‘Great Resignation’ now and in 2022 should step up their D,E&I efforts.

The report notes that employers must “make sure D,E&I and belonging is part of your employee listening program. Listen to what your people are telling you and then action them. It’s critical to set bold, but achievable targets. And make sure your stakeholders are held accountable for achieving them.”

According to Qualtrics, employers must also practice what they preach and make genuine progress around employee wellbeing, and particularly burnout that reached all-time high during the pandemic.

The report also noted that mental health apps or closing down the company for a week aren’t sufficient to address burnout and associated talent attrition. Instead, companies must do “the hard work at the root of the problem” and address “a toxic culture that rewards workplace martyrdom over self-care (and self-awareness)”.