Starting back in 2009, more and more employees were leaving their jobs for a number of reasons. Some were retiring or relocating; others were reconsidering their work-life balance or leaving one industry altogether to find employment in a completely new job market. Then came the pandemic of 2019 which created “The Great Resignation” or mass exodus of the workplace.
What Was “The Great Resignation”
Job markets were already changing long before the pandemic. COVID-19 sped up a massive movement of people out of their jobs, which came to be known as “the Great Resignation”, or “The Big Quit”. Record numbers voluntarily left their positions, in fact according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 47 million people quit their jobs in 2021 alone.
How Is It Impacting Today’s Job Market?
Employees leaving their jobs is nothing new, but this was truly unprecedented and employers in almost every industry including healthcare are still feeling its effects. Worker shortages, difficulty recruiting and retaining new employees, and overworked staff and managers are now causing a multitude of problems for companies.
The pandemic gave pause to millions of Americans to think about their lives, work, how they want to spend their time and other priorities. According to Harvard Business Review, “We’re now back in line with the pre-pandemic trend, which is one that American employers are likely to be contending with for years to come”.
The pandemic also created what Harvard Business Review calls the “Five Rs” or five factors exacerbated by the pandemic:
- Retirement
- Relocation
- Reconsideration
- Reshuffling
- Reluctance
Retirement
Some experts think of the Great Resignation as the Great Retirement. Employees at older ages found the pandemic to be a good time to retire. Even those at slightly younger ages left the workforce. They did so to spend time at home, care for their families, change the nature of their lives and focus on quality of life over working.
Relocation
Many people decided to relocate by moving to another state or more frequently, relocating to another part of their state or county.
Reconsideration
This may have been one of the greatest consequences brought on by the pandemic. People had time at home, surrounded by loved ones to reconsider what they are doing with their lives. Some wanted out of the “rat race”. They thought about time spent at work and home and simply quit their jobs. Many employees were undoubtedly burned out.
Reshuffling
The pandemic also gave employees of all ages the opportunity to examine their return for work including wages and benefits. This has also been called the “Great Upgrade”, whereas workers left their current job to find one that pays better. It is literally the pattern of higher quit rates in lower-wage job markets like restaurants and hotels.
Reluctance
This residual effect of the pandemic is unfortunately still with us. Some people demand working from home if they can, and resist returning to the workplace. Many do so due to fear of contagion or being exposed to whatever comes next. The fear may or may not be rational, but that doesn’t matter. People want what they want.
What Recruiters Need to Do Now
While the major effects of the pandemic are behind us, experts predict that turnover will remain high and recruiting will be challenging. Competition for good employees will also make recruiting a 24/7 operation, meaning that they will require a constant stream of potential candidates to fill their positions. So, how do recruiters prepare for these challenges?
Communicate What Potential Employees Want and Need
Do you remember the old saying, “you can attract far more flies with honey than with vinegar”? The same is true when searching for talent. Based on Harvard Business Review’s “Five Rs”, seek to understand exactly what your potential employee wants or needs. Most employees today want:
- Flexibility
- Well-being
- Purpose
- Competitive pay
- Good working conditions
- Skills development
Examine your workplace culture, policies, procedures, employee handbook, and benefits. Can they be improved or modified to meet the expectations of today’s candidates?
Be “The” Employee-Centered Workplace
Before employees can become great at their jobs, fit in well, and be a vital part of the team, they need to feel like they belong. Leaders and recruiters must make employee-centered practices a top priority… period. Become hyper-focused on what you promise and what you deliver to your employees. Talk about it, show it, practice it daily. Word will travel.
Forget “Business as Usual”
Some employers may believe that because the pandemic is largely behind us, they can go back to the way things were a few years ago and everything will be alright. This is false and dangerous thinking. Nothing is the way it was and many things have changed.
People are struggling to make ends meet. Food and gas prices are at all time highs. They have been caring for sick family members and some gave long-haul COVID symptoms that are interfering with their work and quality of life. Look deeply into the lives of your staff and find ways to support them and encourage them to carry on.
The last thing you want to do is hire a bunch of fresh-faced, motivated workers and place them into the lion’s den of burned out, dissatisfied and angry employees. You know what will happen, right? Your new staff will walk out. There’s no more business as usual. Your employees are human and deserve attention, help, and guidance.
Final Thoughts on the Great Resignation
The job market was changing before the pandemic came along to make everything worse including high turnover, recruitment nightmares, and stress and strain on existing employees. Now that we seem to be settling back into pre-pandemic times, much has changed and will not be the same as before. Younger and older workers have retired, relocated or changed career paths. Their priorities have changed and instead of living to work, they would rather work to live. This means that recruiters must be on top of their game and constantly search for new talent. Today’s employee not only wants but demands more from their employer. You must create more wellness in your workplace than your wellness plan will ever provide.