Linked: Why The 2021 ‘Turnover Tsunami’ Is Happening And What Business Leaders Can Do To Prepare
Is there a “Turnover Tsunami” happening? I have definitely noticed an uptick in my connections getting new jobs, but that’s doesn’t necessarily mean there is a trend beyond my little network. On the other hand, I’ve been seeing a lot of mentions of some of these issues:
“But one of the biggest factors of what business and finance professionals are coining the “turnover tsunami,” is actually pandemic burnout. According to the Human Resource Executive, pandemic stress and uncertainty, working longer hours, lack of HR advocacy, and working from home all contributed (and still do) to workers feeling undervalued and burned out. Working from home, especially, can result in feeling disconnected from company culture and values. Additionally, stimulus checks, unemployment benefits, and vaccinations are paving the way for many Americans who are already in desperate need of a break to take a step back and evaluate their options.”
Sadly, most of the mentions I’ve seen of these issues place the blame squarely outside of the employer. It’s the government’s fault for being too generous with stimulus checks and unemployment benefits, it’s the lockdowns and working from home, it’s the lack of daycare options, etc.
What they all fail to mention, that this article at least starts to recognize, is that there are actually a lot of things employers could do.
Let’s start with doing work from home better. If employees don’t feel like HR is looking out for them, and that they’ve lost touch with the company and it’s culture, because they are at home, who’s fault is that? There have been, and continue to be, a growing number of companies with remote workers who don’t feel this way. Ones that manage to include even their remote workers in the culture and value them appropriately.
And let’s not even talk about government generosity. Could it be that you simply aren’t paying people an amount that they see as fair value for what they need to put up with? Again, if people won’t come to work for you because they can get enough from the government for not working, I have to question what the value proposition is in working for you. There is more to work than the paycheck, as everyone knows, but ask yourself this, what is it that employees are asked to deal with in exchange for that paycheck?
Does the paycheck come with being valued, recognized, and having the opportunity to develop myself, or does the paycheck come with a company that won’t care how burned out I am, makes no attempt at recognizing the importance of my life outside of work, and will be a danger to my own mental health?
If it’s the latter, why would anyone want to work there when there is any other choice? So sure, blame it on generous government benefits or a lack of commitment of these younger generations, but while you’re busy with that, maybe take a quick look in the mirror and take an honest look at what the jobs you are struggling to keep filled really look like. And figure out how to create something people want to do.
