The Great Reset
Is it a surprise to you that 46% of workers were thinking of quitting or changing professions this year because they can work remotely? That’s according to a Microsoft survey of more than 30,000 global workers. Naturally, the pandemic has played a key role. Workers are reflecting on how their employers have treated them over the past year and a half. Some are pulling together plans for the dream job they never thought was in reach, others are calling in the more flexible working patterns that have shown to be not only possible but, in some cases, optimal.
The Great Reset is a pause point to think about what matters to us at work and what we want for our future.
Those teetering on the edge of quitting pre-pandemic were pushed just that one step further. Many essential workers bore the brunt of decisions by employers that forced them into working longer hours on small staffs. They quickly burnt out, and many quit. This Stanford study (thanks @BBCWorkLife) shows that companies with poorly rated environments doubled down on decisions that did not support employees. In the month of April 2021 more than 4million people in the US quit their jobs, and over 650,000 of them were in retail. We’ve all heard of the hiring bonuses being offered by Amazon as they and 94% of other retailers struggle to fill empty roles. Economists call it The Great Resignation, and it’s not only happening in the US.
What we are looking for from employers and in our jobs may have shifted, for the better, forever.
Employers that put workers’ concerns higher up the list and made more effort to support them, exploring ways to help everyone navigate a tough time, are reaping rewards. Some workers report moving to jobs that pay less, but offer more benefits, more upward mobility, and compassion! What’s clear about this unprecedented time in our history, it that is has spurred on the willingness to act.
‘Although workers have always cared about the environments in which they work, the pandemic added an entirely new dimension: an increased willingness to act.’ – The Great Resignation: How employers drove workers to quit.
Over the past two years, we’ve arguably been forced into one of the biggest experiments of all time in terms of flexible working. The coming months aren’t the time to assume that we will, or even should, return to business as usual.
“It would be a mistake for HR to push for staff to slot straight back into old routines and expect the same levels of engagement. Now’s the time for the employer-employee relationship links to be re-assessed, for different options to be openly explored, and for the benefits of this to be shared.” – Flexible furlough – the biggest experiment in part-time working?
The Great Reset may lead to significant, positive, and long-term changes to the workplace and the way companies invest in their employees.
What if now is the time to think about what matters, and to act on it?
We can be a partner to you in that process, confidentially and professionally.
Our new business, Round Recruitment, is an independent recruitment to recruitment consultancy. We believe in bringing our best, human selves to work (that includes us), and that we should seek out environments where we feel a sense of belonging and can contribute in a meaningful, joyful way. The hard-nosed metrics show that belonging is very good for business. If you want to know just how good, read this HBR article “The Value of Belonging at Work”.
At Round, we offer a candid, down-to-earth approach that starts with finding out more about you, exploring what’s possible for your future, and bringing you the options that make your vision a reality. It’s not too good to be true. It’s our simple formula with five clear stages (read about that here), supported by our much-loved Round Candidate Charter and Values.
Summing it all up – reliable, transparent, and honest advisors – waiting to explore what The Great Reset can mean for you.
Connect personally with Geoff, Founder of Round: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffsimswaqe/.