An HR response to the great resignation: Opinion

More thoughtful and incisive HR insight and opinion from Icehouse Coach Robyn Young and the team at Robyn Young HR. This article first appeared on the  Robyn Young HR website.

With so much chatter about The Great Resignation and the negative vibe that this creates for employers, the need for some positivity is clear. This is our response.  

What does an employer need to do to keep their employees?  

Let’s start with some reality because sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you cannot stop some people from leaving. That awesome employee might have been given a fantastic opportunity and while you sob into your coffee about them leaving, you know you can’t begrudge their decision.  

What we are talking about is how to keep your team on board as a whole.  

Leadership. This is biggie #1. We’ve all had a bad boss that is engrained in our minds for eternity. These bosses tend not to keep their people.  

Being a great manager doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and that’s OK. What’s really important is that a manager is aware of how they naturally operate and what they need to work on.  

We are talking about leadership development / coaching.  

Culture. This is biggie #2. Having a team that loves (mostly) what they do and are humming is pretty darn cool. We aren’t saying they are picture perfect – do those teams really exist…?  

Leaders and managers need to think about creating teams that have open communication (up / down / sideways), and no silos, where everyone is clear about what they are there to do, and that people feel valued for their contribution to the team.   

This might sound a bit “fluffy” or simplistic, but it’s not as simple as it sounds to get right. There will be some small and easy things you can tick off, and some longer term, big picture tasks to work on.  

Money. It does not always revolve around money. That said, you do need to keep an eye on where you are sitting in relation to the market.  

Benefits. Have you looked at your benefits – monetary and non-monetary? More employees are interested in the ‘other stuff’ when it comes to benefits. You can get really creative here. And these initiatives don’t have to cost a lot.  

Developing people. Have conversations with your team about what they are interested in and what they want to do in the future. Can you support them to learn new skills and gain the experience? If it means you keep them for longer, is that not a win, win situation?  

Where to from here?   

Our advice, be brave and give it a go. Put some thought into this and start making some changes, even small ones.  

If you are hesitant, unsure, nervous or at a road block, that’s OK, in fact, that’s probably more common than you think. All of the topics talked about here are areas we help clients discover, refine and implement. If you are interested in remuneration, development plans, HR training for managers, culture / engagement initiatives, or any other people / HR related topic, get in touch.  
 
Still have questions or need advice? Head to the  Robyn Young HR website.

For more business ownership and leadership advice, check out more of our blogs.

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