Hang on! If you want them, keep them.

by Jan 26, 2022

By Kathy Grey | January 26, 2022

It’s hard enough to find good employees, so keep them when you do!  With roughly 4.5 million American workers in a single month jumping on board the Great Resignation train, Senior leaders and HR are rethinking how to stop the exodus. 

It’s key for leaders to understand when corporate culture is addressed, employees are working in environments where they feel valued and that equates with positive business outcomes, including employee retention.

The Washington Post states that “the imbalance between available workers and job openings has given many workers more leverage than they’ve had in recent memory”. They are leaving jobs that don’t provide the opportunities and respect necessary for happiness and therefore, success.

Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, acknowledges that this generation of workers has a very different set of expectations than previous ones. They want jobs they love. According to Gallup, Gen Y and Gen Z now make up nearly half (46%) of the full-time workforce in the U.S. And right around the corner, 2025, 75 % of the workforce will be millennials. These workers Younger workers have stated they want to learn more on the job. They want to work for a company that cares about their wellbeing. 

We’ve got you on this one.

  1. Create a civil work environment. It leads to a better bottom line, increases employee retention and fewer excuses for sick days. As we wrote about back in 2012, companies that openly promote civility among employees earn 30 % more revenue than competitors, are four times more likely to have highly engaged employees and are 20 % more likely to report reduced turnover.
  2. Our awesome team at Civility Partners will partner with you to determine why your employees might be disengaged and bolting out the door. We will conduct a climate assessment to understand exactly what is happening in your organization so we can strategize together to increase employee engagement. 
  3. Build flexibility and trust. Many employees have been working fully remote or hybrid for a couple of years now. If that still works for your company, check in with your employees and ask what works for them. If you need an employee in the office part of the time, a simple adjustment to schedule can go a long way to show that their personal life is recognized and valued equal to their job.
  4. Provide opportunities for learning and growth. You will retain and keep employees motivated by allowing for personal growth and development. Create a growth plan by allowing employees to identify areas of skills, abilities, passions. It needs to be unique to individual employees. Ask your employees what they want and need. Again, we’ve got you on this. 
  5. Build an inclusive workforce with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team. Check out our short video here. 

And if you’re looking for ideas on how to successfully re-onboard your workforce, check out Rebecca’s recent blog post here. 

Don’t wait until you lose employees, find out what they are experiencing, their needs and what will keep them engaged – and your bottom line improving. We’re here for you.

Sincerely,

Kathy, and The Civility Partners Team

 

Civility Partners has been recognized among the Top 10 California HR Outsourcing Companies in 2022 by DesignRush

Incivility, bullying, and harassment occur because the culture allows them to. Before starting inclusivity initiatives, you’ve got to stop bad behavior. Take this assessment to determine if your workplace fosters a positive culture.

 

Catherine

About Catherine Mattice

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the founder/CEO of Civility Partners, an organizational development firm focused on helping organizations create respectful workplace cultures and specializing in turning around toxic cultures. Civility Partners’ clients range from Fortune 500s to small businesses across many industries. Catherine is a TEDx speaker and an HR thought leader who has appeared in such venues as USA Today, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She’s an award-winning speaker, author, and blogger and has 60+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning. Her fourth book, Navigating Toxic Work Environments For Dummies (Wiley), is available in all major bookstores and where audiobooks are sold.

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