Regret after the storm
The shortage of skilled workers is a reality that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Many indispensable skilled workers have quit or are about to quit. HR-Specialists can win back lost sheep or keep others in line.
The Coronavirus pandemic and the associated upheavals have shaken many established relationships. It is therefore necessary to find, restore and consolidate trust anew.
Employers all over the world are suffering from a shortage of skilled workers and are under enormous pressure to find and retain qualified employees over the long term. Covid has changed the way we look at the world of work and the way we work. The new way of working has brought home office, flexible working and other values to the fore. Now, new ways must be found to make employees happier and retain them for the long term. Human Resources-focused solutions and services help HR managers address these issues.
Empathy needed
HR leaders must personalize the employee experience by taking the time and effort to understand individuals and consider their needs, goals and aspirations. It’s important to make people feel valued – but that can be difficult if you don’t have the right technology to support them. Everyone has personal preferences when it comes to tasks and work schedules. When these personal needs are embraced and accommodated by employers, employee satisfaction increases.
Technology helps companies accommodate and leverage specific needs and skills of individuals. It also means that more hidden workers – those typically overlooked at work because of their disabilities or personal needs – can be better engaged, increasing the pool of available talent.
The Great Regret
Terms like “The Great Restructuring,” “The Great Reset,” “The Great Return,” or “The Great Rethink“ sound appropriate for the shocks caused by the pandemic. UKG’s global survey “” provides interesting insights into this:
Whatever you call it, the fact is that workers around the world are quitting their jobs in record numbers. But have they really left for new shores, or do they regret their decision? And what about the employees and HR managers they left behind?
For many workers who have left their jobs, the situation has not improved. More than two in five workers worldwide believe they were better off at their old job and face many of the same issues at their new company, but no familiar faces and routines to make life easier. In fact, one-fifth of workers have already returned to their former company, with millions more considering the possibility of returning.
However, companies would rather keep good employees than ask them to return. Disagreements between managers and workers about why employees leave have not been resolved, and although many HR managers genuinely believe they are working hard to keep their employees from quitting, employees believe companies are overstating the effort they put into retaining their employees.
Strong HR managers are key to employee retention and potential return. These are the ones who build trust, foster open communication, and lead active career discussions and conduct interviews.
But will these HR managers stay with the company for long? After two years of facing record resignations, 40 percent of HR leaders are considering resigning themselves, which points to the next big wave of resignations.
Nearly one-third of employees say it was difficult to leave, and one-fifth was hesitant to leave in the first place. And while retention efforts were seen as unconvincing, those who left have valuable insight into why they left, how they feel about their new jobs, and what would have made them stay (or come back). To get good employees to return, it’s often enough for their former supervisor to make the first move.
Nearly half (46%) of German employees say they were better off before they quit, and more than a third are considering leaving their new jobs. Frustrations that clung to their old job also plague them in their new job. One-fifth have already returned – although only 53% believe their old company would have addressed their original concerns. And 68% of German HR managers believe their employees made a mistake by quitting.
Breaking down misunderstandings between HR managers and employees
Breaking down the barriers between HR managers and the workforce and building new relationships of trust requires a few steps. It’s clear that there is still a trust issue between HR managers and their employees. Building trust in a modern workplace is essential to success and essential to making the following tips work.
Tips for HR managers
- Provide opportunities for open and honest conversations. Employees often feel unappreciated, overworked and unheard – and unfortunately, they don’t always tell you the whole truth. Employee surveys, polls and sentiment analysis should be complemented by effective one-on-one conversations, “stay interviews” and role modelling that employees can speak their minds openly.
- More time for employee leadership. Good employee management is extremely important. HR managers often overestimate their abilities and relationships with employees. This means that even the best HR managers need to spend more time having candid and transparent conversations about well-being, career aspirations, and aligning organizational goals with employee needs and performance.
- Encourage employees to be open about their job search. Don’t ignore the fact that there are great career opportunities outside the company. It only takes one bad day or experience for your employees to take a recruiter’s call. You are not entitled to influence your employee’s career path – but you can support them in making the best decision in that regard, with you or elsewhere.
- Show them that you are working to implement changes. On average, an employee waits three months for a change to occur before looking elsewhere. Even if you don’t accomplish the impossible in that time, keep employees informed about what you’re doing for them in the background.
- Make the first move. If you’ve lost good employees, stay in touch. Send them an email or an impromptu message to ask how they’re doing. Meet for lunch or a coffee break. If you let them know the door isn’t quite closed, they’ll be more likely to swallow their pride and consider returning.
Technology and problem-solving skills
A key point that supports their people strategy is having the right technical solutions and consultants. UKG’s position as a leader in this area is confirmed by independent market researchers: Independent market research firm ISG sees UKG in a positive light: “UKG stands out among its peers in its ability to bring deep insights and tried and proven practices, enabled by a single modern technology platform.”
UKG scored a 4.1 out of a possible five in the Gartner Peer Review
Here is a real customer quote: “Overall experience has been very transparent in regards to what the product can or cannot do for our industry now but what is on the roadmap for future development. They evolve with the technology and take their customers input for enhancement, rate it with many other customers, vote on it and then develop a strategy to progress it forward.”
Conclusion
The pandemic times have shaken up the global talent market and shaken old loyalties. For HR leaders, reaching out to employees, winning back lost sheep and keeping wavering ones in line is more important than ever. Empathy and personal competence are crucial here, supported by the right and appropriate technical solutions.
Source cover image: Adobe Stock / Monster Ztudio