New terminology and a buzzword for businesses, but what is the Great Resignation? It is, in short, a movement of the disgruntled and the slightly discontented who are discovering what matters most. Move over orange, resigning is the new black. Workers no longer feel limited to an unrewarding hustle of being underpaid, overworked, and undervalued. In November 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that more than 6.3 million Americans quit their jobs (Bls.gov). The sudden exit, later dubbed the Great Resignation, began with a pivotal force of both self and global realization.

It's ironic that the year 2020 gave many people 20/20 clarity. People became painfully reminded that life can be short, unfair, and hard. The pandemic and social justice issues of the last two years taught us this very vividly. While the Covid crisis has abated, and life has returned to a level of normalcy, inflation and the war between Russia and Ukraine have created additional disruptions and uncertainties.

Pre-Covid, many people tolerated unfulfilling aspects of life because we thought we had to or saw no other way. But the pandemic and social justice issues created massive disruptors in our day-to-day routine and our expectations for living. We experienced an awakening, a desire to genuinely value and prioritize a quality of life. To do what matters most in a way that makes more sense for a person's particular season of life. As a result, many job candidates are now only open to remote or hybrid work because they want more flexibility and work-life balance. Some employers answered the call to adapt, but in the beginning, many were apprehensive about adjusting their work environments. Responding to the requests of a vast employee base can be overwhelming. Turnover and the limited supply of workers have put employers into a talent crisis that requires a transformative approach. Transforming the culture is the first step. A toxic corporate culture was found to be 10.4 times more likely to increase attrition than compensation between April to September of 2021. (Revelio Labs, 2021)

The pendulum of employment power has swung dramatically over the last two years, but this employment market is not sustainable for businesses. Employment shifts and trends are somewhat like the housing market. When the housing market escalates aggressively, eventually, there is another disruptor that swings the pendulum back, causing prices to stabilize or lower. We can expect a shift in the employment market, but employers must learn to function effectively in the meantime, and perhaps adopt a more future-proof culture. Here are some things you can do to make the cocoon of change to improve retention now and the foreseeable future.

We believe it begins with care.

• Take more time to listen to your employees and implement ways to hear from your team. What would they tell a potential candidate about the perks of your organization if they were the recruiter? You may find your happiness scale is at a good place, but what would tip them over to responses that emphasize, "I love my company!" Provide safe, anonymous ways like our Culture Assessment for everyone to express what is and is not working. Prepare for the honest responses with an open mind and minimize assuming a defensive or dismissive response.

• Think about the freedom and flexibility you can offer while meeting your metrics for growth and goals. Are there days where remote work is an option, or can shorter workdays be implemented one day a week? Ask your employees what flexibility means to them and take the time to understand the motivation behind their ask. For example, are higher gas prices taking a toll on personal finances? Would a hybrid work arrangement help employees manage transportation expenses better?

• Try new things over a short time and see if they are maintainable. Implement monthly campaigns that offer perks to promote value, recognition, and appreciation, considering the whole person and embracing more than their role at work. Organizational and leader agility is crucial at this time. Companies who are slow to adapt to the demands of this employment market will find that open positions remain vacant much longer than expected or needed. Just like it’s paramount to adjust to customer demands, employers must consider their team members as their number one customer. Engaged employees will always yield better results.

Overall, your employees want to know that you care about their wellbeing and how they are evolving, personally and professionally. It's important to show them you want to grow with them and create an environment where they can flourish in all areas of their lives while keeping value and appreciation at the forefront.