Many businesses are reeling from the pandemic in more ways than one. Thrust into a world of remote working ahead of our time, many are now wishing they could turn back the clock to the simpler times of having their workforce in the office every day. The simplicity of protecting intellectual property, supporting the business structure and maintaining personal relationships, from one office, was unappreciated at the time. Yet, the workforce has spoken, and unprecedented figures of global resignations indicate that if management want to hire and retain top talent, things need to change.

Millions of workers around the world are taking a serious look at their careers, stepping away from toxic cultures, seeking better work-life balance and enjoying the time and money they save on their commute. Recent research revealed that 60% of managers in the private sector are finding it harder to recruit now than pre pandemic.

Yet, something doesn’t add up, figures for employees leaving jobs with burnout or taking time off with mental health problems are at an all-time high. Maybe we haven’t got working from home quite right? Do we need to realise there is no substitute for the support and encouragement you get when working face to face?

How to ensure organisational resilience amongst a sea of resignations and talent shortages.

One good solution we are seeing more of at 360WORK is the increase in Hybrid working. Currently 70% of our live jobs are hybrid and it’s a good balance for bridging the gap between working from home and acknowledging what humans need most; face to face interaction and the power of connection.

Aside from this, change needs to be organic. The ‘big resignation’ is a cry for help from millions of workers who will continue to move jobs if their lifestyle needs, blended with workplace support, can’t be met. Organisational resilience needs to come from within, with a strategy to win and retain talent long term. 

Benefits more powerful than pay rises and cash.

The key is good management. They are often the unsung heroes at the frontline of employee support, with the potential to give benefits more powerful than pay rises and cash. Many of them are in roles they are not prepared for, recruited from within for doing a job they’re good at, yet barely have time for anymore. The skills required to be a good manager in the new world of work requires soft skills, empathy and communication in a totally new way. Tools that not every manager will naturally possess.

If you do one thing, invest in your management.

1. Build empathy. If managers aren’t naturally empathetic, get them trained. They need to be able to understand what people are going through and how isolating it can be working from home.

2. Personal relationships. Even if the team are using remote tools, managers need to know how to make sure they feel appreciated, spot the cues that someone’s struggling and sensitively support them to get help. Employees need to know they have a purpose, are making a positive impact and are not just stuck in a loop.

3. Invest in connections. By investing in the connection between management and their teams you are putting the building blocks in place to ensure people feel supported and valued long term. A pay rise is little more than a sticking plaster that does nothing to remove the underlying feelings of isolation and neglect. Support through investment in infrastructure, team time or social events.

4. Management training. The new way of working requires different types of training courses, new skills sets and support structures. This might include training to help develop softer skills, improve workflow or overcome IT issues.

5. Technology. The ability to efficiently work from home will only ever be as good as your tech. As well as preventing frustrations with clunky software, systems can be streamlined so employees aren’t overwhelmed with workflow programs and communication tools. Set clear guidelines for expectations, output and time out from video calls.

People are your most important asset.

Investing in and funding a management team that are fuelled by empathy and employee wellbeing, means having a shot at recruiting and retaining the best talent. Every employee wants to work in a culture where they feel valued, supported and acknowledged as the businesses most important asset.

Here at 360WORK we work closely with our clients to help them set up hybrid and home working policies, as well as supporting their management to ensure we can help them win and retain the best talent. How are you managing the big resignation from inside your business? Have you been upskilling long standing management or recruiting new managers with softer skills in?

Please share your thoughts with our community.