Tim Hebert
Management Services Committee Member
A&W Electric, Inc.
Much has been written and said about the great resignation of 2020. In summary, people are quitting their jobs in record numbers! But why? While we often see this in very strong economies, what we have experienced in the past couple of years has been anything but! The cause of this great resignation tells us a lot about the mindset of our current employees. It also tells us a lot about the future of employment.
In summary, the pandemic of 2020/2021 has created a great pause in people’s lives. Not so different from the Great Depression, World War II, Vietnam, or Sept 11, 2001. Tragic events often cause people to stop and reset ... their thinking, their lives, their priorities.
A very common refrain employers are hearing from people is, “While I know I need to work, I now realize that I want work to maintain a very specific place in my life, not to dominate my life.” Therefore, many people are reprioritizing their work lives to create more free time, reduce commute time and make overall changes in their work lives.
While we normally think of turnover as more of an issue with younger employees, the great resignation is being driven by mid-career changers between 30-45 years old. Unfortunately for employers, these are folks who are among the major contributors to their companies because of experience and time in role. Many are reporting the pandemic has given them time to rethink priorities and now is the time to make a change!
How can employers respond, stem the tide, and maybe even create a competitive advantage for our companies?
1. We must ask our team what is important to them! There was a time when we all thought employees wanted to make more money. That is not always the case any longer. Today, employees value time over money. Many value having a say in their workplace and how the work gets done. Many value the relationship they have with customers and co-workers. As employers, we must find what is important to our employees.
2. Listen to our folks – One of the main reasons people leave jobs is they feel they are not valued and listened to. If we gather feedback from our folks, what kind of changes can we make to accommodate the lifestyle needs of our employees?
3. Implement retention programs – We often talk about how important it is to keep people. How can we tailor our benefits and incentive plans to value retention of the right people?
4. Provide immediate and direct feedback. People want to know where they stand. At A&W, we recently revised and communicated our core values of technical excellence, superior service, get it done and straight talk. Straight talk means if we think or feel something, we are obligated to say it, not swallow our words. By the way, straight talk works in all directions. If I am not holding up my end of the bargain as a leader, people are expected to call me on it ... and they do!
5. Use the nature of our business to our advantage – We know that our work is not all Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Many times, our folks start early, stay late and work weekends. But oftentimes, they need time off on a Wednesday afternoon for a school conference, doctor appointment or some other personal obligation. Let’s give it to them! While it is easier to accomplish at smaller family-owned operations like ours, even larger service centers can accommodate people with a little effort. This is an advantage most of our manufacturing folks cannot match.
We are entering unique times from an employment standpoint. I can tell how much things have changed over the years when I discuss our employment challenges with my father who is 87 years old and has been retired for many years. Employment circumstances will continue to change. We must be very proactive in listening to our team, communicating with our team and meeting the needs of our team. After all, as we all know, craftsmen such as winders and mechanics do not grow on trees. Good luck!
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