The Great Resignation (from a different Point of View)

The Great Resignation.?We’ve all heard the buzzword ad nauseum that has crept into our vernacular during the past two years for a variety of reasons, primarily due to the pandemic-induced lockdowns and the ensuing life re-evaluations most of us have experienced.?I’ve read so much about this phenomenon – why it is happening, what employees want, what to do as the employer to make sure your company doesn’t fall victim to it.?But what I haven’t read, in fact even with fairly exhaustive searching, have not been able to find anything about, is what about the employers??Where do they stand in all of this??I realize at first read some will have the knee-jerk reaction of ‘who cares!’ After all, it’s just a company -- a large, impersonal, money driven corporation, right??While that may be fair in some cases, what about when it’s not??What happens when those companies are the small businesses -- owners and teams who have endured so much these past few years -- the same ones that are the backbone of our economy??

With the constant back and forth between the openings/closings/re-openings, the uncertainty of a sustained customer base, the financial uncertainties, the concern over the well-being of team members and their families, as well as our own, small business owners have run the gamut of emotions these past two years.?As a service firm, we have had to completely pivot in the way business is done, shifting to an all virtual and eventual hybrid model of interacting with clients and team members.?We have found new ways to engage our team members to keep our cultures alive and well, despite being physically separated for an inordinate amount of time.?And yet, I find it hard to believe that not much focus has been placed on what employers want or need in this time of moving past the pandemic.?How can employees, both present and future, meet employers halfway so that together we can form organizations that do amazing work and have a great time doing so?

I am not, in any way, trying to detract from the importance of the focus on what we need to do as employers to attract and maintain high quality people in our organizations, but quite the opposite.?I am exploring what we can do mutually to make our team cultures vibrant again, and as a result, our companies stronger.?Even though we have done a good job fostering our team culture during our separation, there is something missing – an elemental need for social interaction that most humans possess and that makes teams thrive.?I’ve talked to enough business owners and leaders in the past year or so that I know our organization is not alone in this.?Most folks with whom I’ve spoken report the same or similar experiences – it is as if teams are just existing at the moment, and although the work product is still high and, in some cases, even growing, it’s just not the same.?So what can employees do to meet their employers’ needs going forward??

Meet us halfway.?As we continue to have flexibility in our scheduling, so should you.?Most folks are back to some level of interacting and socializing outside of work; what about during work?

Be patient. We all strive for clarity, but in an uncertain world, sometimes it just isn’t possible.?Seek answers, but don’t be discouraged if the answer is, ‘we just don’t know right now.’?

Bring your best self forward.?We are all dealing with mental stress and though some might argue that it is getting better, it will be a while before any of us is back to what we were pre-pandemic.?If you are feeling the affects of stress, ask for help, but don’t let stress dictate how you interact with your teammates or clients.?Patience and understanding go two ways.??

Hopefully in the coming year we will resume a sense of normalcy in business, but one thing is certain, it will take two parties to make it happen.?It’s not just about what employees need or what employers want; it must be about what we can do together to bridge the gap that the past two years has carved in our organizations.?Even though we are good apart, we are amazing together!