How Do You Engage America’s Transformed Workforce? Your Questions Answered

There’s no doubt that employee attitudes have changed over the last few years. The pandemic prompted many people to re-balance their priorities, which in many cases led to a change in their relationship with work.

This makes it challenging for employers to find success in their retention efforts, especially if they haven’t reevaluated their approach. ?In fact, in a recent survey conducted by my organization, Michael Page, 82% of respondents in the US said they are willing to move jobs even if they are satisfied with their current roles.

So, what should employers do? In our recent LinkedIn Live event — The 3 Keys to Engaging America’s Transformed Workforce, I discussed this with my Michael Page colleagues. During the event, we answered many of your questions about this “Invisible Revolution,” as we’re calling it. Here are some key highlights.

Can You Effectively Measure Employee Loyalty?

As we discussed, employee loyalty has generally lost its luster. So, how exactly do employers measure this metric internally to gauge how they’re performing against this trend?

We question that maybe loyalty is not the right thing to hang your proverbial hat on. It’s more effective, we’ve found, to engage with your workforce to evaluate what matters to them, act on those findings, and communicate your efforts and progress. It’s essential to understand what actions are necessary to safeguard what remaining loyalty there is and boost retention. ?

Starting a transparent, open, and honest conversation with your employees to see what they value and then providing those things to them will create a culture that fosters loyalty naturally. It’s about the vulnerability, as employers, to be open and realize that employees are a strength. Hearing your workforce articulate what is and isn’t working and being receptive to adjusting is crucially important at this time.

We at Michael Page globally run annual engagement surveys which our employees fill out anonymously. Additionally, on a local level, every quarter, we also do a ‘sense check’ through pulse surveys and 1:1 catch ups with our people to gain a deeper understanding of their motivations around work-life. Equally important is that we share the outcomes from our surveys and transparently communicate our action plan to continue to keep our workplace one where our employees feel engaged.

We Found That Employees Want Flexibility. But What Does That Mean?

“Flexibility” has become an umbrella term that carries a lot of weight and nuance. Various forms of flexibility are more viable for some businesses than others. So how do you know you’re doing it right?

This is once again a matter of figuring out what works for your organization and your workforce. Which is more valuable to your employees — flexibility in terms of hours worked, or remote/hybrid options? Or is there another type of flexibility that they’re craving? This is a good thing to ask about in your conversations outlined above.

It’s also worth noting that this can be a factor in the accessibility of your business. If your parameters around flexibility prevent someone with limited mobility, or someone with caretaker responsibilities, from working for you, that is something to consider. If this is unavoidable in the macro, express willingness to make accommodations and make sure your values are clear.

You’ve Found a Fantastic Candidate, But They Don’t Want to Follow a Traditional Schedule. What Do You Do?

There are people who simply do not subscribe to the “9-to-5" mindset any longer. That can be challenging for a business, but one of the key things to do is not make any assumptions as to why that way of working does not suit this individual.

Start by asking what does work for them. Can a compromise or agreement be reached through some open communication? Can this person get the work done well on their own schedule? Would a more temporary role, or shared responsibilities, be a better fit?

There is, of course, context and nuance to this. Every situation will be different, so approach them with as open a mind as possible in order to find what works for everyone involved.

The main thing that’s worked here at Michael Page is not monitoring hours, but instead output and productivity. We were having conversations around this topic pre-pandemic, so we were a bit ahead of the curve. We’ve had a performance-based culture for years now. To us, if you’re focused on output and performance, does it really matter when the work gets done, as long as it’s getting done?

That is up to your organization, but we’ve found success with this model.

How Should You Be Looking for Talent in this Environment?

We’re experiencing a difficult job market right now. Professionals are open to new opportunities but are very hesitant to make a decision until they find a career opportunity that ticks all the boxes.

So, ensure that you’re doing just that — ticking all the boxes to the best of your ability. This includes offering clear paths to career progression and competitive salaries, but the most impactful element is a strong employee value proposition (EVP). It’s not enough to verbalize your EVP but also to demonstrate it consistently. Showing the market your values, your culture, and the ways in which you support your employees sets you apart from the competition and gives you an advantage with top talent.

Now, What Will You Do?

We’ve uncovered many insights to help you with your hiring efforts, both in this conversation and in our report, Talent Trends: The Invisible Revolution. Both of these resources are ready and available for you to explore and leverage as best works for your organization.??