We all know that millions of people across the globe are quitting their jobs. But how many of us are asking why? How are business owners reacting? And how can we as leaders create environments that people actually want to be part of? 

Why are people leaving their jobs?

I think three separate things happened at once, creating the movement we’re now seeing and living through. They are:

1. The impact of Covid-19

Overnight, we slowed down. Our habits changed and, for the first time in our lives, looking after #1 became people’s key consideration. With this, we found freedom and a calmer pace of life. A pace that gave us the time to think abut who we were, and where we were going.

The death of millions of people all over the world had a profound effect on us. We realised life is short. The perceived stability we found in big organisations was no longer trusted. We were shown our lives, jobs and finances could be thrown upside down in an instant. 

And most importantly, we survived. Having gone through a global pandemic, we realised we were more capable of handling change than we realised. So how hard could a change of job be?

2. The rise of the funtrepreneur

From people selling macrame on Etsy to Kardashian culture, everyone is hustling. We’ve all seen the #BestLife posts. Tanned young people working from sun loungers in Dubai, or hammocks in Bali. Whilst the blazing glare of the sun and general sweatiness of these scenarios make productivity seem unrealistic to me, for many they represent #LifeGoals.

What the ‘gram never talks is the 80% of new businesses that fail. Or the financial pressures. Or the impact on your family. Or the friends you lose. I applaud those who want to start their own business, I just wish there was a more balanced depiction of it.

3. Good people know their value

Remote working has opened doors to new opportunities. New jobs with better perks and bigger wages. The daily commute has been replaced by a skip to the spare room. 

Retention is at an all time low, because good employees won’t stick around to be treated badly.

Simon Sinek said, “This [the great resignation] is an inditement on decades of substandard corporate culture and poor leadership”. If a good employee doesn't feel happy/fulfilled/valued they’ll just leave. The age of organisational lifers is long gone.

How are businesses reacting to the great resignation?

Most business owners are falling into two camps – the ostrich or the panda. 

The ostriches have put their heads below sand and talk often about getting back to the ‘good ol’ days’. They’re haemorrhaging staff and blaming it on the economy/Government/Brexit/Russia/WFH/gas prices. Anything to avoid critical internal reflection or change.

The pandas are the ones bending over backwards to attract and retain staff. Unlimited holiday days, office masseuse, on-site nutritionist, pawternity leave. The list gets longer and more PR-able each month.

And whilst all these perks sound lovely, they also scream PLEASE WORK WITH US WE REALLY NEED YOU AND THE JOB’S NOT THAT GREAT SO WE’LL COVER IT IN LOADS OF SPRINKLES XOXO.

Pandering to every employee desire can create a workerist attitude, where quickly the power lies completely in their hands, leaving employers scrambling to keep up.

So what can we do about it?

Let’s take this back to basics. At the core of any good business, there’s excellent communication, everyone feels valued, and a team who are proud of the work they’re doing. I have three tips…

1. Communication is a two-way street, often both leaders and employees need training on how to talk effectively. Navigating emotions, different personality types and cultural nuances is hard. Respectful, honest communication is the most under-appreciated skill, but absolutely essential when minimising resignations. Do the talking, not walking.
2. Being valued isn’t a pat on the back once a month. It’s regular check-ins, consideration to personal circumstance, personalised progression routes and proactive wage increases. Valuing team members isn’t showering them in corporate merch, it’s a small, personalised gesture that shows you really know them.
3. Pride starts with your employees relating to why your business exists. If your goal is to reach £30M profit, how is an employee on £30k going to feel motivated by that? When that employee wakes up on a rainy Tuesday morning, and the thrill of their wage packet or their latest perk has worn off, what’s going to keep them engaged? They need to feel proud of the work they’re doing, and the impact they’re having, if you want them to stick around.