Over the past couple of years, many work environments have often felt like a real-life game of Would You Rather - but with no great choices. We have all been backed into making decisions we never thought we'd have to - making tradeoffs that we never expected - and dealing with challenges that generations before us never imagined would exist.
Whether we call it the Great Resignation, the Big Quit, or the End of Engagement, we have all faced incredible challenges which have led to unprecedented uncertainty - our team members have felt it. They continue to feel it leading to several ongoing challenges in the workplace. So let's take a quick, high-level look at some of the top challenges in today's work environment that are driving this culture of uncertainty:
Any one of these factors is enough to challenge the best and brightest people managers - but most organizations are dealing with multiple, if not all, of these issues at once. However, there are several ways to overcome these obstacles and transform our companies from a place of attrition to attraction.
Companies are beginning to see the value in setting bold destinations not only for their organizational goals but also in building out all areas of their Core Foundation, including; Purpose, Values, Customer, and Brand Promise. Deloitte's work on changing our mindset in worker-employer relations is challenging leaders to be both empathetic and thoughtful in choosing an envisioned future that encapsulates the balancing act of choice and consequence for teams. As leaders set goals, both for the current horizon and the next, individuals are most passionate when their work connects them to something larger and builds a positive economic and social impact on the world.
Gallup's recent research cites that during any significant challenge in the workplace, it is the basic elements of engagement that are most vulnerable. For leaders to maintain their teams' confidence and build individual resilience, these foundational elements must be in place. Never before has it been so important to give and maintain clarity of expectations in all aspects of job performance. Additionally, managers must provide team members with the right resources to get their work done to meet expectations, all while helping each person find their opportunity to consistently do what they do best.
Next, there must be clear and frequent communication from leadership. Most managers are responsible for implementing leadership decisions while at the same time motivating their teams to get their day jobs done. Incomplete or unclear messaging from the top down sets the stage for managers to not only experience more stress but also creates unnecessary challenges for them as they work to lead their teams - potentially in a direction that they are unsure of pursuing.
With the engagement of managers on a steep decline and their burnout on the rise, development opportunities are becoming specifically tenuous and vulnerable. The desire of any employee is that there needs to be visible and tangible progress towards an agreed-upon outcome. When this doesn't happen, it can lead to a faster disconnect and accelerate interest in opportunities outside our companies where these needs may be met. While we may expect our managers to be meeting and clearly communicating with their teams - it is potentially even more important for those same managers to be seen, heard, and coached on their own performance.
Everyone has fundamental psychological needs that must be met to achieve high performance, whether working remotely or in a full-time onsite position. It is not enough to be visible or recognized for the work being done. Team members need to know that they are valued, connected to the organization's purpose, and doing work that matters. This takes intentional effort from leaders and managers beyond weekly check-ins, Zoom meetings, and daily stand-ups. We must have the courage and wisdom to demonstrate a consistent, genuine interest in employees as people.
The top three factors employees cited as reasons for quitting were that they didn't feel valued by their organizations (54 percent) or their managers (52 percent) or because they didn't feel a sense of belonging at work (51 percent).
According to a 2021 McKinsey study, employees are grappling with tension in the following key areas:
This is where Rhythm Systems Job Scorecards can be invaluable in helping each team member connect with their Purpose, Plan, & Progress.
Help each team member know My Purpose - My Plan - My Progress
Reports To: Who do you report to in your role? For example, do you report directly to the CEO or department head? (Job Score Card is designed to be a high-level snapshot of a job and can co-exist with more detailed job descriptions if they feel like they need more from a compliance standpoint)
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