The Great Resignation
How Inclusivity Plays a Key Role in Retaining Your Best Employees
We’ve heard this term thrown around for a while now–the Great Resignation. And we’d like to take a closer look at some data pointing to the “why” behind the record-breaking millions of Americans who have left their jobs during this Great Resignation, which began in the Spring of 2021 and is continuing to this present day.
With such a large percentage across the board who are dissatisfied with their work environments, it becomes crucial to observe the causes behind such a shift. Leaders should care about this because it’s affecting the longevity of their staff teams. It’s affecting the turnover rate and the increased energy spent in the hiring process versus building momentum within your staff.
What is causing the Great Resignation?
In a study led by Donald Sull, Charles Sull, and Ben Zweig, with the MIT Sloan Management Review, a team collected data from 34 million workers to analyze the reasoning behind so many Americans moving on from their jobs. While much is talked about in the media surrounding dissatisfaction with wages, the data showed a much higher impact from toxic workplaces. In fact, the study showed a toxic work culture was ten times more of a negative impact than the salaries of dissatisfied employees.
This is an eye-opening statistic–one that leaders should pay close attention to if they desire to cultivate healthy and thriving teams.
How can leaders best combat toxic cultures?
In a Forbes article titled, Work Has Been Demoted: The Hidden Story Behind The Great Resignation, Curt Steinhorst gives a thought-provoking question for leaders to ask in regard to their desire to combat the toxic cultures we’re seeing:
“Ask yourself, as leaders, do you and your colleagues think of your people as resources and assets? Or do you think of them as humans?” (Steinhorst).
The answer to this question alone can steer you toward health, or it can drive your team further in toxicity. When you view your team as human beings, you begin to open your eyes to the importance of cultivating team cultures that promote well-being, diversity, and inclusivity.
As the data were analyzed further, the MIT Sloan Management Review found additional details on what employees meant by “toxic culture.” One hefty portion of this definition resided in the camp of noninclusive cultures. It’s important for leaders to understand the influence they have in showing respect, elevating the voices of those who are traditionally marginalized, and creating a workplace that truly values the diversity of the human beings working together.
Three practical ways to make the shift toward an inclusive workplace
Kiana Minkie, in her article titled, The Great Resignation and D&I: What it Means for Your Business, gives a few practical tips on how you can be intentional with inclusivity.
Be intentional with your communication: The content your company produces, the way you speak to each other, and the way you represent yourself have an effect on your team’s inclusivity. Be intentional to use language that is inclusive and welcoming.
Value each employee’s voice: Are you taking time to listen to your employees? Who has a “seat at the table” when it comes to decisions and leadership? This greatly affects your reputation of inclusivity.
Prioritize trainability vs. the perfect fit: In your hiring process, sometimes you limit yourself by sticking to a filter of the “perfect fit.” Consider an inclusive approach by giving employees a chance to train and “upskill” into higher roles.
As the reality of the Great Resignation hits many businesses across the country, leaders have the chance to respond in a healthy way that will promote health. Steinhorst suggests, “My advice is to ask not how you can stem the tide of exits, but how your business can anticipate what workers will strive to find and how to create a place where they contribute their best because your organization has done its best to adapt to their needs” (Steinhorst).
