Tips on how to drive employee engagement
When speaking with candidates right now, I certainly get a better understanding of why they are contemplating leaving their current companies but I also learn how some companies differ from others in terms of managing and interacting with their employees during the pandemic.
During Covid, there has been very little employee turnover as many people have prioritized a steady pay check over assuming any additional risk associated with a career change. The danger begins for some companies when they start to believe that their reduced turnover is directly related to their corporate culture rather than current economic circumstances. There are some companies who have previously positioned themselves as having great corporate cultures, but they may have difficulty defending that stance moving forward. I speak to employees all the time who want me to put them on my radar for upcoming opportunities.
I have listed a few of the key reasons as to why some employees during this pandemic are considering leaving their current organization in the near future.
1. Lack of corporate communication
Many H.R. departments are really excelling in providing a productive and rewarding experience for employees during this time. Even a fun environment has been developed by some companies by using creativity with social media groups, employee hashtag contests, zoom prizing initiatives and more. Some H.R. leaders have really been able to elevate the profile and image of their department with senior leadership during this time. Employees appreciate when their companies are trying new ways to engage and excel under challenging circumstances and not pretending that they know all the answers. Having said that, many companies have lacked clear communication which has created anxiety for some of their employee base. Employees who are anxious or are in a continual state of discomfort, or believe that the current environment will continue, are much more receptive to investigate opportunities with other organizations who can provide them with a higher comfort level.
2. Lack of direction/clarity from senior leadership
Some CEO’s excel in communicating the vision and the plan while others have tended to rely more on senior managers on site to motivate the troops. With nobody on site and senior leaders not visible, this area is critical to address in order to retain top talent. Frequent messaging regarding the company vision for the next two years or even clarity regarding short term goals and priorities is missing with many companies. Great candidates recognize when a vision is not crystal clear or if uncertainty exists with top leadership. The best talent has the ability to choose where they work, and if they feel that vision, direction or strategy is absent, they are more likely to leave for other opportunities from companies viewed as being more progressive.
3. Clarity on the future work from home policy
Some companies have not been clear regarding expectations regarding work from home moving forward and that has caused some anxiety with candidates. We have seen a number of individuals that have made the decision to move out of the city with some finally realizing their dream of home ownership. Companies who are clear regarding work from home policies post pandemic, are already getting the attention of some great candidates concerned about their work life balance after the pandemic is over. Do not rely on a counter-offer to overcome a work from home resignation. The horse has usually left the barn at that point.
4. Succession Planning
A good sports team is always adjusting and grooming replacements for key positions and good companies act in the same way. Outlining every department and identifying who will make the key decisions and who will replace those individuals is essential to maintain business momentum during difficult times. In many instances, employees are doing the work of others who may have left the organization and who have not been replaced. This can cause uncertainty regarding career routes and exhaustion for employees. Again, don’t fall into the trap of believing that the lower employee turnover rate that your company is experiencing is here to stay.
Because of technology, every industry is moving at a much faster rate now than ever before. A poor succession strategy means that there is more of a chance that companies will experience empty chairs when an employee leaves. Vacancies in key leadership positions for an extended period of time are likely to be more costly than ever before and they are a red flag for other top performers in an organization.
5. Manager Training
It is a whole new world when it comes to managing employees remotely and managers who lacked communication skills or bed side manner with their team members when things were live, are likely really struggling with managing a remote workforce. Working remotely is here to stay so all managers must be well equipped moving forward. Auditing management practices and then assisting and training managers to effectively manage their teams into high performance groups will take more time and investment moving forward. Poor managers create turnover. Employee retention of and engaging top employees should be a priority for all companies.
6. Focus on future talent needs
Progressive companies are using this time to get a jump on their competition by targeting best in class talent needed to drive their business post pandemic. While their competitors are still in firefighting mode while trying to wait for the landscape to become clearer, good companies have a sense of urgency. Technology companies are the best in this area at the moment. They are committed to their vision and they act with confidence. Other industries should take notice. If a company waits until their comfort level returns before they hire their necessary talent to guide them moving forward, they could not only lose valuable time, but they might also lose their own top talent. Those companies that wait are also more likely to fall back into the pack with the rest of the “wait and see” companies which means often involves losing market share. In addition, those slow moving companies will all be in more competition for the remaining talent with the other slow movers which often means overpaying for talent.
Farewell,
Mike King
647.348.8584
Mike@recruitking.ca