Welcome to the Great Resignation! You’re Gonna Love it.

By Emily Swinehart

Ok maybe you won’t love it but we hope that, after reading this, you’ll have all the tools you need to let any staffing disruptions roll like water off a duck’s back instead of allowing stress and anxiety to congest your emotional support peacock’s schedule.

Peace Out

It’s not just schools trying to find substitute teachers or ride-shares clamoring for drivers to fill the Saturday night surge. The events industry, too, is feeling the crunch of what has been termed the Great Resignation. Staffing shortages are the current reality. But why?

Similar to the self-reflection one might experience after, say, a near-fatal car accident; the pandemic has driven the point home that life is resolutely finite. For many, this has raised questions of personal happiness in both their private and work lives. In response to the latter, workers are quitting in droves (even long held positions) in search of deeper meaning and purpose through more fulfilling careers. Prior goals, like making a forty five minute commute more palatable with a shiny new Tesla X, have revealed themselves now to be as materialistic and vapid as a Kardashian Christmas card. As COVID continues to fluctuate between terrifying novelty and routine but manageable fear, flexibility and achieving a better work-life balance have emerged as the worker’s true mark of success. And, really, if you could skip commuting entirely in favor of working from your big comfy couch, wouldn’t you? Yeah, so would we.

How Will My Business Survive?

If all of this talk of staff disillusioned by their current jobs has you saying to yourself, “But I would be lost without - insert name here - in payroll! How do I make sure they don’t suddenly cut and run?” Well, we can’t guarantee that you won’t lose at least some of your team. It’s inevitable and sometimes even healthy for a bit of turnover (more on that later). But fear not, dear reader. Here are five key steps you can take to retain your most dependable employees and attract new talent as you look forward.

1. Read the Room: The Importance of Cultivating Company Culture

We know employees are reflecting upon themselves more deeply now, but what about the companies they are leaving behind? Shouldn’t they take a good hard look in the mirror, too? Absolutely! Use this time to delve into your company’s identity. You don’t have to go as deep as the id, ego, and superego; just be sure to assess your corporate culture as a whole. Is it clear to your employees and, most importantly, is it positive? Is your company socially responsible? Does it attract the kind of employees you want on your team? Businesses who have developed a solid corporate culture tend to have happier, more productive, and loyal workers. Think of it as the, “Happy wife, happy life,” concept of the business world.

2. Let Your Employees Bloom and Grow

While performing repetitive tasks can be as comforting as knitting a scarf, knitting a thirty foot gray scarf in perpetuity would likely dampen the spirit of any Cottagecore adult. The same is true for your employees. A recent article by Forbes reports that, “Few employees want to do one

specific task over and over again until they quit or retire or die. Don’t be afraid to grant them new responsibilities—it will allow them to grow and become more confident in their abilities while making them feel more valuable to the organization.”

In other words, be brave and give your employees the chance to do something new. Encourage them to blend some brighter colors into that scarf. Give them a team of knitters to mentor. Offer them a side project writing a blog about the knitting industry. Provide tangible incentives like a bonus for stepping outside of their comfort zones and sewing a sock instead. After all, variety is the spice of life (and work).

3. Don’t Just Preach it, Teach it

H.G. Wells’ oft quoted, “Adapt or perish,” line is a cliché for good reason: it’s true! Without opportunities for learning and growth we all stagnate and our businesses suffer. So make sure you provide your employees with access not only to in-house workshops but external courses, lectures, or retreats as well. See our 6 Types Of Events That Help With Customer Retention & Reduce Churn blog post for some great tips to get you started.

4. It Pays to be Nice

The New Radicals were right, you only get what you give. According to Entrepreneur, “It’s cheap and easy to say thank you to an employee, whether they’re bringing a bit of workplace drama to your attention or solving a long-standing problem within the company. A verbal thanks, a kind note or an appreciative email can go a long way.”

While it may seem insignificant or even feel a little silly, when a member of your staff has gone the extra mile, remembering to thank them in a timely fashion is huge. When workers feel their efforts are repeatedly overlooked or taken for granted, resentment and dissatisfaction builds. So don’t skimp on the praise! Acknowledge them during a group meeting, treat them to lunch, or give them an afternoon off. You can even check out sites like Blueboard who specialize in employee recognition. No matter how you choose to show it, expressing gratitude makes you and your employees feel good. Trust us, that kind of positive energy will come back to you and your business in spades.

5. It’s Not You, It’s Me

Remember what we said earlier about some turnover being a healthy thing? That’s because sometimes rejection is the protection. Maybe you’ve realized the person just isn’t a good fit for your company and you have to let them go. On the flip side, an employee may choose to leave your company for a wide variety of reasons, none of which are your fault. You could offer all of the best perks, opportunities for growth, and benefits, but for the worker who would rather be a shipbuilder than a florist, it isn’t going to be enough to keep them with you. That’s ok! Let them go and wish them well. Chances are they will remember how good you made them feel when they were your employees and how you treated them when they chose to leave. If you end your business relationship on a positive note, you each have a much better chance of building a bridge that connects you to something amazing down the line. The person who leaves you today could refer another great worker to your company, link you to their new company, or open

you up to a new role of your own tomorrow. So those unexpected departures, though painful and frightening, can be a blessing in disguise to your company.

Summing it all Up

Yes, you can expect some losses during the Great Resignation but you are not helpless:

• Set time aside now for a company check-up. Determine its identity, make sure it is living up to it, and identify areas for improvement.

• Prioritize taking care of your staff and providing opportunities or incentives for them to grow with you. Don’t be afraid to let people go who don’t support your mission and express gratitude to those who do.

• When the good ones choose to move on, wish them well. If you’ve followed the steps listed in this article, they will remember how great it was to work for you and your company and spread the word.