Introduction
Resignation 2.0 is a phenomenon where people who are considered top performers begin leaving the company because they feel like there’s no more room for growth and development. Resignation 2.0, or R2 as it’s also called, is based on the idea that experts want to learn and grow, seem stuck when they feel like their talents aren’t being fully utilized, and will leave if they get frustrated with how opportunities are handled. According to one study, 40% of respondents said they were dissatisfied with their opportunities for professional development at their current employer.
When employees believe there’s more opportunity elsewhere, you’re likely to see turnover increase along with a drop in team morale. In some cases, this can lead to the loss of valuable intellectual property and organizational knowledge in addition to top talent leaving without notice. If you’re struggling with retention due to your employees feeling underutilized and underdeveloped at work, here are five ways to quell a potential resignation 2.0:
Generate employee engagement.
Employee engagement can be a major factor in employee retention. It’s a measure of the emotional commitment an employee has to their job and organization, which can help them stay with you or leave you. You can learn more about employee engagement by reading this post on our blog.
Employee engagement is one thing companies are now putting more effort into, since it seems like it leads to overall higher productivity and lower turnover rates among your workforce. If you’re not already measuring it, start today—it’s easy!
Train and role model the behaviors you expect.
You can’t just expect your employees to be responsible for their own success—you have to train and role model the behaviors you want.
You might not even realize how much time and energy you spend on a day-to-day basis focusing on things like:
- How do I make sure my people do what they’re supposed to?
- Who’s going to take over this project when it falls through?
- What if no one wants this job?
Create consistent and fair learning opportunities for all employees.
The HR industry is changing and so are the needs of employees. The current generation of workers is eager to learn, but they want to do so on their own terms. As such, training may no longer be the best fit for employee development. Instead, companies need to focus on creating a learning environment that encourages curiosity and fosters curiosity through peer-to-peer learning opportunities. When you create this type of environment for your employees, you’ll be able to retain them longer because they feel like they have opportunities for professional growth within your organization.
It’s also important that you create an environment where employees feel comfortable asking questions and sharing feedback openly with one another—as well as with managers or supervisors—without fear of being judged or retaliated against by management or colleagues. This kind of environment will ensure everyone feels valued and respected while also ensuring everyone feels safe enough to share ideas openly without fear of reprisal from management or co-workers
Expect your managers to be responsible for their employee’s success.
As a manager, you are responsible for the success of those who report to you. You are also responsible for their happiness and growth, which means it is your job to ensure that they are learning new skills and developing in their role as quickly as possible. This will require you to reevaluate how you manage people and include more coaching in your interactions with direct reports.
Create an environment for them to fuel up in.
When your employees have a place where they can safely recharge and receive support, it’s easier for them to stay with you. If they’re able to get everything done in one location, they won’t need another space. You can create such an environment by offering your team the following:
- A comfortable and welcoming space where they can relax
- A quiet place where they can concentrate
- Opportunities for collaboration and connection with others within the organization
- Space for learning new skills that may be beneficial in their new job (and don’t forget about yourself!)
If you want great people to stay at your organization, make sure they’re growing both personally and professionally
If you want great people to stay at your organization, make sure they’re growing both personally and professionally.
Here’s why:
- Engaged employees are more productive. In fact, according to Harvard Business Review, companies with engaged employees outperform their competitors by at least 3x—and that number increases to an average of 5x when looking at companies with highly engaged workforces. Employee engagement translates into higher employee retention rates for organizations as well, which means less time spent hiring and training new workers who may or may not stick around for very long.
- Great employees will stay longer if they feel like they’re growing alongside their company’s vision. This can be accomplished by providing ample opportunities for professional development through training programs or educational offerings outside of the office (such as conferences). It also means making sure that your team members have the opportunity to take on new responsibilities that challenge them in different ways over time; this encourages personal growth and helps keep them engaged in what they do each day at work!
Conclusion
It is important to note that employee engagement is not just a feel-good exercise. It’s an investment in the health of your business and the livelihood of your employees. While many employees are happy to put in extra effort when they feel like part of something bigger than themselves, there’s no denying that without regular engagement efforts from their manager or supervisor, even top performers’ productivity will suffer. In other words: Engaged employees do better work, so investing in them now could save you from replacing mediocre talent later on.
