Last week I got into a deep conversation with a few colleagues about the ‘Great Resignation’. As a business owner, keynote speaker, and executive coach, this trend is something that I’ve remained cognizant about, especially around its impact on leaders in the middle (LIMs). In fact, as recently as two weeks ago on this blog, I discussed that employees who don’t care about meeting the expectations of the company or their bosses, should be given the opportunity to flourish elsewhere. But what about those great employees who love their jobs but are still feeling disconnected? Well, this is where employee engagement can be seen as a possible lifeboat to lessen the impact of the great resignation on your business. Let’s get into it!
A Few Stats on the Great Resignation
In the most recent figures released from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost six million workers across the U.S.A resigned from their job in December 2021 to find what they believe to be better jobs. In fact, right here in Texas, the turnover has been high, as the Midwest and South region experienced the largest employee resignations.
Avoiding the Panic about the Great Resignation Stats
But what does this mean for you and me? Is it time to panic? Should we abandon ship and runaway to a deserted island where our only worry is deciding which coconut is larger? No, a firm and resounding NO.
“Lack of skill requires the commitment of the ‘player’ and the ‘coach’ to get better at what they do.”
Leaders don’t quite or abandon ship when the seas get rough. Instead, we must honestly assess how we can better coach down to our staff. Now, more than ever, increased employee engagement is the best strategic tool we can apply when seeking to build a #winningculture in our offices.
Better Coaching Means More Employee Engagement
Practicing Sustainable Employee Engagement
Your goal should be to retain dedicated employees by creating a knowledge rich environment where all parties will mutually benefit. You will have a stable staff with better skills, and they will gain better career experience while becoming more invested in their job and the company at large.
Sustainable coaching means that you dedicate the time and energy to consistently engage with your employees. As I advise in my book, Serving Up, Coaching Down, this is where you,
“…put on your big girl or boy pants and ask yourself: Do I have the will I demand of my people, coach them on the skills they need to develop, and hold all of us accountable to sustaining the changes we are making?”
If you’re answer is yes, great! If it’s no, then you need to realize the irony of demanding that your employees remain committed and loyal to the company when you’re not willing to do the same. That’s a whole other issue.
Planning vs Maintaining Employee Engagement
In today’s blog, I’m more focused on the yes responses. Therefore, my next advice would be to put on your coach’s hat and get to work on planning and maintaining more tangible opportunities for employees to learn from senior staff. Remember, knowledge is empowering, and empowered employees tend to experience greater job satisfaction.
Let me be very clear here, what you don’t want to do is go through the motions of planning more employee engagement activities, holding elaborate training sessions but then abandon your strategy a few weeks or months later. That helps no one and is frankly a waste of time AND resources. It also shows your lack of commitment to your own employees. Think about it, if you fail to follow through on your own promises, you’re coaching them to tap out on the business when the situation becomes too arduous.
Final Thoughts
I admit, the Great Resignation is a difficult challenge that we, as LIMs, are facing; there is no quick fix. Right now, your focus should be on creating a better environment for those staff members who are committed to their job and company. Simply put, happy employees produce at a higher rate and are less likely to seek jobs elsewhere because their job satisfaction needs are being met. You can only control what’s in your sphere of influence, so I encourage you to engage more with your staff through increased coaching. It’s the only win-win situation for all.
I know this week’s post was on the heavier side, but you don’t have to have all the answers. Let me lighten your burden, I can help you better strategize how you can increase employee engagement within your company. Just click Book Nathan on the top right of the page and we can chat more on your leadership needs.
