Some call it the Great Resignation 2021, others, The Big Quit. Whatever phrase you want to coin, there is a seismic shift in employee expectations from workplaces impacting the way that workplaces attract and retain talent that can’t be ignored. 

Grace Papers is on a mission to create a world of work that is as inclusive of women as it is of men. And while resignation data indicates that neither gender, nor industry is immune from The Great Resignation, that the demographic most likely to resign are mid-career employees aged 30-45 suggests this might actually be a turning point. We’re already seeing smart  workplaces using this pandemic-tail period to focus heavily on preventing resignations, attracting top talent and moving faster towards gender balance because a culture that’s good for women is good for everyone.

The Harvard Business Review has confirmed that as of January 2021, nearly 3 million women had dropped out of the global workforce. They coined the term “Shecession”, and it has led many organisations to focus on recapturing pre-pandemic levels of female engagement in the job market.

They state: “Never has there been an easier time to capitalise on a competitor’s tone deafness and poor agility.”

As COVID raged and schools and childcare centres were shut down, women — far more than men — have been forced to choose between caregiving obligations and career opportunities.

A recent Mckinsey Report on diversity and inclusion, women in the workplace, found one in four women were considering downshifting or leaving corporate altogether. And, while those women spanned all levels across the organisation, the report revealed that burnout and exhaustion increased with seniority. 

But Grace Papers argues – why recapture what you had when there has never been a better opportunity to do more?

Remote work and flex provide the perfect conditions for retaining and attracting the talents of highly talented, qualified women. 

Here are five easy ways Grace Papers can help you prevent resignations, attract top talent and have women participate equally and equitably in your organisation:

1. Get across the data: Gallup research suggests that the great resignation is most likely to impact people aged 33-45. In most organisations, these are your employees who are really getting comfortable in their career – and confident in their value both to you, and to other employers.  It’s also an age where many are raising young children, and for whom flexibility, visibility and trust – regardless of working arrangements – is critically important.  For many, understanding and responding to the individual flex needs and ambitions of your employees in this group will be key to their retention through this critical, valuable career phase. Grace Papers does this by providing valuable data and evidence based research based on platform engagement that measures where your employees are in the parenting, care and career journeys and ensures your culture isn’t suffering from ambition bias.
   
2. The Mckinsey Women in the Workplace report 2021 states, in the past year, one in three women has considered leaving the workforce or downshifting their career. Yet….our evidence demonstrates where women are supported with career development and flexibility, they are likely to become the most loyal part of your workforce.  Female talent is being particularly targeted by recruiters right now, particularly with pay and progression opportunities.  Use this time to understand the individual development aspirations of your talent – and find ways to make them happen.  Our learning lab on developing a Professional Vision goes a great way towards developing talent and ensuring they feel valued in the workforce.

    

3. Pay, pay, pay. But don’t just make ad hoc payments, CLOSE THE GENDER PAY GAP!!! Boost your parental leave payments and make them gender neutral, close the super gap – the most cost effective retention strategy right now might be offering to pay part timers the full time super contributions and giving them a calculator to do the sums for their retirement.  Don’t wait to react or respond on pay at the point of resignation – by this stage they are out the door (particularly where there’s been more than one conversation on it).  Be creative, and proactive, and close the pay gap.  Help your employees (and leaders) with these conversations with our Employee Value Proposition  tool.

    

4. People don’t leave organisations, they leave managers. But right now, managers are exhausted!  The old ways of leading are no longer working and many are looking for greater support in how to lead (long-term) in the hybrid world of work, including how to connect on an emotional level with their team, and how to lean into difficult conversations.  How have you invested in your managers over the past 18 months?  How much have you focused on their development of emotional intelligence and ability to connect in different ways with their team?  And, if the number one benefit your people want is flexibility (hot tip – it is!) then do your managers have the confidence and competence to personalise the flex experience for your staff? Empower your leaders with Grace Papers flex leadership labs, and LIVE coaching sessions. Fill their buckets, teach them how to ritualise connection with their team, and build flexible/hybrid team protocols to set them up for success.

    

5. The impact of the pandemic on employees with children has led to a perception of a new class of people – “working parents”. Or if we call it as it really is, working mothers. The risk of bias towards them, whether benevolent or overt, is real. And Grace Papers case studies show the best way to overcome it is to equip leaders and female talent with the tools to overcome it.

Ask yourself, how are you encouraging your employees to reflect on their career goals – on what Grace Papers call their Professional Vision?  Do they know how to connect with the people in your organisation who could help sponsor this vision to life?  Finally, do your people leaders know how to have (really) great career development conversations?

Don’t wait for an annual performance review. In a world of instant gratification, where Instagram and Snapchat have taught digital natives that feedback should be when you seek it, career development conversations can – and should – happen anytime. Let Grace Papers help you prepare your managers accordingly. 

If you’d like to know more about how Grace Papers can help your business and act as the prevention strategy for the Shecession  & The Great Resignation reach out to the Grace Papers team today. 

Let Grace Papers help you prepare your managers accordingly. 

If you’d like to know more about how Grace Papers can help your business and act as the prevention strategy for the Shecession  & The Great Resignation reach out to the Grace Papers team today.