By now, the term “Great Resignation” is well known among the workforce. Essentially, it describes the literal rebellion against doing business as usual that began in the spring of 2021. Employees started reevaluating why, how, and where they worked. They were no longer willing to sacrifice personal freedoms and desires for the sake of their jobs. They wanted better work-life balance, increased flexibility, higher pay, and the opportunity to advance. (Source: Pew Research)
So how can companies attract new talent and retain the employees they already have? One thing is certain – doing nothing is not an option to remain competitive in today’s marketplace. A recent Entrepreneur article states, “If companies large and small don’t find a solution to address the problem, turnover and company growth will continue to struggle. It’s vital to address this issue and look for ways to improve retention, loyalty and engagement among employees. As The Great Resignation continues, the only way to retain employees will be to evolve and adapt.”
Offering competitive salaries and robust benefits packages are a good start, but they’re not enough. Our clients have told us employees want to work for companies who are making a positive impact and have healthy cultures. At Grin Events, we’ve seen firsthand how healthy cultures not only create happier teams, they create more successful businesses.
Here are 3 ways companies can shift from the Great Resignation to a new era of the Great Retention:
1. Offer a hybrid office-remote work option
During the pandemic, we learned workers can be productive and maybe even more efficient in a hybrid environment where they work from home at least part of the week. While we know nothing beats face-to-face meetings, especially if you have never met IRL (in real life), technologies like Zoom, Teams, and Google Meets make it easy to still “see” each other and collaborate to get our work done.
2. Be open to talent outside of your city/location
The good news about the lesson in remote work efficiency is employers no longer need to restrict themselves geographically when looking for the perfect candidates for their open positions. This allows for a more diverse workforce and can lead to hiring really amazing talent who happens to live in a different city. The caveat to this is we recommend at least once a year all-company meetings and quarterly team meetings to make sure people do get the all-important in-person energy exchange which leads to more effective video conference meetings.
3. Make sure fun is part of your culture
The younger generation realizes there is a way to be professional while still being personable and having fun together in an office. In fact, 60% of college graduates in 2015 said they would rather work in a positive social environment even if it meant getting paid less. (Source: Forbes) This means companies must be intentional about planning events that bring teams together in casual settings, such as picnics, game shows, silly competitions, and more to allow people to interact outside of their day-to-day duties, laugh with each other, and become more acquainted. According to the same Forbes articles, “Not only does fun increase productivity and positivity between colleagues, but it also reduces absenteeism.”
At Grin Events, we focus on #3 by providing fun and games. Aside from having competitive pay, benefits, and flexibility, companies need to intentionally provide opportunities for co-workers to get to know each other outside of meetings and hallway conversations. Events that bring people together for the sake of fun is one piece of building a healthy culture, and we happen to be experts at just this. Luckily, our clients agree.
One of our favorite repeat clients, Maureen from Aya Healthcare, recently told us:
“We always have the best experience with Grin Events...everyone leaves laughing, talking about it, and having the best time.”
That’s what we’re here for! If you need help infusing fun into your workplace, we’re only a call (or email…or online form) away.