As early as mid-pandemic 2020, experts in the labor market predicted increases in job market shifts, now referred to as “The Great Resignation” or the “Turnover Tsunami.”
The top reason for resignation seems to be seeking work environments that are better tailored to individual employee needs, whether those needs be permanent remote working to avoid long, expensive commutes to the office, or those seeking more face-to-face collaboration in a fully in-office environment. Shifting priorities towards work-life-balance and prioritizing mental health have also played a significant role in employee decisions to leave their positions. Resignations are particularly prevalent among mid-career workers and management level workers, and among female workers. Female managers were more likely to leave the workplace altogether to take care of their families during Covid-19, while men were more likely to jump ship to another role. According to Visier’s earlier public polling findings, one in three female managers were considered exiting the workforce altogether.
So what are employees in a post-pandemic world looking for, exactly? A 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey suggests that 83% of Millennials, who became the majority in the workforce in 2016, feel more empowered and engaged when they believe their organisation is authentically diverse and inclusive. In another study, 47% of employed millennials said that a diverse and inclusive workplace would be important in their job search.
While other generations such as Gen X and Baby Boomers may traditionally view diversity as underrepresented racial, ethnic, and gender groups, Millennials are more likely to define diversity in terms of cognitive diversity. This shift in views of diversity and inclusion indicate that the inclusion of diverse perspectives are more than simply a matter of ages, religions, genders, races, and physical abilities in the room. Organizations must now focus on how different points of view are valued. We view this time as an opportunity for employers to shift towards more inclusive policies - starting from the recruiting process.
One of the techniques we suggest in RW3 CultureWizard’s Inclusive Hiring Course is to seek out those different points of view away from the traditional recruiting sources. If, for example, your recruitment strategy involves university campuses and recent college graduates, extend your reach to schools – including community college campuses and community centers - that you haven’t partnered with in the past.
Melissa Jezior, president and CEO of Eagle Hill Consulting told SHRM, “Companies default to backfilling roles with the same skills. But bouncing forward means identifying and cultivating new skills through upskilling, reskilling and in hiring practices." In other words, hiring managers tend to look for candidates that possess the exact same skills as those possessed by the prior team member that proved successful. This can be detrimental because we risk missing out on talented team members that can fill gaps we didn’t even know we had.
Hiring a team with diverse experiences and backgrounds is proven to be good for business, but we all have biases and inclusive hiring is not always intuitive. It’s important to cultivate specific strategies to hire inclusively and overcome the biases that come into play with recruiting, interviewing, and selecting the right person for the job. The difference between selecting for the right addition to the team, instead of looking for a perceived right fit into the team can mean higher retention rates and employee engagement that is sustainable.
Request a demo of our new Hiring Inclusively Course here.
