3 ways to attract and retain your best employees in 2022
People leaders who aim to win the war on talent are refining their cultures and putting renewed focus on the employee experience.
While we’re only in the early months of 2022, employers who thought they could ride out the Great Resignation without making significant changes are starting to rethink that plan. December 2021 was the sixth consecutive month that more than four million Americans quit their jobs. What we’re seeing isn’t just a tight labor market that heightens competition for the best workers. It’s fallout from uncertain times and associated trauma that has forced people to rethink their priorities in both life and work.
Related: Changing benefits priorities highlight growing focus on employees
Employees are gravitating toward roles that allow them to show up at work as their true selves, and are looking for employers who offer them the flexibility and support needed to do so. That’s why people leaders who aim to win the war on talent are refining their cultures and finding creative ways to not only express what it means to be a part of a team, but focus on the employee experience and looking at employee wellness in a more holistic way.
1. Create a more inclusive culture
Fairness is top of mind for employers and employees alike, and recent world events and times of uncertainty have renewed demands for racial justice and equality in workplaces nationwide. An HBR analysis of S&P 500 earnings calls found that CEOs are now discussing equity, inclusion, and fairness 658% more now than they did in 2018 – that’s a staggering jump.
Workers want to associate with employers who share their values, so as People Team leaders, we need to be authentic about expressing support and create programs that align with our companies’ values. Promoting equality is not only the right thing to do from a moral perspective — there’s also a business benefit. Inclusive organizations are better able to attract and retain top talent, as a McKinsey & Company report found.
2. Improve employees’ technology experience
Digital transformation has vastly accelerated over the past few years, as organizations rolled out more assets to support remote work and business continuity. There’s been a lot of discussion about how this affects businesses, but less focus on how technology impacts the employee experience. It’s a good idea to take a look at technology from that perspective, given recent studies found 88% of jobseekers consider technology when evaluating a prospective position.
People Teams can address this by mapping how employees actually do their jobs and evaluating their technology experiences. As a people leader, you can engage in discussions about implementing the most up-to-date tools and technology to keep teams functioning at the highest levels. The technology used in day-to-day work can make all the difference in employee satisfaction. People want to work for companies with the latest technology and by equipping teams with intuitive, modern technology to do their jobs to the best of their ability, you’ll more easily keep those employees productive and happy.
3. Focus on employee wellbeing
One of the top HR trends to emerge in 2021 is a renewed focus on employee wellbeing. In a recent SHRM survey, more than 90% of HR departments who responded said they’ve expanded programs related to wellbeing, adding benefits and perks designed to address burnout and stress. The ability to provide mental health and emotional support is now table stakes for HR organizations.
When looking at employee wellbeing, it’s beneficial to take a holistic approach, which starts with being human in our interactions with our employees and showing empathy and vulnerability. For managers, that means setting aside time to talk to employees one-on-one to find out how they’re doing and what their challenges and aspirations are. For executive leadership, it’s promoting a healthy work/life balance, designing programs for parental leave, providing mental health days, or giving employees opportunities to learn new skills via additional training, such as professional development, for their growing roles.
It’s important to keep in mind that wellbeing means different things to different people, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach that will work for everyone and that you won’t be able to solve every issue all at once. History has shown that employees value a test and learn approach because they are able to recognize that you’ve received their feedback and are committed to finding a solution.
At the end of the day, that might be the most critical takeaway for all people leaders: ensuring that employees feel seen and heard. When you use employee input to build a more inclusive culture, provide the tools your people need to do their jobs effectively and show that you value them for their skills and their humanity, you’ll be able to attract and retain your best employees in 2022.
Melissa Dreuth is chief people officer & chief of staff to the CEO at Planful.
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