Quitting Is Just Half The Story – The REAL Reason Behind The "Great Resignation"
- Jan 21, 2022
- 3 min read
Written by: Pin Cher, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The great resignation is less about workers no longer wanting to work, as it is about them discovering what they want out of their jobs and their careers. The challenge of the last year has helped employees to discover that they have more options than they ever thought they did before the pandemic.
We are making substantial changes in how and where we live, and we are prioritizing life overwork. Leaders who focus on their employees mental wellbeing and help them to enjoy a more balanced life will reap the benefits far into the future.
It is the leader’s responsibility to help their employees find purpose within the organisation. If that sounds rather fluffy, think again.
This report from McKinsey pulls no punches:
“Employees expect their careers to bring an important amount of purpose to their lives. Employers need to help meet this need or be prepared to lose talent to companies who will.”
The data in the report is eye-opening:
70% of employees said that their sense of purpose is defined by their work.
Nearly two-thirds said that COVID-19 has caused them to reflect on their purpose in life.
Nearly half said that they are reconsidering the kind of work by the pandemic.
85% of executives and upper management said that they are living their purpose at work, but only 15 percent of frontline managers and frontline employees agreed.
Don’t dismiss the importance of helping employees find purpose & belonging in their workplace. The “Great Awakening” is very much about purpose, and finding it starts at the top. If you don’t know your purpose as a leader, you are ignoring a critical way to keep your top employees for the long-term.
What is your purpose?
The authors write about five priorities leaders around the world have identified as their “North Star” while they navigate the trends that are molding the future. One is purpose.
“Employees want to work at places that have a sense of belonging—and will leave if they don’t find it. Companies that execute with purpose & belonging are more likely to generate long-term value.
An organisation has to go well beyond earning a profit. For instance, tieing your company’s purpose to helping the community, addressing climate change and connecting people, driving diversity, inclusion and equity.
Today’s generations, Millennials and Gen Z want to see that they are adding value to the community and working towards something that is making the world a better place. Companies who don’t have these things in place are going to be stuck holding the bag.
Within the next five years, I guarantee that you will be asked by potential employees during job interviews how your organization is contributing to the greater good.
Create a psychologically safe workplace
When employees in the McKinsey survey cited above said they experienced little psychological safety at work, they had a 0.5% chance of saying their purpose was fulfilled at work.
To understand if you have a psychologically safe workspace, ask yourself:
How much empathy and compassion does your leadership show? How often does your team share things with you and each other? Does your team have a clue of each other’s lives outside of work? Are people encouraged to think outside the box and share their ideas?
If you answer no to some or most of the above questions, your workplace is likely unsafe and people cannot thrive
Our workforce has evolved into one in which workers value organizations that offer these specific things: meaningful work, opportunities to make an impact, and environments that foster well-being.
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Pin Cher, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Pin Cher is a personal development & career coach and comes from a diverse and international background. Her passion lies in working and coaching with corporate professionals and high performers to achieve even greater success. She helps them unlock their professional and personal potential and create an intentional, meaningful life that lights them up. In the past, Pin herself felt stuck and lost in her career direction. This painful experience has taught her valuable lessons and insights, and she now shares her experience & knowledge in helping others achieve their own success and unlocking their hidden genius. Pin's coaching is a powerful combination of head and heart, reflection and action and her goal is to help others find their North Star to lead a life with more meaning and purpose. She brings to her clients' experience and expertise gained from multiple global careers in different industries and working with top-tier global firms. Pin is a certified coach with the Jay Shetty Certification School and holds a B.S degree in International Management & Business Chinese and an MBA from the National University of Taiwan.
