The Great Resignation is a Misnomer!
It’s not so much the Great Resignation,
as it is The Great Gender & Generation Disconnect.
40% of Australians* are currently reviewing their professional priorities for 2022 - which means leaders have a small window of opportunity to demonstrate they are capable AND committed to becoming 21st Century Leaders.
Whilst the numbers vary depending on the source, they're all of material quantums and it’s clear, the majority of people do not wish to go back to the pre-covid office routine:
64% say they’re willing to leave without another job lined up (primarily because they don’t feel valued or experience a sense of belonging at work)
84% of people enjoy working from home
92% would continue to work from home regularly if given the opportunity
“It’s widely acknowledged Team Members want Hybrid, but Leaders are out of touch with what today’s teams want.*
Leaders who fail to meet their teams where they are now at - run the risk of being unable to deliver on their performance and productivity targets from March 2022 - which is when the exodus is tipped to begin!*
How did this Happen?
Covid 1.0 (May 2020), opened the door to a new way of thinking and working and removed any doubt team members had (if they ever did have any), they could better juggle home and work commitments, whilst working from home.
Whilst Covid 1.0 was a challenge which saw everyone step up to the plate determined to prove working from home could work - Covid 2.0 (July 2021) has been a different experience altogether.
What was Different this time?
No human is designed to isolate for months on 1 occasion, let alone on multiple.
Maintaining motivation and meaning alone in your home office or performance and productivity with your flatmates or family grappling for 'office real-estate' in a confined space, has brought any normal person to the ‘brink and beyond’.
No carer is designed to physically or psychologically nourish or nurture (either school age children or elderly or ill family members) without respite for months on end, whilst simultaneously powering through professional ‘to do’ lists.
Parents & Carers - predominantly Women, have filled the gap, being entertainer and educator; nurturer and nourisher on the home front, whilst also being polite and professional on the work front. And it’s taken a toll!
“High productivity is masking an exhausted workforce.”*
Essentially - Covid 2.0 has left a trail of frayed and fractious parents (mostly women) and young adults ready to embrace freedom - but actually riding the Rollercoaster of Excitement and Exhaustion, with a pinch of anxiety from uncertainty thrown in for good measure.
What can we Expect Now?
For those going back to the office, there’s the commute to manage and Mask & Vaccine preferences and politics to navigate, all whilst smiling politely and professionally. I predict we will be navigating a few fractious moments and ‘terse’ conversations in coming weeks in the workplace.
The prospect of having kids back home in just a few short weeks for the long summer holidays, is enough to push any carer over the edge and force them to reconsider their personal and professional priorities.
How can we navigate the Transition and create High Performance Hybrid Teams amongst all these competing priorities?
It’s not hard to see why workers want hybrid - it's the best of both worlds.
However, increasing numbers of leaders want people back in the office - where they can ensure the connection, coordination and creativity (which in their eyes at least) are the key to performance and productivity - will be reignited before the end of the year.*
The risk of course is, if a further overlay is added to an already exhausted team, it has the potential to become the proverbial “straw that breaks the camel’s back”.
Once someone has jumped the divide and made the decision to leave - it’s very difficult to bring them back!
So what’s the Solution?
The mantra of any good coach is “meet them where they’re at”.
And it’s a mantra which will serve 21st Century Leaders well right now.
Our blog from earlier in 2021, offers just a few of many potential ideas about how to create personalised flexible workplaces.
What’s the Key to creating High Performance Hybrid Teams?
and what's realistic this side of the summer holidays?
The evidence is mounting, the keys to success are creating a foundation of fairness, flexibility and freedom (ie. autonomy and choice) at this key moment in time.*
Leaders who put action and outcome ahead of people and flexibility, risk finding themselves alone with their ‘to do’ lists in 2022.
Curious and compassionate, connected and collaborative conversations which explore BOTH the “Me” and “We” factors will enable the foundations of your High Performance Hybrid Team.
Leaders who focus on galvanising heads and hands, to the exclusion of engaging hearts and empowering heroes, are most at risk of adding that proverbial straw, to the camel whose back is already breaking.
To create High Performance Hybrid Teams:
Balance the “Me” and the “We” factors
Leaders and teams recognise “We” need to deliver, but that won’t be possible if individuals (“Me”) can’t work in a way that works best for them.
Co-create flexible guidelines and guardrails
to ensure realistic team outcomes are committed to and individual needs are supported
Develop a set of clear agreements
which enable an unambiguous culture of accountability and autonomy.
Can 21st Centuries Leaders Capitalise on today’s Opportunity?
By successfully navigating the Great Gender and Generation Disconnect, both leaders and teams will achieve a “diversity dividend”, not just in who stays to contribute to team performance in 2022, but also because of the diverse perspectives and wider 'intelligence' under-represented talent bring to your team.
Inclusive Leaders, with Diverse Teams & Collective Cultures, consistently outperform homogenous teams of like-minded high performers.
If you’d like to create your own High Performance Hybrid Team we can help you have a curious, compassionate and collaborative conversation with your team.
Reach out for a Discovery Discussion and learn how to become a 21st Century (Hybrid) Leader today - before it’s too late.
*Sources: Microsoft; McKinsey; NLI; Employment Hero; Deloitte