At the very early of 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic inevitably began. It has reached almost 340 million cases, and caused 5.5 million deaths worldwide (up to 290,000 cases in Singapore until January 2022). This pandemic surely changes everything, every aspect of our lives; and that includes the business sector as well. 

Not only left business owners struggling to maintain their source of income, but also for employers as well, since many of their employees are unable to come to work due to health issues or lockdowns, or decided to leave their job and pursue other options. It caused a global employees reshuffle, the biggest one, in our modern history.

But is it really true that it has all happened due to the pandemic alone? Bain & Company’s survey “The Working Future: More Human, Not Less” states that these mindset changes have been around for quite some time before even the pandemic began. The rise of automation, machine learning, and related technologies have helped many people to rethink their career path and options. At the very least the pandemic has given many people clear reasons, firmer ones, to resign and find new, better and safer jobs.

What Actually Triggers the Great Resignation?

The term originally made famous by Anthony Klotz of Texas A&M University. The trend in United States begins early in 2021, when the government failed to provide necessary protections for the workers in response of the struggling business sector (long furloughs, pay cuts, massive layoffs) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The similar trend is happening in other parts of the world; Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Indonesia, Nigeria, India, China, and Brazil. Most of the workers were being let go by their employers, some of them were quitting because of health risks and other related relevant reasons. They were forced to find other career options during lockdowns and difficult times that followed.

Now when things are starting to get a little bit better even if the COVID-19 is still around, many people around are getting vaccinated, many places still impose strict health protocols, and those workers have found pandemic-proof jobs, why should they even bother to go back to their old jobs?

Where Do Employees Go?

They go seeking safer jobs that can provide meanings and work-life balance. That’s the quick answer. 

Full-remote and flexible working hours jobs are what they go after now. Employees have become more reluctant to stay at jobs that are not suitable to their goals and ambitions.

On their survey, Bain & Company states that “As the world has become richer, workers have increasingly shifted their focus from survival to meaning, with profound implications for how we think about work.”

That’s the truth. Now with many people in productive ages are seeking and having pandemic-proof jobs, the younger ready-to-work generations have become aware of this as well, and now are seeking the same thing, the same job fields. Many employers and business owners will be having difficulties up ahead; not only struggling to keep their business and operating at full capacity, but also be forced to participate in the inevitable talent war.

What Can Companies Do?

Adapt to the new normal. Adapt to the new generation of workforces.

A Qualtrics report said that 58% of Singaporeans plan to switch jobs in 2022. From employers’ point of view, is that good or bad? Are you the ones they go after, or the ones they are trying to leave? 

The key is to adapt. Employers need to recognize that their personal value and perspective of what a good job looks like won’t necessarily be shared by everyone in the organization. 

• Humanize your workers, improve their work-life balance. 
• It’s not necessarily about pay raise or adding more benefits, but more about working hours, or assigning remote jobs (or even hybrid schedule) if possible. 
• If it’s too much, reduce administrative reports
• Set priorities. If every work is urgent, then nothing is actually urgent. 
• Acknowledge that your employees need to have time as well for their personal development, personal lives, and family.

Small gestures like those will differentiate your business from others, and help you as an employer on the long run.

Hope For the Future

Pandemic is not completely ending anytime soon. With adapting to the new normal, employers will also need to change the way they view productivity, more focused from quantity to quality. From there, then employers can focus not only on growing their business, but also to develop their employees as well. Take the opportunity to start being different, being better, and the rest will follow.