The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world in ways that most people could not have imagined. Although technology continues to advance and social norms evolve over time, the worldwide virus not only accelerated these trends, but also blew existing workforce norms out of the water. The last couple of years changed how people view work and how it plays a role in their lives. Additionally, it has placed a giant question mark on the future of business and employer-employee relations.
Anthony C. Klotz, an organizational psychologist and an associate professor of management from Texas Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) University, predicted the impact the pandemic will have on employee hiring and retention. He also marked the term “the Great Resignation.” It is a term that many people have heard of, but what exactly does it mean? According to Amanda Hetler from TechTarget, “Employees across multiple sectors came to the realization that they weren't happy with their jobs during the pandemic. People weren't satisfied with their work environment, the industry they were in or their work-life balance and left their jobs.” In addition to pandemic burnout, employees had time to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of their current roles, their general industries or their prevailing need to work at all. Depending on their financial security, ability to retire and other factors, many acted upon their sentiments.
The Great Resignation isn’t the only movement that industries are taking note of. In addition to people leaving their current jobs, a trend called “quiet quitting” is emerging. Mark C. Bolino, a business professor from the University of Oklahoma, teamed up with Anthony C. Klotz to contribute to an article for the Harvard Business Review. According to the article, “Driven by many of the same underlying factors as actual resignations, quiet quitting refers to opting out of tasks beyond one’s assigned duties and/or becoming less psychologically invested in work. Quiet quitters continue to fulfill their primary responsibilities, but they’re less willing to engage in activities known as citizenship behaviors: no more staying late, showing up early, or attending non-mandatory meetings.”
Like many catchy slogans, the term garnered a lot of attention, particularly because of its bold and controversial wording; however, the term does not accurately represent the true and intended meaning behind it. Like the viewpoint behind the Great Resignation, employees are seeking balance in their lives resulting in the decision not to work more than what the role requires. This allows people to prioritize their time not only during working hours, but when they are off the clock as well.
Trends are often cyclical, as they have a tendency to come and go. However, the shifting of ideas and attitudes, both positive and negative, are not going anywhere soon. With that being said, it is not all doom and gloom for employers, small businesses, organizations and enterprises. There are ways that organizations can adapt to these trends and counter the potential negative effects from them. ISACA has taken note of current and potential future workforce trends, particularly when and how they impact IT and IT-adjacent fields. ISACA also realized the need to provide answers to some of these pressing questions, and has released a white paper on the importance of organizational resilience, titled “The Great Resignation: Business Challenges and Sustainable Solutions.”
In this publication, the author, Mo Ghazouly, suggests and explains in-depth three overarching sustainable solutions to workforce issues, including:
- Adaptability Is Essential
- Focus on Employee Value
- Adopt a Phased Approach to Solutions
The paper provides “recommendations to develop a sustainable, multipurpose workforce-management solution that does not rely on compensation as the main motivator to retain talent” and insightful information from interviews with industry leaders.
Editor’s note: For more insights on this topic, download “The Great Resignation: Business Challenges and Sustainable Solutions.”