Home Economy ‘Great resignation’ to continue in 2022, and employers must respond

‘Great resignation’ to continue in 2022, and employers must respond

By

Jacquelyn Voghel

-

12/31/2021

A RECENT SURVEY conducted by global human resources firm Robert Half International Inc. found that 41% of respondents said they intended to look for a new job in the first half of 2022. / AP PHOTO/JENNY KANE

With staffing shortages pervasive across many industries, waves of workers are ready to jump to new jobs or even new careers in the new year, according to people involved in the staffing and human resources fields. According to a report by global human resources firm Robert Half International Inc., 41% of workers intend to look

Already a Subscriber? Log in

To Continue Reading This Article

Become a Providence Business News subscriber and get immediate access to all of our premier content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Critical RI business news and analysis updated daily.
1 year of print (26 issues).
Unlimited access to all subscriber only content on our website, on any device.
Free email alerts.
Annual Book of Lists Print Edition.
All special issues produced during subscription term.

Click Here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article

PBN Branded Content

Federal and State Nursing Home Staffing Mandates

Staffing has always been an ongoing challenge in the long-term care industry. However, since the…

Learn More

No posts to display

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

With staffing shortages pervasive across many industries, waves of workers are ready to jump to new jobs or even new careers in the new year, according to people involved in the staffing and human resources fields. According to a report by global human resources firm Robert Half International Inc., 41% of workers intend to look for a new job in the first half of 2022, and over a quarter of workers are open to leaving their current job without another lined up. The survey also indicates that employees strongly value remote work options and advancement opportunities. Rhode Island’s results were in line with the national survey, said Robert Nealon, district president for Robert Half. Locally, 54% of Rhode Islanders surveyed said they are seeking remote-only positions, and 61% are at “a breaking point” in requiring a promotion or needing a clearer career trajectory at their job, according to Nealon. In good news for workers, many believe they have increased leverage in improving their current working conditions and negotiating stronger job offers. With this in mind, employers need to adjust their human resources strategies to hire and keep talented workers, according to human resources professionals. When shaping policies and compensation, employers should keep employee values in mind, Nealon said. “Everybody should probably look into the flexibility piece,” he said. “I think the autonomy to work virtually has helped organizations retain their top people.” Additionally, companies should “share their vision with employees and include them in that vision,” he added. That means not only telling employees about the company’s vision but also considering their input when formulating goals, Nealon said. Hospital system Lifespan Corp., Rhode Island's largest private employer, is one company rolling out new benefits and support options in hopes of retaining more workers. With the pandemic taking a particularly hard toll on health care workers, retention issues are magnified at Lifespan: What was 800 job vacancies across Lifespan prior to the pandemic is now 2,300. When the pandemic struck, Lifespan quickly shifted to remote work for workers in desk-based roles, said Lisa Abbott, senior vice president of human resources and community affairs. In surveys, employees indicate that they appreciate the flexibility and self-directed nature of the option. “We have a much lower turnover rate in our remote staff,” Abbott said, “and we’re able to hire from anywhere regionally or nationally.” But for clinical staff such as doctors and nurses, work largely needs to remain in-person. The lack of remote options and the highly stressful nature of the job often lead to burnout and feelings of hopelessness. Those employees leave at much higher rates. The health system said it has rolled out other benefits since the pandemic started. Over the current fiscal year, Lifespan has put $50 million toward "wage enhancements," Abbott said, and it has added benefits such as on-site child care, assistance with paying off student loans, and signing and retention bonuses. Benefits such as child care support and retention bonuses can be particularly useful for companies where employees can’t work remotely due to the nature of their jobs, said Cynthia J. Butler, president of Jamestown-based Butler & Associates Human Resources Consulting. The Society for Human Resource Management also forecasts that the “great resignation” will continue, as the Robert Half survey indicates. And all employers should anticipate labor difficulties will continue for the foreseeable future, Butler added. “Employees have a lot of great opportunities right now,” Butler said, “so that puts a lot on employers in terms of their compensation and benefit plans, in terms of their employee experience.” Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Voghel@PBN.com.