Post-pandemic and around the world, several industries are still reeling from the massive blow to their structure and stability. And for companies in countries like Nigeria that had already been embroiled in an unstable socio-economic climate before the pandemic, they didn’t fare any better.
The aftershock surpassed mere losses in revenue for industries, and cut deep into serious structural problems that have been dubbed “The Great Attrition” or “The Great Resignation.”
In the last two years, there has been a spike in employees resigning from their jobs and a lot more of them are making the decision to leave.
This mass exit has led to a widening structural gap and loss of expertise in so many organisations. And for companies to cope with this trend, they have to hire and train new employees, amounting to extra resources to be spent.
However, hiring and training have seldom helped as newly employed staff may sooner leave if the issues that cause the Great Resignation still remain. Therefore, for companies to shield themselves from this wave of exit, they have to be able to answer the question “why?”
Why are our employees leaving?
These days, more people are critically evaluating their lives and some of these thoughts may play into their satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) in their careers and positions. As we will realise at the end of this article, many of these decisions come after realising that many things have changed around the world, but not too much in their jobs.
After such self-reflection, one may find that they are unable to cope with their current jobs or career path and may desire something different. However, there are several reasons that could cause one to find this dissatisfaction in the first place.
The gender gap
A recent study that surveyed Nigerian employees found that 70% of women will be leaving their jobs in the coming months. The same study also affirms that other women that have not made the decision to leave are considering it.
One of the issues that women especially face in the workplace is inequality. It isn’t a new conversation. It is well known that equally qualified women are being paid less than men in many Nigerian industries. This is an unfair situation that could cause disharmony and a disjointed team when people find out that they are being paid differently from their colleagues for the same work.
Women that consider the gender pay gap could very well make the decision to leave if all their internal requests to close the gap have not been met.
State of the economy
The economical inflation and rising costs do not just affect the business, but also its employees. They also have to be able to feed, clothe, commute to work, pay bills and cater for their families.
However, from bus fares to house rents, costlier have expenses become without an increment in income. For people that have to commute from distant locations, commuting to work is an expense that they are finding harder to cover. And without any sort of succour, they may see this as a reason to leave their jobs.
Social changes
In the last two years, people have endured so much social trauma. Some employees have lost loved ones to the Coronavirus, while others were sick themselves. While dealing with all of these, they might be experiencing more frequent burnouts, that require them to take some time off to rest and come back revived and ready to work.
Also, women with children have been particularly affected by changes in the way they cater for their families. One of these changes is the shift from onsite schooling to remote or hybrid schooling for children. They now have more responsibilities that may take them away from work, as they need more time to attend to their kids than was the case pre-pandemic.
Lacking any form of support, the people that fall under this category may begin to seek a less demanding means of employment or possibly entrepreneurship to cope.
Work culture and career growth
Different people will approach their jobs with different expectations. And in many cases, these expectations may differ from the offerings of the organisation. A study on employee satisfaction has reported Career Growth and Benefits as one of the top intrinsic traits that employees look for in an organisation they would work with.
People want to work in an organisation that is fair and rewards hard work. They would also appreciate a work environment that is free of toxicity and abuse.
The pandemic aside, there has also been an influx of GenZ talents into many industries. And as young as they come, they would most likely seek companies that promise career growth, support fairness and maintain a healthy work environment. And situations where companies lack these qualities, employees may seriously begin to consider leaving.
What can you do?
Pay transparency
Unequal pay is an injustice, and it says a lot about your organisation if you do not pay equally. Ensure that you do not only pay equally but that you are also transparent in the salaries.
Of course, there is some controversy about publicising the payment for a role, but note that pay transparency is one sure way to check unequal pay. The market is competitive for expert talents, so an equal pay structure could be that edge that would help you retain your staff.
Offer support
Always look out for employees. Encourage employees to always approach human resources with any challenges that they are facing, and if it is possible for your organisation to assist, please do.
Give a day of rest to those who need it, to reduce the risk of burnout. These actions will show that you care about your employees and their mental health, and could create a favourable sentiment of the organisation to the colleague.
Promote a healthy work culture
Ensure justice in your workplace. Make sure that you have a healthy work structure and eradicate all forms of abuse that could likely emerge.
Promote employees as at when due, and motivate them with incentives. It would help when you always give your employees something to look forward to.
Hire a consulting firm
It could be quite difficult to incorporate all the aforementioned suggestions. However, the right place to start would be with a good Human Resources consultation. One of the most recommended is Klinsheet Consulting Limited.
Klinsheet is a consulting firm that offers IT solutions for HR, and operates an automated system, ensuring that your employee management is absolutely taken care of. Operating with notable clients and partners, their delivery and credibility stand out amongst other consulting