Employees quitting? Here's a way to prevent it from happening - opinion

Many workers felt their voices were not being respected by those in power at their jobs.

The great resignation, prompted in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, represents a significant shift in many workers’ relationships with their jobs. Countless people opted to quit in the hopes of building a more positive career and life for themselves. The appeal has been so widespread that some countries have faced a quarter of all full-time employees leaving their jobs within the past two years, which has contributed to supply chain problems, worsened inflation, and even food insecurity, which has the potential to drive conflict.

Why did so many people readily give up a steady paycheck? It wasn’t all about wages. Far too many workers were and are fundamentally unsatisfied with their jobs. Toxic cultures, unhealthy norms, over-aggressive managers and more lead to high rates of burnout. Workers often feel they spend too many early mornings catching up on emails and cast aside too many evening plans to meet last-minute deadlines. And, too often, they felt their voices were not being respected by those in power.

Workplaces need a change

Workplaces and leaders need to change to retain employees, build satisfying workforces and be productive. Encouraging a culture of listening is a practical, cost-effective solution, with real human impact. And it’s a skill that can be taught and scaled across an organization, and beyond to the communities that surround any workplace.

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Low wages, workplace disrespect, no career advancement and employee dissatisfaction have helped contribute quiet quitting, which has become popular on TikTok (Illustrative).

(photo credit: PXHERE)