In this month’s Leadership Update, we lean into ongoing headlines about the great resignation, the challenges of hybrid working and quiet quitting. We agree with a lot of what’s written, but we also see good reason to feel optimistic, viewing this period as an opportunity to really shift attitudes to the way we work.
The answer, we believe lies in moving away from a culture where leaders feel like they have to be the single point of everything: support, knowledge, decision making and failure to one where employees have space and permission to contribute.
Watch Andy & Juliet’s leadership chat below
Daniel Goleman has a simple response to the newest trend of ‘quiet quitting’. People quit – either quietly or completely – when they are unhappy with their work. So employers need to offer a sense of purpose in their work, and act to drive engagement to retain them.
Korn Ferry see a response of quiet firing, with managers denying employees opportunities in the hope of shedding unwanted staff. This is not the way to manage people, particularly in tough economic times, and misses an opportunity for growth and performance improvement.
In these tough times, we can find support in peers. Managers are crucial role models for others in the organisation and should be supported too. Korn Ferry suggest managers ask for help and offer it too. It will build trust and lead to better decision making and reduce risk.
Gartner’s Future of Work Reinvented report recommends that organisations embrace hybrid to leverage the opportunities it offers and manage the challenges. Build resilience, use technology, measure performance by impact not input and prioritise human-centric leadership.
Josh Bersin tells L&D that learning in the flow of work is not enough – L&D must deliver growth not just learning and demonstrate employees’ impact on the business. Organisations that do this are better able to drive individual and business performance and innovation.
People analytics is transforming the function of HR by enabling data-based decision making but it’s a challenge for many HR folks who are more comfortable dealing with people than data. The key is to identify the right data to inform choices and support employees to grow.
Studies show over 80% workers are feeling some burnout. Josh Bersin presented research on over 1000 companies which showed that healthy organisations that support employees mental health achieve higher retention and reduce absenteeism – it’s just good business.
In times of uncertainty, the best thing to do is recognise that uncertainty and build it into your plans. Communicate clearly your level of confidence in any one solution and be prepared to revisit plans often. You’ll make better decisions with more confidence.
