The Great Resignation made front-page news in 2021 and remains a labor market talking point this year. According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), the Great Resignation in the United States continued in February 2022, with more than 4.3 million people quitting their jobs after a series high of 4.5 million in November 2021. 

While Willis Towers Watson’s 2022 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey estimates that only 11% planned to look for a job in the first quarter of 2022 out of 44% job seekers, employees quitting their jobs continues to become a trend in the second quarter and even went viral on TikTok. 

The hashtag #greatresignation gained over 163.5 million views on the popular video-sharing mobile application, followed by #quittingmyjob with over 123.6 million views. TikTok users share their working conditions that urged them to quit. 

One of them shared that employees have to report to work even if they tested positive for COVID-19. According to @saygracee23 in her #quittingmyjob video that has over 1.2 million views, employees avoid being late or absent to get eligible for bonuses. Since they are understaffed, her employer pledged a 100 USD bonus per paycheck if an employee has no call-outs.

Another user named @annamsutter, who claims she is an “achiever since birth,” decided to quit her job due to struggles at work. She said, “no job should make you compromise your mental health, physical health, your well-being, personal relationship, and your personal life in general.” Her #greatresignation video has 1.7 million views.

What HR Managers Can Do

Reevaluate work setup. Mark Lobosco, Vice President of Talent Solutions at LinkedIn, mentioned in his article on LinkedIn that employees, as well as job hunters. now prefer a good work-life balance career over competitive benefits and compensation. 

Employees also desire flexibility. They want to be able to work from anywhere, at any time, and in whatever way they can. Results of a Flexjobs survey revealed that work flexibility has a “huge” or “positive” impact on employees’ quality of life. If companies allow people to enjoy flexibility, HR managers should ensure that policies and programs regarding work arrangements meet the needs of employees and are also aligned with business goals.

Welcome diversity in the workplace. Culture is one of the factors that compel employees to leave. The organization must foster an environment in which it is safe for their employees to be themselves. HR managers must promote diversity consistently in different areas, starting from how employees are recruited and interviewed to their access to programs that promote growth and inclusion. HR managers must ensure that policies affecting diversity should lead to inclusion in the workplace.

“Employees are more comfortable in organizations where diversity, equity, and inclusion are being promoted. Reversely, employees felt an aversion towards experiences of disrespect and unethical behavior within the company,” Manoj Dubey, a consultant at The KPI Institute, wrote in his article on Performance Magazine titled “The Great Resignation and the Requirement of a Data-driven Approach from HR.”

Use the right metrics and KPIs. Human resource professionals are rethinking their roles, culture, and values in response to the Great Resignation. Recruiting and retaining talent has become a challenge for them due to the changing preferences in the job market. Data can help HR predict trends and problems, determine what needs to be done or improve in different areas, and understand what employees need from their workplace. 

One of the things they should pay attention to and explore further is the use of key performance indicators (KPIs). The KPI Institute released The Top 25 Human Resources KPIs – 2020 Extended Edition report, which compiles the most popular 25 KPIs used by Human Resources divisions throughout 2016 and 2020. The 25 Human Resources KPIs identified are categorized into seven divisions:

• Compensation and Benefits capabilities capitalize on the value of effectual reward systems.
• Efficiency and Effectiveness divisions are concerned with the measurement of productivity achievement.
• Recruitment teams monitor the overall effectiveness of the recruitment process.
• Retention focuses on employee satisfaction, engagement, and turnover.
• Talent Development refers to brandishing human capital potential in a manner that maximizes its contribution to the overall performance of the organization.
• Working Environment focuses on the consolidation of a productive working environment that harnesses workforce performance.
• Workforce references job stratification and employee distribution as part of an integrated performance management system.

Learn more about the 25 most popular human resources KPIs today and read about the best practices in KPI selection and documentation. Download The Top 25 Human Resources KPIs – 2020 Extended Edition now!