Technology is at the origin of the “great resignation”

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Have you heard of the September exodus? More than four million Americans quit their jobs that month, breaking the record for quits set the month before. And some 40% of the remaining employees are also considering quitting, according to a report from Microsoft.

The crisis is even worse in technology. TalentLMS and Workable recently reported that 72% of US-based tech workers plan to quit their jobs within the next 12 months.

It’s not just the United States. The Great Resignation is a worldwide phenomenon.

Experts point to many causes for the trend, from government stimulus checks and the increase in remote working to authorized millennials and even the stress of a pandemic.

In general, it is clear that there is a growing incompatibility between reality and the expectation of the employee experience.

Worse, the more people quit, the more difficult life becomes for those who stay at work. This is especially true for tech workers. IT departments have been noticeably understaffed, and as the Great Resignation hits tech workers more and more, all employees experience more downtime, cyber attacks and implementation slowdowns. technology.

It’s an emergency. You need to know why so many people are quitting.

The Many Reasons People Quit

After examining the interviews, polls and reports in detail, I have compiled a list of the top reasons people gave for quitting smoking during the Great Resignation. These are:

Frustration with laptops, desktops, networks and systems not functioning well, a trend exacerbated during the pandemic when many remote workers were literally left to fend for themselves. There is also widespread confusion about what to do when the technology isn’t working. Lack of control over workspaces and processes. Many employees feel that they have a lot to add to the way the work is done, but they can’t speak for themselves. A “toxic mix” of low wages, high workloads and a lack of wider recognition. This observation comes from the Congress of Trade Unions with regard to employees in the public sector. Lack of work-life balance. The Covid-led remote working has made millions of employees want to travel less and spend more time with their families, and they are realizing that they could keep it with another employer. General inflexibility about how things work, how work is done, and when. Lack of training opportunities. Tech workers, in particular, want more training opportunities – 91% said so in the TalentLMS and Workable survey report. Many quit because they are physically and emotionally exhausted. And the departure of so many makes the situation even worse for those who remain.

While these reasons aren’t surprising, it’s important to understand what they all have in common.

It’s all about technology … and culture

As companies of all sizes rack their brains and try to figure this out, the truth is that our technology products and the way they are used, as well as our culture around managing and interacting with employees, are exactly what drives people out.

Technology frustrates workers, creates friction and inertia, blocks employee progress and empowerment, creates unnecessary work, and breeds feelings of isolation and helplessness.

The good news is that better technology is a big part of the solution. Here’s what you need to do to start retaining and attracting employees.

Transform training. Artificial Intelligence (AI) -based adaptive learning technology can make employee training much more relevant by enabling employee-centered learning based on what the person already knows – ending frustration with management systems. classroom-type or generic training. In general, intensify training and career development. Promote from within whenever possible. Support employees in their career path, wherever it leads, within the company. Just like products need a roadmap, every employee needs it. Allow natural connections between employees. User-friendly collaboration tools foster connection and culture. Focus not only on getting the job done, but on team building and the psychology of each employee on a team. Use cutting edge HR technology, but communicate too much with a human touch. Automated HR contributes to the problem of burnout. When it comes to changes in employee status, compensation, benefits, supervisors, and other personal events that have an emotional impact on the employee, communication about this should always be human-to-human, and not by e-mails or automated notifications. Avoid employee surveillance. Many companies have responded to the rush for remote work with employee monitoring software. Monitoring screen activity, mouse movements, online time, and other metrics is the safest way to scare off employees. No one wants Big Brother to always watch, especially in their own home. Develop alternative means to measure and evaluate employee performance. Be results-oriented and don’t categorize employees by how often their mouse moves. This is true for remote workers, office workers, and all of the new hybrid workforce. Embrace transparency, authenticity and empathy. Most changes in corporate culture occur because each year a new group of young people enter the workforce and an older group retires. Younger employees – those who have entered the workforce in the past 10 years – have very different expectations of their employer’s behavior. They want to know what’s going on and work with human beings who care. If young employees feel like a cog in a machine, they are more likely to pack their bags and leave. Embrace agility and flexibility. Technology that promotes flexibility in hybrid work, remote work, shifting teams and flexible schedules will go a long way in improving the employee experience and sense of well-being. Develop a holistic approach to employee satisfaction. With remote and hybrid workforces, organizations must help employees cope psychologically and emotionally with the realities of disparate and changing workplaces and environments. In the past, it was sufficient to organize occasional team-building exercises and off-site events. Now, managers, supervisors and leaders should help employees not only feel like part of the team, but also maintain their physical and mental health. Part of this process is technological. Feelings of connection, involvement, a sense of mission, and a work-life balance can all be helped – or compromised – by technology choices, as well as work policies and management approaches. Put avoidance of burnout at the top of the list when choosing technology. With each passing month, AI is gaining ground in technology, for example. But it can have opposite effects, either by contributing to burnout or by relieving it. AI replacing human interaction – for example, overly automated HR – can leave employees feeling frustrated and abandoned. AI that increases human performance can empower employees, making them feel empowered and supported. It’s also true that automating repetitive tasks can free up employees to do things only humans can do. Automation should be applied to help and empower humans, not to replace them.

The reasons for the Great Resignation are numerous. But it’s time we recognized the role technology has played in driving out employees in droves – and the role it can play in bringing people back by creating a flexible, caring and empowering workplace that will make employees happy, productive and invested in the company’s mission.

Copyright © 2021 IDG Communications, Inc.

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