August 31, 2021
Accept that it’s coming. And prepare. With estimates that somewhere between 38-50% of workers are planning to find a new job in the next six months, it’s unlikely that any of us will be unaffected. It would be negligent at this point to ignore the forecasts, so that means we should invest time to get our plan in order.
That’s right. Stop and make a plan.
– Are your processes ready for staffing disruptions (geographically, technologically, hiring and training ahead in high-turnover or seasonal roles)? What’s stopping you from hosting focus groups to discuss how to prepare? (It’s not like “The Great Resignation” is a secret.)
– What could be done to automate some of the things that are still handled manually? Working remotely may have left some conversations un-spoken; open those discussions so people are making active recommendations about where your team can work smarter.
– Are there employee engagement opportunities that will also help you realign work coverage? Think: reskilling, job sharing, reorganizing roles and outsourcing tasks that make sense for others to deliver.
– Prepare mentally for the emotional toll of losing team members you enjoyed working with. Ready yourself, because how you react to the losses will be seen and felt by your teams. Be proud for their new opportunity and celebrate the good things they did for your organization. Create goodwill across everyone on the team by demonstrating team members have lasting value.
Get ready for the #futureofwork, at all levels. Predictions are that freelancers will make up over 50% of the workforce by 2027. Are you ready for that?
– Start the conversation now with your leadership teams about hiring practices. If your staffing models don’t take freelancers into consideration, you’re missing a big opportunity to accomplish work at scale with the talent you need.
– Consider how you’ll recruit new types of talent. Work with your People/HR teams to update recruiting and benefits positioning so that you’re in a competitive position to hire this type of skill into your team – quickly, efficiently, and competitively.
– Are your leaders equipped to work well with freelancers? Really? Workstyle, tools, community and culture?
And don’t forget about Leadership. Leadership must be in place to take care of teams – from the individual to the organization-level. Identifying strategy and plans to deliver the company’s vision is a constant process that requires care at all points from leaders. The impact of talent disruption will occur at the executive leadership levels, too. Match & Cover’s charter is to bridge the gaps with our seasoned talent-on-demand until permanent leadership is identified. Make our team part of your plan (oh, and prepare early). #futureofwork
Article: How Professionals And Organizations Need To Prepare For The ‘Great Resignation’