The Great Resignation is mostly hype

The Great Resignation is mostly hype

What if the so-called Great Resignation is just a continuation of what’s already been happening for the last decade?

This week, I spoke to Katy Tynan, a principal analyst at Forrester and lead author of the report “Unpacking The Hype About The Great Resignation.” What her research revealed is something that she believes no one is talking about: that the Great Resignation has actually been 10 years in the making:

• Why is this the case? In short: Baby Boomers. They’ve been dropping out of the workforce “at a significant rate” year over year since 2011. This fact is “not surprising to anyone,” said Tynan, but “in the context of the pandemic, people looked at resignation rates and didn’t necessarily make the connection.”
• We media folks all devoted a lot of ink to the fact that April 2021 saw record quit rates. But record quit rates aren’t that remarkable when the trendline is steadily going up year over year. “Every month will be a record,” Tynan pointed out.
• Despite the overhype, the labor shortage is still real. Especially in tech, according to Tynan. But the industry’s been suffering that talent shortage since prior to the pandemic, due to a skills gap, as well the fact that companies with a toxic culture or a lack of flexible work options are seeing workers leave for better options.
• What tech companies need to focus on is, “What are their competitors offering their employees?” Tynan recommends that leaders invest in better tools and tech for their workforce, as well as root out “unskilled managers,” ones that micromanage, set unreasonable or unclear expectations or who “change the rules” on their employees.

Yes, there was a dip in resignations in 2020, then a subsequent hike in 2021. But what’s important to remember is that we don’t know yet what 2022 quit rates will look like (though January looks like it’s on track with the trend), and that third data point is critical when it comes to actually knowing which way this is all going to shake out. What employers can do in the meantime is focus on retaining and recruiting that ever-elusive talent.

Googlers are mad

A few days ago, we reported on laid-off Googlers being understandably upset about finding out they had lost their jobs through media reports. Then came another story about Googlers being annoyed because they don’t think their pay is competitive. The latest? Google employees are calling out the company for unevenly applying its remote work policies, according to Business Insider. Bay Area employees are supposed to spend at least three days in the office starting April 4, but select employees are spared from those policies. "Why is the RTO policy not 'Work from office when you want or when it makes sense to?'" one employee asked at a company all-hands last week.

A MESSAGE FROM AURA

80% of employees admit using the same passwords for work and personal accounts. With rising cybersecurity risk, employers are offering digital security benefits to keep employees safe and reduce the risk to the business. See how Aura’s all-in-one digital protection can keep your employees’ online activities safe from hackers.

Learn more

Today's tips & tools

As more tech workers are heading back to the office, we’re all trying to make hybrid work. Microsoft announced several Microsoft 365 updates today as part of its larger plan to dominate the hybrid workplace.

• You can now indicate whether you plan to be in-person or remote for meetings in your Outlook RSVPs.
• Microsoft Teams video meetings now have a “Front Row” view on the bottom of the screen so employees in a conference room can talk to their remote counterparts at eye-level instead of awkwardly craning their necks to look up at a wall-mounted screen.
• The new Surface Hub 2 Smart Camera will automatically reframe video when someone leaves or enters a meeting room.
• You can integrate your video into PowerPoint slidesand record yourself at the same time.

World’s best boss

What makes a good manager? In a survey of 1,010 managers, Skynova shed light on the impact of different leadership styles on employees and businesses as a whole. Here’s what they found about management style and how it affects retention:

• Employee retention was highest at companies where managers had a collaborative leadership style and lowest at places where they had an authoritative leadership style.
• Male collaborative managers were more likely than female managers to report high employee retention rates, at 61% and 47% respectively.
• Women were more likely than men to report low employee retention rates, at 53% and 42% respectively.
• Managers who checked in no more than once a day were the most likely to report high retention rates, and micromanagers were the most likely to report low retention.

More stories from us

My colleague Allison Levitsky spoke with two young tech marketers in Ukraine.Here’s what it’s like to work in tech in Ukraine right now.

The pandemic forced women out of the workforce last year. Some became Airbnb hosts.

Microsoft is turning Teams and Outlook into hybrid work-friendly tools. It’s also updating PowerPoint.

A MESSAGE FROM AURA

80% of employees admit using the same passwords for work and personal accounts. With rising cybersecurity risk, employers are offering digital security benefits to keep employees safe and reduce the risk to the business. See how Aura’s all-in-one digital protection can keep your employees’ online activities safe from hackers.

Learn more

Around the internet

A roundup of workplace news from the farthest corners of the internet.

Part-time retirement is on the rise, with twice as many companies now offering phased retirement compared to pre-pandemic.

Walmart wants to hire 5,000+ tech workers this year. Good luck …

Bad news: 80% of tech workers are considering a new job, according to a recent survey from Blind. At PayPal, 95% of respondents are considering leaving.

Toxic workplaces are why employees leave. Here’s how to spot one early.