Pressure is building on managers to improve employee satisfaction to maintain productivity and retain quality workers. Employees with manageable workloads are twice as likely to be engaged, while disproportionate workload is a main driver of turnover. Healthy amounts of attrition can improve team performance, optimize cost and shift focus to employees driving forward company culture and vision.
In a survey by BambooHR, 25% of executives hoped for turnover with RTO policies to organically right size their workforce, but ultimately conducted layoffs due to less resignations than predicted. The contingent workforce curates space to identify workers who are a long-term organizational fit to convert into a full-time position, avoiding future state turnover.
The number of remote workers that multiplied overnight in 2020 has created a lingering complexity for managers in measuring productivity. Employees utilize mobile apps, such as Microsoft Teams and Outlook, to enhance their work capabilities, while others are “quiet vacationing” and take undisclosed trips while maintaining the appearance they are working. In a Resume Builder survey, 1 in 10 workers utilized mobile apps in the past year to maintain the façade they were working. Managers need to carefully consider how they measure productivity while also giving workers the flexibility and autonomy they desire.
Fully remote work has proven to lessen collaboration and, as a result, reduce long-term growth and skills development. In a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, productivity declined by 4% in workers who shifted to remote work during the pandemic. Remote work requires self-motivation, time management and exceptional communication skills, which not all workers have. Increased collaboration and utilization of virtual tools are essential in remote employees not falling behind. Hybrid work ultimately satisfies the employee’s desire for flexibility and the business’ need for onsite collaboration and oversight. For this model to be successful, employers must find ways to keep remote employees engaged, help to identify which roles are best suited and to recruit candidates that would thrive in this type of work environment.
