How to make the best of the great resignation

Companies around the world have been shaken by the high volumes of employees moving roles and changing jobs in what is being described as the Great Resignation.

However, despite salary increases and promotions being touted as the main reasons for employees handing their notice in, flexible hours and the option to work from home are now considered to be as much of a lure as the traditional methods of sequestering talent from rival organisations.

Flexibility over salary

Historically, people moved between jobs for salary increases, better hours or different benefits, but a third factor has now come into the equation – location. Previously where an employee worked was (for the most part) non-negotiable and tied to the location of a company’s office. Today, people want the option to work remotely and are willing to seek new opportunities to enhance the flexibility of their lives.

A huge benefit of remote work is that it allows employees to work according to their personal schedules, increasing their productivity by enabling them to create a better work-life dynamic. The modern employee won’t stick around if they feel they do their best work from home but are being forced to be in an office – they want to be engaged and providing meaningful contributions to their business without strict policies on location and held back by dated technologies.

Freelancers and consultants sacrifice much stability to have many of these benefits. Organisations that embrace hybrid working and remote technologies can bestow the best of both worlds on their employees – retaining the talent they’ve spent time nurturing and acquiring new skills from prospective workers that are lured in by the flexible business of tomorrow.  

Remote technologies hold the key

Technologies that enable remote and home working are now widespread – but choosing the right solution is critical. Slow, inadequate, or dated tools will leave employees frustrated and unable to do their best work. And if organisations are serious about retaining talent, then they must ensure the basics are covered. The right digital workspace can provide employees with safe, secure, and reliable access to the data and files they need to be at their most productive – in their homes or at the office.

Providing a platform that allows all employees to collaborate and access files regardless of location can also prevent divisions between remote and office workers – creating an equitable environment that allows everyone to be as efficient as each other.

The talent war is real

At Citrix we recognise that for prospective employees flexible working is no longer a ‘nice to have’, and that hybrid policies are now critical to attracting and retaining talent. Creating the best employee experience possible has been important during such difficult times and the culture of a workplace can be hugely important in a contractor or full-time candidate choosing to join over a competitor. Giving staff the choice to work where they feel most comfortable helps with motivation, wellness, and productivity levels – and during the lifting of lockdown, we’ve continued to treat our employees the same by avoiding rigid rules and providing the option to work where is best for them.

When looking to retain talent we find using terminology such as ‘guidelines’ or ‘recommendations’ can help empower staff to make their own decisions on when and where they work. And as we look ahead to the future of working, businesses should aim to be as nimble as possible to accommodate the preferences of a variety of personas to meet the expectations and desires of today’s workforce.