“Stuff” (One of my technical terms. IKR) is going on. Much of the “Stuff” you recognize and know it when you see it. But some of it may be new to you, so listen-up. (The order doesn’t matter by the way.)
Almost everyone is “rethinking and re-evaluating” their lives. We are in a period being referred to as “The Great Quitting Spree”. According to a survey of 2,452 people by Bankrate and Your Gov Plc’s, over 50% of American adults are planning on a job change. They are already looking or are planning on looking.
“Ageism” is a double-edged sword. A sizeable number of the younger workforce population doesn’t feel like they are respected. At the same time, a sizeable number of the Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers feel outnumbered and too frequently stereo-typed: “too old, dinosaurs, unwilling to learn new things, etc.” The Boomers and Gen X’ers are higher paid; but are losing-ground to the newbies. Again, when it comes to earnings, neither group feels respected.
You may agree with the above. You may disagree. What people perceive is their reality. So, it is a real thing.
More “Stuff”…younger workers place a high priority on a “work life balance”, but since they are younger they have probably been in their jobs a shorter time and do not have “control’ over their work. That “work-life balance” thing is more important to Millennials than to the older generations. This makes considerations regarding length of workdays and “time off” in job search a priority.. By the way, the Boomers and Gen X’ers are starting to follow this thinking too.
COVID had ramped all of these factors UP. It has created an “urgency” to “what am I doing with my life?”. It has introduced a “mortality” factor into the thought process. The forced isolation time, this forced time for reflection is reshaping the workplace. Workers are re-valuing their time and how they are using their time.
As the supervisor, you don’t have to “understand” or agree with these behaviors but don’t make the mistake of passing them off (ignoring them). As a Supervisor you will have to deal with them.
What’s that, you are having some of the same thoughts.
And You, the supervisor… A “Silver bullet” solution has not yet been found. Honing your supervisory skills, being consistently consistent in your dealings, creating trust-based, respect-based relationships with all who you supervise can make “staying” more attractive than “leaving”.
YOU could just be part of the “anti-leaving” vaccine.
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