Content We’re Loving: The Best of January 2022

💛 Every month, Content We're Loving gives you 2-minute synopses of the most noteworthy stories and reports from the world of work, HR, and people management 

Welcome to the first edition of Content We’re Loving!

January has been a bit of a slow month in the HR content field. It seems like news about major 2021 topics like the Great Resignation have started to slow down.

Nonetheless, some important ideas continue to surface to help company leaders face the most important workplace challenges of 2022. 

This month, we talk about employee retention and debunk some myths about why employees quit. You'll be surprised by the findings. We also look at some management tips for keeping employees connected (even in a virtual world.) And finally, we outline research that demonstrates just how critical empathetic leadership is for employee satisfaction, and practical tips to cultivate greater empathy.

Toxic Culture Is Driving the Great Resignation

From: MIT Sloan Management Review
Topic: Employee Retention

This article attempts to identify the causes of Great Resignation. Researchers analyzed 34 million employee profiles of workers who left their jobs to uncover these insights. 

Some important results stand out:

• While resignation rates are high everywhere, specific industries are disproportionately affected. Apparel retail, management consulting, internet, enterprise software, and fast food are the industry's highest attrition rates. 
• Salary is only ranked 16th in factors predicting turnover.
• The top five predictors of turnover are: toxic corporate culture, job insecurity and reorganization, high levels of innovation, failure to recognize performance, and poor response to COVID-19.

The authors also propose five short-term solutions to boost retention based on their research. These four topics were the leading predictors of employee retention for Culture 500 companies from April through September 2021.

• Lateral career opportunities.
• Remote work arrangements.
• Company-sponsored social events.
• Predictable schedules for front-line workers (e.g. fast food and retail workers).

Read the full article here

How Leaders Can Build Connection in a Disconnected Workplace

From: Harvard Business Review
Topic: Employee experience, management tips

Consider this: 65% of workers feel less connected to their coworkers. Lonely employees are more likely to experience turnover, lower productivity, missed days at work, and low quality work.

The author offers four practical ways to build stronger relationships on your team: 

• Make workplace connection a ritual: The authors suggest creating rituals such as “Gratitude Mondays” or “Storytelling Fridays." In short, be proactive. Intentionally create space and opportunities for your people to connect.
• Make it easier to ask for support: The authors suggest implementing “support” sessions, such as teams getting together to share something they’re struggling with. As a result, communication is kept open, and no one has to suffer alone.
• Make onboarding more experiential: The authors recommend enriching onboarding with connection-based exercises that foster psychological safety. For example, new managers get together and take turns sharing their most “burning question.” Experiencing mutual support, creates a platform for deeper connections. 
• Make recharging a reality: Rest and recharge are vital to healthy relationships. Authors suggest we can start by supporting more generous family leave policies, child care and elder care, access to mental health services, time off for renewal, and “work-free hours” so employees can recharge by spending more time with family and friends. 

Bottom line: Creating spontaneous moments of connection is increasingly challenging in remote or hybrid environments. As such, managers have no choice but to take a proactive approach to improve this area of the employee experience.

Read the full article here

Empathy Is a Force for Innovation, Flourishing, and Intent to Stay

From: Catalyst Inc
Topic: Empathy in the workplace, management 

Catalyst Inc. surveyed a diverse group of 889 employees in the United States as part of its "Leveraging Disruption for Equity" series of reports focused on women and the future of work.

"Empathy is an important driver of employee outcomes such as innovation, engagement, and inclusion—especially in times of crisis. In short, empathy is a must-have in today's workplace."

Here are some important highlights from the study:

• Empathy is a force for productivity, life-work integration, and positive work experiences.
• Employees with empathic managers and leaders are more innovative and engaged in their work
• Empathic leaders foster inclusion.
• Empathetic leaders help decrease burnout.
• Senior leader empathy is linked to reduced intent to leave.

The authors of this report contend that anyone can cultivate more empathetic leadership. They offer practical advice for leaders on how to apply different empathy skills. For example, statins "don't assume your teams and employees know you care about them. Say it when you feel it: I care about you; I'm concerned, and I understand how challenging this is."

Read the full article here