It’s been called “The Great Resignation,” “The Great Migration,” “The Big Quit,” etc., but whatever name you give it, employees from all industries are still quitting in droves. Some are seeking higher paychecks, others want more challenging or rewarding careers, while still others are searching for a job with purpose. Carrier Management has compiled some expert tips to help companies retain employees amid the turbulence.

Don’t wait for the exit interview.

Don’t wait until employees are ready to walk out the door to ask them, “Is there anything else we could have done to keep you here?” Instead, find out about their career goals and motivations by conducting a stay interview, says executive coach Susan Peppercorn in a recent Harvard Business Review article.

Consider incorporating the questions below into routine check-ins with your direct reports:

• How would you like to grow within this organization?

The majority of people leave their company due to lack of career development opportunities. It’s important to figure out what growth opportunities each employee needs for optimum development, whether through sponsorship, coaching, mentoring, visibility or challenging work assignments.

• Do you feel a sense of purpose in your job?

Managers can play a meaningful role in helping employees understand how their roles contribute to the organization’s broader mission.

• What do you need from me to do your best work?

The most effective managers get to know employees as individuals, acknowledge their achievements, have performance conversations and conduct formal reviews. These supportive behaviors build a work environment where employees feel safe experimenting with new ideas and sharing information.

• What are we currently not doing as a company that you feel we should do?

Let workers know their opinions count by promoting open dialogue and providing honest feedback on employees’ opinions and suggestions, supporting good ideas and addressing unfeasible ones.

• Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?

Other options are: “What is the best part of your job? Which of your talents are you not using in your current role? What part of your job would you eliminate if you could?”

Source: “5 Questions Every Manager Needs to Ask Their Direct Reports,” Harvard Business Review, Jan. 21, 2022

Renegotiate with your employees.

Instead of stressing about “The Great Resignation,” it might be better to consider having a “great renegotiation” with your employees, says work culture expert Denise Hamilton, CEO and founder of WatchHerWork, in a recent strategy+business article.

She said that businesses need to rethink their fundamental way of operating, including roles, schedules, key performance indicators, individual performance metrics and more. Many employees who are considering leaving their jobs would happily stay with their employer if they could work out some changes—whether in pay, hours, opportunities for advancement, the freedom to work from anywhere, etc.

But first, companies need to listen to their employees’ ideas and concerns.

Train employees to negotiate. Employees need to know how to express what they’re looking for and navigate productive conversations with their managers and other executives. Managers should also be trained in how to respond to employee requests with an open mind.

Schedule one-on-ones. Many people are afraid or just too busy to approach their managers and ask for the changes they seek. Business leaders should be proactive about initiating these conversations by scheduling one-on-one time to talk with employees outside of performance reviews to discuss what motivates them and what they need to thrive.

Create open spaces for employees to discuss changes with one another. The kinds of changes people seek collectively could help reshape the entire organization for the better. Giving employees a chance to bounce ideas off one another is a great way to build solutions.

Source: “Turn the ‘great resignation’ into the ‘great renegotiation,'” strategy+business, Feb. 8, 2022

The “great reorganization.”

Many of the employees who want to quit their jobs don’t necessarily want to leave their companies, according to a recent Axios article.

The employee might want a higher-level position or to have a different role, but they also want to retain the friendships and reputation they’ve built within a company. Think of it as a “great reorganization,” the article advises. That means companies will have to rethink their hiring practices and biases.

When someone is selected from within the company for an open position, they’ve often been picked out before the role is even publicized. Consider opening up job applications a week early for internal candidates to encourage them to apply.

Firms can also promote stories of workers who have made a successful transition from one role to another. Employees often hear from leaders who have worked their way up in a company, but not as much from those who’ve moved across departments.

Source: “A ‘great resignation’ silver lining for HR,” Axios, Feb. 3, 2022

Rehire the retired.

Many recent retirees are considering returning to the workforce.

Returning retirees are liable to be a quick study, since they’ve already worked for your company, Carol Fishman Cohen, founder and CEO of the career re-entry training company iRelaunch, said in a January Inc.article. “They also have a mature perspective, they’re in a relatively stable time of life, and they tend to be very enthusiastic about returning to work.”

Companies that are committed to hiring retired professionals can benefit from establishing a more formalized training process. That may look like an apprenticeship that turns into full-time employment, or direct hires with customized transitional programming that helps them adjust back into the workplace. The training process should provide new employees with a “safe space to ask questions and express concerns,” Cohen says. Be sure to update employees on general policies and expectations that may have changed since their last time in the workforce.

Don’t underestimate the buddy system. People who are re-entering the workforce can benefit from having an assigned contact—another employee who isn’t their direct manager—to help them with any questions that may arise post-training.

One of the benefits of having multiple generations in the workforce is the opportunity to transfer knowledge in both directions, noted Christina Gialleli, director of people operations at Epignosis. “An effective way to connect varying perspectives is by having empathy and trying ‘reverse mentoring,’ which allows different generations to exchange knowledge. Allowing returning retirees to mentor younger colleagues can serve as a powerful tool, since these employees have decades of experience to draw upon.”

Source: “Welcoming Back Formerly Retired Workers Can Help Ease Your Labor Crunch. Just Don’t Forget the Buddy System,” Inc., Jan. 13, 2022

Mobility matters.

Employees see career development as a top priority, but they often hit barriers whether they’re trying to move higher in the company or transition into a different department or role.

Start by re-examining the company’s hiring policies and processes. Audit your existing roles for both experience and degree requirements—for example, rather than looking to hire someone with five to seven years of experience, build your talent from a junior position.

Dump the discriminatory policies/practices you currently have, such as refusing to let employees skip levels, only offering relocation packages for external hires, making internal job postings require manager approval and underpaying internal transfers compared with external hires.

Ensure career coaches are available to all employees. Empower coaches to talk about company policies, processes and culture. Help employees see their destination or new role as a part of who they are becoming.

Offer fully funded certification programs that allow employees in every role to reskill for the future—and make sure the employees know about them.

Source: “‘My talent sees no future here’: Identifying and eliminating barriers to mobility,” Talent Management, Feb. 2, 2022