Keep the romance alive

I don’t think any organization has been immune to the Great Resignation, and though some companies have been harder hit than others, all companies have had employees who stayed. The Harvard Business Review cautions all business owners not to ignore this important group.

In the article, “With so many people quitting, don’t overlook those who stay,” the authors write: “In the frantic need to hire more people, the group we often forget to attend to are the folks who stay. ... Think about what these people ... need now. … It’s your job as the leader to make sure they’re getting the recognition they deserve.”

The authors explain four steps you can take to properly recognize those who have stayed with you:

1. Manage your actions and reactions. The authors ask: “How do you message the realities of … pain points to your people? Are you unintentionally adding to their fear and uncertainty? When you become aware of your impact, you can control it and steer it in the right direction.”
2. Focus on potential and possibility. The authors note hiring new employees provides an opportunity to show gratitude and recognition of what your staff will face onboarding new hires. You should ask them to share what excites them about adding to the team, how they envision a larger team working together and what the best possible outcomes can be. Open communication is one way to lead with potential and possibility instead of fear and uncertainty.
3. Make it OK to break up. No one will stay with you forever, and even loyal, longtime employees eventually will leave. Rather than taking these departures personally, the authors suggest you recognize what the employees have contributed. The authors write: “Rather than viewing a resignation as a rejection of the relationship, what could be possible if you began to view it as an inflection point in its evolution?”
4. Re-recruit them. This is the time to rekindle the energy and excitement you and your employees had when they first were hired. Prioritize understanding their motivations and ambitions and help them fulfill unrealized dreams. The authors suggest you also “acknowledge not just what they are doing but why it matters. Let them know what you appreciate about how they are showing up during difficult times.”

These conversations and recognition should be ongoing and throughout your organization—in the office and on job sites. People want to know they are making a difference, and when they are recognized, they are more likely to stay with you.

AMBIKA PUNIANI REID is editor of Professional Roofing and NRCA’s vice president of communications.