Exclusive new webinar highlights the value of autonomy
Of all the continued challenges faced by organizations in the wake of COVID-19, the ‘Great Resignation’ is perhaps the most profound.
With health and economic constraints, staff shortages, and burnout threatening employee retention across the board, it’s a tougher environment than ever for organizations seeking to create workplace cultures where employees want to sign up, engage, and stay.
“We’re discovering that the Great Resignation is really two layers deep,” says Meghan Stettler, Director of the O.C. Tanner Institute. “The first layer is the number of people physically resigning from their jobs, while the underbelly is what some term the ‘hidden resignation’ of passion and effort.”
“While the latest figures of voluntary resignations are astounding, we are also seeing a steep decline in engagement – O.C. Tanner’s 2020 Global Culture Report indicated that 69 percent of Canadian employees were engaged at the time – today, that number is only 46%. What this means, is that while employees may not have handed in their resignation yet, many are not connected to one-another, nor fulfilled or engaged in doing their best work.”
This is why Stettler will be putting this timely issue in the spotlight in O. C. Tanner’s upcoming free webinar ‘Autonomy: An Essential Need for Employees in the Wake of the Great Resignation’.
“Autonomy is the need to experience a sense of freedom and control in making choices in the workplace, Stettler explains. “The distinction of “choice” is particularly important, because sometimes leaders hear the term “autonomy” and suddenly worry their employees will act independently from each other. Autonomy is about acting with choice and volition, even if it means complying with policies or standards as a personal decision.”
This comprehensive session will examine exactly how autonomy addresses an important psychological employee need that organizations can’t afford to ignore, as well as looking at best practices organizations can implement to respond to the need for autonomy in the new workplace.
“People want to feel deeply fulfilled in how they work and live, and the more organizations can support whole-life awareness and success, the better,” Stettler adds. “The employee experience doesn’t start when they “punch in” and leave when they “punch out” –it’s about creating a great employee experience that transcends work hours.”
“Employees are drawn to work that promises a degree of ownership, a sense of belonging, and a chance to exercise their skills in a way that makes a meaningful contribution to the success of their teams and organization. When organizations build a thriving culture that fulfills these promises, employee needs are satisfied, and everyday experiences can become peak experiences where people engage and do their best work.”