The Great Resignation 2022 - Using Tech to drive Employee Satisfaction

The Great Resignation in the UK saw record numbers of employees quitting their jobs in 2021, and things look set to continue into 2022. The latest ONS Labour Market Overview statistics from February 2022 show that a record number of employees moved from job to job in the last quarter of 2021. A recent survey of 1000 UK workers suggested that a third are considering a move this year. The pandemic has affected all aspects of life, including the workplace. Firstly, we saw a seismic shift to remote working, which forced organisations to embrace new hybrid ways of working. Then later ‘The Great Resignation’ - a global phenomenon, seeing droves of employees leave their workplace. There are several reasons for The Great Resignation; one is a continued desire for flexible working following the pandemic.  A Microsoft Work Trend Index suggests that 70% of workers want to continue to work remotely beyond the pandemic. Employees are also calling for better technology and ways to stay connected, with 13% choosing to leave a job due to their employer not investing in collaboration technology.             

What can employers do about the great resignation?

One thing is clear—employees expect more, and employers need to provide more flexible, better working conditions. While the great resignation brings challenges, it also offers an opportunity for organisations to reassess how they engage with employees. To combat ‘The Great Resignation’, companies can make positive changes that will drive employee satisfaction—resulting in a happier, more productive workforce. This article looks at how technology can help businesses tackle the Great Resignation.

How to support flexible or hybrid working

Since employees want to work flexibly, it’s crucial to provide the technology and tools that help employees work remotely effectively. 

Remote Document Management

COVID-19 has highlighted the absolute need for a secure document management system that allows employees to overcome physical location barriers. Methods involving paper-based processes to execute contracts are no longer viable if your workforce needs to work in a hybrid or completely flexible way. Utilise cloud technology like Microsoft Teams or Google Drive for collaboration, DocuSign eSignature for signing contracts and contract lifecycle management software like DocuSign CLM to help you manage all of the agreements and documentation required throughout the employee lifecycle, including the onboarding of new employees and performance management. Creating a streamlined document management process using technology can enhance employee experiences. For example, Salesforce can now provide employee offer letters in less than one day by using eSignature. Digital tools and platforms can replace old, manual, paper-based systems like payroll and employee onboarding to boost productivity and free up teams to focus on growth. 

Create Meaningful Work and Provide Recognition

Document management systems can now be integrated into remote working IT platforms that show employees exactly what their tasks are, what their goals are and what progress is being made. Often this is helped by easy-to-see dashboards. This gives hybrid workers context of what their work is contributing to. McKinsey's research suggests that when employees find their work meaningful, their performance improves by 33%; they are 75% more committed to their organisation and 49% less likely to leave. These are all statistics that should make any CEO sit up and listen. Employees find meaning by seeing the impact their work is having. Many sources provide individuals with meaning, such as helping society, helping companies succeed, making customers' lives better, or team and individual achievements. Discover more about how HR teams can support hybrid working. Employees are also more likely to stay in a role where their hard work is recognised.

Provide a competitive benefits package

Pensions, insurances, and other benefits are essential for retaining employees and HR teams can use technology to provide a transparent benefits process. Employees need a simple means of enrolling for benefits and locating documentation about them when they need them most. Using PowerForms is an easy way for HR teams to give employees on-demand, self-service documents for key benefits decisions. It’s also vital to integrate benefits with systems your HR team use. In a survey on HR Trends by DocuSign, 50% of respondents said their benefits package wasn’t integrated with or was only partially integrated with their HMRS. Employees need to locate and enrol on their benefits package easily.