Within the last twenty-four months, the way we work has radically changed — arguably even more than the last twenty-four years combined. Pandemic pressures, record-low unemployment, and record-high inflation have created a job market like never before. Within this unfamiliar environment, many employees found that once insignificant annoyances suddenly reached intolerable levels.
And if an organisation didn’t react to these changing expectations — it’s easier than ever for an employee to leave and find another job. And this is exactly what millions of people did during the Great Resignation.
In this blog, we’ll explore what the Great Resignation is — and how leading organisations are enhancing the employee experience with the help of ServiceNow and Thirdera to successfully combat it.
Interested to learn more? Watch this recording of the recent PeopleReign webinar to learn how they empower organisations to combat the Great Resignation and improve the employee experience.
In 2021, employees left their jobs in record numbers. In the last quarter of 2021 alone, thirteen million U.S. workers quit their jobs to find the next opportunity. The term “Great Resignation” was coined by Texas A&M Associate Professor Anthony Klotz to characterise this new phenomenon.
This increased employee turnover is impacting all industries, all markets, and all skill levels. Hospitality, food services, recreation and entertainment, retail, and professional business services have been especially affected.
As Harvard Business Review reports, “There is a widening mismatch between the job environment employees want—and now expect—and the one their organisations have.” This mismatch has led to workers deciding that they’re unwilling to tolerate the levels of friction at work that they once did—leaving many employers scrambling to find ways to adjust.
Now, the balance of power has well and truly shifted towards the employee. Employees want more money, more meaning, and more flexibility. Not only are people looking for better pay, but they’re also searching for connection, belonging, and respect. These days, employees are voting with their feet and walking away from organisations if they don’t live up to these new expectations.
Within this new working environment, there are opportunities for forward-thinking leaders to build stronger organisations. The concept of employee loyalty has rapidly evolved, and the challenge is now on to find ways to retain workers beyond a mere paycheck.
The employee experience is finally getting the attention it deserves—with ninety-three per cent of organisations recognising that a sense of belonging is a major driver of performance. Despite that, only thirteen per cent are ready to make the changes needed to achieve this.
Employees don’t want to feel like another cog in the machine—they want to feel enthused and involved with the organisations they work for. So, how can you stay ahead of the game and create a workplace culture and employee experience that keeps your team engaged, connected, and feeling valued?
To enhance the employee experience and successfully combat the Great Resignation, many organisations are turning to the combined power of ServiceNow and Thirdera. With ServiceNow’s employee-focused solutions—supported by Thirdera’s technical and business consultative guidance—organisations are optimising employee engagement, supporting flexible work arrangements, and enhancing the employee journey.
Review this recording of the recent PeopleReign webinar to learn just a few of the ways we are helping organisations implement ServiceNow to attract, engage, and retain top talent in today’s unique labour market.
A recent Gallup study revealed that thirty-nine per cent of U.S. employees are engaged, forty-seven per cent are disengaged, and fourteen per cent are actively disengaged. Considering employee engagement is a strong predictor of retention, finding ways to engage employees is vital to organisational success amid the Great Resignation. Fortunately, the ServiceNow platform has a number of features designed to engage, connect with, and delight employees.
The ServiceNow Employee Centre creates a compelling employee experience by providing guidance through moments that matter. This can be customised by role or geography to create a tailored experience rather than a bland, generic portal for all employees. Providing access to a range of services—from HR to IT, and everything in between—employees can also track their to-dos and keep an eye on the progress of specific tasks.
Campaigns—a feature of the Employee Centre—allow you to deliver targeted messages to your employees. Doing this reduces the reliance on email (and never-ending notifications), while also improving the employee experience by proactively pushing targeted content rather than irrelevant messages. Campaigns can be used to communicate when to expect a W2, announce benefits enrollment, share details about regional holidays, and more.
Being able to interact with your employees is just as important as sending them information. Many organisations simply guess what their employees want, and that doesn’t work too well. Instead, information from employees should be treated like gold. With ServiceNow’s Listening Posts, for example, you can create pulse surveys to capture employee feedback. These metrics and analytics can then be used to optimise the employee experience. Remember that positive changes are based on real employee demands. From improved dental benefits to Zoom-free Fridays, surveys can be used to continually adapt to what your employees want.
In the past, many organisations may have viewed employee communities as “fluff” or even an unnecessary distraction. Not so, anymore. In a more flexible working environment, the community is key to maintaining engagement and fostering a sense of belonging. And this is where the ServiceNow Communities application shines. Building forums on the ServiceNow platform can be used to encourage interaction, both around work-specific and general life events. Some employers add life and work coaching to not only enrich the day-to-day experience but to support their employees as they move forward.
When COVID-19 hit, many organisations were left scrambling to set up remote access. Now that many employees have had a taste of remote work, they’re seeking more flexibility. Organisations now have to invest in technology that supports hybrid work environments. ServiceNow can be used to achieve just that. Enabling employees to work from anywhere—including the office—demonstrates that organisations trust their employees to work self-sufficiently, something that’s key to retaining talent.
No longer are employees in the office nine to five, Monday through Friday. The way we work is changing—and so too are office setups. To support hybrid work environments, Thirdera has helped organisations configure the ServiceNow Workplace Delivery suite, for example, to allow the employees of our clients to reserve workspaces for when they want to come into the office. By setting up wayfinding with ServiceNow Workplace Space Mapping—which can be accessed via the company portal or physical touch screens located throughout our clients’ buildings—employees and visitors can easily find their reserved desks for the day. This can also be directly linked to an event and conference room reservation system, further automating the process, reducing downtime, and increasing ease of use.
In absence of water cooler talks and informal hallway run-ins, remote workers need easy access to the information they need to do their jobs from anywhere. Sometimes employees can get frustrated when they’re trying to find answers, but they don’t know where to look or whom to ask. Sharing information via a ServiceNow knowledge base is a great way to enable self-sufficiency by providing easy access to a range of relevant information including self-help, troubleshooting, and more. Advanced search filters and configurable widgets make the user experience as frictionless as possible.
Historically, employee loyalty has benefitted the organisation, not the employee. Unfortunately, many employees found that the only way to progress in their careers was to change employers. To reduce employee turnover, organisations now need to invest in the career growth and professional development of their employees.
The Employee Journey Management solution from ServiceNow offers an intelligent, personalised workflow to support career journeys. Managers can support and drive the employee experience by creating promotion plans, providing content recommendations, and offering learning experiences. This can all be based on the employee’s interests and feedback. Empowering employees to visualise their growth with the support of their manager helps them feel valued and respected.
A huge benefit of skills management is being able to identify any bottlenecks or skills gaps. This is operationally smart and helps reduce the risk of burnout. Working seventy hours a week because you’re the only employee with a specific skill is a surefire way to kill morale. Proactively managing the skills of your employees with the ServiceNow Skills Management application can boost transparency, create effective learning paths, and show employees you’re invested in helping them upskill their talents.
Over the course of the Great Resignation and the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees have gained a clearer idea of the kind of work environment they want and expect. The pressure is now on for organisations to meet these new demands—or risk losing their employees.
Innovative organisations are finding—with the help of Thirdera and ServiceNow—that the Great Resignation doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Rather, it represents a hidden opportunity for organisations that do invest in the employee experience to gain a competitive edge in the war for top talent.
As an elite ServiceNow implementation partner, Thirdera helps organisations around the world configure custom solutions that nurture employee engagement while also meeting employees’ need for flexibility. And ultimately, that’s the best way for organisations to thrive in this new era of work.
Get in touch today to discuss how Thirdera and ServiceNow can help you optimise your employee experience, remove points of friction, and show each and every employee that they truly matter.