What Is Driving the Great Resignation in Agribusiness?

“The Great Resignation” was one of the most common headlines of 2021, and remains a topic in 2022. Workers have been leaving jobs at a record pace throughout 2021, leaving employers scrambling to find enough employees to keep their businesses operating, while adding even more burnout potential to the employees that remain. This trend is affecting business in all levels, from hourly wage earners to critical salaried roles, and is creating similar issues for every leader in every industry.

With employee resignation happening at its highest rate in over 20 years, it’s easy to think that wages play a part in retention That is no doubt a component, but it’s not as big a part as you might expect. The resurgence of COVID-19 and its impact on a worker’s priorities are also key factors to be considered. However, if you look at trends before COVID was ever a headline, you’ll notice that organizations like Walmart, McDonalds, Aldi, Kroger, and other national chains were already starting to offer significantly higher wages before the pandemic. It was a recognition of talent shortage, a clear sign the market was shifting more bargaining power at the lower-paid end of the labor market. Despite those adjustments, the higher wages still weren’t enough to make those roles attractive because IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY!

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When organizations view the workforce as a commodity, employees are managed for the company’s convenience rather than theirs. For example, organizations and industries that use weather, demand, or other business issues to set employee schedules, due so for the benefit of the company, not based on the quality of life the employee is seeking. Add the uncertainty of health and safety issues during COVID on top of those shifting schedules, and you get a better picture of how the workplace is tilted to benefit the company.

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Therefore, it should be of no surprise the “Great Resignation” has turned into an unplanned uprising against questionable leadership, companies that ignore worker’s needs, organizations that refuse to adjust wages, and those that take advantage of employee’s ongoing effort and good will. Millions of workers voted with their feet and walked out of their jobs while most organizations watched and just hoped it would stop.

A recent survey polled companies with 500 or more employees. Here are some of their findings:

  • Forty percent of employees cited burnout as a top reason for leaving.
  • Employees were so dissatisfied with their situation that more than one-quarter (28%) of all respondents left their jobs without another job lined up.
  • Employees were attracted to their new job based on the ability to work remotely (40%) and other forms of flexibility.
  • An additional 24% reported not being restricted to complete job responsibilities during set working hours as a top attraction.

The five main reasons why employees quit:

  1. Burnout: 40%
  2. Organizational changes: 34%
  3. Lack of flexibility: 20%, Instances of discrimination: 20%, Contributions and ideas not being valued: 20%
  4. Insufficient benefits: 19%
  5. Well-being not supported by the company: 16%

What the job switcher sought out in a new job:

  1. Ability to work remotely according to personal preference: 40%
  2. Better compensation: 37%
  3. Better management: 31%
  4. Better company reputation: 29%
  5. Better work-life balance: 26%
  6. Flexible work schedule: ​​24%

While these results may seem daunting to a leader, all is not lost. If your leadership team is willing to adjust the way you lead, there are many options available to improve the retention of your team. The survey is a reminder that more money is only 1/3 of the challenge. It’s time for leaders to embrace their employees as a key part of the organization ( i.e., not a commodity), and show them you care by taking action.

Unresolved issues can turn even the best employees into toxic liabilities, and it’s not necessarily the employee who is to blame. Managers must take their share of accountability and recognize the challenges employees are facing are not their personal problems; it’s an organizational problem.

Leaders also need to recognize that its not all your fault, or your problem. These survey results also highlight what may be the most significant factor in this trend — the considerable shift in priorities of our workforce overall. The pandemic changed the way we all worked. Over time, we realized many of the things we were missing, along with things we thought we’d miss, but didn’t. Less time spent in offices, less time commuting, less travel for work, ability to adjust our schedule to be with family, less time worrying about clothing and looks, and many other things we have all been accustomed to.

These shifts in priorities need to be acknowledged. Retaining workers who have a deeper appreciation for life outside of their career need good reasons to keep coming back — and that means going well beyond team activities and Zoom events. Employees need to believe the values of the organization they work for, truly align with theirs. Employment is no longer just a job, it’s a part of their value system. If you look through the survey results, you can see that well over 50% of respondents sought new opportunities that better align with what’s important to them, which doesn’t include career or compensation needs.

Its also time to recognize the impact COVID has had on employees who value their work relationships. We’re no longer catching up in break rooms, going to lunch, or getting a group together to have a beverage after work. It’s more challenging to feel like you are part of a community. As a result, leaders now must work harder to create that sense of team and community.

The Great Resignation isn’t about any one thing. Its clearly not about the money, and it isn’t necessarily about burnout. It’s about the ongoing shift in priorities for each of us as individuals, which makes it impossible to build a single solution. Just remember, as you navigate through the traditional challenges of pricing, supply challenges, customer demands, and managing expenses, it’s easy to overlook the small things that can keep your team working together long-term. While there is no single solution to the resignation trend, keeping these four simple tips in mind will help you down the path of improving the retention of your team:

Pay close attention to your impact and interactions with your team. Don’t create unnecessary stress by allowing your inner concerns to impact your team.

Turn this challenge into an opportunity. Ask yourself and your team how this unique time in our industry can improve outcomes.

Approach transitions with gratitude and not resentment. When an employee hands in a resignation, view it as an opportunity to consider their journey with the company instead of as a rejection. Build on that.

Take time to appreciate and engage with your employees who have stayed. Understand their motivations, engage them by giving them agency and reward them for their work regularly.

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