Why employee retention is critical in the post-pandemic world

For many people, 2020 was a time of uncertainty and upheaval. Though some people lost their jobs, there was a shift in the way companies worked. Some businesses are looking to return to the old ways of working, but this can lead to problems with existing staff. Here is why employee retention is critical in the post-pandemic world.

What changed during the pandemic?

With so many people restricted to their homes, it made working difficult for many. Companies needed to come up with new strategies to cope with the lack of a physical workforce.

The digital revolution has been building for some time, but the pandemic pushed it forward for many companies who saw working from home as the only solution.

For many workers, the idea of working from home may not have initially appealed to them. However, practical necessities of the pandemic era led many employees to rethink their outlook on home working.

A larger pool of talent

Businesses have seen the benefits of having their employees work from home. This same advantage also allows them to cast their recruiting net wider.

There is less need for companies to find employees near to their offices or even in the same country. While this is an advantage for employees as well, it is also a warning to employers who want to retain staff.

If your company decides to call everyone back to the office, there will be some employees who may decide this is not what they want. Those workers will see the job market as a global opportunity, making it easier for them to find new positions.

What can businesses do to retain staff?

There is no doubt that the pandemic has changed the way employees want to work. As an employer, it is vital that you understand how things have changed, and move towards a new way of working which includes hybrid solutions. 

Staff benefits that were suitable before the pandemic may now be irrelevant. Finding new incentives such as a group life insurance policy for employees will help you to retain your workers as well as give them something they can use in the new environment.

Communication has been at the forefront of staff happiness and wellbeing in 2020. The old ways of communicating need changing to ensure that workers are happy and motivated at home.

Although your workforce may largely be working from home, you still need to give them the same avenues for advancement. It can be easy to assume that your employees are happy in this new world and not give them the opportunity to improve their skills.

Finding talented individuals to join your business is now easier than ever. The old restraints of location are not as important as before. This also means that forging connections to markets in other countries no longer strictly requires you to have a physical office in each of these territories. 

Conclusion

While there were many negatives to come from the pandemic, 2020 has shown that previously hard-to-achieve working practices are actually easier than companies thought. With improvements to technology and internet speeds, more companies will join the home-working revolution and see the benefits it can offer.