The Great Designation

(2 minute read)

A recent Mckinsey & Company report has Managers, HR professional and Team Leaders in a spin. It has been identified in the US alone, more than 19 million employees have quit their job in the last 6 months!

This undesirable phenomenon (for the businesses) has been hyped-up with its own moniker – The Great Resignation.

Amongst the angst this can create for employers, managers, and leaders, is some semblance of optimism.

The same report recognized, “Organizations that take the time to learn why—and act thoughtfully—will have an edge in attracting and retaining talent.”

So, rather than becoming alarmed at this emerging trend, there is a window of opportunity to focus on what elements of an organisation contribute to attracting and retaining talent.

SmartCompany undertook some local research and its report has recently identified the Best Places to Work in Australia.

It makes sense to study the successes of these companies, as they are setting the standards which make them sought after designations.

Designation: (noun) “the action of choosing a place for a special purpose or giving it a special status.”

InfoTrack is a Sydney-based business which took sixth place in the medium-sized business category. They outperformed other workplaces because 99% of staff said they were made to feel welcome when they joined the business.

Named Best Small Business Workplace, Bellroy is in Melbourne suburb, Fitzroy. All 80 employees claim it is a great place to work. CEO, Andy Fallshaw, says the business strives to create a culture which is challenging yet nurturing. He believes it is the team that helps create positive change within a workplace.

The Recruitment Company is a tight knit team of 22 staff, and received perfect scores of 100% in relation to its staff feeling a sense of pride in their work, feeling informed, having fun, caring for one another, and working in good facilities.

These are actions which any manager or team leader can initiate and drive within a small or medium sized business to attract and retain talent.

While much of the business media hype seems focused on people considering a change from their existing workplace conditions, there are some excellent examples of changes that can be made from within a business to help make it a workplace of choice.