Neena Newberry is the president of Newberry Solutions and creator of the New Lens leadership platform.
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So far, 2023 has brought a barrage of headlines about layoffs at huge employers like Amazon, Salesforce and Microsoft. You might assume that this wave of cutbacks means that employee retention is not the same worry it was during the Great Resignation—the surge in quitting that started in 2021.
But as the New York Times recently reported, that just isn’t the case. According to the Times, while resignations have slowed since the peak of the Great Resignation, they are still higher than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic, and they far outnumber job reductions. Furthermore, layoffs can actually spur remaining employees to quit if they feel the workplace culture is damaged.
That means we still need a laser focus on keeping employees from jumping ship. One way we can do that is by providing more opportunities for growth and development. Over the past few years, survey findings have shown us just how important these opportunities are to employees
• A 2019 report from LinkedIn found that 94% of employees "would stay at a company longer if it simply invested in helping them learn."
• 60% of Millennials—the largest segment in the workforce—want leadership training.
• More than two-thirds of remote workers want more training.
All of this means that amid the tumult of layoffs, organizations still have to prioritize learning and development or they risk losing top performers. Here are a few ideas on how to accomplish that, even in an environment of change.
Start By Listening
If you haven’t checked in with your team members lately about their goals, passions and what they want to learn, now is a great time to do so. The knowledge you can gain through these conversations should help you make the most of your reports’ talents while also helping them be more fulfilled at work.
Delegate With Development In Mind
Once you’ve had this check-in with your team members, start looking for ways to delegate with development in mind. Getting a task off your plate and assigning it to an employee can be a win-win. You have time for the priorities that make the best use of your skills, and the employee gets an opportunity to grow. Bonus points if the work you delegate helps your team member gain visibility in the organization in addition to helping them learn.
Make Time For Feedback
Employees crave genuinely helpful feedback. I can tell you from firsthand observations, though, that this is something that many leaders struggle with, so they tend to put it off. But this actually makes feedback harder because it allows problems to build.
Feedback is easier to give and more helpful to the recipient when you give it in the moment. Try to share what you notice about your employees’ behaviors right after you observe them. For example, take a couple of minutes after a meeting to point out what worked well and what you would recommend that they do differently,
Encourage Collaborative Learning
We tend to think of learning and development as something that happens on special occasions, like at a conference or an off-site. Such events have value, of course, but they should not be the only ways your employees can learn and grow. Collaborative learning is a great way to make development a regular part of the workday.
For example, assigning an experienced team member to mentor a new employee can benefit both. Your veteran can help the rookie learn how things work at your organization, and the rookie can introduce the veteran to new ideas and perspectives. Some development programs also include a collaborative learning component. For example, a facilitator presents content, and then participants work out how to apply that content at their organization.
Helping employees grow and develop takes extra intention and creativity when organizations are stretched thin, as many are now. But neglecting their development is simply too big of a risk. Taking some small steps consistently can help you create an environment of learning where your employees feel cared for and inspired.
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