In the age of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes being rolled back or cancelled altogether, HR leaders are having to think about how this impacts the workforce.
We have seen an increasing need to focus on employee wellbeing over the last few years, especially as employers have been faced with various work trends, including the Great Resignation, quiet quitting, revenge quitting… and the list goes on. And yet, while 69% of UK managers view supporting wellbeing as a core skill, only 13% have received proper mental health training.
Changing priorities for organisations – whether this is due to rising costs and tax changes in the UK or feeling the effect of the political landscape across the pond – are creating huge uncertainties for employees. The question for leaders now, is how they can create stability in what feels like a period of constant flux.
Steadying the ship
Organisation leaders are responsible for setting the tone for open communication and inclusion – which directly impacts employee retention. According to a survey of employees at large global companies, those who receive sufficient information from their employer said they are 35% more likely to stay in their jobs for the next year. In contrast, 61% of those contemplating a job change cite poor internal communication as a key factor.
But as leaders navigate situations they may not have previously encountered, it is easy to slip into a reactive way of approaching the employee experience, rather than a proactive approach.
To balance this, we need to see people teams working with leaders across their organisation to become more predictive. The business needs to think in advance about the policies and measures they should be putting in place to ensure they’re staying ahead of the curve in the way they support their people.
People teams have a big role to play here, especially when it comes to navigating employment law reforms and business regulation changes. They should take this opportunity to actively put themselves in a position where they are thinking about processes in line with what the government is proposing before any changes are passed.
With people teams encouraging a mindset shift to a proactive rather than reactive approach to workforce changes, they are demonstrating to employees that despite a turbulent start to the year across the world, employee needs are still being considered and prioritised.
It takes a village
But the people team can’t work in isolation to achieve this. For example, with the new day-one rights proposed by the government, there will be increased scrutiny on employers’ onboarding practices and the continuous support bring provided to employees.
This is where HR professionals must play a more involved role across the business to ensure there is a consistent employee experience in place – from recruitment and onboarding to probation and regular performance reviews.
The key thread running through all of this is making sure managers are trained to understand what is happening in their team, recognising any challenges before they arise so they can be dealt with swiftly. Again, all focusing on taking a more proactive approach towards the employee experience.
People-first or high performance?
Strong leadership is the cornerstone of a mentally healthy workplace culture, and to thrive in a leadership position, the individual must truly know what their people want. The best way to get this insight will always be by asking them.
Business leaders must remember that strength comes from counsel and taking the time to make the right decision, as opposed to reacting according to what other companies are doing. And this is where having a robust feedback structure in place can help employers understand their people’s needs and start to have more open and honest conversations.
On the journey to retaining talent, the key thing for business leaders to remember is there is not a choice to be made between being people-first and expecting high performance across the organisation. If you prioritise your people, there is a strong likelihood they will want to perform better, delivering stronger results for the business.
Jeanette Wheeler
Jeanette joined MHR in 1996 and now leads the HR team, with overall responsibility for MHR's employees and training strategy. She was shortlisted twice in 2021 as HR Director of the Year in two separate national business category awards. Passionate about employee engagement, resilience and wellbeing in the modern workplace, in addition to encouraging employees to embrace new opportunities and challenges, Jeanette is skilled and highly motivated in supporting all MHR employees and colleagues.
