The Great Resignation Leaves Remaining Employees Overworked

We have probably all heard about the large number of people who have left the workforce during the pandemic. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that quit rates hit a record high in April, with 4 million quits recorded that month. Some left for caregiving responsibilities, while others reevaluated their priorities and values to find flexibility and a real work/life balance. With so many people leaving, those who remain in the workforce are experiencing the fall-out of ‘the great resignation.’  As employers struggle to manage staffing shortages, current staff are feeling overworked and under-compensated. SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, shared findings from a new survey that highlight the needs and rationale of workers – loyalists – who chose to stay with their current employer amid a wave of job resignations. Here are some interesting statistics to ponder.

• More than half (52%) of remaining workers surveyed reported taking on more work and responsibilities,
• 30% report struggling to get necessary work done, 
• 28% feel more lonely or isolated, 
• 27% feel less loyalty to their organization, and 
• 55% now wonder if their pay is high enough
• 53% of workers who said they were job searching cited better compensation, 
• 42% said they wanted better work-life balance, and 
• 36% want better benefits.

As employees continue to leave the job market due to burnout, the remaining employees, with overwhelming workloads, appear to be experiencing burnout of their own. Therefore, employers that want to hold on to these remaining employees should pay attention to their concerns and find ways to help them. 

Resources

• Centers for Disease Control
  • Employees: How to Cope with Job Stress and Build Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Mental Health in the Workplace
• Workplace Mental Health: COVID-19: Mental Health and Well-being
• Total Wellness Health: 8 Ways You Can Offer Employee Support During the COVID Era
• Lifehack: How to Manage a Staff That’s Overworked
• Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness: Are You Overworking Your Employees? 4 Signs and Solutions
• CNBC: How Companies Are Dealing with Burnout to Keep Workers on Board

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