In the midst of #thegreatresignation, leaders are scrambling to adapt. The recent article by Culture Amp, "How Management Has Changed: 4 Key Learnings from the Pandemic," shines a light on key things managers and HR leaders can do now to respond.
These are our key takeaways and insights:
Sometimes a sense of affinity and connection with members on associate's teams has more influence on retention than whether or not a team's manager is rated as a good manager.
Action: Consider, what are the areas where people feel alone but (unknowingly) have a shared experience? For non-profits, this gap often shows up related to purpose: "I'm not passionate enough or as committed as the members on my team; I don't belong here." These kinds of voices exist on your team. Create space on your teams for people to relate through their (oftentimes vulnerable) shared experiences to deepen their sense of affinity and belonging.
Increase team performance and engagement by helping associates understand their career aspirations and how those fit, or not, on a trajectory within your organizations. Managers are carrying a heavy load right now and it could be a lot to ask them to tune into the career aspirations of all their direct reports (when they might not understand their goals themselves).
Action: Have managers demonstrate they care by being curious about the career aspirations of their direct reports. Make sure managers are equipped with resources to share that could empower associates to better understand their own career trajectory and encourage an exploration of pathways within your organization.
Managers are burnt out and need time to restore.
Action: Heavily encourage them to take time off. Better yet, give everyone a few "mental health days" off so everyone comes back on the same page. And then, consider leverage points to lighten the work load. Oftentimes this lies in building better systems of accountability and support. Are members on your teams giving each other feedback and solving their own problems, together? Are managers getting roped into problem-solving that their teams can work through and solve themselves? Create space for managers to discuss their challenges and see where the opportunities lie to give more autonomy, agency, and decision-making power to their teams.