New research has found the top priorities for HR and business leaders are engagement and the overall employee experience, cited by 56% and 57% respectively.

The research included insights from more than 300 leaders, HR professionals and industry experts on key challenges, priorities and opportunities following the pandemic, and also revealed the following:

• 44% of respondents are focusing their resources on creating diverse and inclusive workplaces
• The same number are concentrating on improving employee retention
• 43% are most concerned with hybrid and flexible working and how to make it a success
• 32% were prioritising improving company culture

The results around employee engagement did not show such strong majorities, with 34% of organisations stating their employee engagement levels had increased during the past 12 months, the same figure stating it had declined, and 22% answering it had stayed the same.

Alison Gill, HR manager at advo, commented that some organisations are finding recruiting and retaining talent harder than ever.

“We spend the majority of our week at work, it’s no surprise that people want to work for organisations that have great cultures, where they know their employer cares about their wellbeing. Focusing on providing a positive employee experience includes listening to people’s needs and expectations. When I say ‘listening’, I mean truly listening and genuinely attempting to make things better by delivering the improvements employees would like to see. There will be occasions when the improvements are simply not possible. When this happens, it should be communicated clearly and effectively, with a level of transparency and a full explanation given as to why.

 

“The ‘Great Resignation’ is truly upon us with vacancies having reached an all-time high, and as a result, employers across many industries are fighting a mass exodus. It therefore makes absolute sense for leaders to create inclusive and attractive cultures with roles that offer flexibility around where and when people work. In some jobs, such flexibility is just not possible – but if adjustments can be made to the way of working, this should be seriously considered.

 

“Recruitment is tough and getting the right people into the right roles is even tougher. Recruitment campaigns advo have been involved in, and feedback from our clients clearly illustrates that great talent is undoubtedly expecting more flexibility than ever before, so where employers are not offering this, they are running the risk of severely limiting their talent pool. If you just can’t offer flexibility or want to be leader of the recruitment pack, consider other ways to illustrate an all-inclusive and caring culture, such as investing in a comprehensive employee benefits package.”

Talk to advo today for hr advice, enhancing your employee experience, employee wellbeing or recruiting through the Great Resignation.

The 2021 Wellbeing at Work Report can be accessed here.