LHH Study Reveals State of Great Resignation and Warning Signs for Leaders

HONG
KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 20 October
2021 – As companies struggle with what workplaces should look like going
forward, findings from a new LHH and The Adecco Group study reveal global
workers’ attitudes about remote versus in-person work, how their companies have
handled the pandemic, their career plans moving forward, the state of mental health
in the workplace and the truth about the Great Resignation.

Findings
from the Resetting Normal: Defining the New Era of Work study show that a large number of workers
globally (53%) want a hybrid working model where more than half of their work time
is remote. Productivity has not suffered with remote work, with 82% saying they
feel as productive or more productive than before.

Wellbeing
has taken a hit, however, with more than half of young leaders (54%) reporting
they have suffered burnout and three in 10 stating their mental and physical
health has declined in the last 12 months. In China, 40% of respondents agree
that working remotely makes them feel less comfortable about taking time off
sick.

“There
is no doubt that there is an increased focus and higher employee expectation on
the topic of wellbeing,” said Anders Lundholm, Managing Director – Hong Kong,
LHH. “Regardless if the workforce is working from home or in the office  – there is higher employee expectation on
flexibility and recognition both for their work contributions and their mental
and physical health.”

Two
themes that emerged from the study are that the Great Resignation is currently
a Great Re-Evaluation for salaried employees and a growing disconnect between  leadership and their employees.

The
Great Resignation

The
study found that nearly two in five employees are already changing or
considering new careers and 41% are considering moving to jobs with more
flexible working options. A quarter of the workforce is considering moving to
another country or region.

The
market is ripe: two-thirds of workers are confident that companies will start
significant hiring again, and less than half are satisfied with career
prospects at their current company.

“The
key word is ‘considering’,” said Lundholm. “What we’re seeing is actually not
yet a Great Resignation when it comes to non-hourly workers, but rather a Great
Re-Evaluation in which salaried employees are seeing more possibilities
available to them, which puts everything on the table. Companies need to
recognize the warning signs that great talent could soon be walking out the door
and address demands for increased work-life balance and career advancement
opportunities.”

The
Leadership Disconnect

Study findings point
to a large disconnect between employees and their managers and senior
leadership. While 80% of leaders say they are satisfied with senior
leadership, only 43% of non-managers are satisfied. Satisfaction with
leadership is particularly low in the areas of company culture and career advancement
opportunities. Among the findings:

• Less than half are satisfied with career prospects at
  their company and only 37% of non-managers say their company is effectively
  investing in developing their skills
• Only 48% of
  workers say their managers meet or exceed expectations for encouraging a good
  working culture
• Just 50% of
  workers say their managers meet or exceed expectations for helping support
  their work-life balance
• 67% of non-managers
  say leaders don’t meet their expectations for checking on their mental
  wellbeing

In
China, 44% of respondents are considering coaching/mentoring leadership skills
in response to the challenges of the last 12 months. And although 78% believe a
leadership style focused on empathy and a supportive attitude will be important
after the pandemic, only 27% believe the company will provide this.

“Employees
need leaders to rise to the occasion by evolving their skillset,” said Lundholm.
“There is an opportunity for companies to invest in coaching for their leaders so
they can  better identify and address
issues that could otherwise become the reason employees leave.”

For more information, download
the Resetting Normal: Defining the New Era of Work whitepaper here.