Stay interviews and the great realignment-reckoning-resignation

Don’t leave it too late

It’s too late if we ask people what it’s like to work with us once they have already left.

Of course, we can record exit data and (hopefully) put it to good use. But more usually, it gets filed and forgotten. Or ignored or devalued because the person was a trouble maker or a PITA.

There’s another way – and that is rather than waiting for our people to tell us when they are already out the door – ask them what it’s like to work with us when their feet are still under the desk (or machine)..

The very logically named – Stay Interview.

The Stay Interview is just what it says on the can. What’s it like working here and what continues to make you want to stay? We do ask people this when we do employee engagement/climate and pulse surveys of course, but often that goes the way of exit interviews (filed under “too hard” or “don’t know what to do with this”).

The Stay Interview is regular, informal, genuine and non process driven.

Yes, there’s some record keeping to make sure that things get done – but there’s no long forms, or processes or tick the box exercises.

So what does make people want to stay?

Qualtrics have released their 2022 employee experience trends report today

HR Daily report that:

The report, based on a survey of 14,000 employees from 27 countries (including more than 600 from Australia), also found that while engagement is up, Australian employees’ intent to stay with their employer for the next 12 months has dropped slightly (55%, compared to 57% last year).

With the Great Resignation predicted to peak within the next six months, the report outlines the top drivers that increase employees’ intent to stay:

“I feel that my career goals can be met at this company” (growth and development);
“I feel as if I belong at this company” (inclusion);
“I feel positive about myself at work” (wellbeing);
“I believe this company has an outstanding future” (strategic alignment); and
“I would recommend this company’s products and services” (customer focus).

Of course, the organisations who have real-time reviews with their employees on a regular basis already know this stuff, both at an individual level and an aggregated team and organisational level – but many do not.

And with the Great Resignation/Realignment/Reckoning potentially coming this way, the questions has to be asked why not.

The why “I can’t do a real time review” arguments

The usual arguments go along the lines of:

I don’t have the time to speak to every employee on a regular basis
The process is too bureaucratic
I already know what my people want
We’re not a charity – my employees are here to do a job – they should just get on and do it
It’s too hard
My boss doesn’t ask me what I want
We are here to deliver value for our clients/shareholders/customers not worry about our employees
I don’t have the skills to have the conversation
I don’t care ..

The alternative view

Here’s the thing. The most up to date job vacancy data shows a massive spike in vacancies. Whether that’s because of the Great Reckoning/Alignment/Resignation, COVID, growth or other is still up for debate.

What’s not up for debate is that is it is HARD to find good people at the moment.

Recruiting is time consuming and expensive.

Of course vacancies allow a refresh of people, personalities and approaches. They also offer an opportunity to do some targeted culture cleaning, but too much of anything isn’t a good thing – and we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

The Stay Interview is a simple way to address the vacancy crisis before it hits your organisation.

The Takeaway

More and more we know that the key to great engagement with an organisation is that it’s a two way street.

Most people just want to be able to come to work – do a good job, enjoy the work as much as possible and have purpose to their work. New research shows that people want good relationships and managers who have empathy, emotional intelligence and value positive human relationships including being able to manage conflict. They want managers who care enough to ask the questions that are included in a Stay Interview and then action what they are being told.

Want more still…….

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