Following a whirlwind year that disrupted most workplace norms and elevated diversity to a top priority for nearly every organization, a new challenge came knocking at the door when leaders realized that upwards of 40% of their teams might be leaving their jobs in the next year. The combination of new return-to-office mandates, previous departure plans that were delayed by the pandemic, and many new revelations about the need for better work-life balance started what seems to be a record-breaking departure from jobs in a shockingly small window of time.
The Great Resignation Doesn’t Have to Threaten Your DE&I Efforts
The “Great Resignation” has major implications for companies’ diversity efforts. Many talent teams that were already facing capacity issues are now struggling to fill gaps with qualified and available candidates, much less ones from diverse communities. In a climate where underrepresented job seekers are in high demand and many will be part of the cadre leaving their jobs in the next year, organizations face a major risk of seeing their diversity numbers get worse. To avoid sliding backward at this critical juncture, organizations need to break traditional conventions and fundamentally shift their approaches to diversity hiring. The author presents six strategies for talent leaders to translate this massive shift in the workforce into significant progress.