Can you reset your role without choosing to quit?
Yes - it’s a reality that there is a squeeze in job applicants in many industry sectors, leaving those still in post to pick the pieces - as one commentator put it “having super-sized jobs without super-sized salaries.”
Employers are finding it hard to recruit, but some are also wary of just choosing anyone. When staff get poached, especially those with very valuable or technical skills, it can be hard for remaining employees to re-distribute the work. And when employers don’t know what the next six months is going to look like, there is potential to bank the payroll savings, and simply offer overtime to existing staff, and hire freelancers or agency staff to cope with interim peaks. This may suit some independent workers in the gig economy, but in the medium term, it’s bad news for everyone else., Overworked employees can quickly feel burned out and in the current seller’s market can also leave, setting up a negative feedback loop. The more people resign, the more people are driven to resign.
So - what can those who are left behind do to improve their lot without adding their name to the Great Resignation list?
This article from UK newspaper The Guardian draws upon four different opinions and professions for guidance - anthropologist, executive coach, organisational psychologist and employment law solicitor. The interview discussion is a useful perspective not just on what individuals can do for themselves, but how their collective action can create a different workplace culture, especially if they’re not prepared to put up with the workplace values of the past….