According to a recent Forbes article, a growing number of employees are leaving their jobs in search of something better. As of March 2021, the quit rate was 2.4 percent, the highest for that month in twenty years. And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary, it rose even higher to 2.7 percent in April, the highest since the BLS began recording these numbers. Why the mass attrition? As expected, the pandemic was a significant factor in many employees leaving their careers. During the height of this chaotic period, many realized they did not want to waste time on a job that is not fulfilling or takes a toll on their well-being.
During these times of change, what do leaders need to do to maximize their employees’ skills and keep them fulfilled in the workplace? To gain deeper insights into this topic, we spoke to Dr. Benjamin Ritter, Founder of Live for Yourself (LFY) Career and Leadership Consulting. Read on to find out what Ritter and other thought leaders have to say about retaining valuable employees and why companies need to pivot when developing top talent.
The One-On-One: It’s More Important Than You Think
According to the Harvard Business Review (HBR), leaders must learn what their employees need to give them the right career growth opportunities. Managers can begin this process by scheduling regular one-on-one meetings with each team member. During our interview with Dr. Benjamin Ritter, Founder of Live for Yourself (LFY) Career and Leadership Consulting, he suggests, “When trying to develop the talents of your top employees, it’s important to understand what drives them. So, when meeting with an employee, leaders should ask specific questions such as what drives their performance, what their relationship is like with those they engage with, what they struggle with in terms of team dynamics, and which talents they would like to develop in the future.”
Ritter goes on to emphasize, “And the one-on-one doesn’t have to be an intense 30-minute conversation; it can also be a quick follow-up to a meeting. It’s up to leaders to keep notes during these meetings or quick chats, engage with that employee to help them progress, create an environment that aligns with their goals, and follow up with them.” Ritter adds, “Leaders need to move away from the mentality of ‘my job is to get work done,’ and to move into ‘my job is to help others get work done.'”
Using Tools to Gain Deeper Insights
Narrowing down employee skills, limitations, and potential may feel daunting to some managers. However, utilizing tools like assessments, engagement surveys, and personality tests can help take the burden off of managers when evaluating teams. These tools can also support leaders in improving their skills in the workplace. According to Quantum Workplace, “Surveys and assessments are a much easier way to collect and analyze employee feedback, and when possible, these surveys should be customized to fit the unique needs of an organization.” A few examples of workplace assessments and tests for both employees and leaders include:
- The Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment focuses mainly on team members’ strengths and how to turn natural talents into future strengths.
- Survey Sparrow is a software tool that helps collect feedback from employees on how their leaders work and mentor them. This data is analyzed to show the manager’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall personality.
- The PIC (Performance, Interpersonal, and Challenges) Report offers customized career development reports providing a granular view of each employee’s projected behavior at work in connection to their performance and interpersonal style.
- The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or DISC are examples of traditional tests used to evaluate team member’s personality traits.
Whatever test or assessment a leader chooses, it may be beneficial to ask questions such as “is this test reliable and scientifically valid?” or ” is this assessment biased?” Meaning, can employees “learn” how to answer these questions to be viewed in the best light?
Create Growth Opportunities, and Then – Think Bigger
Once leaders identify the skills their team members want to learn or areas they need to improve, they need to look for opportunities to help develop them. Workshops and classroom-style training are strong foundations, but these should be part of a larger picture. An article in HBR states, “Learning moments are an easier, quicker way to move the needle when it comes to developing workplace skills. Engaging employees in this way is key to helping them step outside their comfort zones, practice, and build confidence. For example, in a one-on-one meeting, an employee might express frustration about a peer they struggle to communicate with. Managers can take this opportunity to devise a learning moment. This might look like role-playing a tricky conversation or writing down a plan of action.”
Creating growth opportunities for top talent may also mean taking a step out of the “traditional professional development” box. Dr. Ritter states, “When one of your top leaders are moving into their values and building a brand and community outside the company, this can actually be very helpful for that organization.” He goes on to explain, “For example, one of my clients is very into social causes, and her networking outside of her company is actually helping to build strategic partnerships within the organization she is working for.” Ritter reveals, “Unfortunately, in many cases, when a top employee steps into their leadership outside the organization, the company doesn’t open the door and continue the conversation with them. If we want our top talent to grow, then companies have to be willing to help them flex in ways that the person wants to for their own career.”
Moving Forward
Ritter believes that companies are starting to realize that opening the door for top leaders to move into their leadership outside of the organization is a win-win. He states, “I think organizations are beginning to figure this out and are making job descriptions less ridged. They realize that professional growth isn’t always in a straight line, and HR needs to be more supportive.” When asked what Ritter’s wish was for the future, he shares, “I hope to see more of this flexibility in companies. I feel passionate about asking the question, ‘How do we create organizations where they work for their employees as opposed to how employees work for the organizations.'” Dr. Ritter offers leadership, career, and empowerment coaching and consulting services for senior leaders and entrepreneurs. He also plans to write a book on his journey to the life he has created and hopes to keep inspiring people to live more for themselves.
