at the end of May, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 9.3 million open jobs at the end of April 2021. One thing that hasn’t changed since 2021, according toMcKinsey, is the percentage of workers planning to leave their jobs within the next three to six months – 40%. Ruehlman notes that promotional products field workers typically don’t want to leave the industry. She says, “I think they would fight long and hard to stay in it before attempting to look elsewhere. Sadly, those that do look outside of the industry tend to feel like that may be one of the only ways to reach the compensation they desire. I have noticedmany of the people that were forced to leave the industry due to pandemic-related layoffs are now looking to return. Many are willing to even take a step back from their previous role to be able to achieve that.” Aligning withMcKinsey’s findings, an April survey by YMCAWorkWell, a workplace well-being expert for businesses, governments and nonprofits, asked 682 employed adults if they intend to be working at their current organization in six months. It found that 34% of respondents were expecting to leave or open to leaving their current role in the next six months. • Responses were similar across all parts of an organization: front-line staff (36%), managers (34%), directors (32%) and executives (33%). And the Great Resignation and the attitudes behind it are likely to remain a factor for a while. A survey by AI-drive job search platform Joblist found that 42% of those who quit and found new jobs say the new positions aren’t living up to their expectations. This group is unlikely to stick around at a job that isn’t working for them. • The survey found that 16%will stay at a job not meeting their expectations for three months or less, 34% for less than six months and 48%will stay less than a year. • Worker age can exacerbate these numbers – 47% of people in their 20s and 40% of those in their 30s say they will leave a job that doesn’t measure up in six months or less. However, less than 25% of those over the age of 40 will leave in less than six months. Making A Change As in somany other sectors of the economy, the Great Resignation has brought new faces to the promotional products industry, familiar faces to new corners of it and in some cases departures. Lucash recognizes many of the factors influencing the Great Resignation in his decision to step down fromhis role at HPG. “I was working crazy hours for 13 years straight, traveling 150,000+miles a year and prioritizing work before everything,” says Lucash. “When the pandemic hit and I was suddenly home and not in the office or on the road, it was quite the adjustment. Over the two years of being grounded and working fromhome, it made me reprioritize what was the most important tome. I wanted to spendmore time at home withmy family, take a break fromworking to reevaluate what I ampassionate about and spendmore time figuring out where I canmake my next big impact. Culture Shift Company culture and its role in connecting and attracting talent is worth the scrutiny. Evidence from YMCA WorkWell, McKinsey and elsewhere suggests that a positive organizational culture can also reinforce an employee’s relationship with their employer. “Companies that thrived through the pandemic and beyond have recognized the vital need to put employee well-being and experience at the center of company culture,” says business futurist Jaci Badzin. “We will see a dramatic shift away from ‘perks’ like unlimited free snacks, in-office massage and ping-pong tables. Employees are showing with their choices that they want a company that has respect-driven policies – respect for their time, their life choices, their work product and freedom to show up as themselves. This is a new realm of policies, stated and observed. Smart brands know that how customers get to feel starts with how employees feel at work.” Fostering a company culture that connects employees to the organization is also an opportunity for a business to live its brand values. “Every major company has stated brand values, often on their ads or company homepage,” Badzin says. “For example, Apple’s company motto is ‘Think Different’ while Disney’s is ‘The Happiest Place on Earth.’ If a company is struggling with retention one first step is to put their efforts into creating a culture that truly brings a brand’s values to life. Employee experience matters.” The pandemic has complicated the growth of company culture and its value proposition, and what that means during the Great Resignation. Promotional products businesses are still working to understand what that means in terms of culture and retention. Badzin suggests companies lean into these changes. “Many highly skilled employees got a taste of the freelancer or entrepreneur lifestyle with work-from-home time,” she says. “Now they want to feel like partners or collaborators, with autonomy and a focus on results, skills and creative solutions rather than a clock-in culture.” Great Resignation | FEATURE | OCTOBER 2022 | 71
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