Overcoming recruitment challenges and avoiding ‘quiet quitting’

According to new research by BetterUp using data analysed from 3,000 UK workers, one in three workers now consider themselves ‘quiet quitters’turning up for work with the aim of doing no more than what is needed to stay employed.

With the cost of recruiting a new member of staff believed to be at least £25,000, what can you do to recruit, retain, engage and motivate your staff – and what are other organisations doing?

Offering More Flexible Working

The launch of new guidance on hybrid working from the Flexible Working Taskforce in December 2021 reinforced that the way we work is likely to permanently change. Employees already have a right to make a request to work flexibly once they have 26 weeks of service, and the employer must consider that request ‘in a reasonable manner’ within three months of receipt of the request.

The Government has now announced changes will be made to the legislation to widen the scope of who can apply for flexible working by making this a right employees can request from day one and to change the requirements so that it makes it less challenging for employees to be granted flexible working. Obviously, this does mean it will make it tougher for employers to decline requests too.

Increasing numbers of organisations, however, recognise that marketing themselves as a ‘flexible employer’ could make them more attractive to new recruits and to retain existing staff. Businesses are turning to ever-more creative solutions with some choosing a four-day week, or offering more flexibility during the working day so that employees can continue to manage their work hours around personal or family commitments.

It’s important though to think about what would work for your business as a whole, as one size does not fit all.

Career Planning And Development

A career and development plan is one of the most important ways to attract and retain staff. Training staff supports career progression and makes employees feel valued, but also develops new skills, stimulates fresh ideas and encourages collaboration.

It’s important to deliver regular training to employees and managers. By also upskilling managers to deal with challenging situations sensitively and effectively, you can help to retain staff and maintain the overall engagement and productivity of the workforce.

Employee Benefits

Reviewing benefits available to staff is a worthwhile exercise but you also need to take the time to understand what motivates your current and future staff. A staff survey is helpful to gather this insight, which can be anonymised to encourage honest feedback.

Parental Leave

Extending parental leave beyond the basic statutory requirement is a popular way to attract and retain talent, especially with the increasing cost of living. A Maternity Action survey reported that approximately 70% of women said they struggled at times to buy living essentials while pregnant or on maternity leave, with more than half stating that money worries impacted their health or wellbeing.

Any extra support provided from employers during this time could be critical to attracting or retaining staff, and while not every employee will want or need to access this, being known as a family-friendly employer could outweigh the additional cost of offering this benefit.

Menopause Support

It has recently been reported that one in 10 women who worked during the menopause left a job due to their symptoms (Fawcett Society research, 2022). With an estimated 4.4 million UK women over 50 in work, it is vital to recruit and retain these potential and existing employees, as well as keep in mind that younger women can go through the menopause early too.

There has been an increasing number of Employment Tribunal decisions where women have won sex and/or disability discrimination claims because their employer has failed to support them. It’s important therefore to review your current approach and consider implementing a menopause policy and training staff to demonstrate commitment to supporting menopausal people of all ages.

Further Benefits

Bonus schemes and other financial incentives can be costly but are effective recruitment and retention tools. However, there are many other options that don’t incur such a significant outlay. These range from salary sacrifice schemes such as Cycle to Work, an electric vehicle scheme and discounts at local gyms, to team lunches or drinks and ‘Employee of the Month’ schemes.

An Employee Assistance Programme is an inexpensive way to provide vital wellbeing support to employees. Also arranging for some staff to become qualified as mental health first aiders or offering sabbaticals are other attractive ways to demonstrate your commitment to look after your employees’ wellbeing.

Overall, the best approach to benefits is likely to involve offering a range of core benefits with add-ons available to suit an employee’s individual needs. You could make these dependent on a reasonable length of service to encourage your employees to stay with the business, but you need to consider all the ramifications of doing so and what your competitors are offering.

DON’T FORGET TO SIMPLY SAY ‘THANKS’!

It doesn’t cost a lot but saying ‘thank you’ to staff and giving praise for a great job done are two ways you can help to show that you appreciate your staff. Feeling valued is one of the most significant ways to improve your staff retention, improve your reputation as a great employer and enhance your prospects of recruiting the best people. Best of all it doesn’t cost a penny!

Pam Loch, Solicitor and Managing Director of Loch Associates Group www.lochassociates.co.uk