Things You Need To Know About Hr’S Role In Addressing Labor Shortages

For almost a year now, the world has been witnessing the unfortunate phenomenon of The Great Resignation. Employees working in all major industries have been quitting their jobs and switching companies. Although the COVID-19 crisis is speculated to be the reason behind these labor shortages, the term Great Resignation is essentially the outcome of several different reasons.  CAP reports that the United States has seen record-breaking resignations, with around 4.5 million employees quitting in September 2021. This report also confirms that many of these employees left their jobs voluntarily because they could find better positions in the same or a different industry.

What are the exact reasons driving 'Great Resignation'? What can be done to prevent this phenomenon? - Perhaps these are questions that are often come up in HR meetings. To better understand this subject, let's discuss it one at a time.

What Is Causing Labor Shortages?

1. Exhaustion And Burnout
   
   The COVID-19 crisis has been rough for organizations and professionals around the world. While several businesses had to close their doors, many employees lost their jobs during the global pandemic. To compensate for this shortage, the existing employees were burdened with more work and responsibilities than they were capable of handling. This took a massive toll on the mental and physical health of the workers. 
   
   With the threat of Omicron and Deltacron variants increasing steadily, employees around the world have started fearing another phase of extreme exhaustion and burnout, making them quit their jobs.
   
   
2. The Will To Continue Working Remotely
   
   Although there was initial hesitation regarding the trend of working remotely, most employees have gotten used to it over time. The new trend allowed professionals to work from the comfort of their homes without letting their work gets affected.  As the COVID-19 crisis subsided and businesses resumed on-site operations, several employees were unwilling to return to the offices. Realizing the flexibility and convenience of working remotely, employees preferred switching companies instead of going back to on-premise work.
   
   
3. Search Of Better Opportunities
   
   The pandemic crisis gave birth to new working modes, technologies, and platforms challenged conventional norms. In the case of organizations that could not stay in sync with the changing trends, employees preferred quitting their jobs in search of better opportunities. The post-COVID- 19 era has opened doors for several new opportunities for professionals worldwide, especially if they are willing to continue working remotely. 
   

The Role Of HR In Addressing Labor Shortages

To prevent labor shortages within your organization, HR managers need to take adequate measures to retain talent within your company. Before it is too late, it is always advisable for the HR department to understand the specific requirements of your employees and cater to the same.

Here are some of the ways in which HR can play a role in addressing labor shortages within your organization:

1. Providing Quick And Personalized Employee Support
   
   Inadequate employee support is one of the biggest reasons behind a reduction in employee engagement rate within your organization. You can no longer rely on traditional HR helpdesks to reach out to your employees and resolve their issues. As per the report of Economic Times, employees spend around 25% of their time looking for the right information, while managers spend 50% on routine tasks. Therefore, most employees prefer employers to provide immediate support so that they can focus on their work without wasting time.  If you are willing to tackle the issue of labor shortages, it is advisable to implement a modern HR helpdesk. These AI-based platforms are designed to provide quick, personalized, and efficient HR support to your employees, irrespective of the location they work from. 
   
   The automated HR helpdesks allow your HR managers to understand the context of the issues faced by your employees and provide tailor-made solutions to them through AI chatbots. With features like invisible ticketing, harassment reporting, automated knowledge management, and more, the modern HR helpdesks make it easier for HR managers to provide personalized support to their employees.
   
   
2. Addressing Mental Health Issues
   
   As discussed above, the COVID-19 crisis took a massive toll on employees' mental health around the world. To prevent valuable employees from leaving your organization, HR managers need to prioritize focusing on the mental health of your employees. Providing a cordial work environment and establishing effective communication always helps you keep your employees in a good headspace. 
   
   Always make sure that your employees are not overburdened with work. Especially in the case of remote employees, encourage them not to take any work-related calls/emails beyond their dedicated work hours. Allow your employees to maintain an ideal work-life balance and work without unnecessary pressure. Moreover, make sure that the management is always available for your employees whenever they need to talk about professional or personal issues. You can always conduct regular counseling sessions to ensure the mental well-being of your employees. This would make your employees feel valued and connected with the management.
   
   
3. Onboarding Your Employees Well
   
   Employees often tend to quit their jobs during the first few weeks of work if they are uncomfortable with the organization. This makes the onboarding process necessary to tackle labor shortages. In 2022, you should not continue with the conventional onboarding strategies used for welcoming on-premise. The trends of working remotely and setting up hybrid workplaces call for a revamped onboarding plan. 
   
   Especially in the case of onboarding remote employees, make sure that they are provided with all the resources necessary for them to start their journeys with your organization. Modern HR helpdesks allow HR managers to send personalized onboarding emails to the new employees based on their user persona. Through these emails, the employees can be provided with personalized welcome letters, access to software platforms, contact details of peers, work policies, and all necessary details. While onboarding employees, always make sure that they are comfortable working in the new environment and obtain personalized HR support whenever in need.
   
   
4. Encouraging Employee Recognition
   
   This is one of the simplest ways of making your employees feel valued as they work for your organization. Through employee recognition, the management can officially acknowledge the employees' contributions and thank them for the same. This makes your employees feel included as their efforts are recognized by their peers. 
   
   As your HR managers chart out an employee recognition strategy, make sure they do not confuse it with rewards. Employee recognition need not be limited to providing rewards to the employees. A gesture as simple as creating a social media post thanking high-performing employees can prove to be an effective way of recognizing your employees' contributions.
   
   Relevant Article: Why organizations need to prioritize employee recognition in 2022?
   
   

Conclusion: Prioritize Employee Experience To Compat Great Resignation

The role of HR in addressing and tackling labor shortages is vast. During times of crisis, HR managers need to chart out holistic strategies to make their employees stay. If you successfully understand the needs of your employees and provide personalized solutions to their problems, you can certainly prevent them from leaving your org