There’s still time to keep employees from quitting. What will make them stay?

Employees want to know they matter. Employers need to show they care. Why is this simple concept so hard?

Some level of attrition is inevitable, and even desirable, but with nearly two-thirds of U.S. workers looking for a new or different job, we are nowhere near the end of “The Great Resignation.” Although there are a number of explanations about why so many people are choosing to quit right now, including the shock of the pandemic, social upheaval and the need for higher pay due to inflation, I believe it’s something more fundamental to workplace culture.

Over the past several years, employees have made it clear that they value purpose, well-being, passion, and flexibility in their jobs, and the opportunity to bolster their careers. They want respect, trust, empathy, transparency and recognition from their leaders. There’s a natural hierarchy between employer and employee, and far too many leaders are stuck in the command-and-control, low-trust traditions of the past, to their detriment and their company’s.