It is nothing new that retention is key to building and sustaining organisational capability. We need passionate and capable people. When they leave, our reflex is often to assume it is for better pay or a promotion.
Research from Harvard’s Ethan Bernstein and Michael B. Horn reveals a deeper truth: most employees leave not because of money, but because they’re on a personal quest for progress. Understanding the push and pull factors that lead someone to quit means we can target our retention efforts where they will be most meaningful.
An article published by the Australian Human Resource Institute (read it here) summarises their research in more detail, noting the four key “quests” that drive people to move on:
Each quest reflects internal motivators that often go unnoticed by managers. That’s where as leaders, we must dig deeper.
So what can you do?
Ultimately, retention isn’t just about throwing more perks at your team. It’s about crafting roles and cultures that evolve with people’s lives, values, and aspirations.
Image by lookstudio on Freepik
It feels like we only just wrapped up 2023 and already we are here wrapping up 2024! The last couple of years have seen a plethora of industrial relations changes, but what does 2025 hold for those with a HR focus? At their recent ReimagineHR Conference in Sydney, Garter highlighted the top three trends that will shape HR priorities in 2025.
Their insights are summarised below, and you can click here to read it for yourself.
1. HR supporting growth strategies
56% of CEOs cited that growth remains a top business priority for 2025, with workforce strategies ranking fifth among organizational concerns. With that is an increasing recognition of the role HR plays in aligning workforce capability to support business growth ambitions.
How do we address this in HR?
2. Bridging the Gap Between AI Ambitions and Reality
Artificial Intelligence is seen as the most impactful technology for 2025, with 74% of CEOs prioritizing it. However, organizations face barriers like data limitations, skills shortages, and change resistance when implementing AI strategies.
How do we address this in HR?
3. Navigating Labor Market Shifts
Talent shortages, skills mismatches, and rising employee expectations are reshaping Australia’s labour market. Nearly half of job seekers decline offers due to unmet expectations, highlighting the need for stronger alignment between EVP and workforce demands.
How do we address this in HR?
To thrive in 2025 and beyond, HR must adopt proactive strategies that address the intersection of technology, workforce dynamics, and growth. By tackling these challenges head-on, HR can help organizations build resilient workforces, enhance employee experiences, and drive long-term success.
While spending some quality time with my “read me” pile recently, I stumbled across the term “work harassment” in a research article[1]. Different from general harassment, work harassment refers specifically to the systematic and prolonged use of high workloads, coupled with excessive accountability for employees. In a nutshell, expecting people to ‘do more with less’.
The study was specifically focused on frontline workers such as nurses, but the principles are applicable to all organisations. For example, a business will often view under resourcing as a cost-saving measure. While this may be an appropriate short-term measure, the systematic use of this approach as the default method of operation is a psychosocial hazard.
In the same reading session I happened upon an article on change fatigue (click here to read for yourself), and thought of how often a period of organisational change results in high workloads and under resourcing. Money is saved in the short term, but it is counterproductive in the long term.
The article suggests some key strategies for fostering resilience and adaptability while ensuring employees are not overwhelmed by unsustainable workloads:
1. Open-Source Change Management: Involve employees in co-creating change decisions and give them ownership of implementation planning. Transparent, participative processes reduce change fatigue by 29% and increase willingness to embrace change by almost 50%. Engaging employees in this manner also boosts trust and team cohesion, essential for managing workloads effectively.
2. Prioritization and Empowerment: Leaders should avoid overloading employees by systematically assessing whether additional resources are necessary. Consider how you can empower employees to make decisions based on clear criteria, helping them navigate change with confidence. This not only reduces the burden on management but also increases employees’ sense of ownership.
3. Psychological Safety: The presence of psychological safety—especially the safety to experiment and challenge—can reduce change fatigue by 46%. When employees feel safe to learn from mistakes and question the status quo, they are more likely to adapt and contribute positively to change.
As businesses face increasing levels of change, managing workloads becomes more crucial than ever. Focus on sustainable solutions, fostering psychological safety, and empowering your teams. Not only is it part of mitigating psychosocial risks, but it maximises the chances of organisational success
[1]Farr-Wharton, B., Brunetto, Y., Xerri, M., Shriberg, A., Newman, S., & Dienger, J. (2022). Work harassment in the UK and US nursing context. Journal of Management and Organization, 28(2), 348-362. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2019.16.
Image by wayhomestudio on Freepik
Mentors matter. When we reflect on our journeys of personal and professional growth, we can identify key people who played a pivotal role in these journeys. It is well supported that merely having a mentor can predict higher performance, career success and satisfaction. It can be daunting though, participating in a mentoring arrangement. To move past that and maximise the impact of these relationships we need to rethink some assumptions about mentoring. In a recent episode of his podcast, Adam Grant tackles and dispels three myths about mentoring that can hinder both mentors and mentees from realizing their full potential.
Myth 1: Mentors Must Be Older and Wiser
A common misconception is that mentors must be older and possess significantly more experience than their mentees. This belief often leads to overlooking potential mentors who might be younger or even peers. In fact, effective mentoring is not necessarily about age or tenure but about the relevance of the mentor's insights and experiences. For instance, younger mentors might be more in touch with emerging trends or technologies, offering invaluable perspectives that an older mentor might not have.
Myth 2: Mentoring Requires a Long-Term Commitment
Another myth is that effective mentorship must be a long-term engagement, lasting for years or even decades. However, Grant suggests that impactful mentoring can occur in much shorter time frames. Sometimes, a single conversation or brief series of meetings can provide the clarity and direction needed to overcome a specific challenge. The key is the quality of interaction and the immediate relevance of the advice, not the length of the relationship.
Myth 3: Mentors Need to Have All the Answers
The final myth is that mentors are supposed to have all the answers to their mentees' problems. This belief places undue pressure on mentors and can lead to a one-sided relationship. Instead, Grant argues that the best mentors facilitate their mentees' problem-solving skills by asking thought-provoking questions and encouraging them to explore different perspectives. This approach not only empowers the mentee but also fosters a collaborative and dynamic learning environment.
By dispelling these myths, we can approach mentoring with a fresh perspective, focusing on meaningful interactions, mutual learning, and leveraging diverse experiences to drive personal and professional growth.
For more insights, check out the full podcast episode on TED's website.
Image by pch.vector on Freepik
In a world that is more connected digitally than ever, Australia is taking a bold step to safeguard the wellbeing of its workforce.
The right to disconnect (read this article by HRD for a great overview), set to become law on August 26, 2024, promises to reshape the relationship between our work and personal lives. But what does it mean for employers?
This amendment to the Fair Work Act 2009 empowers employees to refuse work-related contact outside of their designated working hours, unless such refusal is deemed unreasonable. This extends to all forms of communication—including emails, calls and messages—from employers, colleagues, clients and suppliers.
The law addresses concerns about the erosion of work–life boundaries, and it is important employers understand its nuances. Determining the reasonableness of an employee’s refusal requires a case-by-case assessment, which will consider factors such as the nature of the contact, its disruption, compensation arrangements, the employee’s role and personal circumstances.
Importantly, the right to disconnect is not a blanket ban on after-hours communication, but it does prompt a thoughtful evaluation of each contact.
What it also highlights is a growing awareness of the adverse effects of constant digital connectivity on employee wellbeing. As remote and flexible work arrangements become more prevalent, the risk of burnout looms larger than ever. The right to disconnect aims to mitigate this risk by providing employees with the autonomy to set boundaries between their work and personal lives.
To navigate this new landscape effectively, employers must take proactive measures by reviewing employment contracts, updating policies and communicating expectations. Training for managers and employees can also promote understanding and foster a culture that prioritises employee wellbeing.
While the right to disconnect presents challenges for employers, it also offers an opportunity to redefine workplace norms, prioritise employee wellbeing and foster a culture of work–life balance. Through embracing the principles of the right to disconnect, organisations can cultivate healthier, more productive work environments where employees thrive.
December always sneaks up on me (as does the need to Christmas shop!). I do enjoy the month of December, as it is a wonderful opportunity to both review the year that was, and look forward to the year ahead. The lessons we can learn, the goals we set for our future, and the growth we experience through taking on new challenges are all part of this year-end review that I relish.
As we plan professionally for 2024, it is important to understand what challenges are likely to face our organisations in the year ahead. This article by HRM Online unpacks recent research on what challenges HR can expect in 2024. The challenges noted are much of the same, but especially highlight the challenges of AI, hybrid work, and ongoing recruitment difficulties.
The five top predicted trends for 2024 in the HR space are:
What will really set organisations apart is not too different from previous years, but is their strategic decision making around their people and technology integration. Happy planning for 2024!
I find delight in every season, but there is something particularly glorious about the spring and summer months. It usually also means a holiday is coming! A most wonderful opportunity to switch off from work, enjoy time with loved ones, perhaps see a new place, and find joy in whatever form that looks like for you.
That’s all great, but we all know that familiar feeling of returning to work and within a couple of weeks we are ready for the next break! So how do we approach vacations from work, to ensure we get the most out of our breaks and sustain the restorative benefits they bring? I happened upon a couple of podcasts recently that I found really helpful:
There has been plenty of discussion on the importance of taking breaks from work, and the benefits they bring in terms of improved physical and mental health, as well as improved productivity, creativity and resilience at work. How long do these benefits last? Dr De Bloom’s research suggests that within 1-2 weeks of returning to work, we are right back to our pre-holiday state. One suggestion for lengthening vacation effect is to return to work on a Wednesday and have a shorter first week back, rather than jumping straight back into long hours. The research also generally supports the notion that taking shorter breaks more regularly is more beneficial than taking longer, less frequent breaks.
Then there is the question of what type of vacation is the most restorative: home or away, active or quiet, planned or spontaneous. The answer is whatever you find joy in. Adam Grant talks with Dr Sabine Sonnentag in his podcast, discussing two different kinds of recovery activities that Dr Sonnentag identified through her research: relaxation and mastery experiences.
Relaxation is the slower paced activity we think of when we picture ‘unwinding’, perhaps by reading a book or watching a movie. Mastery is an activity that challenges us, but in a way that refreshes us. Learning a new hobby is an example of this. Mastery activities have the double benefit of boosting our confidence with a sense of achievement, and helping us mentally detach from work. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to vacationing, the general principle of taking shorter, regular breaks with a range of relaxing and refreshingly challenging activities will help sustain the benefits of these very important breaks from work. Happy holiday planning!
Hybrid work is here to stay. While evidence for the positive impact on productivity and engagement is growing, hybrid work comes with its own set of risks.
An article in Harvard Business Review provides a helpful insight into the ways hybrid work can lead to so-called “toxic” behaviours. Before exploring those behaviours, the article reminds us of what “toxic” is in the workplace. A natural part of even healthy organisations includes conflict, tension and misunderstanding. But a toxic culture is characterised by behaviours that are either disrespectful, noninclusive, unethical, cutthroat or abusive.
A complicating factor is that toxicity is subjective—each of us experiences our work environment differently. Hybrid work adds a layer to this, with the physical environment varying from day-to-day as well. In short, what some people experience as toxic, others may not.
The article proposes four ways hybrid working is susceptible to toxic behaviours:
The article concludes by suggesting organisations can address these challenges through educating staff, laying a foundation of psychological safety, having ongoing conversations and intervening quickly when issues arise.
Recognising these risks helps leaders guard against toxicity before it arises, so we can continue to use hybrid work to our organisational and personal advantage.
Organisations and leaders are operating in the largely unchartered waters of the post-pandemic world. A world that is also facing economic, political, environmental and workforce challenges that many of today’s leaders have not yet faced in the context of their roles. The 2023 Future of Work Outlook published by PwC (read it in full here), aims to equip leaders for navigating these challenges by focusing on 8 key areas for 2023.
The report suggests the following 8 trends for 2023:
Rising costs and wage pressures will likely mean organisations are more cautious with their finances. The word of caution here is to not forget about long-term strategy altogether, especially investment in learning and development. It is hard enough to get staff in the door, but we need to keep them once they are in!
With unemployment rates hitting their lowest levels in decades, the race is on to secure talent with the right skills. A couple of factors impacting this include a decline in immigration over the pandemic years, and an ongoing decline in the number of school leavers choosing to study at university. Having a workforce plan that supports your talent management strategy over the coming years is key.
The feedback from employees is clear: hybrid work is here to stay. Free food and superficial perks are not enough to entice workers back to the office long-term. It is about an environment of collaboration and connection that a person can only get from being in their office with their colleagues.
The AWM is 2023’s answer to the Great Resignation and ‘quiet quitting’. People are continuing to create and enforce boundaries around overwork with poor conditions, in jobs they feel are not purposeful.
This refers to the struggle of monitoring employee activity while working remotely. For example, using monitoring technology on company computers. The argument in this report is that it does not facilitate an environment of trust and needs to be reconsidered.
A reminder that businesses now have a legal obligation to manage the risk of psychosocial hazards in the workplace. These include things like job demands and clarity.
A suggestion that rather than continuing to cut things away (which in turn, increases workloads), let’s take the opportunity to review whether our foundations and design are actually still correct. Is our structure and job design optimized for success, or are we still playing Jenga when we should be playing Lego?
The bottom line…we need to rebuild our in-person networks and communication. These formal and informal networks are such important levers for organisations.
One thing common to all these trends is a return to basics. Coming out of a tumultuous period and into another, it is more important than ever to ensure we are doing the basics of business and management well. The key questions at the end of each section in the report were particularly helping from this angle.
HR professionals Australia-wide have shared their challenges and priorities for 2023 through the HR Industry Benchmark Report (produced by ELMO Software and the Australian HR Institute). I would recommend downloading the full report (CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD). And not just because of the information, but also because of the relief you will feel knowing your challenges are quite normal!
The report begins with an overview of priority areas for organisations, with workplace health and safety, and employee data security topping the list at number 1 and 2. With the tightening of WHS laws and an increase in cyber-attacks, this is really no surprise.
It then moves on to overview current trends and challenges, which are highlighted below here.
General:
Recruitment:
Onboarding:
Performance Management:
Learning and Development:
Payroll:
One of the key themes that emerged was an increasing use of technology to drive HR metrics and processes. Not only does this create efficiencies for HR professionals, but it enables data-driven decision-making and the ability to measure outcomes.
Overall a very interesting and useful report, not just for HR professionals, but for any manager who wants to stay abreast of what business challenges are looming on the horizon.
