How about now?:
What can employers do to retain workers? Not much, according to some
What would it take for you to not quit your job? More money? Better hours? More interesting work? We asked several people what their employer would have to do to keep them at a job they really don’t like. Surprisingly, we found out that by the time most employees ask themselves the same question, they’re already on their way out the door.
Here’s what some of our readers had to say about incentives to stay on the job:
“That is a question I’ve been asking myself ever since the pandemic started. Although they probably could have done something about it sooner, like give me a decent raise or not laid my friends off, especially considering they received PPP money. At this point, there’s not much they can do at all. I put in my two-week notice in October and I’m home now checking out some companies I want to work for. I really don’t plan on hardcore looking for something new until the beginning of the year.”
-Robert K., Batavia, Illinois
“It has much more to do with me than them. I’m sure there are certain perks they can throw my way that would make me want to stick around a little longer, but I’ve made the internal decision that working in the corporate arena isn’t something I really want to do. I used to have all these visions of me sitting in some huge office overlooking the skyline but once I got into that environment, I realized I just couldn’t sit at a desk all day and have minimal impact on the lives of actual people, especially now when it seems like so many people need help, like actual tangible help. I think I’m going to become a teacher or an EMT or something with hands-on involvement with others.”
-Terry Blake, Bloomington, Illinois
“Give me some training or send me back to school. I think COVID really opened my eyes to what I can and should be doing with my career, but I really can’t afford to go to graduate school or to get my MBA on the money I make, so if they would invest in me as a person, I think that would go a long way.”
-Aaron Y., Dayton, Ohio
“I think companies are only interested in about a year or two out of their employees. They don’t see any reason to make a long-term investment because they know that most people are going to stick around anyway so it’s not even worth asking what I want — I’m never going to get it.”
-James J., Hanover Park, Illinois
“Money is always the obvious incentive to stay but I also think I would need some peace of mind. With everything so turbulent right now, I feel like our leadership team is making it up as they go along and that really worries me. It was fun to be part of a start-up 10 years ago but it’s no longer a good thing for me. I have two kids now and I’m making plans for the rest of my life with my wife and my family, and I don’t want to have the rug pulled out from under me one day. I’m here for now but I can’t imagine I’m going to be around much longer.”
-Kevin S., Lincolnwood, Illinois
There’s nothing they can do. It’s about employees, not employers. There’s been a shift in this country for workers
and employers are going to have to get in line or they’re going to keep losing people.”
-Vera W., Chicago
“I was completely fine with my job until they insisted we all be back in the office by October 1. That was a dealbreaker for me. I get so much more done working from home than I ever did in the office, and I don’t see any reason why I would ever go back. I was one of about 20 people who said we wouldn’t be on the job after the end of the year if we couldn’t work from home and they OK-ed it for now, but it won’t last forever. Right now we’re in limbo. We’re able to work from home and we have to come in once a week for a meeting, which I don’t mind, although it seems kind of silly considering we can just do it on Microsoft Teams but whatever, so they’re going to have to make a decision moving forward on who they want to work for them because if I have to be there five days a week, I’m out.”
F.N., Downers Grove, Illinois