{"id":10101,"date":"2022-03-17T08:14:32","date_gmt":"2022-03-17T15:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/?p=10101"},"modified":"2022-03-17T08:16:25","modified_gmt":"2022-03-17T15:16:25","slug":"what-employees-should-consider-before-joining-the-great-resignation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/2022\/03\/what-employees-should-consider-before-joining-the-great-resignation","title":{"rendered":"What Employees Should Consider Before Joining the Great Resignation"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10103″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]The turmoil employees faced during the COVID-19 pandemic led many to rethink exactly what they want out of their careers and personal lives. The dilemma boiled down to a question of finding the right balance for the individual. Balancing health concerns with the need for a paycheck. Family obligations versus professional obligations. Self-care or care for others. Living near work or living wherever made them happy. Return to the office or keep working from home. Put up with stagnant wages and so-so benefits or seek out greener pastures. The factors that employees must weigh seemed to proliferate as each day passed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Should I Stay or Should I Go?<\/span><\/h2>\n

For many employees, the right answer seemed to be to \u2018change jobs\u2019. Often, they faced too many hassles in their existing role as they tried to balance government and employer mandates about office time, vaccination status, masks and social distancing. And they watched as work friends left for new roles that came with more flexibility, big titles and even bigger pay jumps.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s an old saying, that the grass is always greener on the other side, and it\u2019s well known that even a big raise may not be enough to make someone happy at a company or in a role that\u2019s a mediocre fit. Before deciding to take the leap, employees who are considering seeking new employment should first consider some important factors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Decide on Your Top Priorities<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before packing up your desk and jumping on the first offer that comes your way, take some time to decide on what really matters to you. Is it the ability to work from home full-time, flexible hours, higher salary, or just burn out at your current job? Something else or everything else?<\/span><\/p>\n

Be specific. Make a list and know exactly which items on the list are non-negotiable and which ones you\u2019re willing to give some ground on. Make sure you have your objectives firmly in place before moving on to the next steps.<\/span><\/p>\n

Talk to Your Current Employer<\/span><\/h2>\n

Your current employer may not know you\u2019re unhappy. Remember, the management team has been dealing with the pandemic in their personal lives as well as at work, just like you have. It\u2019s possible they haven\u2019t noticed you approaching your breaking point, so be clear about your needs, especially if your primary method of communicating with work is over the phone or on a video call.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask the person you are talking with, whether it is your direct manager or an HR representative, to allow you to get through the list of requests before starting discussions, but you should still start with your highest priorities first. You never know whether the conversation will get interrupted. It also helps the other party to understand what matters most.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you can, go into the meeting with some facts. The <\/span>first article in this series<\/span><\/a> has data on the costs of employee resignations and unfilled positions. If you have examples of salaries offered for roles like yours, include that info so it\u2019s not simply anecdotal. Saying \u201cHere is a copy of an ad from XYZ\u2019s website stating a starting salary of $X\u201d might not guarantee your desired result, but it will likely hold more weight than simply quoting a friend or former coworker who claims to have received an offer at a certain pay rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evaluate Company Stability, Healthcare and Other Benefits<\/span><\/h2>\n

There must be things you like and admire about the company you currently work for. Make a list of those benefits and compare them with those of any company you might be considering or pursuing.<\/span><\/p>\n