Labor Shortage: Let’s NOT Mess This Up!

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What It’s About: This labor shortage is a great time for advancing people in companies, as long as we and organizations don’t mess this up. If you are an employee, please be respectful of your colleagues and employer. As an example, if you’ve earned the self-accountable privilege of working remotely, don’t do dumb things to make your boss question if you’re really doing your job. Once trust erodes, it’s difficult to recover, employers often overreact, and you could diminish work flexibility for everyone else. If you are in management, please don’t conflate employee retention with so-called “going soft.” If you lower standards or patronize employees, it will send the signal that “bums in seats” is a higher objective, and employees will come to the conclusion that “anything goes.” Workers might think, “if management doesn’t care how well we do something, why should we?”

So What?: For employees, it is a good time to stop and consider whether you’re achieving what you want in an environment you deserve. For leaders, take the opportunity to level up and even upgrade your practice. Great (not perfect) leaders will stand out because people are attracted to work for them. Employers should intentionally increase investment in advancing their culture, AND emphasize belonging at the intersection between individuals and teams.

Now What?: Leverage on the side of the employee is a good thing, unless overplayed. It’s been decades since that’s been the case. However, greed and disrespect are signals to watch out for. People ARE the source for success. How about we use this time to positively reinforce this idea? Let’s not mess it up!

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now,

- Lorne

One Millennial View: For both employees and leaders, labor shortages should be somewhat embarrassing. It’s not “cool” that workers would rather quit and do nothing than find a place to make a valuable, purposeful contribution every day. And if no one wants to stay at a leader’s organization, then it clearly stinks, and that’s equally as much of a bummer. Let’s not mess it up, but perhaps this is motivation to replenish this shortage in a much more uplifting way.

- Garrett

Labor Shortage: Let’s NOT Mess This Up!

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