The Japa wave, synonymous with The Great Resignation or the Big Quit, is an ongoing professional fashion wherein personnel have voluntarily resigned from their jobs in large numbers to move abroad. Many employers are bewildered about what strategies to implement, so they don’t get caught in this emigration whirlwind.
Are you struggling to keep the Japa wave in your organisation in check? You’re in luck because we have done a bit of intelligence gathering and have found that if implemented correctly, these strategies can assuage the onslaught of qualified workers leaving gaps in your business.
First off, it is essential to note that the first thing most employees want in their jobs is a good work-life balance. Employees want to have successful careers and lives outside of work. Employers that consider this have a better chance of keeping their employees happy.
Teuila Hanson, the Chief People Officer at LinkedIn, said this. “We have this singular opportunity to create the culture and circumstances that will allow each employee to do their best work and to lead their best life.”
With that said, consider these strategies that can set your organisation up to retain your top talent.
1. Set up a better reward system
Employees are more likely to enjoy working at their current jobs when they feel they are adequately rewarded for their efforts. This does not necessarily mean that employers have to increase the pay of all their employees. Rather, employers could use added perks like sales commissions, profit sharing, and milestone bonuses to entice employees and increase overall job satisfaction.
2. Create a sense of belonging
Humans love to feel like they are an essential part of any entity they find themselves in. This also applies to the workplace.
Suppose you, as an employer, prioritise initiatives like open communication, upskilling your employees, and fostering connections between the leadership team and the workforce. In that case, there is the potential to make employees feel more at home at work.
Team bonding activities can also boost morale within your organisation. They can create a sense of family among co-workers, making them more productive and more likely to stay at their jobs.
3. Incorporate flexible work modes and environments.
The post covid labour market, although forced to work from home, has experienced the positive effects it can have on productivity. Hence, most of them do not want to return to old work modes.
Professor Anthony Klotz, a management professor at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School and the person responsible for the term “The Great Resignation”, said, “The pandemic brought the future of work into the present of work.”
Employers that want to hold on to their staff will have to embrace the “future of work”, which is to make working schedules more flexible. If you still see the value in workers coming into work, then a hybrid work arrangement may be a good compromise.
4. Give Employees More Value
Employees frequently leave because they believe they aren’t receiving enough value from them, which is also a primary cause of the Japa wave. Aside from benefits and work-from-home regulations, employees want to know that their role supports their values and professional objectives.
A company set up to help its personnel achieve their long-term career goals will have a massive advantage over those not. Think about asking your staff about their long-term plans and encourage them to achieve them.
5. Be open to negotiations
Sometimes, you may be unable to prevent an employee from migrating to another country. However, leaving a country of residence doesn’t always translate into leaving the job. Some employees are happy to relocate but still retain their jobs, especially if they have taken the study route, which could allow them to go to school and work.
This means that there is a chance to retain your best talent despite Japa; all you have to do is be open to creating a flexible structure that allows them to work from wherever they are. It’s a win-win for everyone in the end.
Hold on to these nuggets…
Instead of just working for a corporation, employees want to feel appreciated and know that their work incorporates interpersonal interactions and career advancement prospects.
Workers’ desire to improve their job satisfaction, which largely depends on workplace flexibility, is one of the leading forces behind the great resignation. To retain your best talent, you must innovate and think proactively to keep up with this rapid evolution of company culture and get ahead of the Japa wave.
You don’t have to navigate the Japa wave alone. By joining our employer community, you can stay on top of the exodus, filling positions efficiently and within short periods, with the industry-leading insight contained therein.
