Improving retention has been top of mind for a majority of companies, as workers are quickly leaving their places of employment. According to GovTech, 42% of employees are considering quitting in the next six months — which means the Great Resignation is far from over, and implementing structures to keep talent around long-term is more important than ever.

While there are a number of reasons employees are choosing to leave their jobs, there are a few consistent explanations behind these departures. Here are some of the most common reasons for the Great Resignation and the best practices to approach them — so you can keep your best people around longer. 

Reason 1: Demanding workers come back into the office
The COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to start remote working options, but as things slowly return to normal, some organizations are attempting to bring their workforce back into the office full-time.

Solution: The common misconception that face-to-face interactions are always more effective and employees are less productive at home is not necessarily the case. According to Apollo Technical, employees highly value these options and working remotely can increase productivity by up to 77%. Providing flexible working arrangements to your workforce will be a beneficial way to improve employee satisfaction while driving productivity.

Reason 2: Failing to recognize employees
It's easy for organizations to underestimate the importance of recognizing their employees regularly. Without any acknowledgment, workers can quickly feel like they lack purpose within the organization — which leads to low morale and motivation. 

Solution: Implementing strategies to ensure frequent recognition will help employees recognize their true value to the company. This acknowledgment might involve offering rewards for a job well done or simply giving shout-outs at team meetings. However your organization decides to show employees that their contributions are appreciated, it will be a key factor in improving satisfaction, productivity and long-term loyalty.

Reason 3: Ignoring the needs of your workforce
Uncertainty across industries means employees have individual needs that should be addressed for them to reach their full potential in the workplace. It may be ineffective to return to all of the same processes your organization utilized before the pandemic, as times have certainly changed.

Solution: It's critical for your organization to foster open dialogue in the workplace so you can properly manage individual cases for employees. An open-door policy allows managers to have a better understanding of what they can do to help employees. The payoff is workers will think highly of your company for caring about their individual needs. In fact, Haiilo reports that effective communication leads to more empowered and productive employees — and improved retention and profitability as a result.

There's no shortage of reasons why people are continuing to quit their jobs, however, it's how your company decides to approach these issues that will make the difference. It's likely that the processes and structure set in place before are no longer applicable or effective. Instead, it will be vital to listen to your employees and take action to show you care about their needs. This will be essential to improve retention, boost morale and drive your operational efficiency moving forward.