Intelligent CXO Issue 15 | Page 27

BUSINESS STRATEGY hired after work-from-home began in early 2020 . This suggests that newly hired remote and hybrid employees may be struggling to build relationships with their co-workers in a virtual environment .
Retention drivers
These are areas that influence an employee ' s desire and likelihood to stay at an organisation , like compensation , benefits , work-life balance and working environment .
Key takeaways highlight that changing work conditions brought on by the pandemic are no longer unique . Workers ' perceptions and expectations of flexible work arrangements and benefits have broadened alongside organisations offering expanded benefits packages throughout the pandemic .
This has led to increased expectations for employers to provide more comprehensive benefits , including previously unseen perks – such as summer Friday afternoons off or holiday shutdowns .
The research also indicated that work-life balance is becoming a challenge in the new world of work , with 62 % of organisations reporting increased working hours , though 80 % also reported increased work flexibility .
Despite improvements in 2020 , retention scores returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021 , with the working environment ranking as the highest retention driver , followed by work-life balance , benefits and compensation .
To recognise , assess and improve upon employee engagement , HR leaders can take advantage of the full analysis of engagement and key driver trends over the last three years in the 2022 Employee Engagement Trends Report . It ' s important to remember that while using engagement data is critical in the process of determining best practices for employee engagement within an organisation , it is a starting point and not the end of the conversation .
To assist HR leaders in their efforts to improve upon employee engagement within their companies , McLean & Company offers various levels of support and practical resources to best suit their unique and individual needs , including DIY toolkits , guided implementations , workshops and consulting . x
HR LEADERS MUST BE PREPARED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORKFORCE ' S SHIFTING PRIORITIES AND CHANGE THE WAY THEY THINK ABOUT EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT . www . intelligentcxo . com
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