Continuing Impacts of the Great Resignation

Even with the job market softening really for the first time since the employment surge that followed the initial COVID crash, the specter of the Great Resignation remains very present and has continuing impacts on the workforce, including on seemingly unrelated areas like workplace safety.

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The phenomenon called the Great Resignation, during which millions of workers left their job through the onset and height of the pandemic, is typically listed on the timeline between early 2020 and early 2022. 

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That said, the number of job-quitters remains relatively high still today, with more than 4 million people voluntarily leaving their place of employment as recently as May of 2023, many of whom are in search of higher pay, remote work, or a job that’s more fulfilling on a personal level.

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According to one survey conducted earlier this year, almost half of US workers made clear their intention to leave their job in the next 12 months, which underscores the urgency with which these kinds of issues must be addressed in order to ensure your company ranks continue to be filled with the requisite talent, skill sets, and experience.

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Beyond the urgency of optimizing employee retention strategies even amidst some recent cooling in the labor market, however, the scope of potential resulting problems from poor retention strategy execution and the gravity of the consequences can sometimes go overlooked.

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When it comes to workplace safety, for example, high employee turnover may be directly correlated to an increase in incidence and severity of workplace accidents, which is no surprise given that newer employees are more likely to make mistakes and cause injuries on the job than more experienced and seasoned employees. 

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To diminish the increased risk that comes from turnover, especially when hiring new employees for especially hazardous or physically demanding work, your company may wish to consider incorporating pre-employment services like human performance evaluations (HPEs) to assess a prospective hires ability to function within the role for which they are being considered. 

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Of course, once the right employee is selected for the job, proper minimization of the increased risk as a result of the turnover should include an on-boarding process that emphasizes safety preparedness and avoidance throughout the first year of employment when the risk for accident and injury is typically highest. 

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Increased safety concerns as a result of the kind of high turnover we’ve seen over the last several years are not limited to issues resulting from inexperience, however. The tighter labor market and the legalization of some previously banned substances has been leading an increasing number of companies to forgo drug testing as a prerequisite to employment. The difficulties surrounding drug screening in the aftermath of accidents is further complicated, as well, in environments where the recreational use of certain intoxicants isn’t legally prohibited, all of which amounts to potentially less safe working environments. 

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As laws, social norms, and the labor market all continue to evolve, employers must adapt their strategies for retaining employees in order to improve both workplace safety and the company’s bottom line. Well-constructed plans that incorporate a variety of pre-hire evaluations constructed in consultation with legal advisors combined with a comprehensive training regimen for new hires can go a long way toward minimizing exposure to these turnover-related risks. 

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You can read more about this topic here.