The workplace has undergone a seismic shift in recent years. We witnessed the "Great Resignation," where employees across America left their jobs in droves, seeking greener pastures and greater fulfillment. While turnover rates may improve, a new phenomenon is emerging, signaling a potentially more profound challenge: the "Great Detachment." Gallup has found that employees across America are seeking new opportunities at the highest rate since 2015, all while remaining at their current employer, with their satisfaction, engagement, and connection hitting alarming lows ⁽¹⁾.

This disconnect, coupled with economic uncertainty, growing expertise gaps as Baby Boomers retire and Gen Z start work, and the rise of freelance work, presents a unique set of hurdles. This article is designed for HR and Internal Communications professionals on this challenge's front lines. Its purpose is to delve into the complexities of the "Great Detachment" and to provide actionable strategies to reconnect your workforce, boost engagement, and foster a thriving organizational culture.

What is the Great Detachment?

While the "Great Resignation" was defined by employees leaving their organizations, the "Great Detachment" is characterized by different challenges. It is where employees are disengaged and disconnected from their day-to-day, often seeking new roles on the side but unable to leap as quickly in a difficult job market. This disconnect is further characterized by increased internal mobility, with employees seeking new roles within the same company or leaving entirely for freelance work, indicating a desire for different work arrangements.

Several underlying factors contribute to this shift. Change fatigue is rampant, with 73% of HR leaders reporting employee burnout from constant adaptation ⁽²⁾. According to Gallup, teams are also experiencing disruptions due to additional job responsibilities (69%), restructuring (55%), and budget cuts (46%) ⁽¹⁾. Demographic shifts, including Baby Boomer retirements and Gen Z entering the workforce, contribute to growing expertise gaps. Many employees also oppose the recent wave of return-to-office (RTO) mandates. Gartner research shows that 30% of executives and 19% of non-executives would or will leave their current company due to an RTO policy ⁽³⁾.

Increasing pressure on employees, whilst gaps in upskilling and flexible working arrangements, has reduced well-being to record lows in the U.S. Gallup reveals that only half of employees report thriving in their overall lives ⁽⁴⁾. Furthermore, employees feel their organization's care for their well-being has fallen below pre-pandemic levels ⁽⁴⁾, and less than half feel clear about what is expected of them at work ⁽¹⁾. Working in these conditions, it's easy to see why employees no longer love where they work.

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Impact of Large-Scale Detachment

Decreased productivity and innovation: When employees are disengaged, they lack motivation and drive, hindering individual output and creative problem-solving, ultimately leading to stagnating productivity.
Reduced employee morale and increased stress: Disconnected employees are more likely to experience burnout.
Challenges in talent retention and acquisition: Dissatisfied employees are more likely to seek employment elsewhere, negatively impacting the company's ability to retain valuable employees, making it more difficult to attract top talent and maintain a positive image in the market.
Negative impact on organizational culture: A lack of connection and shared purpose erodes the sense of community and shared values within the workplace, contributing to a toxic environment.

Overcoming Detachment: Strategies for HR and Internal Comms

HR and Internal Communications departments face significant challenges in addressing large-scale detachment. Identifying the root causes of detachment is difficult, as this can be complex and multifaceted. Detachment can stem from issues with leadership, company culture, work-life balance, or a combination of factors. Developing and implementing effective strategies to combat detachment is also challenging. This requires a shift towards human-centric leadership, enhanced communication, and proactive talent development initiatives, which can be resource-intensive and require significant organizational change.

Create Human-Centric Leadership:

Emphasize empathy, communication, and transparency: Leaders should prioritize people within the organization, viewing them as humans first and employees second. All leaders should be authentic, empathetic, flexible, considerate and transparent.
Promote psychological safety: Creating an honest environment where employees feel safe to take risks even if they don’t work out, improves productivity and employee participation.
Prioritize employee well-being and true work-life balance: Organizations should aim to create less stressful work environments, rather than placing the burden on the employee to manage stress. Improving scheduling, refining management techniques,providing adequate resources, and tailoring roles to individual needs creates less stressful work environments ⁽⁵⁾.

Improve Communication and Connection:

Strengthen internal communication strategies: Actively cultivate a sense of shared purpose among employees, ensuring remote employees have the same information and updates as in-office colleagues.
Utilize technology for better collaboration: The right digital toolkit should help bring your team together, saving time and automating tasks to reduce the stress or workload pressures on your team.
Create meaningful social interaction and networking: This could include virtual social events and online communities to encourage interaction and relationship-building, and in-person gatherings (retreats, off-sites, conferences).
Reinforcing company values and purpose in your communications: Employees should feel surrounded by, and with their work rooted in, your company’s mission and values so anyone at any time can define what they are.

Talent Development and Retention:

Invest in upskilling and reskilling programs to address expertise gaps: Companies that invest in robust L&D programs will gain a significant advantage in attracting and retaining top talent, as 60% of the current workforce needs upskilling or reskilling to adapt to changing demands ⁽⁶⁾.
Provide clear career development pathways and growth opportunities
Implementing flexible work arrangements and personalized benefits: Offering hybrid or more flexible work options can improve retention, as this is the number reason for many employees to stay in their current role ⁽⁷⁾.

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Conclusion: The Opportunity Within the Challenge

While the Great Detachment presents significant challenges, it also offers positive change opportunities. It compels organizations to re-evaluate their employee engagement approaches and build a more engaged and resilient workforce. By embracing human-centric leadership, organizations can unlock employees' full potential, retain key talent, and surpass competitors tied to outdated working practices. Investing in employee well-being and engagement yields long-term benefits, fostering a more productive, innovative, and loyal workforce.

HR and Internal Comms must take proactive action. Start implementing these strategies today to build a workplace where employees feel valued, connected, and empowered. A robust digital toolkit featuring a modern intranet and digital workplace platform provides the essential infrastructure to support these strategies. Book a demo with Akumina today or speak to one of our team to see how we can help you increase employee engagement within your organization with robust, flexible digital tools.