Prepare for a power shift: Why employers’ return-to-office plans may backfire

Published Updated 2 Min Read

Unhappy employee
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As the labor market continues to dance, employers may currently feel like they have the upper hand over employees and job seekers. But wise leaders should use this time to make sure workers won’t abandon their organization at the first sign of an economic power shift. 

With employee engagement numbers low — only 32% are engaged at work, according to Zippia — and a continued focus on better work-life balance, employers will be hard-pressed to hang on to their talent if they don’t put people first. 

Following the decision to reduce their workforce by 13% in April, Amplitude’s CEO set out on a roadshow to speak with employees about what they need. Instead of assumption-based decisions, Johnson emphasizes that feedback should drive changes within an organization, and data collected from the workforce should influence plans for how to retain talent. 

“Too often employers tell people, ‘This is what we’ve decided you want,’ and HR departments are guilty of this as well,” she says. “Go ask employees. It has never been more important in terms of timing.”

Lee Hafner
Editor

Lee joined the EBN team in 2022, and covers areas including caregiving, employee health and wellness, healthcare innovation, and company culture. She created EBN's popular Benefits in Action and … Read full bio


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