At the start of this year, the labor market was historically tight. For every two job openings, there was one unemployed person available to fill them. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees voluntarily left their positions in search of rest and more fulfilling activities. In what has now become known as ‘The Great Resignation,’ droves of workers agreed their talents and time would be of better use elsewhere.
The resulting shockwave saw a rise in job quitting not seen since the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began their Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey program in 2000. At the same time, Black women became the fastest-growing population of entrepreneurs in the country. Many people who kept their jobs also remained rebelliously independent in their positions, refusing to return to their regular schedules at the office when called back by leadership.
In the aftermath of such events, however, a predictable shift is taking place. “The workplace in corporate America wasn’t a need, as it traditionally had been,” started Employer-Employee Relationship expert LaShawn Davis, MSHRM, SHRM-SCP, referring to the Great Resignation. “The Great Return signifies the cycle going back to what it was. Stimulus checks are now going to be cut off. Benefits are now going to be cut off. And everybody who thought they could run a business now has realized, ‘Oh, I can’t do this.’ So they’re going to be flocking back to the workplace.”
According to Davis, it will soon be an employer’s world again. “Employees will have to get creative with how to stand out and distinguish themselves among a plethora of people who are going to be looking for jobs,” she said. This September, residential property developer and founder of the Australian real estate company Gurner Group, Tim Gurner, remarked that employees have become ‘arrogant’ in the wake of The Great Resignation and ‘Quiet Quitting’ movements.
“I think the problem that we’ve had is that people decided they didn’t really want to work so much anymore through COVID and that has had a massive issue on productivity,” stated Gurner during a conversation at The Australian Financial Review Property Summit. His answer for the challenges facing corporate leadership? To balloon unemployment rates to unprecedented levels, forcing stiff competition in the market.
“We need to remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around,” Gurner remarked. He has since apologized for the statements following widespread criticism for his lack of sensitivity, yet his observations are slowly being reflected in real-time.
In light of rolling layoffs, primarily in tech, prominent strikes across industries, and storied phenomena like ‘quiet hiring,’ many employees are beginning to feel the pressure of dwindling opportunities. Recent reports have shown a slight uptick in unemployment to 3.8% in August, and though that amount is still relatively low, for Black men and women, the rate is comparatively doubled, posing a significant obstacle to equitable wage access and diverse representation in leadership.
As a senior HR executive, Davis recalls witnessing professionals of color devalued and mishandled in the workplace, primarily because they were unaware of their worth. Her personal experience of being told she “lacked executive presence” as the reason she was overlooked for a promotion prompted her exit. “I didn’t fit the look — a visual image of what they considered to be executive presence — which was telling me I would never sit in an executive suite in corporate America.”
Leaning on her knowledge of the Human Resources and Labor Relations spaces, Davis decided to help other professionals of color receive equitable compensation and fair treatment in the workplace through a more proactive approach. Her brand, The HR Plug, is a Human Resources consultancy firm providing individuals and organizations with the necessary solutions for curating inclusive workplaces.
“The core problem I’m working to solve is twofold,” explained Davis. “[To help] organizations understand how to treat people, not basing [judgment] on anything other than character. And to help employees understand how to advocate for themselves in a corporate America that was not designed for them to be successful.” The ill-gotten corporate business practices that lead to job satisfaction and retention issues are games Davis says she teaches employees how to play until employers finally decide to stop playing them.
Through equal collaboration with Fortune 500 companies and their employees, Davis has erected a critical platform for Americans to access valuable resources and support for their corporate concerns. Over 77,000 TikTok followers rely on her equitable hiring and compensation practice expertise. In our interview, she shared advice on how job seekers can ensure they find fair positions and positive working environments in the coming months.
Ask The Right Questions
Davis urged interviewees to ask three key questions of their potential leaders and coworkers during the interview process. “Ask each person that you interview with, ‘What keeps you working here and why do you stay working here?’ If they struggle answering that question, that tells you that there’s going to be a struggle in finding anything valuable about working there.”
To gauge overall workplace experience, ask your interviewer to share what they’ve learned about themselves from the last piece of constructive feedback they received. “That will give you insight into the type of leader you may be potentially reporting to,” said Davis. “If they struggle to tell you what they learned, if they struggle telling you about receiving feedback, or they say, ‘I don’t recall ever receiving feedback,’ then that tells you that you might be working with a leader who doesn’t understand self-awareness, or who doesn’t take accountability.”
The final question Davis instructs interviewees to ask is about workload. “How much do you find yourself working at times that you should be off?” She says this answer will give deeper insight into the expected work/life balance. A LinkedIn search of company employees before an interview also provides access to helpful volunteers who may share their experiences.
Be Aware Of Your Rights
As it pertains to employer-employee relations, Davis admitted there are some employment rights people are generally unaware of that interfere with their well-being. For example, employees who fail to request accommodations based on the Americans with Disabilities Act may miss out on special considerations that allow them to complete work tasks without impairment. Anything from flexible schedules to modified workstations can be provided.
“Don’t just rely on your company handbook because a company handbook is only going to tell you what they’re legally required to tell you,” urged Davis. “Truly research and understand what your rights are as employees because that’s going to arm you with information that will help you be able to advocate for a better workplace experience.”
Keep An Exit Strategy
“Companies are unpredictable and they can operate without you,” noted Davis. Her advice is to put yourself first. “You want to have an exit strategy, so you know that you’re in control of the choice of whether or not you work somewhere.” If not having the job puts your survival in question, panic may set in when your work conditions become far less than ideal.
Davis mentioned the importance of having an emergency fund and the proper affairs to sever any reliance on your paycheck or that particular employer. “You then have the freedom to choose whether or not you want to work there,” she stated. “And if they choose to no longer have you working there, you still have an [anxiety-free] opportunity to work somewhere else.”
Know Your Worth
After years of operating in spaces presenting dual challenges of racism and sexism, Davis believes the most important thing individuals do ahead of The Great Return is shift their mindsets to a more optimistic perspective.
“As an employee — no matter your status, position, salary, pay, any of that in an organization — you have power. You have a choice and you do not have to accept what is given to you,” she said. “It’s really your work products that keep corporations going. Leaders and executives are just the visionary, but the employees are the producers. If enough employees understood the power they held as producers, it would drive a lot of change in workplace cultures.”
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