Work or what a time to be alive! The common human experiences make you feel that you have a story to tell. Bosses, jobs, co-workers, and many other aspects of our journey in print and packaging make you count hours and days. Count them till next vacation. Finding and keeping great people is a “mission impossible”, but still we all want to work with them. Our team has the privilege to connect with both businesses and job seekers. While we focus on helping to find new employees and careers, let’s talk about retaining talent. Your employees will not look for new jobs if they are happy where they are. Honesty is the key, so here’s the ugly truth behind why your workers want to leave (at least a part of it).
1. Bad Management Impacts Your Career
Have you seen the movie “Horrible Bosses”? It was a comedy, but having a bad boss in real life is not so much fun. A poll from Gallup reports that 75% of workers have voluntarily quit because of a bad manager. Poor management is a broad topic, and it can be defined in many ways. It surely deserves a sequence of books. Some common situations include micromanaging, credit stealing, playing politics, or expecting all employees to be like them. Do you receive feedback too often (almost always negative)? Or no feedback at all (ignoring)? The research shows that the least responsive sectors include manufacturing (responding to feedback less than 10% of the time). There is no doubt that print and packaging have a lot of work to do, too. However, we can’t blame it all on managers. Individual contributors who do a fantastic job often get rewarded with a promotion. It’s a new world of responsibilities to lead, coach, and supervise, but it rarely comes with proper managerial training. Investing in leadership training is a must, and it should include clear and consistent rules of accountability.
2. Toxic Culture in Print and Packaging Companies
The toxic culture will make you stay awake at night. A perfect workplace is a fairy tale – nothing is perfect. But employees want to be part of a fair and supportive organization that stands for a well-defined mission. Do you agree? If you don’t feel safe, valued, and included, you don’t have the motivation and energy to contribute. Poor communication, gossip, discrimination, and lack of work-life balance cause the team’s culture and morale to suffer. We are social creatures, and fostering strong employee relationships is essential regardless of the job title, background, ethnicity, and gender. When employees clash with colleagues and management, your business does not have a chance to thrive. Why? Because mistrust, anxiety, and job dissatisfaction are not healthy fuels. The solution is strong leadership, open communication, and paths to career development so your business can attract and retain much-needed talent. Please.
3. Salary and Benefits for Print & Packaging Professionals
As recruiters, we talk to job seekers and employers daily. We listen, and we know that competitive wages and benefits matter. When you feel like you are underpaid for your work, you are more open to leaving your job. If employers do the math, you will know it costs less to retain your employees than replace them. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, replacement costs can reach 50-60% of each employee’s annual salary. When you calculate the turnover rate over the years at an average salary, you realize that the total loss is huge (it may even exceed $1 million per year). What to do to offer competitive compensation? Invest in surveys and market data to research how much your competitors pay. If you are a manager, be open to discussions about salary expectations with your current employees and job applicants. While you should not ask the job candidates how much they make, their expectations are valuable insights into what other companies offer. Finally, keep in mind that total compensation may include benefits and perks, including educational and career advancement opportunities (training, workshops, certifications, etc.).
4. No Recognition or Appreciation For Print & Packaging Workers
While not everyone wants to become a manager (which is okay), everyone deserves to be recognized. Positive feedback and praise are basic methods for your coworkers and managers to feel more valued and appreciated. Do you feel motivated if you are a hard-working employee who does not get credit? Research shows that lack of recognition is one of the primary reasons why employees quit. It’s vital for younger workers, as almost 8 in 10 millennials admit looking for new job opportunities if they don’t feel appreciated by their teams. Simple activities such as listening and acting upon feedback can do miracles. The recognition-rich work culture makes a difference at many levels, including fulfilled employees who provide excellent customer care. In the big picture, the company has an advantage over its competitors. Yes, it’s a win-win.
5. Facing Burnout
Burnout is defined as a “state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress.” We talk about burnout as the reason to leave employment, but this feeling can be related to many issues such as family relationships and other personal areas of life. How do you know that it is happening to you? You may feel empty, have no hope, be angry or irritable at the same time. You hopefully have someone to speak up to about how you feel. A good mentor can offer productive hints about self-care habits and focusing on a new mindset to rebuild your sense of self. Often, you miss the work-life balance, and inviting feedback combined with listening to employees’ concerns will help. If your company can offer flexible work, that’s a fantastic option that will help to keep employees.
Summary
If you have read the blog, you may be thinking that it’s only a small part of a much bigger situation. That’s correct. These are only a couple of examples of what we can improve. There are many more reasons why employees quit their jobs in print and packaging. The organizations are at risk of falling out of touch with talent, and we want to work on this. Grumpy Cat would not be happy with our positivity and words of hope, but we believe that we can do better. Workers in all industries, including print and packaging, are valuable assets to your families and companies. Keeping and nurturing talent is the best investment. Still, if you feel that the best thing to do is leave, do whatever is best for you. There are jobs available, and you can find a new path. We will try to help!