As a recruiter, I can report that I'm noticing a surge in jobseekers already employed. It appears that employees who went remote due to COVID-19 have lost the bond they once had with their current employers and feel the grass may be greener elsewhere.
While I applaud workers branching out and taking risks, even if they're comfortable in their current role, I think this new trend speaks for a significant issue blooming in workplaces that are operating remotely since the pandemic.
It could be that supervisors aren't connecting with their subordinates, or workers aren't connecting with their co-workers or both. Either way, this trend suggests that many workers are severing their emotional bonds with their jobs.
Supervisors can begin spicing things up in the (virtual) workplace by reevaluating their management style. In-house supervisors could walk the halls and check-in with employees on both a personal and professional level. Virtually, they only speak on schedule, and for the most part, it's work-related. Managers need to connect more often, deliver praise or instruction, and showcase a genuine interest in their team members.
Supervisors need to breathe life back into their teams. For starters, the holidays are coming up. Think of ways you can host the annual Christmas party virtually. An Ugly Sweater Cocktail Hour over Zoom may be what your team needs to reconnect and have fun. Remember to vote for the ugliest sweater at the end (with a grand prize). You can still host a Secret Santa for all willing participants using online Secret Santa generators and Amazon wish lists.
One aspect of office life employees have always enjoyed is professional development. Supervisors should book a speaker for a Zoom meeting who can train employees on working from home. You should create resources for employees to refer to for successful work-from-home tools and strategies.
I advise supervisors to go ahead and host those Zoom cocktail hours, make those corporate events virtual, and hang tight to those regular team meetings. It could be the saving grace your team needs before they cave under the bleakness of working with ghosts.
But if all signs of life have genuinely vanished from your virtual workplace, then don't be surprised when folks look for a new job. In that case, I hope they call me.