The pandemic has redefined the nature of work. Employer costs are rising. More and more employees are changing careers. And they are more selective in the jobs they take.
Data from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover (JOLTS) report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics saw an accelerating number of quits in 2021, hitting an all-time high in Q4. There were departures across sectors, including arts, entertainment and recreation, services, and education. And it wasn’t just lower wage jobs that were impacted; the Wall Street Journal notes that higher paid workers are “quitting in droves to become their own bosses.” If employers didn’t know already, they do now: these days, employees have options.
Two years ago, we wrote in this magazine that skills-based volunteerism is among the fastest growing corporate engagement programs in the country, with more than 50 percent of companies reporting that they have a formal program. The movement has continued to gain momentum during the pandemic as employers sought opportunities for virtual volunteering and remote team building and talent development engagements. The benefits to nonprofits are clear: access to talent that might otherwise be unavailable. But the corporate volunteers benefit, too, in ways that often make them more engaged and productive employees.