During the covid-19 pandemic, workers are leaving their jobs in greater numbers. This emerging trend has been named The Great Resignation. Will the Great Resignation become a future trend in Thailand?

A recent report from the Ministry of Labor shows that out of Thailand’s 37.92 million workforce, 11 million people work in the Agricultural sector, 6 million in Manufacturing, and 6 million work in Logistics and Services.

I think it’s clear that Working From Home (WFH) will not be a future trend for most workers in these top 3 sectors that drive the Thai economy.

That’s my logical assumption. But the ripple effects of The Great Resignation certainly could impact HR, and your entire organization, especially if we’re talking about the influence of this future trend on your company’s top talent.

Over the years, I’ve seen on my social media thread how people are often overworked when they WFH. It’s easy to get stuck in your home office, and not take enough time to refresh with healthy activities. WFH can often lead to workers neglecting their personal lives.

Some suffer from ‘office syndrome’ – back, neck and shoulder pain from spending too much time hunched over their desk. Others are simply burning out. Parents are overwhelmed by increased workloads and the chaos of home-schooling. Sometimes we all need to stop, and say “Enough is Enough!” and give ourselves a break.

I am also seeing many positive future trends in the age of The Great Resignation. Company’s are paying more attention to show their care for employee well-being by sending care packages, and boosting their employee engagement programs. But of course, this will not be enough to reverse the impacts of The Great Resignation.

What are the risks of losing your key talent? What could be the future business impacts?

Some might say, ‘Well, in that case, let’s give incentives and increase compensation to our most important team members. That will make them stay longer.’

But believe me, I have interviewed many people who resigned from their previous jobs to heal themselves mentally and emotionally. I think many workers who leave their positions during The Great Resignation are willing to take lower-paid jobs. There is an emerging trend towards choosing a happy workplace environment over money. There are many other factors that attract the workforce nowadays. This can include branding, working for a higher purpose, learning opportunities, and social considerations.

To successfully navigate the age of The Great Resignation, business leaders must pay close attention to these three things:

1. Know your employees.
2. Line Managers and leaders must understand their team well: how do they best perform, and what drives each of them? Some may thrive when they are allowed to return to the office; and others are happier with WFH. Find out, and give them a choice. If they perform better, the company benefits.
3. Clear communication.
4. Dissatisfaction and conflicts are caused by a lack of communication. Explain clearly why some employees need to be back in the office, and why others can continue to WFH. Once your team understands the logic behind the policy and sees the results, the whole organization will be a delightful place to work.
5. Invest in HR technologies and processes.
6. There are several technologies (both high & low cost) that could reduce paperwork and time-consuming process in your HR.
7. If you’re still using paper time sheets or leave management systems; excel sheets to record shifts; or using local database training manuals, or conducting in-person trainings — maybe now is the time to explore new technologies and prepare for future trends.

Change is the only real constant in the world. Will you be changed, or will you drive change? The choice is yours.