News & Events

Employee engagement, which surged in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, is being put to the test as employers look to stem the tide of the “Great Resignation” while battling a tight labor market and worldwide supply chain bottlenecks.

“As the world stumbles toward a COVID-19 recovery, experts warn of a surge of voluntary employee departures, dubbed the “Great Resignation.” For instance, one study estimates that 55 percent of people in the workforce in August 2021 intend to look for a new job in the next 12 months,” reports the Harvard Business Review. “To counteract the incoming wave of employee turnover, organizations — more than ever — need to focus on cultivating employee engagement.”

In a world turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas small businesses are finding their way towards a workplace “new normal” as the coronavirus crisis nears two years.

And whether it is a return to office, work from home (WFH), or hybrid model that combines in-person and remote work, one thing for certain is that there is no going “back to normal”.

“Too many are asking whether we will go back to normal. To me, the problematic word is “back.” There is no going back to pre-COVID times. There is only forward—to a new and uncertain future that is currently presenting us with an opportunity for thoughtful design,” said Amy C Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School.

The “Great Resignation”, “Turnover Tsunami'', or “Quit-ageddon” … whatever you call the current phenomenon of workers leaving their jobs in droves, it is happening.

“In April, the number of workers who quit their job in a single month broke an all-time U.S. record. Economists called it the “Great Resignation.” But America’s quittin’ spirit was just getting started,” Derek Thompson wrote in The Atlantic is October 2021. “In July, even more people left their jobs. In August, quitters set yet another record. That Great Resignation? It just keeps getting greater.”

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) are the backbone of America, providing more than half of all private-sector jobs. Most SMB owners are forced to wear many hats as they lack the vast resources of large companies.

“Small business retailers are among the hardest working people in America, often keeping long hours, overcoming numerous challenges and making repeated sacrifices to pursue their dream and make their business successful,” said a 2016 National Retail Federation (NRF) survey.

A record number of workers are quitting their jobs at record pace across America making it difficult for employers to hire and retain employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Labor Job Openings and Labor Turnover summary released Oct. 12, 2021, showed that nearly 3 percent of the labor force, some 4.3 million employees, quit their jobs in August.

Professional employer organizations (PEOs) clients, like most companies across the U.S. economy, have faced their share of hurdles during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a new industry white paper argues their alliances have them positioned for long-term success.

“PEO Clients in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Follow-Up Analysis”, a white paper published last month by The National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO), is a deep dive by Laurie Bassi and Dan McMurrer of McBassi & Company into the effects of the pandemic on PEO clients.

Employees are one of your businesses’ greatest assets, so it is important to maximize their potential and increase your company’s chance of success with strategic planning.

“Loyal customers, visionary leaders and quality goods and services all influence success, but usually a company’s best asset is its employees,” says the Indeed.com Editorial Team.

In a perfect world, December would be at least six weeks long as the month can roll by in a blur with business often buttonholed between holiday parties and ringing in the New Year festivities.

December can be a tricky month to navigate for small and medium-sized business owners with one survey finding that 68 percent of employees were “less productive throughout the entire month of December compared to other months.”

Here at Employer Flexible, our mission is to be an advocate for your business. We are passionate about getting to know our clients so that we can combine our expertise and intuition to get you what you need. So you talked; we listened. 

If the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation, supply chain shortages, and tight labor market were not enough obstacles for America’s businesses, now comes “The Great Resignation”.

According to Forbes, the term “The Great Resignation” was coined by Texas A&M professor Anthony Klotz to describe a potential tidal wave of people leaving their jobs post-pandemic vs. returning to the “old normal”.