Have you heard of the great reinvention? No, not the great resignation, although . . . let’s get into that first. 

If you’re working in the U.S. today, it’s likely you know of (and have possibly been impacted by) the so-called great resignation — as an employer, employee, or someone following along and waiting to see what comes next. Workers are leaving their careers in droves, searching for somewhere they feel valued . . . or at least offered a better chance of feeling like themselves.

Looking at the numbers (MarketWatch data shows that nearly 57 million Americans quit their jobs between January 2021 and February 2022) — or the personal horror stories of those you know — it’s easy to fall into a negative mindset regarding the whole situation. Will you always be stuck searching for a job that will fulfill you? Will any job fulfill you? Is it possible to find a great employee right now? And if so, how can you keep them?

It’s time for a new outlook. Instead of the great resignation, we’re shaping the post-Covid-19 career landscape into something else, something beneficial for everyone involved.

Welcome to the Great Reinvention.

What is the Great Reinvention?

The great reinvention offers the possibility to restructure our work-related mindset, strengthening both our personal and professional selves and unlocking our workforce’s full potential in the process.

By reframing the great resignation as a challenge in which to find the next opportunity, we can shut down unhelpful, negative connotations around the situation.

“The companies and organizations that are winning right now are allowing their employees to reinvent themselves. Not just at work,” says Limitless Minds Founder and CEO Harry Wilson. “As leaders, we tend to push our people to ‘the big goal:’ accomplishment, hitting the numbers. And we push back the empathy side, especially in the ecosystem we’re in today. We can still have the results [while being empathetic]. I think empathy is going to allow everyone to have the permission to have a drive for results.”

It’s not about simply knowing the buzzwords, nor is it always about the hunt for higher compensation or remote-friendly work. We know that benefits and fair pay are crucial. What intangibles cause an employee to say “I love my job” and mean it? That’s what the great reinvention is about — finding opportunities in the current challenges that will leave the workforce better (not to mention happier and more successful) than ever before.

The Power of Connection

Thriving employees feel connected to their careers. According to the NeuroLeadership Institute, intrinsic motivation and a sense of belonging are key pillars to an individual’s success. Research by McKinsey shows that employees who feel more connected with people in their professional networks are 1.5X more likely to report being engaged at work. Gallup also found that work friendships increase both productivity and engagement.

“Personal connection isn’t just good for engagement and happiness at work; it’s what makes us human,” writes Jennifer Moss in her book The Burnout Epidemic.

Creating this connection is a way for companies to ensure everyone thrives. Nevertheless, professional networks are shrinking. A second McKinsey survey of 5,500 US workers revealed that more than 75% of respondents in full-time roles reported “having less-frequent connections, smaller networks, and putting less time and effort into relationships since the Covid-19 pandemic began.”

But that can change.

Companies who utilize group mindset coaching sessions see their coworkers walk away with a newfound appreciation for each other — and both their professional and personal selves. Club Limitless members immediately note this sense of community, whether through connecting in the comment section of their favorite digital coaching session or knowing there are others worldwide on the same path to neutrality. 

Thriving or Surviving

Last week, NPR published an article detailing the concept of ‘Quiet Quitting,’ ie. the occurrence of employees deciding to close their laptop at 5 p.m., wait to respond to that email, and set their Slack notifications to OOO (and mean it).

“Quiet quitting doesn’t actually involve quitting. Instead, it has been deemed a response to hustle culture and burnout,” writes Amina Kilpatrick. “Employees are ‘quitting’ going above and beyond and declining to do tasks they are not being paid for.”

This phenomenon doesn’t stem from employees losing steam; it’s a problem of leaders and systems losing their way. While it’s tempting to find something to blame, a focus on labeling employees as “disengaged” is misguided.

Like it or not, employees are finally asking themselves the important questions, phrased memorably by Mindset Coach Collin Henderson: “Are you grinding or grooving? Thriving or surviving?” Then, they’re making decisions based on the answer.

If one’s job lacks meaning (or the ability to find it), it’s time to reinvent. But if their purpose and role are aligned? They’ll only continue to thrive.

The Next Right Step

So, what is the next right step? For employees? Organizations? Leaders?

Let’s start with what not to do: work to “get back to what was.” Focusing on how things used to be keeps you stuck. More so, it does not give you the competitive advantage of a neutral mindset — one that focuses on what the current situation calls for.

We are not the same as we were before Covid. It’s more productive to look at terms like “the great resignation” and “quiet quitting” as pieces of information that tell us what the situation is calling for now. The harder we hold on to a status quo that is changing — whether we want it to or not — the more ground we lose in staking claim to the new territory.

We have the opportunity to ignite employee passion, create meaningful work opportunities that align an individuals’ values with our organizations’ missions, and structure our systems to allow competitive compensation.

At Limitless Minds, we work to establish both intrinsic motivation AND connection building in organizations. This won’t come from encouraging employees to prioritize wellness while coincidingly shaming them as “quiet quitters” for working toward work/life harmony — or by looking to the past for answers.

In providing a company with strategies to form connections and a neutral working mindset, we’re setting everyone up for success. There’s a difference between diligence and self-destruction, and no consistent high performer can do so without adequate recovery.

An employee who knows how to leverage their mindset will be stronger both personally and professionally with greater purpose and fulfillment. Leaders who support this will see a return on their investment that’s broader than happy, excited employees. Their empathetic outlook will translate to increased productivity, performance, engagement, and retention.

Let’s reevaluate, then reinvent, together.

To schedule a coaching demo with Limitless Minds, contact us here.