Significant changes to recent employment rates have forced employers to 
re-evaluate their approach to staff retention and the factors that influence 
longevity and strength in a workforce. The Great Resignation, in which millions 
of people are leaving their jobs in search of better lifestyles, has caused 
upheaval in almost every industry, creating large gaps in talent and 
production, while impacting budgets and company morale.



"At Amrop, we have noted significant trends in our partner countries – the 
ripple effect of what the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports as 
47.8-million Americans resigning from their work last year. Our position as a 
global leadership advisory and executive search firm allows us to analyse and 
anticipate these challenges in other territories, assisting our worldwide 
network with strategies to tackle The Great Resignation" says Annika Farin, 
Amrop Partnership Chair and Managing Partner of the German office.

Amrop data shows that after its hard hit on the USA, The Great Resignation is 
now impacting a vast European territory, causing smaller countries to take note 
of retention lessons learnt in the US., also notes that Europe's demographical 
factors are impacting the job market, as the Baby Boomers are all exiting quite 
simultaneously – "this is especially apparent in Germany, we see this 
everywhere now, and have to get creative about it" says Farin. 

According to Amrop Italy's President and Managing Partner Antonio Pellerano, 
the phenomenon is impacting 60% of companies in Italy, and several thousands of 
positions, mainly in the digital and ITC areas. Similar trends are now being 
seen in Eastern and Western Europe.

Although a Microsoft survey conducted last year highlights that 41% of the 
global workforce is considering quitting their jobs, the anticipated rate of 
resignation in the executive class is significantly higher. A recent Deloitte 
survey shows that nearly 70% of C-suite employees in the US, UK, Canada and 
Australia are seriously considering leaving their jobs.

The study indicates that 81% of the C-suite says that improving their 
well-being is more important than advancing their career, as they go in search 
of better-lived lives. This lifestyle pursuit is now trickling into European 
countries, forcing companies to pay close attention to their chief executives, 
chief financial officers, and other C-level employees, as they reassess the 
role of work in their lives.

Amrop develops retention programmes that keep employees engaged, productive and 
employed – always customised to the enterprise's needs and goals. A 
multi-faceted, targeted, and personal strategy is key, supported by a trusting, 
secure working relationship between the employer and employee.

The retention counselling service developed by Amrop Woodburn Mann and the 
Woodburn Mann Leadership Science Institute offers a successful example of such 
a programme, and one that the Amrop network around the world extract lessons 
from when dealing with partner retention strategies. It focuses on principles 
of enhanced engagement – at a personal and institutional level – that 
facilitate solutions for executives within a business.

"The programme cultivates long-term loyalty and delivery, enhancing the 
retention proposition and attracting the executive to remain in the company," 
explains Andrew Woodburn, Managing Partner at Amrop Woodburn Mann, who sits on 
the Global Board of the Amrop Partnership. "In most cases, the individual is 
not informed that they are undergoing retention counselling, since this 
knowledge could create an awkward dynamic between them and their employer. 
Rather, they are awarded an executive development opportunity. Together with 
the employer, we design a programme to overcome some of the challenges 
triggering the employee to become a flight risk."

Woodburn advises businesses to look beyond solely addressing the employee's 
needs. "In many cases, culture and retention stem from the leadership style 
trickling down from above. Therefore, systemically, the culture and leadership 
of the organisation need to be attended to from the top down. This is a 
long-term programme and can take many years to execute within an organisation, 
requiring a dedicated culture commitment and buy-in from the business."

He recommends a diverse facilitation mandate when creating such a programme. 
"It should include attitude, current organisational environment, any personal 
issues, education and training, leadership, remuneration, role scope and future 
expectations. This broad palette should bring to the surface the critical 
issues that need to be addressed by the retention programme, to generate a 
workable solution for both the employee and the employer."

"At Amrop, we encourage businesses to make retention plans part of their 
mandate to attract, develop and retain talent. Our aim when working with 
corporations is to hold on to enterprise knowledge by retaining long-term, 
highly valuable employees, particularly in the executive category. An 
executive's experience, qualifications, networks, insight, company 
understanding and ability to contribute beyond KPIs are highly prized 
commodities – and these C-suites should be a strong focus in a business's 
retention strategy" – Annika Farin

To ensure good retention planning, Amrop recommends an agile approach that 
considers the individual and their overall well-being. Companies that can offer 
flexibility to their employees and understand their needs and values are more 
likely to maintain a stable and competitive workforce. Offering attractive 
benefits, being committed to long-term career prospects, facilitating training, 
and investing in ongoing learning will instil greater loyalty, retaining 
talented and motivated executives who are committed to the organisation's 
success.

CONTACT:

Amrop GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS
The Amrop Partnership SCRL
Rue Abbé Cuypers 3
1040 Brussels, Belgium
 
T. +32 471 733 825
E. contact@amrop.com
Brigitte Arhold COO   

Source: Amrop