In light of the recent Microsoft study that unveiled stark data in support of The Great Resignation, Ten Thousand Coffees conducted a follow-up survey with US enterprise company workers that revealed that more than 60% of employees are yearning for opportunities to connect with their colleagues, in addition to professional development and mentorship opportunities. According to our data, the COVID-19 pandemic has made employee connectivity more difficult, and 62% of employees will leave their companies for more mentorship, development, and connectivity opportunities. 

Considering that 41% of the global workforce has indicated that they would leave their jobs within the next 6 months, our survey data provides employers and leaders in, HR, DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion), and talent roles an opportunity to capitalize on the immediate connectivity and development needs of their existing talent pools. As we enter this “great resignation” phase, companies that provide connectivity, mentorship, and career development opportunities will have an opportunity to reduce employee turnover, as well as drive the engagement, development, and retention of their existing talent pools. 

“Organizations need to make a permanent shift to the new world of work. Remote and hybrid work environments are here to stay, and they threaten the loss of connectivity and informal development opportunities that were taken for granted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has had a huge impact on employee engagement, productivity, and retention, which are major factors that drive business results.” says Dave Wilkin, CEO and Co-founder of Ten Thousand Coffees. 

The research validated that leaders can have an immediate impact on retaining their talent pools by implementing programs that engage them and focus on their career development. 

Here are the full survey findings and insights:

• More than 60% of younger employees (aged 18-44) want additional access to mentoring and coaching, and more than 70% (aged 18-44) want additional opportunities to build relationships with colleagues when compared to their peers aged 45-60.
• More than half of respondents (55%) said that connecting with colleagues has become harder in the past 12-18 months.

• 69% of those aged 45-60 years are having the most difficulties, as they answered it has become “somewhat harder” or “much harder”.

• Over 60% of all respondents would consider leaving their current company to join one with more opportunities for mentorship. 65% of younger employees (aged 18-44) agree or strongly agree with this statement, compared to 31% of those aged 45-60.
• 62% of all respondents would leave their company to feel more connected to colleagues. This trend is pronounced in younger groups (aged 18-44) where more than 64% agree or strongly agree compared to 39% of those aged 45-60.
• Over one third of respondents (35%) said that they are not satisfied with career growth opportunities at their organization, and almost one third (30%) said that they don't feel like their organization is dedicated to their professional development.
• 82% of the participants said opportunities to grow and develop their skills in the next 6-12 months are either important or very important to them.
  

To help companies navigate the uncharted waters of today’s disrupted work environments, Ten Thousand Coffees is launching innovative products to serve enterprise clients who are actively solving employee connectivity, retention, and development challenges. 

“Our new solutions include more structured talent development programs like corporate DE&I mentorship programs, training programs for high potentials and people managers, as well as out-of-the-box programming to drive connectivity and culture. These solutions will help our enterprise clients retain and engage their talent, and act as an attraction tool for new employees.” said Wilkin.

If you are interested in learning more about how Ten Thousand Coffees can help your business drive employee connectivity, engagement, development, and DE&I initiatives, book a demo now.

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Sample Size, Demographic Factors & Methodology: 

212 participants were surveyed using SurveyMonkey Audience, and 119 were qualified. To qualify, participants had to indicate that they were planning to leave their current employer or making a major career move in the next 12 months.

Participants were full-time employees located in the USA, aged 22-55, with an annual household income of 50k-200k, and who work at companies with 1000+ employees.