Last month, Bloomsberg’s Mattheu Boyle cautioned that the return-to-the-office deadline after the Labour Day weekend may set off a bit of a showdown.

Emerging studies are now demonstrating that the pandemic has single-handedly caused the highest level of employee mobility in modern history.  It has literally flipped the balance of power on its head – moving from capital to labour.  This is a seismic shift: the number one determinant of corporate success is talent.

Leaders are facing a bit of a crisis: the Great Resignation, the Great Retirement and the War on Talent are all coming to a head like the perfect storm.

Brian Kropp, Chief of HR Research at Gartner, tells us that employees have stepped up to the plate and have demonstrated their efficacy remotely.  He adds that “forcing employees back into non-flexible work arrangements could leave organizations vulnerable to talent being actively poached by employers that offer the kind of flexibility employees have come to expect during the pandemic.”

Furthermore, Forbes’ contributor, David Michels, writes that “more than simply inputs, workers are the atomic building blocks of the modern [workplace]. Yet our understanding of workers—their hopes and desires, their untapped potential, their emotional state—is often superficial.”

As a leader, what do you need to know?

Employees – the people that should matter the most – are looking for employers who care. They are looking for employers who will recognize the realities and the demands of daily life – demands placed upon them beyond your corporate needs.

While you might be looking for talented, nimble, flexible, capable and competent employees; know that they too are looking for the same traits in you and your organization – and then some.

The days of overly prescriptive workplace environments are a thing of the past.

To attract, successfully on-board and retain talent, leaders will need to be flexible – more so than ever. Leaders will want to adjust their strategies and adapt their corporate culture by loosening the traditional, hierarchical, rules-based organizational structures – and adopt a more holistic and human-centric approach to work.

We have evolved since 1872 – the year Canadians started to celebrate Labour Day.

As a result, we benefit from fair hours and safe workplaces, medical insurance, eye care, dental care, unemployment insurance, paid parental and family leaves, paid holidays and more. That said, societies are in continuous movement – and as we continue to evolve and collectively emerge post-pandemic, employees will be looking to leaders and organizations for workplace environments that will not only suit, but also accommodate their needs.

As we look ahead, what conversation do you need to have in and outside of your boardrooms to become or remain a world-class, competitive workplace of choice where employees’ dreams and full potential have room to emerge and flourish?

Are you that employer?