One could sum up the above rather cynically as: People want to work fewer hours, get more time off, generally aim lower, and make more money doing it all. But the #HumanFirst way to frame it is to note that employees feel overworked; they feel their work-life balance is suffering; they’re having trouble making ends meet; and they refuse to make a blood pact with a corporate world that is increasingly only loyal to shareholders, not to employee stakeholders.

The Great Resignation. The Great Reshuffle. Inflation. High turnover rates. Applicants seeking hybrid or remote-only options. As if staying on top of shutdowns, social distancing requirements, vaccine mandates, and quarantine guidelines weren’t difficult enough, the COVID-19 pandemic has given your human resources departments yet another stressful and time-consuming task: the war for talent.