When the Wall Street Journal runs an article called "How to Quit Your Job Gracefully," it's clear something unusual is going on. As the pandemic that wreaked havoc on businesses and left millions unemployed enters a new phase, and the delta variant renews our sense of fear and uncertainty, instructions on how to walk away from a paycheck seem out of place, to say the least.

Yet the "Great Resignation" is one of the hottest topics among employees and employers today. After more than a year of adaptation to remote and hybrid scenarios, we are experiencing a reckoning of sorts, in which workers are re-imagining their careers within the bigger picture. More than 4 million Americans left their jobs in April alone. There's no question: Companies that don't address the new needs of a fundamentally changed workforce may end up scrambling.

Looking ahead, how should businesses be preparing for this shift? And how can they use this moment to position themselves as a valued employer?