Recruitment, training, and onboarding are some of the highest employee expenses for an organization. That is why it is so important to understand why people choose to quit their jobs in search of greener pastures.
In most cases when an employee joins a company, they do so with good intentions, with high hopes for a well-structured career path, and with the motivation and drive to succeed in their new role.
When something goes wrong and they make the decision to leave, it’s vital to take a look at the reasons why and if they could have been avoided.
6 Reasons why employees leave their roles in an organization
- Bad Bosses
- Feeling overworked and overwhelmed
- Culture misfit
- Not feeling recognized or valued
- Inadequate pay or benefits
- Boredom
1. How to avoid being a bad boss
Employees want to be trusted to manage when, where, and how they work and they value managers who empower and trust them to monitor their own time. Micro-management and a suffocating work environment lead to higher attrition rates. Offering flexibility to employees means increased productivity, job satisfaction, and a higher quality of work.
Employees are more likely to stay in their job when they have an empathetic manager. A true leader cares about their team as individuals and doesn’t treat them as faceless laborers. When people feel recognized in the workplace they are less likely to look elsewhere for employment.
A good boss will prioritize spending time with their team, both in and outside the office. Regular, scheduled meetings with each member of the team allow a manager to stay updated on what they’re working on, how they are handling their workload, and if they need any guidance or help with their work-life balance.
2. How to avoid overworking your employees
Managers need to find ways to support a healthy work-life balance for their employees.
An employee who is burned out, lacks energy, motivation, and the drive to work which increases job satisfaction. Encourage employees to take regular breaks, including holidays, to recharge and rejuvenate. Promote boundaries and give employees permission to turn their emails and notifications off and get out of work mode when they finish for the day. Set an example for your employees that shows they are allowed to take time out, and that you care about their health and well-being.
Employers need to recognize the symptoms and signs of burnout so they can monitor their team members and intervene if necessary. Training should be provided if required.
3. How to avoid culture misfit in the workplace
Whether you are running a small business or a Fortune 500, all organizations rely on a productive culture for their success.
Each time the wrong people are brought into an organization, its culture shifts. Bad hires—no matter how skilled—will struggle to feel a sense of belonging and find it harder to thrive. This can cause toxicity to grow in the workplace. If employees feel disconnected, they are likely to look for a more suitable work environment that aligns with their values. Culture fit should be an integral part of the hiring strategy, from how a role is advertised to how the interview process is structured.
4. How to show your employees recognition and appreciation
There are numerous ways you can show appreciation to your employees for a job well done. This can be done on an individual basis or at a team level, in person or via online communication tools. A simple “Thank you” or “Great job” can go a long way. It’s a quick and easy way to improve motivation and performance. There are also a wide variety of rewards and surprises you could offer to employees who have achieved something important.
Let your employees know when they have done something well that the organization and team should be proud of, and encourage all your team members to show appreciation for one another.
5. Provide competitive compensation and benefits
It is important to stay updated on current employee pay scales for all levels of your company.
Employees have easy access to up-to-date information on the average pay for their experience and skillset, so your organization must keep up. If you don’t, employees are more likely to leave and move to another organization where they will be compensated better for their qualities and credentials.
Many small and growing businesses are not able to offer highly competitive salaries and benefits packages. If this is the case, there are options to offer non-cash-based incentives through recognition programs that can maintain retention in a cost-effective manner.
6. How to make work exciting for your employees
If your employees are bored and unhappy with the work that they do, then you need to find out why.
Ask them for their honest feedback on what could help to make their work more exciting and something they will feel passionate about. It might not be possible to address all of their issues - in fact, it could highlight if the role is truly not a good fit – but it may be possible to diversify their tasks or give them a different set of responsibilities to minimize the monotony of their workday. If possible, find ways to utilize their skills more effectively.
To encourage their efforts you need to show them how valued they are within the organization and how their contribution is valuable to attaining company-wide goals. If an employee has a clear career path they can work towards, the happier and more motivated they will be to stay on in the organization
Employee retention – A conclusion
Communicating with your employees regularly is the key to understanding how satisfied they are in their role, monitoring their mindset, and assessing how committed they are to sticking with the company.
It is not always possible to stop a great employee from leaving. There are numerous factors that will affect their decision that is out of your control. However, if you treat your employees well, compensate them proportionately, acknowledge their achievements, and provide an inclusive workplace culture you will retain your top employees and ensure employee turnover is kept under check.