Your company is humming along, with top performers breaking productivity records and the bottom line improving every quarter. Then, suddenly, your rock stars start fleeing to competitors. You’re frequently seeing good employees leave.
What’s going on here? Your workers are paid well and you offer an excellent benefits package. You even have free snacks in the lunch room and a game room to help them relax. Why would anyone leave?
There could be many reasons that your best workers are giving their notice. Your job is to recognize what’s going on and fix the problems before all of your top people vanish.
Here are 10 reasons good employees leave, along with some ideas on how to stop them:
1. They’re not respected and treated as people.
This could actually be a list of one, as most of the other items noted below relate to treating people like numbers on a spreadsheet instead of humans who have unique goals and needs. Get to know the people on your teams beyond their latest performance statistics. Show you care about them and their lives outside of the office. Treat them the way you hope your boss will treat you. If you don’t, they’ll find someone who will.
2. They don’t feel empowered to make decisions.
You must have had a reason for hiring the people who are filling the cubicles in your office. You trusted that they could do a particular job and move your business forward. Convert that trust into action. Encourage your workers to come up with new ideas for the business, and truly listen to what they suggest. Try their best suggestions, allowing them to lead these pet projects. Show them that they have a voice and they can make a difference at work. That will keep them engaged and loyal.
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3. They are not offered flexibility.
If you’re treating your workers as people, you’ll also recognize that they want balance in their lives. One of the best ways to help them build that balance is to offer flexibility. Let them shift their hours to avoid a nasty commute. Allow them to work from home one day a week. If they need to care for a sick child, or leave work early to attend a school concert, encourage them to take the time they need. When companies are competing for top talent, those that aren’t flexible are sure to lose the battle. If you’re too rigid, your workers will look elsewhere.
4. They aren’t recognized for their achievements.
Nothing is more discouraging to a top performer than to have her amazing accomplishments ignored. As she grinds through extra hours to drive your company’s growth, she’ll expect her manager to notice. So do it! A simple “thank you” can work wonders, especially when offered in a meeting or other public forum. Other small tokens—like gift cards or some extra time off—are also appreciated. Offering recognition doesn’t have to be expensive, but not giving praise will be as your unappreciated employees leave.
5. They grow frustrated with a lack of transparency.
Employees know when their bosses aren’t giving them the full story. They can sense that managers are keeping secrets, and that makes them nervous. When workers get anxious, they start looking for new jobs. You can avoid this problem by sharing as much as you can. When your leadership team discusses an important topic in a meeting, don’t ask, “Should we tell employees about this?” Instead, ask, “Why shouldn’t we tell employees about this?” If you can’t come up with a good answer to the latter question, spread the word. After all, sharing is caring.
6. They are confused by a nebulous or shifting vision.
Have you ever worked for a company that seemed to update its vision statement every other month, in conjunction with the latest business fad? A company’s vision needs to grow as the business does, but it should offer some consistency over time so employees know what goals they’re chasing. If your workers don’t understand your vision for the future, they’ll start listening more closely to what other companies are touting. Once they find something that makes more sense, they’ll head for the door.
7. They aren’t having fun.
People don’t expect every day on the job to be filled with doughnuts and belly laughs. But if they dread walking through the office doors each morning for another eight hours of unmitigated drudgery, they’re not likely to stick around. Create opportunities for fun, and let your teams help plan those activities. On average days, take a minute to share a funny (but work-appropriate) story. Grab some of your team members for a walk around the block, punctuated by a stop at an ice cream shop. Do something to make work fun, and you’ll have happier, more engaged employees.
8. They see no opportunities for career growth.
Hard workers usually expect to be on a path toward promotion. They may be satisfied in their position for a couple of years, but if you’re not offering professional development plans and a clear career ladder, they’re going to feel like they’re stagnating at work. At that point, they’ll either struggle to maintain high performance, or they’ll look for a company that offers a way up. Create a strong learning and development framework that shows people you want them to grow within your organization, and they won’t decide to grow out of it.
9. They feel overworked.
It’s easy to assume that your office workhorses, who excel while carrying a heavy load every month, thrive on that kind of pressure. After all, no matter how much you put on their plate, they keep pushing through it and exceeding expectations. But even superstars get tired of feeling like they’re carrying the load for the entire team. Keep them challenged, but don’t overdo it. Talk to them about their workloads, and pay attention to non-verbal cues that indicate they are starting to feel overwhelmed. If you don’t help them avoid burnout, they’ll seek greener pastures.
10. They don’t receive regular feedback.
If your employees only receive feedback from managers once a year, at annual appraisal time, you’re in trouble. That won’t cut it with the millennials who are now dominating the workforce—or anyone else, for that matter. To keep your workers engaged, offer guidance and coaching in small doses, and as often as possible. Provide truly constructive criticism, and don’t forget to temper it with sincere praise. Feedback really is a gift, and it’s one you should give frequently.
Chances are good that almost every company has outstanding employees who are thinking of leaving, and that almost every manager could improve in at least one of these areas. Start listening to, and caring about, the people on your teams, and you’ll be able to keep your best workers for years to come.
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