(2 minute read)
Watching talent walk out the door is challenging. When good employees leave, productivity drops, morale can suffer, and remaining staff can be tasked with backfilling the workload left behind.
However, it doesn’t always have to be that way.
While a talent retention program has genuine merit in most businesses, leaders, HR professionals and Managers first need to determine why the employees are leaving.
Here are some of the more common reasons provided by employees as to why they left the business.
They’re Disengaged – A 2021 Gallup survey identified as many as 15% of workers were actively disengaged. If employees indicate they are satisfied in their current employment, it doesn’t indicate that they are engaged or enthusiastic. They may be happy to do the minimum required of them. Managers and leaders are encouraged to tune-in to the subtle cues which may appear on closer observation, e.g., withdrawing from social engagement with other workers.
Disillusion with Management – A commonly shared quote states; “Employees don’t quit jobs, they quit managers.” Wendy Duarte, executive director of global technology recruiting at JPMorgan Chase, says this rings true. “When you lose your top talent, the first place to look is at management.” Managers are encouraged to take regular ‘temperature checks’ of their employees, including scheduling 1-on-1 meetings and creating opportunities to hear the thoughts, concerns, and opinions of their people.
Little Room for Growth – While they may appear to like what they’re working on, and who they’re working with, employees need to feel there’s something in it for them personally. Otherwise, they can be tempted to search for employment elsewhere, or be susceptible to enquiries from recruiters.
Clarity of Vision & Purpose – Employees want to work for an organisation they believe in. In a recent report on Job Optimism, Robert Half Talent Solutions uncovered that 71% of employees would leave an organisation whose values don’t align with their own. Most people want to work somewhere with a strong corporate culture, one that clearly defines its mission and has a set of values that every employee can buy into.
In addition to these, it’s worth remembering the little things which acknowledge the importance of work-life balance, helping employees feel that they’re not just another cog in a large machine, but an asset to the organisation.