There will come a time when an employee decides to move on from their current job to a new opportunity. The reasons for this can vary tremendously, but some may take you by surprise. Spotting these subtle signs will help you reduce sudden employee exits and lower your overall turnover rate. Here are some unexpected reasons why employees leave their jobs.
Employee retention begins with recruiting the right person for the job. It is important to find someone that possesses the capabilities for a specific job as well as someone who is a good cultural fit for the company. During the recruitment process, it is essential to ensure that the applicants’ goals and expectations are aligned with the position they’re applying for or it may lead to unmet expectations and disappointment. Testing for culture fit is just as important too. You can test for this by asking potential new hires personality and behavioral questions. This will help in assessing their alignment with your team and values. Companies that don’t use proper techniques during recruitment, end up with new hires that aren’t the best fit for the role or the company and they end up leaving after a short amount of time.
Many employers downplay the power of recognizing and rewarding employees for their work. The simplest forms of recognition can go a long way, such as a pat on the back or celebrating small wins. A lack of recognition, on the other hand, can lead to employees not feeling valued enough to stay. It is easy to take good work for granted when it’s consistently being delivered but it’s essential to give recognition. Showing that you value an employee is as simple as regularly acknowledging their work and effort as well as making them feel included and seen.
Every manager wants to ensure that their team is carrying out their responsibilities and doing them well, but persistent over-involvement can do more harm than good. Employees are more satisfied with their jobs when they’re given some freedom to make their own decisions and to choose how to execute tasks themselves. Being overly involved and controlling, however, can negatively affect your workplace morale. It not only instills a sense of distrust in your employees, but micromanagement also stresses your people and incubates a toxic work environment, causing even the best employees to quit.
Most employees need to feel that they are working towards an end goal. Lack of opportunities for growth and career advancement can actually turn off your best employees and push them to leave. Good employees are ambitious, they take pride in their work, and have the desire to learn more and develop their careers. If there’s no clear career path for employees at your company, they will start feeling overlooked for job promotions and will be tempted to look elsewhere.
A work environment where teams are friendly, communication is clear, management is accessible, and executives are approachable; is highly appreciated by employees. Nevertheless, sometimes the culture at work can negatively affect employees and hinder their progress and productivity. Company culture is a pivotal factor in employee retention, it can be your greatest strength or weakness.