It can be a big expense when an employee leaves unexpectedly. There are inevitable recruiting expenses, lost productivity, as well as considerable time spent screening, interviewing, hiring and training candidates to fill the position.
To begin implementing methods to retain good employees, it’s crucial to understand why employees leave. When you understand the underlying reasons that drive employees away, you can tackle these problem areas; ultimately decreasing the likelihood of employees submitting a resignation letter and walking out the door. Read on to learn the common reasons why employees leave as well as how to overcome these obstacles.
Organizational Instability Leads to Disconnection
When management is constantly reshuffling, changing direction and moving people around, it disconnects employees from the organization’s purpose. Employees who don’t know what’s going on, what their priorities are, or what they should be doing will likely harbor frustration, leading to confusion and workplace inefficiencies.
Lack of Company Culture or Engaging Activities
Instant gratification is the new norm for many millennial employees. With the exponential growth of the internet, social media and hand-held mobile devices, employees are a fingertip away from distractions, wherever they may be. It may be the case that working for eight hours, in one location, is becoming less attractive to employees. Of course, this isn’t to say that the workforce is growing lazy; rather, rigidly defining work in such a traditional manner doesn’t make sense to employees in today’s constantly interconnected world.
This highlights a simple paradigm shift: retaining top talent now directly relates to an organization’s ability to reinvent their work environment, blurring the line between work and play. Companies must embrace a culture of increased autonomy and innovation, and engage employees around a powerful mission and purpose.
Too Much (or Too Little) Work
Skilled employees are frequently capable of completing more than they are initially tasked with, which can lead to a few problems. That level of capability can result in an employee being asked to do more work than s/he can handle well.
This can lead to frustration and resentment, if an employee feels that s/he contributes more than the rest of the team. It’s not wise to burnout your best employees. On the other hand, capable workers may finish their tasks and run into obstacles when they request more work; the resulting boredom can be just as toxic as being overworked.
No Clear Vision
If your organization has no clear vision, it’s difficult to expect employees to perform well. Ideally, your employees’ goals and objectives should be aligned with your company’s vision. Having a common vision helps employees work cohesively toward a shared goal. It’s easier for people to feel a sense of belonging to their team and organization when their employer posits a clear vision. The combination of good leadership and clear values has the power to drive positive employee retention for the long-term.
How To Reduce High Employee Turnover
So how can you keep your good employees happy? While many companies offer raises, time off and promotions, they are ultimately limited resources and are infrequently the most critical motivators. Here are a few ways to take control of your organization, creating a place where employees want to work, while saving time and money in the process.
Implement Annual Company Events and Activities
Let’s say you’re trying to develop a company culture of fun and comfort. In this case, you should look toward incorporating company activities and events. It will serve as a reminder to your employees of what your company really stands for. Plus, it’ll show that it’s not always about getting down to business, it’s good to let loose once in a while.
Set Clear Expectations and Goals
Managing expectations is a crucial aspect of managing people. Ensure that you have job descriptions so your employees know exactly what is expected of them. If there are any changes that need to be made, don’t expect your employees to guess at that. Instead, communicate directly and clearly. Good employees want to please you, but they need to know what you expect.
Improve Employee Satisfaction
Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Surveys are tools to measure employee attitudes about everything from leadership and communications, to their relationships with their supervisors. Using a survey at least annually will help you identify what can be improved, and in which workgroups.
Because professional research firms conduct the surveys that protect respondent anonymity, consider hiring one so that your employees are more likely to provide honest feedback that you can take action on.
When employees enjoy coming to work and making an impact, your business will thrive. Check out our downloadable Employee Engagement Checklist to ensure you are getting the best performance out of your staff.
