We need a stable source of income to provide for our needs. We need to keep our jobs, but despite this, there are still a lot of good employees that quit. Why?
Even the largest, most successful companies anywhere in the world have experienced good workers resigning and moving to another company.
Some people immediately assume that the need for a bigger salary is the main reason for employees leaving their jobs.
There was a Facebook post that went viral years ago stating why good employees leave:
Just the fact that so many people agree with it might be a sign that what it says is true. Research done by Hogan Assessments in 2017 found out that 75% of the 1000 American employees they have talked to said that their direct manager is the “worst part of their job.”
And, 65% would even prefer their bosses be replaced rather than getting an increase in their salary. According to a study by Salary.com, 23% of employees look for a new job every day.
So, it’s not always about the money.
But aside from issues with the boss, what are the most common reasons why employees quit? They applied for that job before, didn’t they? Why leave something you dreamed of having, once upon a time?
• Being overworked — One of the top reasons good (or even the best) employees leave is because of too much workload dumped on them. And, let’s admit it, in an office environment, sometimes, when an employee shows how good they are at something — more and more work is being assigned to them.
The result? Burn out. Giving the employees room to breathe is one good way to prevent these employees from leaving. Work-life balance is very important in any job.
Lack of growth opportunity — “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” is among the most frequently asked questions during a job interview. And if the employee meant the answers they gave when asked that question before, they are surely looking for growth opportunities.
Offering courses and training that would improve and enhance their skills can help them to see growth in the company. Training the employees more won’t only make them grow, it will make them better at the job, too.
Lack of appreciation — Even a little child would really show more enthusiasm if their efforts are rewarded and appreciated. Raises and bonuses are good, yes, but giving a salary increase or monetary rewards aren’t the only ways to show recognition or appreciation.
Sometimes, a simple “Great job!” or “Good work!” will do. Even a small token of appreciation can help in making an employee feel more valued.
Lack of confidence — Sure, employees, especially when they are fairly new, need constant guidance and supervision.
However, when they have been doing the same thing for a considerable amount of time but the boss still breathes down their neck, it may lead to a lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem. At times, letting the employees work freely can definitely make them feel trusted and more confident.
Lack of challenge — When an employee has been with the company for a long time, doing the same tasks every day, they may lose interest because the work becomes monotonous for them.
Engaging the employees in another type of work in the office can redeem their interest and help them learn new skills, too.
Office politics — Office politics is one of the reasons even the best employees quit, too. Office politics can result in the wrong people getting promoted, and that alone may prompt good employees to leave.
Watching the employees carefully and monitoring their contributions to the company will help in making the right decisions, especially in critical matters like promotions, and everyone can be sure that the decisions are based on facts, and not just office politics.
Even when the bosses know about the most common reasons employees quit and try to make some changes to the company policies in order to keep the employees, nothing beats an open communication between the boss and their subordinates.
Encouraging the employees to speak up and share their input will make them feel important and independent.
When open communication is practiced at the office, the employees will also feel safe in sharing some issues with the boss — especially in revealing some issues in the workplace.
The boss being aware of any conflicts in the office will help in having these issues resolved quickly and possibly give employees a reason not to quit their job.
Truly listening to what the employees have to say and getting to know them can help bosses understand their workers more, find out what they need, and could potentially foresee and prevent any wasteful resignations in the future.