Dear boss, I quit!
Losing valuable employees to competition is a reality we live in today. When a valuable employee leaves your organisation for reasons that could have been prevented, it is something any honest employer needs to look into.
When good employees leave there are consequent effects such as productivity reduction, morale dips and increased workload for other employees. In addition there are also associated turnover costs which range from 50 percent to 150 percent of an employee’s pay, depending on that employee’s level of job. Clearly exits are inevitable and transition can be tough for individuals and organisations.
We share some common and not so common reasons employees quit today because according to the maxim “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable”.
Not challenged and engaged –When employees especially strong performers are not motivated by doing challenging work they start feeling disconnected, loose enthusiasm and show signs of disengagement from the work. Explore challenging projects that can keep employees focused.
Not Involved –When employees can’t offer ideas and ask questions this creates a lack of ownership. Create open communication channels between employees and management in which employees can offer ideas and ask questions. When people get chastised for speaking up, it impacts negatively on the culture. Line leaders need to create enabling work environments where team members speak up without fear of repercussion.
Not Appreciated –“Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it to yourself.” Acknowledging your team members work will make a huge difference to retaining them.
Not Valued – All employees want to feel valued. Recognize, respect and value their contributions.
Not On a Mission – Communicating your organization’s mission and vision is not enough, have line leaders live this mission and vision and linking the connection to everyday work is critical. Keep this top of mind and not just at the lobby of the company headquarters.
Not Promoted – When you don’t give employees a clear path on advancement possibilities they will become frustrated and may stop trying if they see no clear future for themselves at your company. Promote from within your organization whenever possible. Succession Planning succeeds when line leaders are deliberate about grooming leaders.
Not Empowered –When employees are empowered to take initiatives, they can be more productive, more excited about the work they do which drives creativity and retention.
Not Trusted– When there is lack of character and competence in the line leader’s ability, there is no trust. When there is lack of confidence in the management of an organization, this seriously impacts productivity and fulfillment in the workplace which leads to exits.
Not Mentored/Coached –Line Leaders need to firstly develop the habit of providing honest feedback on performance on a regular basis to their teams then up skill mentoring capabilities and spend more time coaching. Where required, organisations need to engage external Coaches and shift the energy levels across their organisations with a focus on improved performance.
Dear line leader, become more conscious about how to arrest avoidable exits.
Ngozi Adebiyi is the Lead Consultant at OutsideIn HR. Our focus is practical interventions that address the challenges of businesses today. We specialise in HR Business Partnering, Engagement & Retention with the goal of “Revolutionising HR in Nigeria”. Ngozi@outsideinHRng.com
Ngozi Adebiyi