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Human Resource

5 Reasons Your Best Employees Quit (and What You Can Do to Stop Them)

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Article Contributed by Lisa Michaels

Hiring the right people is tough, but it can be even tougher to maintain a reliable workforce. The average worker spends about four years at each of his or her job, while the average millennial only stays for two years. Turnover is expensive, time-consuming and disruptive to workflow; according to the AARP, you’ll spend about half of an experienced employee’s salary in turnover costs.

Why do employees leave? According to Leigh Branham, 89 percent of managers believe that workers are seeking better pay, while a separate study reported that 88 percent of employees actually quit for non-monetary reasons. With employee turnover rates on the rise, you’re probably looking for ways to keep your staff on target and on the payroll. If you’re wondering why quality employees look for opportunities elsewhere, here are five reasons and what to do about them. 

Work Overload

It’s tempting to give your best employees a greater share of the workload because that way you ensure that things get done properly. However, too much work over a longer period of time can lead to burnout. Worst of all, an employee who feels that he’s getting the brunt of the workload without any perks may look for a company that rewards hard effort.

Set realistic expectations based on experience and the data available. Use promotions, annual raises and other bonus opportunities to reward employees who work harder and get more done. Finding the balance between a challenging workload and employee burnout is the key to making sure that the work gets done while your employees don’t feel overburdened.

No Recognition or Acknowledgement

Good employees work hard out of their own sense of accomplishment and motivation to do well, but over time, it’s easy to take advantage of that work ethic by forgetting to reward their efforts. Employees are more likely to seek out different employment if they feel underappreciated.

You don’t need to give out a raise or bonus every time an employee goes above and beyond, but you should consider implementing a policy that rewards hard effort and solid contributions. Public recognition and acknowledgement also goes a long way, and don’t forget to ask for input to encourage motivation.

Nowhere to Grow

Human nature compels people to seek more from life, and this is true in the workplace as well. If an employee feels like there’s nowhere to go – and no way to grow – then she’s likely to look for a job that offers career advancement. It’s not always necessary to offer title changes in terms of career growth.

Simply offering professional development options would be enough to encourage employees to stay. Take advantage of today’s technology to promote personal and professional growth. Flexible and effective training practices can help people learn new, marketable skills. In turn, this process enables self-growth and gives your company a competitive edge.

Lack of True Transparency

If you’re promoting an open-door policy, then make sure your employees know that you mean it. Transparency plays a critical role in keeping successful businesses going, and employees who don’t believe in an open-door policy are more likely to seek employment with a more genuine company.

You don’t have to let everyone in on every single detail, but you should encourage people to ask questions while giving them truthful answers about the important matters. Being transparent will prompt your employees to get behind you. You’ll build better loyalty and trust if you’re honest with your staff. Plus, employees who are actively engaged in the workplace will stick around to see how the company grows over time.

Boxed-in Workplaces

Passion and creativity set top-notch employees apart from the rest, so do your best to foster an environment where these elements are not only encouraged but celebrated. You might be tempted to stifle freedom of expression at the workplace for fear of getting off track, but this is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The tighter the leash and stricter the policies, the more likely you are to get lackluster work from everyone.

You’ll lose creative, passionate people to more open opportunities if you don’t allow employees to think outside the box on certain projects. Encourage your employees to pursue their passions within the workplace, and your company will benefit from creatively engaged workers.

You may have a business to run, but it won’t be a great place to work unless you put forth the effort to encourage employee morale. It’s easy to overlook your best employees because they can do the work without supervision, but take some time to assess their needs, listen to their concerns and ask for their input. Reward good behavior while making sure that everyone has a voice in some capacity. You can maintain a good, reliable workforce if you implement policies that respect your workers.

About the Author

Lisa Michaels is a freelance writer, editor and a striving content marketing consultant from Portland. Being self-employed, she does her best to stay on top of the current trends in the business world. She spends her free time trying out new recipes or reading Scandinavian crime novels.

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