According to Dr. Travis Bradberry, organizational psychologist in the U.S., when employees resign, it is not their job they are leaving, but their bosses. Here are the 8 main reasons why your employees are leaving and some tips to help avoid it.
1. You are overworking your best employees
Your best workers are gifted, reliable and efficient. It’s normal to want them to do more work. Yet, it is a counterproductive trap, because they will feel punished for their good work. To better celebrate the talent of your employees, do not give them more work, rather grant them a raise, a new title and new privileges.
2. You do not reward a job well done
Everyone loves a pat on the back! And it is very easy to underestimate the power of encouragement. Managers need to communicate with their employees to know them better. They must seek understanding in what motivates their employees and reward them based on each’s motivations, whether it be money, recognition or a better work-life balance.
3. You do not really care about your employees
More than half of the people who leave their jobs leave because of poor relationships with their boss. A good boss knows how to find the right balance between professionalism and humanism. The employers who fail to truly care about the welfare of their employees will inevitably face high turnover rates.
4. You fail to meet your promises
There’s a thin line between the ability of making your employees happy and having them walk out the door when you make promises. When you keep them, you immediately appear trustworthy and are considered an honest person. When you do not, however, then you become disrespectful, fickle and careless of others.
5. You hire and promote the wrong people
The professional, talented and hardworking want to work with people like themselves. When a manager does not bother to hire the right people, it can be very demotivating for those who will have to work with them. Promoting the wrong people is worse. Offering a promotion to a lesser deserving employee is very insulting to the person who has worked tirelessly trying to get it.
6. You do not let your employees to focus on their passions
Talented people are passionate. Many bosses do not want to work outside the established framework and are reluctant to let their employees focus on what they love. Yet, passion improves productivity and job satisfaction. Some studies even show that employees who are passionate about what they do are five times more productive than the average!
Besides, the most talented employees are also those that improve everything they touch. If you like the status quo, do not be surprised if your employees end up hating their work. This attitude does not only slow them down, but you too.
7. You are not betting enough on new challenges
A good manager is attentive, listens constantly and offers advice to his or her employees. No matter an employee’s talent, a manager has to manage… It is their responsibility to find where and how employees can improve. Even the most talented need new challenges! Generally, they even need more feedback than other employees. Do not skimp on challenges!
8. You do not intellectually stimulate your team enough
Good bosses put their employees to the challenge and inspire them to accomplish things that seem impossible. They push people outside their comfort zones. When talented and intelligent employees are bored and find it too easy to work, they start thinking of a job that is more challenging to them, and end up leaving.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marie-Sophie L'Heureux has been a journalist since 2006. She began her career in radio on CKAC 730, and has since covered various industries including food, travel, politics and health. Since 2011, she has been a critic for ’Guide restos Voir’ and chief editor of Santé inc. Magazine at the Canadian Medical Association. She loves pedaling, drinking scotch and singing when the scotch is good.