managers are always complaining about great employees leaving, but why do great employees really leave?
You may not realise it, but a large number of employees leave because of their manager. There are a number of things that managers do to drive away from great employees, but most importantly there are a number of things employers don’t do that lead to employees resigning.
Here are six things that employers don’t do that can lead to great employees leaving:
1. no recognition
Employees need to be recognised for the work they do – it doesn’t have to be a monetary reward, but it’s always a good idea to commend your employees when they achieve something.
A great way to do this could be to take the employee for lunch, give them a small gift (ideally something personal) or simply announce their success to the company.
2. no flexibility
It’s important to remember how much your employees do for you and how flexible they are when you need them to be, so don’t forget to return the favour. Many employees now are looking to balance their work and life better, and take their hours into their own hands with flexible work patterns.
Make yourself open to supporting your employees if they are interested in establishing flexible working hours and let them know you will try to accommodate their requests.
3. no review
Employees like to know how they are doing – they are open to constructive criticism and in fact welcome it. Schedule a regular review session, or appraisal, to really evaluate how well they have performed for the company, and what could be improved upon.
Even if there is very little or nothing to be improved, it’s still important to conduct regular reviews to give them a chance to express their own concerns or difficulties within the company – remember that employment is a two-way street.
4. no creativity
Neglecting to account for your staff’s creativity is a missed opportunity for them and for your business.
The best innovation usually comes from within the company and your dedicated staff would relish the chance to be involved in creating something new and implementing their ideas – after all, they are the ones who work on a daily basis and are most likely to know what it would take to improve the business.
5. no career development
The 2017 Randstad Employer Brand Research revealed that over 36% of New Zealanders are concerned about receiving the training from their employer, and seek this employer branding trait when looking for a new job.
They also rate career progression in the top five things they look for in an employer, so don’t forget to set a career development plan for your staff and give them room to grow.
6. no challenge
Employees want to know that they will be challenged and will learn new things in their role. If you cannot offer them interest, change or progression then the role may not hold their interest for long.
Even if the job doesn’t inherently include challenging content, ask your employees what they are looking for and find out if they are being challenged enough – if not, consider giving them new responsibilities and jobs that could lead to career progression further down the line and ensure their loyalty to you and the company.
Make sure you consider how you treat people on a daily basis. If you have found that you have a high turnover of staff – and haven’t addressed any of the above issues recently – then you may have found your missing link.
A successful partnership needs to come from both sides, make sure you establish a great relationship with all of your employees by addressing their needs, whatever their role.
