Autonomy, clear communication and mutual respect are essential ingredients in any good working relationship.
You’ve just hired a new employee. They’re great, intelligent, driven and excited to be a part of your company. You’re thrilled to have them on board. However, a few months later, they hand in their notice and quit. It’s a frustrating and not uncommon situation—30% of job seekers have left a job within the first three months.
You spent so much time recruiting, training and helping them grow in their role. So, when they leave your company, it can feel like a personal betrayal. But the truth is, good employees sometimes have to quit—even if they love their job. Here are four possible reasons why that might be the case:
Their work-life balance is off
Before the pandemic, it is fair to say hustle culture had dominated the workplace. Our society glamorized extra-hard work at the expense of work-life balance, and people were proud of their “grindset”—that you must keep improving your professional, social and financial life.
As covid has put the world in constant lockdowns in the past two years, many people have since taken the time to rethink their relationship with work and life. One of the most notable workplace changes during covid was remote work. Working from home has inspired many workers to consider flexibility when looking for jobs or evaluating their current job satisfaction. Such a mindset persists as pandemic life recedes, and the desire to work remotely is one of the major causes of the “Great Resignation” that has taken place since last year.
Many people realize work should be one aspect of our lives but not the be-all and end-all, so they start resigning from jobs that drain their time and energy and don’t offer them a reasonable work-life balance. They are seeking positions that will give them the time and flexibility to pursue the other important things in life, such as family, travel and hobbies. After all, a good work-life balance is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing burnout.
Whatever the case may be, when an employee’s work-life balance starts to suffer, it’s a sign that something needs to change, and that could mean quitting their job.
They’re not being challenged anymore
We’ve all been there. You start a new job and are full of enthusiasm and energy. But after a few months, the shine begins to wear off. The work is no longer challenging, and you find yourself doing the same thing every day. Good employees don’t just sit around and wait for things to change—they take action, such as taking on new projects or assignments, getting a promotion or participating in training and development sessions. When they see that their current position is no longer providing the challenge to stay engaged, they start looking for new opportunities.
It’s not that they’re lazy or ungrateful, but they understand that a job is not meant to be a lifelong commitment. It’s intended to provide a certain level of challenge and stimulation; when that’s gone, there’s no reason to stay.
They’re not being paid what they’re worth
Nearly 70% of respondents in a study from Paychex said that a low salary is a primary reason they have left or would leave a job. It is a startling statistic, indicating that good employees are quitting their jobs because they aren’t being paid enough.
In many cases, a lack of communication between employees and employers is the primary reason this happens. Employees may feel uncomfortable discussing their salary expectations with their boss, or they may simply be unaware of their position’s going rate. When their hard work goes unnoticed, or they are not getting due credit or reward, they will feel undervalued and unappreciated and thus look for other opportunities.
The bottom line is that employers need to do a better job of communicating with their employees about compensation. If not, they risk losing good workers to other companies who are willing to pay them what they’re worth.
Poor management
Even if your employees are happy with their salary and the benefits of their jobs, they can still leave your company if they have to work with bad managers. This isn’t surprising when you consider the amount of stress that comes with working for an incompetent manager. A vile manager can make even the most exciting jobs feel like a drag. Temperamental, indifferent or abusive bosses can quickly turn a dream job into a nightmare.
Poor management can also take the form of micromanagement, constantly following up on every little thing and second-guessing decisions. This lack of trust can lead good employees to look for opportunities elsewhere. Even when employees do manage to stick around, they often become disengaged and unproductive.
Losing a good employee is never easy—but it’s something that all business owners have to face at some point. The key is to try to understand why they’re leaving, so you can prevent it from happening in the future. Keep these four reasons in mind next time one of your good employees hands in their notice—you may be able to change their mind!
Also read:
- What Is “Quiet Quitting”—The New Workplace Trend Taking Social Media by Storm
- Thinking About Quitting Your Job? We Got Some Questions for You
- Should I Quit My High-Paying Job to Start a Business I Love?
- Practical Ways of Showing Your Employees You Care
- Tips to Prevent Employee Burnout at Workplace
- What Is the “Great Resignation” Trend?
Header image courtesy of Freepik
