You advertise a job opening. You track down potential candidates on social media and at job fairs. You do background checks. You conduct structured interviews and pre-employment skills tests. You negotiate with the selected applicants. You go through tons of paperwork before the final on-boarding. But after pouring all that time and efforts, why do you think you have to sit in frustration as they pack their desk and walk out of the door.
So, the big question is – Do you know what makes your good employees quit their job?
One of the biggest reasons why a good talent leaves your company is poor management. Don't be surprised because in a survey of over 7,000 employees – 70% respondents have said that their manager's behavior is responsible for how engaged they feel at work and 50% respondents reported that they had to quit their job because of “bad managers”.
The sad thing is most managers just ignore the crux of the matter when they can easily make things right on their part. All that's required is a little change in perspective and a new strategy to deal with the people who contribute towards the company's success. But first, let's take a look at 10 worst things managers do that cause a good employee to quit.
"Simplify your staff's everyday work and make them 10x more productive."
They Idolize Overwork
Nothing frustrates a good employee more than overwork. Every manager or boss wants to see his/her resources (teams) utilized to the best of their ability, but that's no reason to promote overwork in a workplace. Overworking employees is perplexing and counterproductive. It makes good employees feel that they are being punished for their hard work and great performance.
They Don't Recognize or Reward Good Work
One should never underestimate the power of a pat on the back, especially when you're the boss. Everyone likes to get appreciated and rewarded for their hard work. Unfortunately, many bosses and managers fail to communicate with their people or make them feel good for a job well done, thereby making good employees quit. All they need to do is find out what makes their employees happy and then reward them with it when they give their all.
They Don't Treat People Like People
More than 50% of employees who leave their job do so because they aren’t treated well by their bosses. On an average, an employee spends eight-plus hours a day at work and it's almost impossible to stay productive when the people you work for don't care about anything more than “the results”. Yes, as a boss, people expect you to be a bit more poker-faced and professional, but they also see you as a human. Remember, celebrating an employee's success, showing a little empathy at times, or getting personally involved at work doesn't make you look small. In fact, it helps you to maintain a low turnover rate.
They Fail to Engage their Creativity
Talented employees always look for opportunities to make improvements. They aim to add their creative touch to every task or project that they are assigned. To do that, they seek approval and permission. And if they are denied to make changes or improve things on their own because their boss is only comfortable with the status quo, it will make them quit their jobs.
They Don't Challenge People Intellectually
Bosses should always challenge their employees to achieve things that are considered inconceivable. Instead of going after the incremental goals, a boss should always aim to set goals that will challenge people intellectually and push them to come out of their comfort zone. And if they fail to do that, good employees will grow bored and complacent soon.
They Entertain Office Politics and Gossips
Politics or gossips within the office is one of the biggest threats to a business and it's top performers. As a boss, if you are letting blame games and other office politics emerge in your workplace, you'll lose good people from your team. So, don't let people spread unnecessary gossips or entertain dirty politics, just pin down the source or sources as soon as possible.
They Fail to Develop People Skills
A boss should never make excuses about his/her inattention towards employees. Good bosses manage, no matter how skillful or talented their employees are. They pay attention to everything happening around them and constantly provide feedback to help others improve or expand their skill sets. And if they don't, people will definitely quit.
They Hire/Promote the Wrong People
Every employee wants to work with like-minded professionals and get fair opportunities based on their performance. Now, if a boss shows favoritism by hiring or promoting the wrong people in a team, it would be a major demotivator for employees who are working alongside them. And it will make good people leave.
They Never Honor their Commitments
Never make a commitment that can't be fulfilled, especially when you're leading a business or a team. As a boss, you've earned trust and respect in the eyes of your employees. But when you disregard a promise that you yourself agreed to, you come across as deceitful and dishonest. And if you don't consider it important to honor your commitments as a boss, why should everyone else?
They Don't Let People Pursue their Passion
Providing employees with opportunities to pursue their passion plays a crucial role in boosting workplace productivity and morale. As a boss, if you want people to work harder and longer with you, don't hesitate from letting people expand their focus and pursue their passion. Remember, employees who are able to embrace their passion at work are 5x more productive than the norm.
It's not rocket science. If you want your best people to stay in your team, you need to make them want to stay. While perks and promotions might help to improve employee retention percentage, it is also important that you carefully rethink the way you treat employees in everyday workplace scenarios.
Don't be afraid to go the extra mile to lead and retain good employees. Just make a note of the above mistakes and modify your management style accordingly. Remember, if your employees are happy working with you, then you're leading in a way that is likely to be successful.
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About the Author
Vartika Kashyap is a seasoned marketing professional who is an expert in digital marketing and entrepreneurship. She’s been featured among LinkedIn’s Top Voices for the year 2016, 2017 & 2018. She currently runs the marketing team at ProofHub — a project management software for teams of all sizes. Connect with Vartika on LinkedIn, Medium and Twitter.
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