Reasons Why Your Employees Might Consider Quitting

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No-one wants to be unhappy at work, and no employer wants an unmotivated workforce. Considering how much of our time is spent at work, it’s important that employees feel happy and engaged with their jobs, colleagues and managers. However, it’s inevitable that at some point, business leaders will have to deal with an employee handing in their notice.

There are any number of reasons behind an employee wanting to change jobs or quit their current position, such as feeling undervalued, underpaid or they’re just ready for a change. In fact, a report published by Investors in People, found that this year, as many as 47% of workers will be looking to change jobs.

The business experts at Brighter Business reveal why so many people are looking to change jobs and how an employer can help address some of the common issues experienced by employees.

 

Bad management

Respondents to the Investors in People’s survey chiefly cited bad management (49%) as the reason they were likely to quit their position in the next 12 months.

Bad managerial styles – whether you’re micromanaging or not displaying proper leadership – will alienate and disengage your staff. Always be sure to handle any disputes or issues fairly and sensitively, and lead by example.

Get to know your employees and the way they manage their workloads, so you can identify when someone is under- or over-worked, feeling stressed or not feeling challenged enough.

Teambuilding activities, days out of the office and company events are a great way to build rapport, trust and a team mentality. Review the way you manage, or the management culture of your business, to see if there are issues – and if so, don’t be afraid to address them, but be sure to do this as soon as possible.

 

Feeling undervalued

For 39% of respondents, feeling undervalued is the root cause of their unhappiness in their current workplace.

It can be difficult to know why employees feel undervalued; whether it’s an issue of time, remuneration, the type of work they are doing, or a range of other factors which may extend beyond the workplace.

In any of these instances, a little can go a long way. Think about how you can make the work that needs to be done enjoyable and challenging, and don’t be afraid to thank employees for their hard work – this might just be enough.

If appropriate, try to include your employees when making business decisions; if moving or redesigning your offices, invite their input to improve engagement. Don’t just delegate work, but empower them to manage themselves. Remember that their ambitions are just as valuable as your own.

 

Crises of compensation

Predictably, competitive pay (40%) is another important factor for workers seeking a new position. This comes with the territory when employees feel undervalued; they may feel that the demands they face are not suitably compensated by the hours they work or the amount of work that they do.

It’s also understandable, given that economic growth and increased levels of employment have been met with wage stagnation.

To keep hold of employees and attract new talent, it’s important to ensure that you offer competitive salaries. It can be a heavy demand for many small businesses, but benefits packages (28%) are also attractive – if you can’t be competitive with pay, seek out other areas in which you can reward employees.

 

Development deadlock

For many survey respondents (30%), the lack of career progression options offered by their current employer are unsatisfactory and another reason why they will look for a change of scenery.

For a lot of workers, being able to visualise a career trajectory, and knowing what their career could look like under a certain employer, is an important (and sometimes decisive) factor when looking for a job. This may be particularly true for graduates.

Offering training puts you in a position where you can guide the professional and personal development of your colleagues and staff; a hugely rewarding process.

To avoid losing your employees, do what you can to offer some sort of pathway so that they can see the benefits of working with you.

However, the Investors in People report isn’t entirely pessimistic. It also highlights that many workers are happy with key aspects of their job, such as flexible working arrangements, enjoyable work, and working as part of a great team.

Technology and the gig economy have changed work patterns, and workers who benefit from these flexible arrangements may not suffer from stressful commutes, while a supportive work environment will foster good relationships.

Other novel approaches have been trialled by Facebook, including designing job roles around the strengths and interests of the successful applicant. This is because the company recognises the importance of retaining talented employees.

The idea is to build roles that engage employees’ personal interests and professional strengths, as narrow job descriptions can stifle a company’s ability to use the full range of their employees’ skills.

Ultimately, creating an environment where the work is challenging but enjoyable, secure and with potential for career progression is the way to attract and retain the best employees.

 

And if they still decide to hand in their notice..?

While you can do all the above and more to try to make your workplace as attractive as possible to employees, sometimes it is beyond your reach to convince them to stay.

In these instances, it’s important to end the relationship on a good note, as you never know when you may have the opportunity to work with people again, and they represent a valuable node in your professional network – so don’t burn any bridges.

Former employees can also act as brand advocates; they know your company, and will no doubt talk about it in their social lives or their new role. Be sure to give them a reason to talk about your business positively!

 

For more tips, guidance and information on motivating your workforce, visit www.brighterbusiness.co.uk.

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