As a recruiting professional, my job is to not only find an ideal candidate for the employer, but also find an ideal fit for the candidate. When employees aren’t in a job they consider to be the ideal fit, they think about quitting with the idea that “the grass is greener on the other side.”
Here are three reasons why employees quit their jobs and how you can help retain them:
1. They feel unwelcome – What is your office environment like? While I was working for a staffing agency a few years ago, I had an account that I was responsible for that had a ton of turnover. I had no problem finding highly qualified candidates for their open positions, but I had a high turnover rate because my employees kept quitting within the first month. When I visited the office to inquire about why the employees kept quitting, I noticed that my new hires were sitting in small cubicles, isolated from the rest of the company. They did not have name plates and were not given business cards. They often ate lunch alone and were not included in social events. This taught me to coach my clients on how to make sure new employees feel welcome.
2. They feel undervalued – Do you have employees who come in early and stay late? Do they eat lunch at their desks, answer the phone when out of the office or send emails when on vacation? If so, don’t be afraid to give them some praise. Telling your employees that you appreciate their hard work does not go unrecognized. I once had an employer give all new employees one gift per day for an entire week. This policy was meant to welcome and show all new employees that we were glad they came to work with us. While I like this idea, I saw one major problem with it – after the first week, the employer would hardly ever acknowledge the employees again. Instead of spending all that money to make them feel welcome in the beginning, spend some of that money to help them feel valued throughout the year. Consider recognizing employees on their birthdays and acknowledging their work anniversaries. Do you have a way of rewarding your employees? If so, be more vocal about it. Your employees will be glad to know their efforts are appreciated.
3. They are underpaid – During my staffing agency days, I had an account that was notorious for underpaying their employees. Instead of paying the usual $15 an hour, they would pay $9 or instead of paying $75,000, they would pay $55,000. They were constantly losing great employees to the competition because the competition would pay the market value for employees. Money is a big incentive for people to leave their jobs. Before hiring for a position, take a few minutes to find out the market value for that specific position.
A common reason why employees leave their jobs is because someone else made them a better offer. If they’re not happy working for you, chances are they will take that offer. Making your employees feel welcomed, valued and paid fairly will keep them loyal to you.
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