Alarmed by Employee Attrition? Here’s Why They Leave

An employee may seem content on the surface, but may actually be actively seeking a new job. This kind of scenario is very common in the workplace, and it often leads to disgruntled managers having to go through the hiring process for a replacement. In this situation, bosses are sometimes left scratching their heads, wondering why a seemingly happy employee chose to leave the company. Read on for a rundown of why employees leave their jobs.

1. Lack of Appreciation and Disrespect

Even if employees love their job, they are unlikely to stay if they feel unwelcome, disrespected, and unappreciated. It is important for employees to feel valued by their company, and this motivates them to work harder. While you may be unable to increase your employees’ salaries, do things to promote recognition in the office. Hold employee appreciation luncheons, or organize team-bonding activities outside of the office. Employees are less likely to leave an environment in which they feel appreciated and respected.

2. No Upward Mobility

It is important for employees to know that their jobs are leading them somewhere down the line. No one wants to feel like he or she is stuck in a dead-end job with very little possibility of promotion or growth. Make sure to create opportunities for your employees to take on new responsibilities and challenge themselves in new ways. You may also consider providing training sessions for employees who want to pick up on new skills.

One mistake many small business owners make is to hire or promote friends and family—people they already know. This often leads to drama for a couple different reasons. First of all, just because someone is a great relative or friend does not necessarily mean he or she will be an excellent employee for your company. Secondly, your other employees who are not related to you could sense nepotism taking place and then leave the company in search of other opportunities. So think twice before giving someone a job simply because he or she is friend or relative.

3. Lack of Delegation

It can be hard to let go of responsibilities in your small business. After all, you worked so hard to build it from the ground up! But employees can begin to feel undervalued if you never trust them with important tasks, or if you try to micromanage everything. If this is the case at your firm, try to remember why you hired employees in the first place. You needed help in growing your company, and you selected applicants you trusted to come along with you on the journey. Give them a chance to prove themselves.

While customer loyalty is something all business owners know is important, employee loyalty is equally important. Help them stick around by keeping in mind the points mentioned above.