There are many reasons why an employee may decide to quit their job. However, the majority of reasons people tend to leave are within the control of their employer. Here’s the top 5 reasons people leave their jobs and how you can improve employee retention:
Pay
If you have a good relationship with your employee, offer a great benefits package and a highly competitive salary already, it is likely that any employee who moves for £1,000 more a year probably didn’t value the job too much in the first place. Rather than allowing your staff to run out of the door at the first wave of a higher pay cheque, ensure you offer them long-term growth and a clear career path where they can increase their salary at your company through internal promotions. If an employee isn’t happy with their current salary, sit down with them and find out more about their expectations so you can both manage them accordingly.
Location
Unfortunately this may be the one reason which is actually out of your control. If your employee is struggling with the daily commute and/or relocates due to personal reasons then it may be best for both of you if they left. On the other hand, if you’re a national/global wide organisation and have offices in various locations you may be able to offer them a transfer. An employee may have no choice but to leave their current position if the commute is getting too much for them but the offer of a transfer could be just the answer to keep them.
Non-flexible working
In this day and age most companies now offer flexible working so if you’re not, maybe you should ask yourself, why? Flexible working is more than just working from home and can be anything from flexible hours to allowing employees to work from different locations. The potential benefits includes a more efficient and productive organisation, more motivated employees, better customer service and increased staff retention. This will also help attract new potential employees. Talk to your employees and find out what they would like to see in terms of flexible working.
Meaningless work
Everyone wants to feel like they are doing something which is making a difference in their line of work. They may not be feeding the hungry, rescuing abandoned animals or even curing illnesses, but employees need to feel a connection to their work. Tedious, transactional work can often leave employees feeling flat and demotivated so make sure you help employees see where and how their work contributes to the execution of deliverables that actually make a difference in the world, or at least the general functioning of your business. Try to keep their role varied and engaging.
Poor working environment
Trying to stay motivated and driven in a poor, lacklustre working environment is difficult and can bring down company morale whilst affecting employee’s day-to-day performance. Does your organization appreciate its staff and treat them with respect? Do they have the equipment they need in order to perform accordingly? Do you invest in their well-being to ensure staff feel happy and believe your company is a great place to work? Employees appreciate transparency and approachable management so be aware that your company culture plays a huge part in keeping employees.
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