The reasons why top talent leave their jobs

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Staff retention is something that a lot of companies struggle with. While it’s perfectly natural for people to want to move on after some time, if you find yourself being given that dreaded resignation letter time and time again, there’s a strong possibility that your employees simply aren’t getting what they want or need from their role.

Below we have listed some of the most common reasons why top talent leave their jobs. This offers a valuable insight into the mind of candidates and can play a vital role when it comes to keeping staff happy, motivated and loyal.

They don’t like their boss

One of the most common reasons why people leave their job is because of their boss. Some of the most popular grievances include management being less aware of the industry than the rest of the team, lack of recognition, not being trusted by their boss, being expected to work during non-work hours, being blamed for mistakes and having an unreasonable manager.

Research also indicates that the single most important factor to drive employee engagement and retention is the relationship they have with their immediate manager. If you’re a manager, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I trust my employees? If staff feel you don’t, it’s likely to sour your relationship
• Do you micromanage your employees? Again, this can make them feel like you don’t think they’re capable of doing their job
• Are you aware of whether or not your staff are coping with their workload?
• Are you providing opportunities for learning and development?
• Do you provide your team with regular feedback and give praise when it’s deserved?

Office politics

We all want to work in a happy and relaxed environment but unfortunately, office politics often gets in the way which results in employees going elsewhere.

A huge factor which influences engagement and retention rates is the quality of the relationships that staff have with colleagues, line managers, the organisation as a whole and even people working outside the company such as suppliers.

Recognition

Employee engagement surveys regularly show that staff would rather be presented with the option to grow and develop their skills than a big pay cheque. If you want to keep your team motivated and engaged, ask yourself if you’re providing opportunities for promotion, advancement and learning opportunities.

The most common reason people leave their job is because they have been offered another opportunity elsewhere which is a promotion or career advancement. Lack of recognition is another top reason why people leave followed by co-workers being promoted faster than them and receiving average or no benefits.

The company

 If your company is facing difficulties, chances are that you’re going to experience an increase in resignations. If the company is going under or is currently under huge financial strain, employees will feel the strain and worry their job is at risk. Nobody wants to be left unemployed so if your company is going through hard times but you’re not planning on making redundancies, do everything you can to reassure employees that their jobs are safe.

If you would like help finding your next great employee, please feel free to contact Choralis Consulting and we will be more than happy to help.