Top 5 Reasons Great Employees Quit

In a candidate-driven market, companies must be more competitive to keep top talent under their roof. An emphasis on employee satisfaction can help keep your best employees engaged in an environment where they could be receiving multiple job notices and recruitment calls a day. According to a report by TinyPulse (a leader in employee-engagement pulse surveys) and data from our September 2018 Local Candidate Survey, the following are the top 5 reasons employees quit their jobs.

1. Poor Management

The survey results revealed poor management to be the number one reason employees quit their jobs. Employees who rate their supervisor’s performance poorly are 4x as likely to be job hunting. According to the data, only 10% of employees would rate their supervisor highly, and the remaining 40% have interviewed for a new job within the last three months. Avoid hiring managers who are negative, show favoritism, overwork their team, ignore good work, or break promises. Bad management reflects upon engagement, morale, and job performance, and could drive away your best employees.

2. Lack of Recognition

Another big contributor to employee dissatisfaction is a lack of recognition for a job well done. According to the report, 22% of workers who don’t feel recognized for great work have interviewed for a job in the last three months—and only 12.4% of employees feel recognized overall. Managers must be able to recognize good work and give employees praise where it is due. Consistently ignoring good job performance greatly reduces the motivation for employees to continue striving for quality. It’s important to show employees their work is valued and to thank them when they go above and beyond. Employees without a sense that their work is valued will begin to look for new positions where their talent might be better appreciated.

3. No Work-Life Balance

Employees who rate their work-life balance poorly are 90% more likely to leave their company. In our own local candidate survey, employees ranked work-life balance to be the second biggest job satisfaction contributor. A flexible schedule or the ability to work from home was ranked the second most valuable job benefit under medical and health benefits. Employees require flexibility to meet the needs of their personal life and family, and a healthy balance can help avoid burnout. A long commute can also contribute to problems with work-life balance. In our survey, 73% of candidates commute less than 30 minutes to work. Time stuck in traffic can quickly wear down great employees. Companies are strategically locating their offices to accommodate their best employees. Work-life balance contributes to both employee satisfaction and the health of your business. If a balance isn’t being met, employees may search for a more flexible job.

4. Poor Company Culture

The TinyPulse survey reports that employees who rate their culture poorly are 24% more likely to leave. In fact, the research suggests that culture and work environment have a bigger impact on the decision to stay or go than the benefits package. You can read our article on how to avoid hiring the highly toxic employees who could turn your workplace into a hostile environment. Toxic employees have an effect on the morale and job performance of your entire team. This is a problem that can easily become out of hand and difficult to fix, so the best way to deal with toxic employees is to avoid hiring them in the first place. Careful hiring decisions can help you to keep your best employees happy in the long run. A toxic work environment is one of the surest ways to push good employees out the door.

5. No Opportunities for Growth

Employees who feel they are progressing in their career are 20% more likely to stay at their companies in one year’s time. However, according to the research, employees who do not feel supported in their professional goals are 3x more likely to be looking for a new job. This is especially important if you are hiring entry level candidates. Motivated employees will seek out the opportunities they desire, so it’s important to provide growth opportunities from within your company. Enabling employees to learn new skills and develop professionally will help them to feel more valued as your company is willing to invest in them.

Employee satisfaction is extremely important when it comes to keeping your employees from leaving. A happy employee will not need to look somewhere else in order to fulfill their needs. Don’t lose your best employees to the competition. Emphasize their satisfaction and you greatly reduce the chances of your top talent quitting on you.

Bradley Staffing Group is a full-service staffing firm based in Wayne, PA. We are committed to matching A-level talent with best-in-class businesses. Our knowledgeable and well-trained staff brings a combined 70+ years of staffing experience to our clients and candidates alike. http://useful-sock.flywheelsites.com/contact-us/