Few things are more discouraging for leaders than when they find out a good employee is quitting—especially when they discover that person is going to work for their competition!
When this happens, too many leaders and organizations allow themselves to believe employees go because they are offered better benefits or pay; however, this is rarely the case. Multiple studies on why employees leave their jobs have proven that most do not quit for more pay or better benefits. Still, too many accept this belief and thus continue to see their best employees exit their organization.
Though pay and benefits may contribute to the ultimate decision to quit your company, there is so much more organizations can do to retain their valuable team members. For this reason, when a good employee resigns, the best companies and the wisest leaders look in the mirror and figure out what can be improved to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Here are five reasons why people quit your organization and join your competitor and what you can do about it.
#1 Your Company’s Purpose Isn’t Clear
Too often, people aren’t sure what the purpose is behind all of the work. Sure, they get a paycheck, and they like a few of their co-workers; but at some point, this isn’t enough.
We all want to contribute to something bigger than ourselves and leave our mark on this world. Our work can be and should be the place where we believe we are making a difference. But, when we don’t know what the main objective is, we begin to search for meaning and fulfillment elsewhere.
Companies that give their people a clear and compelling purpose to come to work each day are more likely to engage their team and keep them around. For this reason, the best companies with the happiest employees make sure their company’s purpose is clear for all their people throughout the organization.
Good people will be more likely to stay when they believe they are a part of a worthwhile cause. Helping your team know they are having a positive impact can make all the difference when deciding whether to stay or leave your organization for greener pastures.
#2 Their Role Isn’t Clear
Once the company’s purpose is clear, another essential component is to help your people know their role in achieving that purpose. When people fail to understand how their specific work contributes to the mission of the organization, they begin to question why their job matters.
However, when there is a clear line of sight from a person’s responsibilities to the company’s purpose, it transforms their outlook on the work they do. Knowing you are making a difference and that your role is relevant to the organization’s cause greatly enhances workplace satisfaction and employee retention.
Therefore, organizations who keep their staff make the company’s overall purpose clear and then frequently point out how each person contributes to that purpose. Successful organizations and great leaders help their people know their job is important.
#3 An Unstable Work Environment
No one likes feeling they are treading on unstable ground. If your organization lacks consistency in how it operates, behaves, communicates, handles difficult situations, evaluates employees, or even what it believes in and stands for, people will feel uneasy. Having an unstable work environment leads to an unstable team.
Let’s face it, good employees want to feel secure in their jobs, and when they don’t, they begin to look elsewhere. Predictability in the workplace breeds trust and trust translates into longevity among the team members.
Consistent behavior and actions, including workplace traditions, create a secure and stable environment that most people crave. Organizations that strive to be consistent in how they conduct business do a better job retaining their employees.
#4 A Lack of Celebration
People may be leaving your organization because they aren’t sure if anyone notices their performance or results. Too often, good employees feel their efforts go unrecognized, or they feel underappreciated at work. When this happens, people begin to search for new opportunities where their work will be recognized and appreciated.
Taking time to celebrate in the workplace is always a good idea. Thus, find reasons to celebrate often, even when progress is slow. Workplace celebrations communicate to your team that you know them, that you notice their effort, and that you care.
One big reason why leaders and organizations don’t celebrate enough is that they believe that celebrations must be big and elaborate. The truth is, even small recognitions and little celebrations go a long way in improving morale.
Great companies prevent their people from moving to the competition by establishing consistent ways to recognize their team and celebrate frequently.
#5 A Lack of Feeling Cared About
Finally, good people are leaving your company because they believe no one will care if they go.
Your people need to know someone at work cares about them as an individual. When people feel like they aren’t known at work or cared about, they rarely want to stay. Luckily, the opposite is also true.
It is really hard to walk away from an organization where you know the people there care about you. It is really easy to walk away from a company where you believe no one does.
There are many things leaders can do to help their team know they care about them and want them to stay. Simple practices such as getting to know your team better and showing more kindness and compassion will encourage more people to stay.
Leaders and companies who strive to ensure their people know they care about them on more than just a superficial level retain their staff. When people feel genuinely cared about at work, no amount of money or benefits can convince them to leave.
What You Can Do
So why are good people leaving your company and joining your competitor? The cause most likely resides in one, if not many, of the reasons above.
To retain your valuable team members and prevent them from joining the competition, make sure they have a clear purpose for their work and understand their role in accomplishing that purpose. Additionally, work to provide a stable environment that offers more than an adequate amount of celebration. Finally, make certain your people know you genuinely care about them.
Improving in these five areas will help you create an amazing company culture where the tables will completely turn, and your competitors will begin to wonder why everyone is leaving their organization to go work for you!
If you’d like help overcoming these five factors that push your team to the competition, The Center for Company Culture has created a course to help leaders quickly improve workplace culture and retain great employees. In this self-guided course, leaders learn proven strategies for building organizational clarity, establishing consistency in the workplace, celebrating effectively, and developing a culture where everyone knows they are cared about. You can learn more about the course by clicking here.
Learn step by step how you can build a high-performing culture. Check out our new course, 90-Days to a High-Performing Company Culture.
