The real reason you’re losing staff

It’s easy to think employees leave simply because they got a better offer, but there’s usually a reason they were looking for a new job in the first place. You need to understand what that reason is if you want to prevent other employees from leaving too. In this article, we look at the real reasons you’re losing staff.

Your employees don’t feel valued

Employees want to feel as though they are valued and the work they do is appreciated. Good salaries, bonuses, pension schemes and other financial recompense help, but there are other things you can do too.

Let your employees know that they are important to the success of the company. Take on board their ideas and feedback to show that you respect their input. Praise your employees when they deliver the right result, acknowledge good performance, introduce recognition schemes or company awards.

Show employees that their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed and that you appreciate their efforts.

You don’t invest in your employees

Training and development of your people is one of the best investments you can make. The better the people within your company, the better your company will be. Encourage progression, support intrapreneurship and upskill your employees. The more opportunities you give your employees to develop, the more valued they will feel and the more they will enjoy coming to work. Employee engagement boosts employee retention. 

Invest in equipment and systems that will ensure your employees can carry out their role effectively. Make the work environment a pleasant place to work so that employees feel safe and comfortable there. Show your employees that you care about their wellbeing and happiness.

Your employees aren’t invested in you

A company vision can be a great way of engaging employees. If they understand what the company is working towards and how their role can help the company achieve that goal, they will feel more invested in your success. If they are coming to work every day with a ‘what’s the point’ attitude, then they will be less productive. Get your employees excited about working for your company. Share the vision, celebrate success and communicate results. Build a team and create a strong company culture.

You have a management problem

You might have heard the phrase; ‘people don’t leave companies, they leave managers.’ Unfortunately, this can often be the case. Good managers and leaders inspire their teams and help them reach their full potential. If you have a high turnover in a particular department or team, then you may have a management issue that you need to look at.

You don’t offer flexible working

A recent survey by IWG found that if faced with two similar roles, 80% of people would turn down the one that doesn’t offer flexible working. If flexible working is so important for attracting new candidates, it makes sense that it is also important for retaining talent.

Research has shown that many employees value flexible working more than pay increases. Flexible working has been shown to increase productivity, engagement and innovation. If you aren’t offering flexible working, then not only could it be affecting retention, it could also be affecting your profitability.  

You don’t employ the right people in the first place

Skills and experience are great, but only when combined with the right attitude. The people you employ should be a good fit for your company. They should share your values and support your company vision.

Strong employer branding will help you attract the right candidates, while a well-planned recruitment process will help you make the right decisions when it comes to hiring new employees.

You don’t listen to feedback

The best way to stop employees leaving in the future is to understand why previous employees have left. Conduct exit interviews and ask for honest feedback. That way you’ll know which of the above issues is the real reason you have a high turnover. If you don’t address the issue, you’ll just keep losing employees. This will start to damage your reputation and affect your profits.

Key Appointments can help

At Key Appointments, we are specialists in helping our clients recruit the right talent for their business and retain the best employees. If you need help with any aspect of recruitment, we’d love to hear from you. Give our friendly consultants a call to find out more.