How to Lose A Top Performer in 5 Ways

Monday morning is a life-defining time for most of us, but sometimes we’re in such a rut we hardly take the time to notice. When the alarm goes off, officially announcing the end of the weekend, what runs through your head? Are you sleepy, but energized and focused on your goals for the week ahead? Dreading returning to a desk piled high with paperwork you’ll never get through?

SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) reports that as of 2014, 86% of us in the United States were “overall satisfied” with our jobs – but only 39% of us are“very satisfied”. So as a recruiter, I look at these numbers and figure at minimum 61% of us are hitting snooze on Monday morning - and those are people who will take my call.

The cost of losing your best performers is hard to measure, but we all know it's high. Whether it’s a seat that stays empty too long, a Dilbert Principle promotion, or a rushed, mediocre new hire – replacing a great employee hurts. Why not avoid it from the start?

As someone who makes it a mission to identify your under-utilized, under-motivated, and under-appreciated employees, I spend much of my day learning all the ways that well-intentioned organizations fail to engage talent. Here are a few of the ways to make sure my emails garner interest from your top performers.

1. Display a lack of respect for your career progression, personal life, and overall well-being.

SHRM ranks respectful treatment of employees as the number one most important aspect for job satisfaction – but what does that really mean? For most of my candidates, feeling respected means that they feel invested in by their boss, and by their organization as a whole. It means that they are seen as not someone who simply “does a job,” but someone who drives the business. It means they receive training and continual investment in their future – they see themselves as a vital part of a winning team.

It also means that they are seen as people, and not just cogs in a corporate machine. Their employer cares about their personal life, and realizes that there are moments when what’s going on at home will be far more important than what’s going on at work. Their employer respects that, and even invests in that aspect of their life.

The folks who don’t feel this way answer my calls and meet me for coffee.

2. Keep communication sparse, inconsistent, and gossipy. Make sure actions and communication do not align.

Trust between employees and senior management ranks number two on the Job Satisfaction list, and from what I’ve seen, employees stop trusting their employers when they don’t feel clued in to what’s really going on. Closed-door meetings, inconsistent direction from different layers of leadership, and gossip as the primary communication channel are frequent complaints I hear from employees who just want to feel connected and safe in their job.

Great companies keep their employees up to date with issues large and small, and encourage direct managers to have frequent, open conversations with their subordinates about challenging topics like performance, career growth in the company, salary and raises, and anything other elephants in the room. During times of change, they keep communication official and consistent, and whether the news is good or bad, they’re up-front with those they employ. Most importantly, they live up to what they say, and make sure to follow through on commitments. 

The folks who don't trust their employer - they update their resume for me.

3. Compensate your employees below market, and fail to offer any superior benefits that might compensate for that difference.

While it’s definitely not all about the money (you’d be shocked how many folks tell me they have no problem taking a pay-cut to get out of their horrible job), most of us aren’t working for the pure joy of it. We have goals and dreams, and our jobs are a way to achieve them.

This one is simple. With the digital age making research as to market rates very simple, your employees probably know if they’re being compensated below, at, or above market – and they likely have feelings about it. Don’t make it easy for your competitor to give them a 25% percent raise. And while you don’t have to break the bank, maybe take a moment to ask your employees what benefits they value – and think about providing them.

The folks who don't feel fairly compensated take the phone screen.

4. Promote inadequate leaders who will fail to support your top performers.

While relationship with an immediate supervisor ranks only number 6 on the Job Satisfaction List from SHRM, it’s actually the number one reason I hear cited for employees who don’t want to talk with me – “no thanks, I love where I work and I love my boss.” When I hear that – I know I’m out of luck with your top performer – probably no chance I’m progressing this call.

Unfortunately, I mostly hear about bosses who have unrealistic expectations and even when the bar is met, they fail to show appreciation. I hear stories of bosses who don’t know anything about their employees, who cancel critical one-on-one’s, and who don’t know anything about what their teams actually do. It’s shocking how many of your leaders are driving your best talent right out the door.

The folks working for leaders like these – they take the day off for the in-person interview.

5. Fail to utilize your employee’s diverse abilities and hard-won skills. Don’t offer opportunities to grow and expand within their role.

Opportunities to utilize your skills and abilities ranks number 7 on the Job Satisfaction List, and it’s actually the most frequent answer I hear to “what are you looking for?” Most job-seekers, or passive recruits, let me know that what they really hope to find is somewhere they can use the wide array of skills they’ve developed over the years to benefit a great company. People want to feel useful, and they want to know that their hard-won knowledge and experience is not going to waste.

The lesson here? Don’t stick your employees in a box called “the job description.” Offer them new challenges within their role. It doesn’t have to be a promotion – let them co-lead the implementation project you have coming up, or put them in charge of the Kaizen process improvement committee. If you notice they have a flair for technology, but work in the accounting department, involve them in cross-functional projects and teams. Take the time to notice what your employees can do, and make sure you’re tapping into their skills. It seems simple – why wouldn’t you want to utilize your team to their maximum potential – but you’d be shocked how few of your employees really feel that way!

The folks who feel bored in their jobs? They take my job offer.

What’s driving you to leave, or stay, in your job?

For those curious about the statistics I cited, please visit https://www.shrm.org/research/surveyfindings/documents/2015-job-satisfaction-and-engagement-report.pdf and read their fascinating study!