Human Capital presents…

The Top 10 Reason People Leave Their Jobs!

“In order to build a rewarding employee experience, you need to understand what matters to your people."

-  Julie Bevacqua, Rise CEO 

We can all agree that wishing a “good riddance” to 2020 and leaving it in our rearview feels pretty good. I, for one am looking forward to an exciting and prosperous 2021. This past year was one of the busiest in all my years. With the stress of sheltering-in-place and being forced to work from home, Employees and Executives are reassessing what they want out of their careers. They are making moves.

This got me thinking about the reasons why people change jobs. Based on my extensive experience and quite a bit of research, I compiled a list of the Top 10 Reasons Why People Leave Their Jobs. 

1.    Lack of Opportunity – Very few people join a company wanting to leave, but when the opportunity for advancement doesn’t exist, they begin to look outside of work for other options.

2.    They aren’t happy – Combating this one isn't as tricky as it sounds. It's easy just to let things go "status-quo" and never do a check-in to see how staff are feeling – especially in these times. A routine check of how the team is feeling can go a long way.

3.    Seeking new experience – This is more than just that the "grass is greener" but is overcome by the challenge of stagnation. If new experiences or challenges are not presented, people tend to seek stimulation elsewhere.

4.    Uninspiring Leadership –An effective leader guides an organization, much like a Captain on a ship. Consequently, poor or lackluster management can be devastating and can drive the boat aground.

5.    Work-life balance – With everyone working from home these days, finding a work-life balance has moved up on the list. More attention is paid to finding that balance with an increased awareness of separating work and personal life.

6.    Lacking engagement – Similarly to lack of opportunity, lacking engagement can and will be a killer. Your team wants to be challenged, new exciting learning opportunities with the ability to contribute to the overall goodwill keep them engaged.

7.    Fear of Stagnation – Inc. Magazine listed the fear of being part of a company that lacks innovation as a key reason many executives, and Employees consider leaving; no one wants to be part of an organization that is failing to evolve.

8.    Toxic work environment – This one speaks for itself. If the work environment is toxic either directly or subtly, the chances of losing people will only increase. Just one cancerous person can cause this, but most commonly is from a leadership failure.

9.    Too much or too little work – According to a recent article in Forbes, "Stress is a business killer" and doesn't just come as overwork; often, it can be underworking, causing the fear that the company or employee won’t survive.

Lack of Rewards or Benefits – This is not just in the monetary sense but goes in line with Company Culture. The simple things that make a difference. Even a kind word of appreciation has been listed as reasons why someone left. Rewards can be lunch. Birthday celebration or recognition for a job well done. 

I realize that this list may read like a negative list of "things you are doing wrong," but it should be interpreted as a list of opportunities for change and improvement. Awareness leads to adaptation. If you know why a person may leave your organization, you can focus your attention on pivoting and improving these potential exposure points within your company. Often small incremental adjustments can and will result in improved retention and a better company experience and culture.

This year is off to a solid and great start. As I have stated previously, I'm an optimist, and I look forward to good things to come shortly. As always, I remain your counselor, advisor, and friend.