One of the biggest challenges of an HR manager is keeping great employees from jumping ship. The easiest way to do this is to identify the reasons employees quit and addressing those problems. Of course, some events are impossible to control, as they affect the lives of employees and their families and are unrelated to the business itself.
The good news is many factors affecting employee retention can be controlled by the employer. James K. Harter, who is Gallup’s chief scientist for workplace management, stated that about 75% of the reasons employees quit their jobs could be affected by managers. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons people quit their jobs.
Lousy working relationship with their boss
The importance of a friendly working environment cannot be overemphasized. No one wants to wake up every morning dreading another day at work. A bad working relationship between an employee and an employer creates a tense and unhealthy working environment.
This is why being a manager is more about managing relationships, and it is very essential that the right person is picked as the manager.
They want a new challenge
It is vital that you make sure your employees are using their abilities and skills to tackle new problems. It is not enough that a position looks great on a resume; if the workers feel bored from the daily operations, then they are likely going to be looking for a way out.
It is the job of the human resources manager to work closely with the employees and ensure that they feel engaged, challenged, and excited to perform.
Unexpected changes to their lives
You would be surprised at some events that lead people to make life-changing decisions. According to a research quoted in the Harvard Business Review, job hunting activity rises by about 16% after class reunions. Also, job hunting increases by about 12% after birthdays, especially milestones (e.g. 40th or 50th birthdays). These events usually provide opportunities for people to take stock of what is happening in their lives and measure themselves relative to others. This shows that a person’s decision to quit a job is not only affected by experiences at work, but by occurrences in the person’s life.
They don’t feel appreciated
Have you ever heard of the term “Employee Recognition Psychology”? It primarily deals with the relationship between employee appreciation and employee satisfaction. Everyone wants to feel wanted and appreciated. It is essential that you make your employees feel special and let them know that their efforts are being recognized.
Why do you need to incorporate Employee Recognition Psychology?
Harvard Medical School reported a study carried out on two different groups of university fund-raisers. One group was appreciated by the director for the work they had done the previous week, while the other group didn’t get a word of gratitude. The group that was appreciated made 50% more calls the next week than the other group that was not shown appreciation.
This shows that a simple word of appreciation will go a long way in providing extra motivation for your employees. Cultivating the habit of recognizing the efforts of your workers also helps to foster a good working relationship between employers and employees. Therefore, if you want to keep your workers, you should prioritize appreciating them.
Workers quit every day around the world, but it is your job as a manager to figure out a way to keep your best employees. You should note that while there are factors that you cannot control, the majority of the factors responsible for workers quitting could be affected by the manager.
The working relationship in the workplace is essential for keeping your employees, and proper employee recognition plays a major role in that. Online Rewards offers various employee rewards and recognition programs aimed at improving the overall happiness and satisfaction in your workplace. If you are looking to keep employees for a long time, we can help you achieve that.
