More employees are voluntarily leaving their jobs than at almost any other time this millennium. When an employee quits, it can feel like a gut punch, leaving managers scrambling both emotionally and operationally. The loss can be particularly acute when employees “ghost” their organization, simply not showing up to work, sometimes only days after starting the job.
Do You Really Know Why Employees Leave Your Company?
Hearing the words “I quit” is rarely pleasant, but managers and HR professionals can gain valuable knowledge for their firms by taking an evidence-based approach to finding out why employees leave. Start by looking for patterns among how people quit. Overall, do employees tend to follow company guidelines? Is quitting more common in particular departments? Answering these kinds of questions can help you identify problem areas. Next, see what coworkers who were closest to the departing employee have to say. Although people will not always be open to divulging their true reasons for quitting, in many cases their peers may have insights. Finally, examine what departing employees do next, and learn from their decisions. HR professionals can do this by tracking where their alumni go.