Why Good Employees Quit

Good employees are difficult to come by, and when they do, organisations do not like to let them go easily. Talented, skilled employees who understand the company's goals are especially difficult to part with. Some reasons to quit are personal, such as wanting to spend time with children, or following a spouse to another country. However, most other reasons are job-related, and can easily be controlled. Understanding these reasons can help you prevent other such employees from following the suit.

Relationship with the Boss

Because the employee needs to interact with, ask questions of, and report to the boss, it is important that the relationship between the employee and boss is comfortable, if not friendly. A toxic relationship with a senior can undermine the employee's confidence, engagement with the company, and commitment to work.

Relationships with Co-workers

When employees leave an organisation, they speak about those co-workers who they hold closest to their heart. However, if the atmosphere at work is one of negativity, it can make employees feel disheartened. When co-workers make an employee feel ignored, unwanted, or unimportant, it can drive the employee to leave an otherwise good job.

When employees find their job is too easy to do, they feel their time will be better utilised elsewhere. A challenging job motivates employees to learn, perform better, and set new benchmarks. A job, which does not provide enough challenge, needs to be enriched to rise to the employee's abilities.

Being Overworked

The flipside to an unchallenging job is a job, which is too challenging. Working overtime every day of the week will eventually lead to burnout. It will result in physical exhaustion, reduction in job satisfaction, and reduced productivity. When a job is incessantly demanding too much of the employee's time and effort, the employee won't last very long.

An Inconsequential Job

When a job is not meaningful enough to warrant the employee's time and attention, eventually, the employee will begin to lose interest. A job, which uses the employee's talents and abilities and allows her/him to creatively express in meaningful ways is one that commands attention. A job, which doesn't give that, is likely to lose a good employee.

Spending the entire day at work leaves little time for personal and familial interactions at the end of the day. Club that with demanding deadlines that require the employee to work over the weekends, and there is no personal life left. After sustained negligence of their personal life, employees feel drained and disillusioned about their careers, leading them to quit.

Undefined Organisational Paths

Employees need to feel like they are a part of the bigger picture, and are contributing to organisational goals. Their job needs to be aligned to the organisation's larger growth strategies and the corporate culture. Employees need to feel that their work is an important part of the company's progress. Without this alignment, jobs can begin to feel meaningless to good employees, leading to their departure.

Not Enough Independence

It is important for employees to have autonomy on the job. They must be allowed to function independently within their roles, with the security of guidance from their seniors. However, excessive intrusion and a strict hierarchy is not appreciated. If employees are constantly made to feel that they cannot be trusted with decisions, it will drive them to seek a job, which does.

Insufficient Benefits

Benefits from the job can come in many forms. Dissatisfaction with salary can be a big determinant of the decision to change jobs. Lack of recognition for work done can also feel unjust. Stingy benefits, no upward mobility, few leaves, and an overall poor HR policy can lead employees to feel that the organisation values profits over people. Such an approach towards employees can make them question the organisation's financial status, and can drive them away.

For reasons other than changing career goals, organisations can prevent good employees from leaving by addressing the above concerns.