The ‘Great Resignation’ is real, and it’s not over yet. If you have seen an exodus of employees from YOUR organization, your priority is clear - slow, if not stop the flow of exiting talent. But how? There are some consistent reasons for employees to leave a job. If you can identify and remedy these issues in your organization, you will improve employee satisfaction to help retain and attract top talent.

1. Top performers are looking for work that matters.

The nature of the workforce is changing. Employees today are not necessarily looking for a traditional career path – rather, they want to know that what they do each day makes a difference. They want a sense of fulfillment in their jobs. So, if your organization hasn’t learned to articulate clearly what purpose it serves, and how the work performed by staff enables this purpose, you will see your top performers leaving.

2. Top performers are looking for work/life balance.

Today, many employees are expected to sacrifice a healthy work/life balance to meet the high demands of their managers and company. Along with the burn-out factor, these unrealistic expectations can create, these workers are often the last to receive the compliments and praise they deserve. This can leave employees feeling unfulfilled, less effective, and generally unhappy in their roles.

3. Top performers are looking for a clear vision for the future.

If your organization isn’t growing, or is floundering to figure out how to deal with the new work world, then expect staff to start looking for other opportunities. There are organizations out there who are offering new exciting challenges, more money, training, better benefits… and are anxious to hire your talent away.

4. Top performers are looking to be valued and respected.

Finally, more than ever, people are looking for a manager who knows them, communicates often, coaches them for future success and knows how to run a collaborative, conflict-free team.

So instead of sitting around complaining about the loss of key staff, start evaluating how you measure up in each of these four areas. Can you express your company’s vision, values and mission in a succinct fashion? Do your managers understand that vision, how to align their departments to it, and execute the work to follow? If so, you will be able to share this when speaking with current staff and interviewing new staff to show that your organization has purpose.

Have you trained your managers to coach their team members, understand how to give positive feedback, to relate the big picture in the company, show appreciation for work done and create strong teams? If not, start training them NOW before you lose more key staff.

People will endure a lot if they know what they are doing is important. They need to feel part of a solid team, have reasonable wages and benefits, and see that the organization is moving forward and helping them have a future with it. Can you say that about your organization?

Dale

About Dale

Dale Wilcox is president of WATMEC Limited. A Learning Strategist, she holds a CTDP from the former CSTD, and a Human Performance Improvement certificate from the former ASTD. For over 25 years she has been an award winner with WILEY and is certified to deliver and debrief all their assessments. Previously Dale was a Board member and inaugural chair of CSTD. She has over 45 years of Board member experience in both for profit and non-profits organizations. An entrepreneur at heart, this is her 4th business venture.