CEO at BrightHR and COO at the Peninsula Group, responsible for the global rollout of HR tech supporting over 90,000 organizations.
getty
As any HR professional knows, investing in recruitment measures involves risk. After all, not all employees are going to work out. We may see this as unavoidable and out of our control, and sometimes that's true. Job role incompatibility will inevitably lead to premature exits. But employees often leave a new job—often within the first 45 days—for reasons that are very much within our control. If your company has experienced high turnover among new hires recently, it may mean you need to reevaluate your practices.
Here are three reasons why employees are most likely to quit—and what you can do about it.
1. The role didn't meet the employee's expectations.
It’s not always possible for a professional to understand the ins and outs of a position until they're in it. But they should at least have a good idea of what to expect when they first walk in the door. If an employee leaves a job because of unmet expectations or confusion around their role, it’s likely there was a communication issue during recruitment.
That’s why it’s vital to provide a clear and detailed job description. When advertising a position, you must outline the key responsibilities of the role, your company values and any qualities you’re looking for in an employee. It goes without saying that the more detail you provide, the stronger your candidates will be. After all, if you're fishing in the wrong pond, it doesn't matter how many candidates you catch. Being straightforward about your company's needs will help keep poor-fit candidates from applying in the first place.
While you’ll never be 100% certain that someone's the right fit for a role during the recruitment phase, you'll have better luck by having a well-developed screening process. So regularly review and update your recruitment practices. For example, are you clearly communicating company needs to your recruiters? If not, there's a chance they could give candidates the wrong idea about what the job actually involves or select candidates whose values don't mesh with yours. Using online assessments can also be a helpful strategy, as it will allow recruiters to gauge talent fit quickly and more effectively. Remember: When your recruitment is strong, it’s easier to secure talent who will stay with you.
2. The employee had a poor management experience.
Communication throughout the entire employee journey is key, and managers play an important role in making sure employees remain clear about what their job role involves. When this doesn’t happen, we start to see employees get overwhelmed, disengaged and dissatisfied. Poor management can stunt even the most promising performer. A 2019 study by SHRM found that 60% of employees cite their manager as the reason they quit their job.
But when people say they left because of bad management, what are they really saying? It's a sign that employees are feeling neglected, intimidated or micromanaged. A manager might not realize their behaviors are actually unhelpful or damaging. So it’s important for them to reflect and work on how they can be the best leader they can be.
A good manager has strong communication skills. They support their team, and they don’t make accusations or intimidate when mistakes are made. They strike the right balance between giving an employee guidance and autonomy. Ultimately, they get the best out of their staff and help them get to where they want to be. This is why training is essential for sharpening and refining management skills. Without the right resources, it sets both managers and employees up for failure.
3. The employee felt there was a lack of opportunity for development.
If your management is lacking, an employee is likely to feel unsatisfied and unsure about their ability to grow. This feeling of being stuck may actually be the biggest reason why most employees leave their jobs. If your talent leaves because they feel there’s no room for growth in their role, this signals an issue with how managers are supporting their development.
Employees need to see a clear path of progression or they’ll look elsewhere. CareerAddict revealed a whopping 82% of professionals said they would consider quitting a job if their career prospects weren’t up to scratch. In fact, study participants considered job progression to be even more important than pay.
So managers must work closely with their team members to create plans for progression and skills development. Regular one-to-one meetings will give employees more opportunities to voice their aspirations and concerns. This will help managers support their growth in a way that best suits their skills and interests. Think about it: When you offer your employee a career pathway and the training to help them on their way, it encourages them to commit to their development—and your company—long term.
The considerable recruitment costs, both the financial and time investments, are key concerns for HR professionals when looking for new employees. It's far costlier to replace an employee than to retain them. So if you’re looking to reduce turnover, avoiding these basic reasons for quitting isn’t just advisable—it's essential.
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
