How to recognize when a key employee is ready to quit (and avoid that outcome)

Founder and Chief Culture Officer of Ideal resultsInc. Author of new book “Culture Ignited: 5 Disciplines for Adaptive Leadership.”

When my phone rang at 10 p.m., I was hesitant to answer. I had had a long day and I was ready to tune in. But the caller was Pete, and I knew he wouldn’t call just to say goodnight. I had coached and mentored Pete, who was in his early thirties, for several years.

“Jason, I have a dilemma,” he said.

Pete had been with the same organization for three years. He had a nice title and a decent salary and benefits, but he felt unappreciated and felt like he had reached a plateau. The corporate culture did not inspire him, on the contrary.

“I feel stuck. The company is growing and I don’t know if I will grow with it. The job is no longer satisfying. And it’s not a nice place to work.”

It’s a scenario that plays out every day in businesses across the country. More than 80% of employees do not feel recognized or rewarded Research from Harvard Business School.

The dilemma for Pete was that he had been offered a similar position with a higher salary for a company in the same industry. It was an excellent opportunity. But I knew he was risk averse and a move was scary for him. What will he do? How could he resign?

I challenged Pete to go back to his organization, tell them how he felt about the toxic culture and lack of appreciation, and that he had no choice but to resign. He did. Senior management’s response was to promise to resolve Pete’s specific grievances and give him a hefty raise. It was too late. He asked them, “Why did I have to stop before you realized you had to fix all these things?”

Pete continued. And he’s not the only one. a recent report according to job site Monster.com, 96% of employees are looking for a new job this year, usually for better pay. The same report says 34% are unhappy because there is no room to grow and 25% complain about a toxic workplace.

What can you do about it? Use some of the following strategies to avoid losing key employees:

Promote limitless careers.

Of course, one way to develop limitless careers is to give employees the opportunity to work in other countries so that they can experience different business and social cultures. But there is another way closer to home, and that is within your own organization. Quite simply, you can facilitate lateral movements within the company from department to department. Your employees (and the company) benefit from taking on new challenges and gaining appreciation for the parts that make up the whole.

One of the reasons people burn out or leave organizations, especially the younger generations, is because they feel suffocated if they don’t get bigger and more varied experiences. And with the expansion of hybrid work, it’s more important than ever for a company to encourage collaboration across departments.

Recruiting employees.

Think back to the involvement you had when you recruited someone to join your organization. What did you tell them about your corporate culture? About the company’s mission and purpose? Don’t take long-term employees for granted and lose that spark of first connection.

Take every opportunity to both promote the company’s strengths and validate the value an individual brings to the company. Try to understand what they want out of their careers, and who they are as unique individuals. Performance reviews should not be reduced to an annual event, but should be an ongoing conversation. Provide a psychologically safe space where everyone can express their opinions without fear of repercussions.

Transparent and authentic conversations are essential. It’s not uncommon for employees to get into a rut or reach a level of frustration. It’s a leader’s responsibility to recognize when that happens and respond accordingly so they don’t resign. That means making time for real one-on-one conversations to root out any dissatisfaction and rekindle team member engagement.

Don’t get complacent.

Very often, when there don’t seem to be any major issues, leaders like to maintain the status quo and not rock the boat. The reality is that a storm could be on the horizon and a lack of awareness and foresight means that the boat could not only rock but also capsize. It is vital for organizations to explore multiple ways to solicit feedback, both directly and anonymously. Be open to any shortcomings that come to light, take action to correct course, and be sure to communicate what you are doing.

Continuously develop talent.

Workers want to acquire new skills and companies need to provide training that meets their needs. a Microsoft studyfound, for example, that 76% of employees say they would stay with their company longer if they received more learning and development support. It also found that employees view opportunities to learn and grow as the key driver of a great workplace culture. Every company must provide ongoing training and, when budget permits, hire external experts.

Don’t let the ego get in the way.

Leaders should be willing to listen and not feel like they have to be the smartest person in the room. Be prepared to be a little vulnerable and accept conflicting or conflicting opinions from your subordinates and you will enjoy a much higher level of success. And don’t micromanage.

It is important for an employer to be aware of what is going on within the organization and not to sleep behind the wheel. According to Gartner Inc., companies that have a meaningful employee value proposition (including, for example, good pay, benefits, flexibility, and learning opportunities) attract top talent, drive employee engagement, and reduce annual employee turnover by 69%. By listening to the wishes of your employees, you can steer the ship safely and successfully to your desired destination.

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