Why Employees Quit (Part 1)

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Welcome to the Manager Lab. Now, today we're going to start a series of casts on the article, Why Employees Quit. New research points to some surprising answers. This is from the print edition of the November-December 2024 Harvard Business Review. And today we're just going to look at one of the charts that's in the article that I think will help lay the groundwork for understanding the forces that are behind why our employees choose to leave our companies.

Obviously, we all know the devastation that that causes on team morale, the costs involved in someone leaving our organization, anywhere from, you know, half the employee salary up to two times the employee salary, depending on whether it's an executive role or not. But let's look at this call-out chart. I think it's really interesting to try to understand the basics of this particular concept. This call-out is called the push and pull of a job switch.

It says that current circumstances can push employees away But people tend to stay put until they're also pulled towards something better. And among the job switchers that were studied in this particular article, the following were the most common pushes and pulls that precipitated the move. Okay. So the first ones we'll talk about is I'm pushed when. end. So I'm pushed out of an organization when this happens.

So we'll look at these. These are the top responses in this study, and I'll give maybe a little commentary on each of them. Number one, I don't respect or trust the people I work with. So that's when us as managers need to make sure that we're fostering an environment of inclusion, right? I don't respect or trust the people I work with. Second one, I feel that the work I'm doing has little or no impact on the company, the world, or my life.

So maybe it's difficult for us to think about, you know, impacting someone's life or the world, but we can certainly help them understand the impact that they're having on their company.

And I actually even had a conversation with a senior manager this morning regarding, you know, making sure that when they had this meaningful relationship important conversation with an employee, with one of their supervisors, that they make sure that they really focused on the impact that that person was having in their organization. It just makes the conversation much more meaningful. Next one is, the way I manage day-to-day is wearing me down.

So this is, you know, maybe classic micromanagement strategy here. We need to make sure that we're not really, you know, wearing our people out in terms of how we're micromanaging them and giving them autonomy. You know, one of the key drivers of motivation is autonomy. Next one, my current company is struggling and the end feels near. Okay.

So if that's a situation in your company, then, you know, make sure that your people understand, you know, and give them the most transparent answers possible if you feel like the company is kind of nearing the end. Next one is, I end up with a new manager and feel like I'm starting over.

Yeah, I've been in that situation before where you've got a really good rapport with your manager and all of a sudden they get promoted or they move to a lateral position and you get a new manager and it's very difficult to start over. Again, I think really good communication here can help. Number two, or the next one goes back to the first one we talked about, I feel disrespected or not trusted. I feel disrespected or not trusted.

You know, I think just making sure you have genuinely good intent for all your people will make this easier to avoid this push. Number, the next one is I've reached a personal milestone in my life. So sometimes people have certain goals. They get to a certain goal. They've reached that. And maybe that's the pinnacle of their career.

Again, having very frequent one-on-ones with your team, having very key critical conversations about development and career aspiration will help you here, make sure that you don't miss these types of situations in your people's lives. Next one is I've reached a milestone in my job or career. So one is reaching a milestone in my life. Next one is I've reached a milestone in my job or career. and that's kind of

feel when they've, they've kind of done it all, right? And now they're looking for something else. Next one, my work is dominating my life and I sacrifice myself or my family to get things done. So again, making sure that you really are in tune with people's, not only people's professional lives, but to the extent that it's appropriate, understanding their personal lives as well.

The relationship with their spouse, relationship with their children, you know, what they do, their hobbies, their interests. Are they getting enough recreation? Are they taking their vacation times? Things like that. A trusted advisor, mentor, or previous boss guides me toward my next step. Okay, that can push people away as well. Next one is I'm challenged beyond my ability, logic, or ethics to do this. Okay.

So, you know, unfortunately, we've seen this happen in the government lately where people are challenged beyond their ethics and they feel like they have to do a principled resignation. It's unfortunate, but that happens. It can also happen when people are challenged beyond their abilities. Number, well, the next one is I feel unchallenged or bored. So here's the opposite. Is that they feel like they're not challenged at all.

Again, we must, as managers, challenge our people, making sure that they've got a lot of not only good work, but challenging work, things that stretch them. And make sure that we're working on not only their strengths, leveraging those, but also working on their development areas as well. Next one, I can't see where to go or how to grow in my current organization. Or progress will be too long or it will be too hard.

So, you know, this is, again, hopefully your organization provides roadmaps and career steps and things like that. If not, that's really one of your primary responsibilities is to help your people understand where they need to go and if they're on the right track or not. Last one in this category, I feel that I've been on my own, ignored, and unsupported at work for a very long time.

Please don't let this happen. This is management crime. If you do this, make sure that you never ignore your people. Make sure you're always there to support them, and you won't have this. Okay, so more quickly, I'm just going to kind of run down these next ones.

Those, all the ones that were before is when factors or forces that push people out. These next ones are things that pull people away. So not necessarily pushed out, but are more enticing for some reason. So I'll just kind of list these. I won't go into so much commentary. Sorry. I can have more time to spend with others outside work. So maybe there's better work-life balance. Next one, my values and beliefs will align with the company and the people I work with.

Not much you can do about that because, again, it's hard to, you know, you're not going to have a lot of influence over people's values and beliefs. So if they find a better alignment, then maybe so be it at that point. My job will fit into my existing personal life. So if there's a way that you can construct or orchestrate better work-life balance for people, try to do that. You may do that proactively, actually. It may save you from them looking at maybe a potentially better situation.

I can acquire the skills I need for a future job or career. Okay, so some people are looking for a particular skill set. you may not be able to provide that training or experience and they see something that they, want to go towards. Next one, I can be acknowledged, respected, and trusted to do great work. Well, hopefully that's something that you can do now. You can help them do that in their current role, and they won't be looking for that respect and acknowledgement.

Next, I can find an employer who values my experience and credentials. So one way you can prevent that is to look for opportunities to make sure that your people feel like you're valuing their experiences and credentials. Next, I and others will see my job as a step forward. So again, that goes back to the career progression conversation. Next, I will have the freedom and flexibility to do my best work.

Boy, I hope that's part of your conversations with all your people right now, that you're looking for that to give them the freedom and flexibility to be the very best versions of themselves. Next, I can be recognized for the impact. There that word is again, of my work on other people and the business. So please emphasize the impact that people are having right now. Don't wait till they're out the door before you remind them of their impact. Tell them right now.

I will have a supportive boss who guides me and provides constructive feedback. That's just management one-on-one, right? We're supporting our people. We're giving them constructive feedback. The next one, I can be challenged. I can grow. I can learn on the job. That should be part of your everyday thinking. When you think about your employees, are they being challenged? Are they growing? Are they learning on their jobs? Making sure that they are.

I will be in a job that I know I can do and not feel at risk. So, you know, we never want employees to leave our organizations. We talk about flight risk, making sure that, you know, our best people are going to stay. And so make sure you have those types of conversations with your people. Last couple here, I can support my growing personal responsibilities. So back to that work-life balance. And then finally, I can have more time for me.

Those are all the things that could be potentially attractive and could potentially pull people away from you. So that's the call out in the middle of the article.

In the next few casts, we're going to get into more of the basics in terms of the forces that either push people out of your organization or pull people out of your organization. And as great managers. We're going to prevent both of those things from happening. And that's it for this cast. Until next time, we meet in the manager lab. Music.