How to tell if your Employee is about to Quit
All employers know that staff turnover is expensive. Not only is money put in to the recruiting process – it can cost as much as 150% of their annual salary to replace an employee, but also in the training of the new employee – with studies showing it can take a full year for a new employee to reach their full potential in 30% of companies.
Due to these high costs of losing employees, it is always best to stay aware and attuned to the signs that your employees are starting to look elsewhere. Even if they appear to be happy and enjoying their job, a shocking 70% of the workforce is disengaged on the job.
Therefore, by recognising the following signs, it is possible to intervene early and ensure to put any issues right and retain your staff.
- Taking Extra Time Off
When an employee usually has a good attendance record, sudden absences can be quite obvious; so if more time off is being taken, more doctors appointments or half days – your employee could be looking for something else. It is best to address the situation openly and honestly. Talk with your employee; ask if they are enjoying their role and if they are happy. Also, ask if there is anything that could be improved within their position and department that could help. Not only will this help to address individual issues, but it changes made from this could also reduce the risk of other employees deciding to move on.
- Vagueness
The most passionate and engaged employees are very concerned with details. When big, exciting, strategic conversations are developing they are the ones that are what it would take to make it work. Those who do not seem interested in pushing the company or themselves forward are unlikely to want to stick around for the long term.
- Sudden Delegation of Responsibilities
This is more important within certain management roles, but can also be a sign that a member of staff not in the management team is about to quit. Those who have been with the company a long time or who have a lot of responsibility within their role take pride in these responsibilities. If they decide to start giving these responsibilities away, it could be a sign that they are planning a way to leave. Consistent positive communication is key at all times, even more so if these signs start to appear.
- Change in Routine or Schedule
When current employees decide to start looking for a new job, sudden changes are made to their schedule, which are usually done to accommodate interviews. The employee will also appear to dress smarter and take less interest in company activities. If you see this happening, you should proactively decide whether to replace the employee to fight to keep them on board – usually with a better offer of more money or responsibility (or both!).
- Beginning to Disengage
If your employee doesn’t participate at work or within discussions they might not be content within their role. Especially is they used to vigorously participate with a sense of urgency and passion. The best thing to do would be to address it in order to learn more about the situation.
- Employees Mention Signs
If someone is planning to leave, co-workers of the employee will be likely to start complaining about their performance and lack of interest in the job. In order to rectify this, it is best to pull the employee aside and have a chat. Even if they tell you they are leaving, at least you can take someone on board who will be keen to get the job done and not be slacking.
- Change in Attitude
An attitude change is a typical sign that an employee is planning to leave, which should be quickly addressed by meeting with them. If they do quit due to another job offer and their reasons for leaving can be addressed and fixed, a counter offer should be made quickly with a distinct change in salary and responsibilities. However, do not try and force an employee to stay as chances are, they won’t stick around for long.
- Soft Social Cues
When someone is struggling within their job and the situation at hand, it is common for the facial and body language to be hard to hard. Shifty eyes, forced smiles and laughs are all signs that are adopted. This is due to the decision being of paramount importance to them, which makes deception harder to conceal.
Source: LinkedIn
