Written by Alissa Parr, Ph.D., Senior Consultant
As I’ve written about before, exit interviews are a good strategy for understanding why employees are leaving the company. But, what about those “no call, no show” employees? You may try your best to reach out to them to complete an exit interview, but if they don’t have the decency to let you know they are quitting, they probably won’t show a desire to complete the exit interview. It’s always best to collect company-specific turnover information when possible. But, it’s also insightful to read about trends across organizations so you can learn what the most common reasons for turnover are.
BambooHR recently conducted a survey asking employees the reasons why they quit a job. The sample included more than 1,000 U.S. employees over the age of 24 years old. So, what were some of the main reasons why people quit and what can you do about it? The top four reasons for quitting include:
Reason # 1: They decided that work wasn’t something they wanted to do (28%).
Action Steps: Provide candidates a Realistic Job Preview (RJP) and be very explicit about the roles and responsibilities associated with the job. During an RJP, it’s important to share with them the positive and negative aspects of the job so they can make an accurate judgment call as to whether they would be a good fit for the job or not. RJP’s can take several forms, including information provided during an interview or a video depicting work conditions and comments from employees. But, the most robust RJP takes the form of the job candidate actually touring the work environment and shadowing employees. This can provide them a better gauge as to whether the work is something they would like to do or not.
Reason #2: They thought they were given different work than they expected from the hiring process (26%).
Action Steps: In addition to providing an RJP, it’s important to give candidates the information they need about the job even before they submit an application. Meaning, it’s critical to make sure that the job description is accurate and up-to-date. Additionally, make sure all the recruiters and hiring managers are providing accurate information about the job throughout each stage of the hiring process.
Reason #3: Their boss was a jerk (23%).
Action Steps: Management and supervisors have a direct and immediate influence on their employees. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that you are selecting leaders who are effective at motivating others, providing them the support and resources needed, and giving them the opportunities to learn and develop on the job. Positive impact goes a long way, especially for people in leadership roles. An ineffective or negative boss can taint the overall culture of the team and organization. Take a serious approach to how you hire your leaders.
Reason #4: They didn’t receive enough training.
Action Steps: Today’s employees want to be engaged in their work. They want to learn new skills and feel a part of the company. It is imperative for companies to engage their employees in different activities so they feel that they are prepared for their current duties and that they are growing their potential for stretch assignments.
What didn’t make the top list for turnover? Having lots of perks and benefits, including free food, unlimited vacation time, and so forth. We always hear about Google’s awesome perks and benefits, but less than 1% indicated that those perks and incentives would have made a difference as to whether they would stay or leave the job. What it ultimately comes down to is whether the work meets their expectations and is a good fit, whether they enjoy working with their boss, and whether they feel like the company is “investing” in them.
Another interesting outcome of the survey is that 31% of the respondents had quit a job within the first 6 months. Meaning, it’s important to make sure that you are engaging in good onboarding practices within the first few months or else they may start seeking other opportunities.
To learn more about the survey and recommendations for onboarding practices, you can access the infographic by clicking here.
