Talent Acquisition:

Why new employees leave

1. False expectations

A new employee comes to your office or calls you after 2 or 3 weeks on the job and announces their departure. When asked for the reason, the reply is almost the same each time: “It is just not what I was expecting, really.”

The problem? Most often a lack of transparency or lack of proper information on the position. The job description either did not exist or was utterly incomplete. This is why you must have a complete job description and the applicant should know its content PRIOR to deciding to join your group.

2. Lack of attention 

Although it is a good indicator of ability, being left alone from the start can open the door to many drawbacks. Our experience has shown that, when having to handle the job difficulties by themselves without anyone’s help or support, they react differently:

• 20% of new employees find their way through and quickly develop a work pattern that fits well with your expectations.
• 20% of them lose control within less than 6 weeks and show unacceptable performance.
• 60% of them spend more time and energy trying to find out what needs to be done and how, rather than actually doing the job. They waste a lot of time, as well as their direct supervisor’s and yours.

3. Lack of appreciation

According to a Gallup survey, almost 70% of all employees in the US feel disengaged at work. ^(Source)

Disengaged employees will search for an organization that will engage them, and the major reasons given for disengagement and departure are:

• Poor management
• Poor communications – not listening
• Lack of recognition
• Lack of training
• Excessive workload
• Lack of tools and resources
• Lack of teamwork

When employees feel their contribution is appreciated and valued, that the organization cares about their well-being and is ready to offer help when needed, this is referred to as “perceived organizational support.”

Simply stated, it should be a natural management attitude to appreciate a job well done, to acknowledge employees’ intentions to contribute and to recognize their willingness to make things go right. Yet this is exactly what the majority of employees complain about: their leaders don’t care enough!

4. Lack of leadership

What is the first reason why new talented players leave a company? The simplest and most condensed answer probably lies in one of the largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. The study surveyed over a million employees and 80,000 managers and was published in a book called “First, Break All The Rules,” by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman. ^(Source)

The findings: if you’re losing good people too fast, look to their immediate supervisor. More than anything else, the direct manager is the reason people stay and thrive in an organization. They are also the reason why good people quit.

A recent Fortune Magazine survey revealed that managers impact employees’ mental health more than therapists and as much as a spouse or partner. Of all the workplace stressors, a bad boss is possibly the worst, directly impacting the emotional health and productivity of employees. ^(Source)

If you lose good people during the onboarding period, look first to your managers in charge. Are they driving your new players away? Employees’ primary needs seem to have less to do with money and more to do with how they are treated, appreciated and valued. Much of this depends mainly on their supervisor.