What are the top reasons employees leave their jobs?

I agree, but I would separate “not feeling valued” as you can want to feel valued but not necessarily require recognition as a requisite to stay at a company. An employee may want to still see the value of the work they are doing. They may want to feel they are making a difference to someone or something to feel motivated. That is why it is important to make sure the company goals are filtered down to all employees and so employees are able to link their own individual goals within their role to the company goals. They may want to feel their value by seeing the work they are doing making a difference to the company or to others. (I would always suggest both things are happening though of course).

Employees may leave a job because it does not meet their expectations any more in terms of various reasons : - Happiness - Motivation - Recognition - Earnings - Lack of transparency in the performance appraisal - General conditions of work etc

This topic has been researched extensively: Leadership behaviors have the highest impact on employee engagement and the willingness to stay with an organization. ‘People work for people, not for organizations’ is still true. They will be willing to go the extra mile for an inspiring and caring leader, and leave when they cannot bear how they are being treated. In particular 4 leadership traits make the biggest difference: 1) Communication: Sharing of vision and strategy. People want to know what they are contributing to. 2) Recognition: Everyone wants to be recognized for the contribution they have made. 3) Inclusion: People have to feel accepted and safe to bring their best to work. 4) Development: The biggest employer value proposition.

Lack of 3R: Respect, Recognition and Reward triggers any person to leave the company. Most important factor is respect: feeling of belongingness, included, engaged, valued as human being rather than just employee/resource. Without Respect recognition and reward has less impact. It's kind of retention ladder where Respect is foundation, Recognition is next step which motivate employee to go extra mile and reward creates a culture where employees are thrilled to show up every day.

People mainly leave as they feel they are not valued either financially or being under utilized.That is why it is important to make sure the company goals are filtered down to all employees so employees can link their own individual goals within their role to the company goals. They may want to feel their value by seeing the work they are doing and how it is making a difference to the company as a whole. The environment and the culture of the organisation also plays an important role in retaining the talents. One may have all recognition but may find the culture very typical to fit in. For Gen Z mentorship and and stability plays a very important role in retention.

There are so many different words one could use as the reason employees depart from companies, but my experience has demonstrated the lack of care is the reason. CARE is the genuine emotional investment a company and their leader gives to the employee regarding their development, career, performance, live events, growth, family and personal time away from the office. If we all started from genuine care versus recognition, employees would feel valued, seen and heard. The rest is easy.

Also When employees feel their careers are stagnating and there are limited opportunities for growth and advancement within the organization, they may seek new challenges elsewhere.

Boredom - work has become so process driven in Australia. We can easily be replaced by AI or robots. So many 'nonsense' jobs now, mainly in the guise of change management, communication, project integration, operational readiness etc. Hard to believe people get paid so well for such nonsense meanwhile teachers and nurses are paid peanuts. Left Australia last month for Europe just couldn't 'process' one more thing.

I consult in the organizational development and systems integration fields. One of my clients chose to make a strategic decision to automate as much as possible and in the process, found that they were losing people to competitors. The numbers looked great on the proforma by adding $mm capital equipment but a person still needs to own the process and quality output. It doesn't take more than a sincere thank you, remembering the employee's name or some other small effort expressed daily or weekly to keep people. Money is a factor but not the only factor. People typically spend what they bring home and the little things matter. Remember this for the health of your organization, long term.

Managers who create boundary around them are the one who are either insecure about their position or not aligned with the agenda of the organization and want to run their own agenda. It’s important to review managers on their visible action of developing their subordinates and having clear performance conversation. Absence of this creates ambiguity & bias. Let it begin with the CEO for it to be followed & emulated by the whole of the organisation. Problem starts when the CEO does not cascade his KRAs on time & does not hold performance conversation with his subordinates. For performance conversation to get embedded in the culture , CEO & the functional heads will need to demonstrate this. The bottleneck lies at the neck of the bottle.

Great people don’t leave because they aren’t recognised, they leave because everyone else is recognised just the same way as them to drive equality and to keep everyone happy. Rewards is like salt, lack of it and too much of it either kills the taste or the appetite…

I agree all organizations must always have time and provision set aside to groom leaders new and old so that they are equipped to manage and lead teams based on the company culture. This should be proactive rather than reactive to ensure business continuity.

This is Top - Down Management, it has got a chain reaction. If the Top Management is good in managing the Mid Management , they would Manage the Jr Management and it goes till the base. If the chain breaks up in any of the category it affects the Top and the Down. Team collaboration is the secret Key to Manage the performance.

I agree, that what comes from the top matters. Therefore it may not be that employees direct supervisor if could be further up the chain. The right leadership is important all the way to the top.

In my experience it’s been their immediate supervisor that caused employees to leave. Citing that the supervisor wasn’t supportive, not transparent, and at odds with their management style/personality and lack of trust with evidence they were sabotaged.

Load management is a key factor in turnover. Employees subjected to increasing demands with scarce resources will reach their limits and seek opportunities that are more in line with their expectations of work/life balance.

I agree, your manager should want to train you so you are more marketable. Instead, we watched as she wasted time and resources o a lazy entitled co-worker, while the rest of us slowly found jobs that gave us peace.

In my experience, I have often seen the lack of respect shown to employees who are not "deemed important enough" by leaders. Respect and dignity should be an absolute minimum to be a leader in the first place. Hence, why good people leave organizations.

There are many reasons employees leave and more so now than ever. The pandemic changed working relationships and some employees now need remote only or hybrid to meet their needs. Salaries increased drastically and employees can job hop to obtain those increases. Reporting relationships and micromanagement are also major reasons employees leave companies. Keep in mind, most employees don't leave a company, they leave a manager.

As a recruiter speaking with candidates about their job changes the underlying factor is a desire to grow in their career. Candidates are seeking to keep their skills and knowledge at the top. Innovative companies that can provide ongoing challenges and stimulus are better positioned for retention.

Now the time is more on to a quality work life, apart from the routine. People look for more challenges in the roles and responsibilities and quickly wants to move to a higher role. Company which doesn't provide a clear career map to the new entrants will face early attrition. Proper Orientation from the initial days and Career Path might h guide help the new talents to stay.

I agree! An unchallenging environment can stifle career growth and lead to disengagement. When employees have maxed out their growth within an organization and are left with no opportunities to mentor or guide others, they'll naturally seek greener pastures. Periodic career development plans and mentorship programs can help retain high-performing employees.

This begins before an employee is even hired. The interview process should define what this looks like and what opportunities are possible. Look at who is at the top of the Org Chart in the particular function, look at what they have achieved, whilst knowing where you want to get to.

Constant training and offering opportunities for advancement is key to ensuring that employees stay engaged and motivated as a business' goals and strategies change or grow.

It will be interesting to see if anything becomes of the bill to raise the salary for exempt workers. There are so many Americans who work extra hours but are not compensated for their time by appropriate pay or flex time. It's understandable how salaried employees can feel exploited by companies who engage in this behavior.

For the first time in modern history there are four generations in the workplace, there are some similarities in what each of them want, but organisations need to adopt and adapt to a flexible comp and benefits structure to survive.

Correct compensation ensures an employee stays loyal and feels valued. Conducting surveys to establish what benefits each employee deems valuable and then implementing those benefits on a personal level promotes employee engagement and retention. No employee will stay with an organisation (no matter how great it may appear) if their salary and benefits do not align with market-related figures. Logic dictates that an individual needs to earn decent compensation to perform well and remain in the business.

A demanding work schedule, excessive overtime, or an unhealthy work-life balance can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction among employees, prompting them to seek jobs that offer a better balance.

I still use the quote : Work while you Work and Play while you Play - Work life balance is the key to a successful advancing career. Now the world looks for a multi skill professional in whichever industry, one should know their efficiency to handle personal and work life effectively. Proper Time Management and Planning the Tasks as per schedule will ease out the execution.

Unexpected Caregiving Responsibilities: In an aging society and the prevalence of dual-income households, more employees are assuming caregiving roles for family members, often unexpectedly. This added responsibility disrupts their work-life balance and forces them to make challenging decisions. Employers who don't offer flexibility or familial support risk losing valuable team members. A proactive approach that includes flexible work arrangements, remote working options, and caregiver support programs not only helps retain these employees but also enhances the employer's reputation as one that genuinely cares for its workforce. An opportunity for companies to refine their retention strategies & cultivate a committed & satisfied workforce.

Another uplifting idea is to ask your team how you might make their lives at home better. Note down the ideas they come up with and then brainstorm how you might make some of these happen. At least once a year, provide an opportunity for families of your employees to visit your workplace.

With so many resources and opportunities available it's easier than ever to achieve a good work/life balance. This should form part of culture, conversations and more. Remember... You, Family, Friends, Work... In that order. You are good to nobody if you don't look after yourself first and foremost.

The main things from my perspective would be : Lack of new opportunities or exploring new latest technologies Lack of recognition and credit for the work done Low salary compensation Micro-management and no recreation activities or engagement from HR Lack of Career Growth

I believe that for each employee to not just thrive but succeed in their career, one needs the right set of enabling Infrastructure. For example- An HR Leader won't be able to truly add value unless they have the right technology support to back strategic business decisions. If the organisation still thinks that the HR vertical can operate on manual efforts, then one can't expect much progress. In this case, the HR team members will choose a way out as they'll be over burdened with clerical work. Secondly, being able to communicate with the top leadership also makes a huge difference. People who don't have that access fail to see how their efforts translate into business success. That's a red flag as they may not have a sense of purpose.

If employees have ethical concerns about their company's practices or values, they may choose to leave in search of a more ethical workplace.

Life and "boomerangs." Get to know your team members. Often, team members are leaving for something better, not just leaving. Better pay check, more fulfilling work, new state. This doesn't automatically mean those things are wrong with the position they are leaving. It can mean they are starting a new chapter on their journey. A good relationship with team members will keep the surprises to a minimum when they leave. But don't forget the boomerang team members, those who leave for greener pastures and then want to return weeks or months later because it wasn't what they thought it would be. So if there are things to fix then do so, but every team member is on their own journey. Get to know them.

Treat people with integrity and respect. We've heard it said that "people don't leave jobs, they leave bosses." We should do our best to support our team and make sure that when they leave it's for a genuinely better opportunity and not because they felt unwelcome or unappreciated.

A toxic or unsupportive work environment characterized by conflict, harassment, or a lack of inclusivity can drive employees away.

When an employee's personal values and work style do not align with the organization's culture, they may feel disconnected and opt for a more compatible workplace.

Long commutes or challenging transportation options can be a deterrent for employees, especially if they find similar job opportunities closer to home.

Most employees give very vague reasons, often far from the truth. Why? Most likely due to the lack of emotional safety. It leaves us with false data and assumptions. The reality is that not every employer can support us in the dreams and needs we have as people at a given time on our career. Whether it is WFH flexibility, growth opportunities, salary, or issues such as bad management, we got to have the respect for those who advocate for their needs.

Leadership, management, recognition, rewarding career and growth opportunities, and rem/ben/conditions/flexibility are certainly all factors that weigh heavily in when people choose to start looking elsewhere. The value of workplace culture within the team as well thought cannot be overstated. A collaborative, safe, respectful and rewarding environment is so much more than just leadership/management 'to the top'. The work environment, and positive and proactiev team dynamics are critically important as well.