And what we’ll do to improve your retention
We are currently in the midst of the “Great Resignation” - a trend, starting in early 2021, that has resulted in an unprecedented number of employees resigning voluntarily from their jobs and careers.
A certain amount of turnover is healthy for a business - the average is about 15% - but the higher it goes, the more money you’re going to be losing. Sure, the “Great Resignation” began fairly recently, but these employees aren’t leaving for no reason. In fact, they’ve likely had apprehensions about their job role for a long time.
What, then, are the signs that your employee is about to jump on the trend, and what can you do to prevent it happening?
1: They are no longer as productive
Work productivity can be a crucial sign that an employee is facing some sort of issue. On its own, a decrease in productivity doesn’t spell the end, but when combined with other factors, it should be noted as something more significant. Watch out for how frequently they’ve been doing the minimal work - especially if it’s becoming a frequent occurrence. It’s something that’s worth investigating anyway, but an employee who’s exhibiting less effort and work motivation may well be preparing themselves for resignation.
2: They interact with others differently than they used to
The ways an employee interacts with others can offer insights into how they’re thinking and feeling. If they’ve become less of a team player, it suggests that they’ve withdrawn themselves from their colleagues, and have isolated themselves more. This might show that they’re preparing to leave for another workplace, as they've begun to engage less with the company’s culture. Consider as well how interested they are in working with customers or clients, since people looking to resign are less concerned with their relations with the public.
3: They are less agreeable with supervisors
Changes in the way an employee interacts with supervisors or managers also suggest changes in their attitude to work. Watch out for if they’ve become less driven to pleasing their manager than usual. Also take note of how they talk about their supervisor. If they’ve begun to express a more negative attitude towards them, it’s a sign that they’re growing frustrated with their job role, and can be intending to leave.
4: They lose commitment to their job
Consider as well how committed an employee is to their job. Often, someone close to resigning will lose the same drive and commitment they had previously. If they become reluctant to engage with important jobs or tasks, it's a reason for concern. Likewise, if they are becoming less focused on their job role, it suggests their interest in their career is waning. If they no longer see a future in your employment, they may lose interest in the mission and goals of your organisation, and thus stop striving towards contributing to them.
5: Their attitude has changed
A negative change in attitude is a clear indication that an employee is looking to resign. If they begin to express dissatisfaction with their job more often than usual, it’s possible that they have stopped seeing the worth in continuing with their role. This attitude can also be seen if they start to leave work early more frequently. Employees looking to resign will find it more difficult to motivate themselves for tasks and engage with their work.
How to Improve Retention
You can’t stop employees from moving to greener pastures - if they’ve found another role that pays more or has greater room for advancement, then it’s a healthy career decision and they should be encouraged. However, in many cases employees will leave simply because they’re ill-suited to their job. If a person’s behaviours aren’t properly aligned to their job role, they will never be satisfied or content with doing it, and will instead want to move on. This is the biggest reason for high employee turnover - but it can be prevented with the right resources.
You can’t change a person halfway, but if you make the right hires from the outset, you can improve retention significantly. To do it, you need to know the behaviours held by a potential hire, and how compatible they are with the behaviours demanded of a job role. Once you have the information, you will know with certainty that a person is truly the right one for their job.
VZLA offers a questionnaire that will tell you exactly how well suited current and prospective employees are to a job role. Available in 38 languages and used by businesses worldwide, it is the best way to know you’re assigning the right people to the roles best suited to them.
Get in touch now for a free exploratory phone call.
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