15+ reasons why employees quit their jobs
It’s common knowledge that the global workforce is rethinking the place of work in their lives as well as their general attitude towards their professional lives. The outcome is that employees are leaving their jobs en masse. With at least 4.2 million Americans leaving their jobs in August 2022 and 807,000 job-to-job resignations occurring in the UK in the second and third quarters of 2022, it’s necessary to identify the reasons why employees quit their jobs.
This post details the factors responsible.
Feeling unappreciated
Failing to adequately acknowledge and appreciate employees for their contributions to an organisation could prompt them to leave their job. Lack of employee recognition sends a hurtful message that the team’s efforts mean nothing. No one likes staying in a place where they aren’t recognised or appreciated.
If a company doesn’t have a regular practice of demonstrating gratitude in the form of simple “thank yous” and elaborate employee recognition programs, its employees will decamp sooner than later.
Unkept promises
It’s not rare to see organisations promising El Dorado in their job postings and when they onboard new hires. Those assurances light a special kind of fire under the new team members, driving them to give more than a 100%. It all goes awry when the employer fails to uphold their end of the bargain.
Unfulfilled commitments make casual relationships turn sour, not to talk of professional relationships. How would you feel if you didn’t get the commission for hitting the mark and making amazing sales as promised? Would you be happy if you were forced to clock in during the weekends regardless of the promise that your weekends were free?
Now, what if any of these occurs repeatedly?
You’d feel cheated! Pure and simple!
Usually, those shiny promises are what attract employees; they make job offers stand out. If they turn out to be a mere mirage, then employees wouldn’t have much of an option but to quit the job.
Harsh or unsuitable work conditions
Unsuitability of work conditions or work methods is one of the reasons why employees quit their jobs. Some employees might be used to an open floor office or a more private space such as an office cubicle, only to find out that the organisation uses the exact opposite of their preference. Data reveal that office settings affect employees’ moods.
The work environment could be devoid of natural lighting, plant life and resplendent decorations. It could also be a tad noisy and without proper heating or air cooling, as the case may be. If these matters are unbearable, they could cause an employee to leave the job.
Also, if the organisation’s models are rigid such that remote working isn’t accepted nor are other forms of flexibility supported, it might compel employees to leave the company. If the company has an office that’s really far away, making commuting an issue, that could also be a factor. Employee GPS tracking apps, on the other hand, can provide a valuable solution by enabling organizations to embrace remote work and offer flexibility while still ensuring productivity and accountability. If the company has an office that’s really far away, making commuting an issue, that could also be a factor.
Craving greater challenges
Monotony kills interest.
After working a job for a reasonable period of time, you get to master the various responsibilities of the job. For some people, attaining such proficiency brings boredom because the job doesn’t pose any new challenge. At some point, such employees begin to feel stagnated and are eager to conquer new coasts.
They proceed to learn new skills and look for new jobs that demand more from them. From the get-go, the role might be undemanding. In such a situation, an employee will feel underutilised and want a role that’s more deserving of their capacity.
Wanting better pay and benefits
One of the reasons employees quit their jobs is to find better compensation. Gone are the days when talents would be tied down with unfavourable deals. In this era, the range of pay and benefits for every position or role in any company is discoverable by a simple Internet search.
Employees who put in the work to build their skill set and make themselves the cream of the crop in their field deserve to be fairly compensated. Organisations that don’t pay the market rate are at risk of employees leaving their jobs.
What’s more, inflation is on a seemingly unstoppable rise. Add that to the fact that people have growing needs; it’s clear that many employees will leave their current jobs for better-paying opportunities.
No employee engagement
Employee engagement refers to how invested an employee is in the company’s outcomes. It embraces the employee’s thoughts, emotions and general attitude towards the organisation’s aspirations.
Sometimes, people become apathetic towards their jobs. When this happens, they might not want to keep showing up to work daily. When the dedication is extinguished, practically everything else feels like a chore and the employees won’t care less about the company’s affairs.
Statistically speaking, three in five employees are disengaged from their jobs in the UK, costing the economy up to 340 billion pounds annually. When employees are disconnected from their job, the outcome could be quiet quitting or entirely leaving the company.
Job unsuitability
Companies occasionally make bad hires. That’s a fact. There’s a possibility that after the onboarding process, the employee discovers that they don’t have the necessary skills to keep up with the demands of the job. It’s only a matter of time before their incompetence is noticed.
If learning on the job isn’t really an option, the employee has no other choice than to leave the company. This is costly to both the organisation and the worker because the former has to spend resources to hire another talent while the latter has to make an effort to find a suitable job.
This situation can be avoided through proper candidate screening and the use of cognitive tests for employment.
Horrible bosses
If those two words remind you of the film series, you aren’t far off.
A study of 2100 workers in the UK reveals that 43% of employees quit their jobs because of bad managers. Features of a bad company leader include lack of empathy, incompetence, narcissism, disrespectfulness, indolence, lack of integrity and lack of discipline to name a few.
If an organisation has an unpleasant leader, it will make work unbearable for the team. No one wants to work under an overbearing superior who thinks the world revolves around them. Similarly, company leaders who sabotage plans or sexually assault their team members are a no-no!
Unhealthy relationships with co-workers
Another reason why employees quit their jobs is that they don’t get along with their colleagues.
Team chemistry is essential. Making friends out of colleagues has been found to be immensely beneficial; it boosts productivity, eliminates barriers and makes requesting assistance easy.
If there’s constant friction among the workers, the workplace will be unsuitable for everyone. Imagine being assigned to a project with a colleague you’re not on talking terms with.
You’ll tear your hair out every other minute!
Such an organisation will witness employees jumping ship in their numbers.
Poor workplace culture
According to a recent survey by FlexJobs, bad company culture is the leading reason why employees quit their jobs. Poor workplace culture is so pervasive that it affects every aspect of the organisation. Indices of poor workplace culture include micromanagement, poor communication, undefined expectations, an absence of structure, inequitable policies, boring work processes, toxicity and much more.
Working in an organisation where any of these elements is prominent can be quite draining. Work should be enjoyable; employees shouldn’t have superiors breathing down their necks and directing every step. Feedback is a necessity and team members should have a clear idea of what the targets are and what is expected of them.
Lack of organisational stability
If a company doesn’t have a base solid enough for its operations, it could prompt its employees to quit their job. Organisational stability encompasses the company’s finances, vision and mission. The absence of these elements will make the workplace chaotic.
To begin with, there’ll be insufficient resources to pay staff for their services and adopt new and necessary technology. Also, the organisation will be forced to cut down its budget leading to poorly executed campaigns and projects. The absence of a defined mission or vision will cause the company to attempt to serve virtually everybody, resulting in the mismanagement of resources and entanglement of various strings.
These factors typically prompt employees to leave such companies in search of a more secure organisation.
Excessive workload and burnout
Limeade’s study on the Great Resignation showed that 40% of employees quit their jobs due to burnout. Many employees across various industries have left their jobs because of the excessive workload. When employees are being crushed under the weight of endless tasks, they lose the will to continue working.
Even when they’re away from their desk, intrusive work-related thoughts stop many workers from enjoying the moment. Thanks to the current wave of rethinking the place of work in our lives, many workers prioritise work-life balance today. Employees quit their jobs if their jobs won’t allow them to lead meaningful, fulfilling and richer lives.
Desiring autonomy
The reality of working at an organisation is that you can’t do your own thing. You’re always answerable to someone else. Employees leave their jobs because they want to exercise independence over their professional lives. This could mean setting up their own companies or pitching their tent with the gig economy.
Whichever way, they get to call the shots on where and when they work. What’s more, they dictate how much of the brand’s income goes into their pockets.
Longing for autonomy in the professional space isn’t bad. It’s usually a natural move that one might have to make in the course of their professional journey. As long as they have what it takes, wish them the best.
Lack of career advancement opportunities
If a job doesn’t give employees a prospect for growth, the employees might choose to leave the job. It’s natural for people to seek professional advancement; this could be in the form of professional courses, workshops or promotions. If a company does not make any of these available, its workers might leave for other organisations where such chances exist.
The departure of other competent and agreeable employees
The essence of companionship at work cannot be overemphasised; so we shouldn’t underestimate the effect of the presence of other qualified and hearty workers. When everything else fails, cordiality among the team can be a reliable thread holding employees fast in the company.
However, when good-natured employees who know their stuff decide to pack it up and get moving, that might be enough reason for other employees to take flight.
Other personal concerns
Finally, employees could quit their jobs for other personal reasons. It could be due to a thirst for variety. At some point, they might want a change of work environment and colleagues. They might also relocate to another city or country.
There could be an increase in family responsibilities such as tending to an ailing family member or nursing a newborn. The reasons are endless.
In closing, it must be emphasised that some things are certain. As long as employment exists, employees quitting their jobs will always be a part of the equation. What employers must do is ensure that their organisations are suitable for the reasonable employee and that their candidates have the necessary skill to deliver. As long as employees aren’t leaving due to any fault of yours, you’re good.