Why Do Good Employees Quit?

It often happens that when a good employee quits, you are left with no clue as to why it happened. Because according to you, you provided them with the best possible work environment and opportunities.

But sometimes, that’s not always enough. Even the best of employees can quit for a host of reasons. Here are a few possible reasons why even the best employees can quit. If you haven’t had your best performers leave as yet, then think of this as a checklist for any possible problems your organization might have!

1. Work Overload

Just because someone works well, it’s not fair to dump all the important work on them. Employees will then begin to feel like they are being punished for their ability to work well, which is probably the exact opposite of what you intended. It is okay to give challenging work to your employees but you should also take care that the work doesn’t suffocate your employee.

2. Lack Of Opportunities

No one loves a job where they are stuck doing the same thing over and over again. Giving your employees an opportunity to explore and pursue their passion not only helps them stay engaged but also increases their productivity. When your talented employees understand that they aren’t going to get opportunities to grow, they might quite simply begin looking for greener pastures.

3. No Respect For Private Time

Employees spend more than half of their time at the workplace and it is not wrong for them to expect that their managers value it. When managers do not respect an employee’s life outside of work and force them to come to work on their days off or work for long hours, employees become frustrated. A work-life balance is important in order for employees to function at their best.

4. Unpleasant Co-Workers

One bad apple spoils the bunch. Nobody causes more employee dissatisfaction than a disengaged employee. When one or two employees are constantly negative, are disengaged, dissatisfied etc, they create a bad vibe in the workplace, so to speak. Other employees don’t want to interact with them or are affected by their negativity. And when managers cannot recognize that and continue to hold on to sub-par employees, they risk alienating some of their best performers!

Mind you, these are a just a few possible reasons for why good employees leave. You might find the situation to be completely different at your organization! Just remember to pay close attention to your employees, value them and their time and care about their growth. That is all good employees need.

Aaron Adams

Aaron Adams is the VP of Professional Services for Engagedly, where he develops and implements strategic talent solutions that help support and drive the organization’s talent and business strategies. He holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Wayne State University and has worked as a Right Management consultant and an OD consultant for a Fortune 20 Company. Currently, he leads Engagedly Teams responsible for onboarding, training, and consulting services.