5 reasons why your best talent quits
Published
You need new talent. And you want to give fresh graduates a chance to start their careers in your company. You spend valuable time and energy (and money) finding exactly the right person for the job. You sign the contract and get off to a great start. But before the first year is over, your newest team member knocks on your door and tells you that they have decided to move on. And you didn't see it coming.
How does this happen?
There are five common problems in companies that make young professionals think about quitting.
Remember that you don't need all five problems to solve your Top-Talent to lose - one can be enough.
1. No career prospects
No one likes the idea of being stuck in a dead end career. Especially young people who are ambitious and like to take control.
Top performers are usually aware of their talent and potential. And they won't let this talent go to waste. This is why smart companies take the career prospects of young talent seriously. You talk to them about their ambitions and interests and involve them in creating a long-term career plan.
Does this mean that you have to plan a new employee's career in detail from the beginning? Not necessarily. It's wiser to have regular conversations about what the next logical step would be to help him find his way Career to unfold over time.
If you don't give your employees a chance, they will look elsewhere.
2. Not an attractive company culture
Most college graduates want to belong to something bigger, something that aligns with their values. They are almost always looking for a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, a sense of humanity and a feeling of openness.
Another important factor is the “why” of your business. Why do you do what you do? University graduates and young professionals no longer see their work as a way to earn money every month. They want to be part of something they can be proud of.
These aspects make up your corporate culture. And if your company doesn't have a strong culture, you run the risk of alienating young talent and driving them away.
3. Feeling unappreciated
Everyone wants to feel recognized. Many young talents are not guided by money alone. Salary and benefits should meet requirements. But don't just think about material rewards.
There are many other ways to give young talent a feeling of recognition. A few ideas that have proven successful:
- Have a team organize their own team event, paid for by the company.
- Create opportunities for your employees to express their opinions about their work and respond to their suggestions.
- Take your team on a trip abroad or a mini vacation.
- Give your employees the opportunity to lead a new project.
- Give your employees public recognition, e.g. in the company newspaper or simple words of appreciation
Remember that each person has their own “buttons” when it comes to feeling recognized. There is no one size fits all when it comes to recognition, so always try to take individual preferences into account.
4. Poor leadership
There is a saying: "People don't leave their companies, they leave their managers." In fact, how many times have you heard someone complain that they don't like their boss?
Management style indeed has a major impact on the employee's appreciation of the workplace. This applies even more to young talents, because they still need to be instructed and coached to become independent.
So why is there bad management? Quite simply, many companies reward the best employees with a promotion to a management position without taking their actual management skills into account. They become “table managers.”
Managing employees is an independent skill and requires appropriate training. Companies that recognize this will see immediate improvements in employee turnover. Not to mention the performance of the entire company.
5. Broken promises
Top talent is rare. And unfortunately, we have seen companies use questionable tactics to attract high potentials. They promise all the things millennials are looking for: personal and professional development, fun events, a solid company culture, career prospects.
But when the honeymoon is over, the company doesn't deliver on its promises. Like a cunning one Salesperson it persuades the talent to sign and then doesn't deliver on its promises. Or management just forgets about it. Or they decide to shift their priorities.
Don't let this happen to you - it's a terrible start to an employer-employee relationship, and thanks to platforms like Glassdoor, every potential new employee hears about it too.
What can you improve and how will you do it?
We have a challenge for you. Now that you know the top five reasons why young talent quits, ask yourself: "What is the top reason why people leave my company? quit ?"
Becoming aware of the problem is the first step to solving the problem.
Then ask yourself: Is my company a “learning organization” capable of changing this habit for the better?
5. Broken promises
Top talent is rare. And unfortunately, there are companies that use questionable tactics to attract top talent. They promise everything that young people are looking for: personal and professional development, fun events, a solid corporate culture, career prospects.
But when the honeymoon is over, the company doesn't deliver on its promises. Like a sly salesman, it persuades talent to sign and then doesn't deliver on its promises. Or management just forgets about it. Or they decide to shift their priorities.
Don't let this happen to you - it's a terrible start to an employer-employee relationship, and thanks to platforms like Glassdoor, every potential new employee hears about it too.
What can you improve and how will you do it?
We have a challenge for you. Now that you know the top five reasons young talent quit, ask yourself, “What is the top reason people quit at my company?”
Becoming aware of the problem is the first step to solving the problem.
Then ask yourself: Is my company a “learning organization” capable of changing this habit for the better?
If the answer is yes, congratulations. You've just taken the first step toward eliminating the problem, which will ultimately make a big difference.
