You’ve invested the time and money to recruit, interview, and hire your employees, so naturally you want them to stay.

High employee turnover can be frustrating, but there is a way to break the cycle. Don’t assume all the blame falls on the people leaving or on their direct supervisor. It may be a combination of factors from other colleagues to poor relationships. We’ll break down the most common reasons why employees leave.

5 Common Causes of High Turnover

1. Workload

Overwhelming workload is one of the top reasons employees leave. Employees cannot be expected to do their best if they are drowning in responsibilities. Take the time to evaluate not just their assigned duties, but also the unwritten ones they are doing alongside those. Determine if responsibilities need reassigned or if efficiency can be improved.

Being overworked is a common theme with companies that have high turnover. As employees leave, everyone else picks up the slack. And with a constant revolving door, employees are continuously taking on the workload of others and never getting a chance to focus solely on the job they were hired for.  Keeping this perspective in mind is very important. You might be feeling frustrated, but they are feeling overworked and overwhelmed and on their way to burnout.

2. Culture.

Company culture is important to keeping employees. If your employees do not feel appreciated or recognized for their efforts, their motivation to do their best decreases. Creating an atmosphere that values each person and their contributions is key.

If you can identify 2 or more toxic-culture signs from this list, then it’s time to start making changes ASAP.

• No enthusiasm from employees
• Fear of failure
• Employees who are scared to engage
• Constant confusion and lack of collaboration
• No trust between employees and leaders
• Gossip and drama
• High turnover and low moral
• Denial of the problem from leadership
• Negative interactions in meetings (bickering, eye rolling, blaming)
• Complaints to HR (either while employed or during the exit interview)

Read How to Tell if Your Company Culture is Toxic and How to Change It to learn more about red flags and how to implement changes to fix your company’s culture.

3. Trust & Relationships.

If there is a good relationship between managers and subordinates is a gamechanger. Then poor relationships are a one-way ticket to turnover. Managers must put in the effort to get to know their employees and discover how they can best assist in helping others grow their potential.

Review your managers and find out what their managerial style is. If you see any of these, then it’s time to offer training.

• Micromanager
• Unprofessional
• Poor communicator
• Unprepared
• Unapproachable
• Takes undue credit

Read 6 Common Complaints About Managers & How to Avoid Them for solutions on fixing these managerial mistakes.

If your company is letting employees work from home, make sure you’re not unintentionally micromanaging them. Allowing staff to work from home means giving up a certain amount of control for managers. The solution to this is NOT to micromanage. Instead set up quality control measures to ensure work isn’t suffering.

4. Compensation & Benefits.

Unfair compensation and very few benefits lists high on the reasons people leave. Make sure you are paying a competitive wage for your industry. Reevaluate the benefits offered and if they are still relevant in today’s business market.

Your company’s exit interview is a great way to find out if this is one of the issues. Ask if they are getting a pay raise and ask what benefits sold them on the new company.

Taking a closer look at compensation and benefits can feel overwhelming and it does take a lot of work, but we promise it’s worth the time to retain quality employees.

5. Flexibility.

Lack of flexibility is another complaint among former employees. Offering flexible work hours or work-from-home options can help keep good employees. Being able to accommodate family needs or unexpected circumstances is also critical to avoiding high turnover.

Quality employees know they need to get their job done … and they want to! Allowing them to have a flexible work schedule is your way of providing a way for them to complete their work while also dealing with everything life throws at them. It is NOT giving them a way to skip work.

How to Increase Retention

Increasing retention should be one of your most important staffing goals. Employment is a two-way relationship – your company needs to be just as desirable as the employee needs to be.

• Keep valued employees by helping them create a sustainable work-life balance.
• Be intentional about overall wellness including physical and mental health.
• Give employees the opportunities to learn and grow.
• Make clear objectives for advancement within your company.
• Choose leaders who care about their team and can motivate them to success.

Build Your Best Team Yet

Start your candidate search today! Consider using a recruitment firm to help guide the process. Here at Westphal Staffing, it is part of our culture to make connections, recognize humans as individuals, and collaborate with professionals. Today, more than ever that culture is transforming the staffing experience, making us a different kind of staffing company. Call or text us today at (715) 845-5569!