Supposing that you’re the owner of a middle-sized sales and marketing company. While most of the employees are happy, you are losing a fair number of them. How many employees can you expect to lose in a year without beginning to worry? Unfortunately, no one can predict how many people will leave in any given timeframe. However, you can decide whether your company’s staff turnover level is helpful or detrimental to your business. Do the employees who leave the company represent a loss or a benefit? The US magazine, Fortune 100 Best Companies, estimates a staff turnover of between 12 and 18 percent each year. Are those figures high or low, and how can you determine the best answer for you and your company?
Begin by looking at which employees in which section of your company are leaving. Then, determine if there is a common theme to the reasons for their resignations. However, because of the caveat “Don’t burn your bridges”, many exiting employees are reluctant to state the true reasons for their departure.Also, look at the potential conflicts in the work environment. These can be unresolved or seemingly unknown conflicts between co-workers and/or employees and their supervisors. Work rewards, gratification, promotion, salary, recognition and status are other sources of dissatisfaction.Are your employees committed? Can they identify with their tasks and the company’s processes, goals and mission? Is “the way work gets done around here” appealing to your employees, or do they feel left out or otherwise discontent?
If you were not aware of these issues, your immediate next steps are obvious: get out there, create closer contact with your employees and find out what motivates and discourages them. Discover what their strengths and limitations are and how your policies and processes assist or hinder the employee.
Whatever you do, make sure they know and believe that the company is concerned with their wellbeing. Then, make sure they know that you are also interested in their productivity and effectiveness. In that way, everyone wins and turnover decreases.