Now that the job market is starting to recover, employers are starting to worry about retaining their best employees. For the past couple of years, employers were able to get away with asking for more sacrifice from their staff, without having to offer anything other than the privilege of getting to keep their jobs. No raises, no vacations, their benefits have been cut and it has become the standard to have to work longer hours. I'm not saying that all companies are like this, or even most, but they are still out there, and in a greater number than you think. For the most part, employees will put up with it for now, without much complaint, because as anyone who has been looking for a job lately can tell you, this isn't the time to be out of work.
2011's projections are pointing at an improved job market within the next six months. With growing demand and increased consumer spending, many companies are in the position of needing to hire back the jobs they cut out during the downturn. This makes it the perfect time for unhappy employees to start thinking about moving to greener pastures. Once the new hiring starts, already having a job gives them a huge advantage over the mainly out-of-work job seekers. So, for them, this is the opportunity they have been waiting for.
If you have employees you suspect may be unhappy, and ones that you want to hang on to, now might be the time to look around to see which ones aren't most likely to leave and attempt some damage control with hopes to keep them.
Here are some surefire signs that your employee wants to jump ship according to the Wall Street Journal:
- Not wanting to be a team player – Employees who are thinking of leaving generally stop participating at meetings and spend most of the time sitting in the back trying to become invisible. When you have an employee who isn't joining in, it may be a good idea to talk to them about a project they might be interested in or give them some praise for a job well done. Your goal shouldbe to show them that you value their participation and input.
- Lower productivity – When an employee who typically takes initiative and always makes their sales numbers suddenly starts doing the bare minimum expected, it is probably time for an intervention. But don't panic, just because they start to slack up doesn't mean they have made up their minds or are even looking for a new job yet. They could be having stress at home or feeling unhappy in their work. If you find a way to motivate them, they could easily become a team player again.
- Being out of the office more often – When an employee is thinking about leaving or is actively searching for another job, they want to be anywhere but the office. Typically, they will call in sick more often, use up vacation time, suddenly have many “doctor's appointments”. They may also show up late and leave early more frequently than usual. It is very likely that they may be using this time to meet with recruiters or go on interviews. There is still a chance that they are just unhappy and just assessing their odds. If so, the situation could be salvaged.
- Frequent run-ins and complaints – If every new assignment is met with complaints, it can have an very strong, negative affect on your entire office. Bad attitudes are contagious and unhappy employees want to vent to their co-workers; which sows the seeds of discontent among all of your staff. An employee in this situation may start to complain about their supervisor and might even file formal complaints with higher-ups. This may be a tactic to bide their time before resigning or they may be having trouble not letting their unhappiness and resentment about feeling “Stuck” in a job were they are unhappy
- Talking about how great another company is – When people are looking for jobs, they start out by researching other companies in their field. As they start comparing the options, details of the job and company culture are brought to the forefront of their minds. Although they can't outright say that they are looking at another company, they will often start talking about how much better other companies treat their employees as a way to get the other people's opinions.
- Starting to dress more professionally – Although typically, having an employee start to take more pride in their appearance and dressing more professionally means that they are trying to take some initiative and are looking to prove themselves for a promotion. But, if you have spotted any of these other behavior or last minute doctor appointments, you can pretty much be sure that your employee is interviewing with other companies. If you really want to hang on to this employee, the only thing you could do is to sit down with them and talk about what it would take for them to be happy in their job.
Losing a valuable team member can be a hard hit for almost any employer, but especially in commission-based industries like sales. Motivated performers are invaluable because they often hold the team to a higher standard and they can generate an amazing amount of revenue for the company. It takes an investment of both time and money to recruit new talent, and even then, you still have to allow them the time it takes for them up to speed. However, even though it is a challenge, sometimes it is still a better bet in the long run to let the employees that are unhappy find better opportunities, because negative attitudes and a lower work ethic are contagious and can sweep through even the most productive offices like a plague. Before you know it, your highest performing teams are barely making a profit, and everyone is thinking about leaving.
What are you thoughts about employee retention? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for SalesHeadsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!