Employee motivation: why the best experts choose to leave the company
The retention of the best experts is one of the most important challenges of companies. A series of studies and surveys have tried to find out the main reasons that determine the best experts to leave a company and who are the most adequate tools and methods of motivation for them to stay.
Below is a selection of the 10 top arguments invoked by employees, cumulatively or individually, at the time of resignation:
1.Lack of advancement opportunities
A company that does not have a promotion policy based on proven results, could be perceived by performing employees only as a milestone in achieving a more ambitious long-term goal.
2. Too much control over activities
Autonomy in performing tasks and assuming responsibilities along with the freedom to present and implement initiatives are the key to motivating employees. At the opposite end, excessive control over the performance mode strips employees of responsibility and forces the best of them to look for a more permissive and challenging environment for their professional development.
3. Lack of constructive feedback
At any career level, people need milestones that clearly reflect the company’s goals. While the absence of feedback creates confusion and the negative one diminishes confidence and interest in doing activities, constructive feedback offers solutions and directions without labelling and evaluating.
4. Too little trust in management
Trust in management is essential to motivate employees. Oscillatory decisions or lack of decisions, lack of objectivity or poor communication generate discomfort and dissatisfaction.
5. Wages below expectations
The compensation package and the bonus system must correctly reflect both the professional level and the performance, as well as the real level of financial offers in the market.
6. Medium- or long-term instability
Company’s financial fluctuations, frequent reorganizations and layoffs demotivate any employee, especially those who perform well and expect for their value to be constantly confirmed within a company.
7. Tense work atmosphere
Organizational culture and workplace atmosphere are important elements to motivate employees and solid arguments for their retention.
8. The workload is too high/low
Extra-hours create discontent and decrease performance. Surprisingly, the lack of activity has a similar effect. In order to ensure that your employees are properly motivated, set a reasonable workload.
9. Responsibilities that require a lot of routine
For most employees, routine means capping and lack of perspective. A dynamic distribution of responsibilities helps employees to have a positive perception of their work.
10. Performance is not recognized and rewarded
Perhaps the most important aspect in motivating employees, the reward system for results and proven performance is a key element in retaining top employees.
The HR department can contribute, at least to some extent, if not decisively, to influencing all these key factors. And because some of these factors require “soft-skills”, time and availability for real employee proximity, to really listen to them, time is gained on the operational side, where you can automate numerous tasks and use software – to just do their jobs.
RELATED ARTICLES
