The workplace is undergoing a drastic change. Almost every business and market in the world will benefit from digital transformation. As a result, we can see a pattern of increasing digital homogenisation in firms throughout the globe. All these changes combined with the shifting perception and wants of employees have resulted in a new, employee-driven market.
Losing an employee can have a drastic effect on team morale, and result in a domino effect that leads to poor performance and productivity. In general, many nations are facing a worker shortage. This means that it is the workers who have the advantage when it comes to negotiating terms. Companies can ill-afford to lose the talent they have on hand today as it would be both expensive and time-consuming to replace someone who walks out.
Here are several key mistakes that HR analysts have observed that increase the flight risk of employees.
Setting inconsistent goals and expectations
Having unclear or unreasonable expectations of your employees can make them rather resentful. For example, if an employee is taking their time to carefully calculate the accounts of the company or clients, don’t try to impose a “time-is-money” attitude on them. Safety comes first, followed by courtesy, show (or performance) next, and finally, efficiency. Give employees a greater sense of control over their work and set up reasonable deadlines and goals for them to achieve.
Having too Many Process Constraints
Process constraints are very evident in larger companies. Sometimes, an employee cannot do their job because something or the other has not been approved, or they have not yet received the proper information or resources to begin. Such conditions will naturally inhibit performance, which are evaluated by managers, even if it is not the employee’s fault. In turn, the employee begins to feel powerless, and displays low morale, poor work quality, and frustration. Avoid this situation by either streamlining the process, or consider the context of the issue before evaluating the employee’s performance.
Putting People in the Wrong Roles
If you ever hear an employee say, “I went to college for this?” you can bet they are not happy with where they are or what they are doing. Sometimes, it might be tempting for employers to move around their workers to different tasks that need filling. Although you may be confident that the employee has the skills to perform the task, the employee might not be all that happy with the change. Unused abilities can leave employees feeling undervalued and faceless. Always be transparent about your job roles and always communicate with your employees. If you are open to discuss the issue with employees, you ill likely be able to work out a solution together.
Assigning Boring or Overly Easy Tasks
If you have an employee with a light workload who constantly takes an excessively long time to finish their tasks, don’t assume they are lazy. Less work is not always easier work. When employees don’t have enough to do, they can lose motivation and experience negative emotions. More often than not, employees do actually want to work. They do not want to spend half of their time at the office on the same task or surfing the web. Before assigning tasks, ask your employee about their interests and passions. Based on their answers, give them work that will enhance their knowledge, skills, or help them grow in the right direction.
There are many other factors that come into play with regards to increasing flight risk within employees. It’s true that there is no way you can control every aspect of your team’s work experience. If someone wants to leave bad enough, sometimes they just will. However, by focusing on your own behaviour and what you can control, you can minimise the threat of disengagement and improve team performance and cohesion.
