Do you really know why your people leave?

The key thing to be aware of is that, there are rarely talent shortages in great workplaces. It is the case that organisations short on talent usually deserve to be!"

There are many reasons why people leave, but almost all issues fall into these seven key areas:

1. POOR LEADERSHIP
Management that doesn't keep employees informed or show them appreciation and where there is a lack of respect, trust and integrity.

2. LACK OF PURPOSE
The organisation lacks a meaningful purpose that makes a real difference and isn't aligned with the values of the individual employee.

3. POOR REWARDS
There are no clear links between employee performance and business outcomes. The employee doesn't feel fairly rewarded for their contributions to the organisation's success.

4. LACK OF OPPORTUNITY
There are very few development opportunities and people have limited career advancement prospects.

5. POOR RELATIONSHIPS
Poor, negative and non-collaborative relationships exist between leaders, co-workers and within teams. Individuals don't feel like they have a community of friends at work.

6. POOR JOB FULFILLMENT
The nature of the day-to-day work is consistently unfulfilling and boring to employees and typically lacks challenge and the utilisation of their key strengths.

7. POOR WORK LIFE BALANCE
The business environment doesn't support a life outside work for employees.

Do you have more 'eager beavers' or 'complacement cows'?

I am still finding many people are unclear about the distinctions between attraction, retention and engagement. On the surface they can be seen to be very similar, especially retention and engagement, yet they are very different.

1. ATTRACTION
Attraction is about how you recruit and hire the right people into an organisation at the right time via techniques such as recruitment and employee branding strategies

ISSUE: Continually breaking in new employees is no way for your company to continue being competitive.

2. RETENTION
Retention is about making sure they stay in the company. They may stay, but not necessarily be engaged. Typically about 60-80% of your workforce will be retained.

ISSUE: Some employees quit and leave - the really bad news is others quit and stay

3. ENGAGEMENT

Engaged employees usually only make up about 20% of your team. Engagement is about making sure they not only stay but are passionate about the company and the work they do and are therefore more committed and productive. Employee engagement is the extent that employees are committed to the success of a business, believe in its values, are fulfilled and passionate, feel pride in working for their organisation and are motivated to go the extra mile.

Engagement is the heart and mind connection between employee and work. It is basically having the right people in the right place at the right time and at the right price. If you are engaged you will probably be retained. But you can be retained and not necessarily engaged. Engagement is about having an employee who is an "eager beaver" whereas retention can mean you may keep "complacent cows", who are just doing their job but not engaged.

ISSUE: Employee Engagement = Increased performance = Improved productivity = Greater profitability