According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3.4 million people—2.3 percent of the total workforce—quit their jobs in November 2018. In the private sector, the quits rate was 2.6 percent, increasing from 2.4 percent the prior year. These numbers reflect a continuous upward trend: employees are quitting. The Society for Human Resource Management has noted that the rate has risen every year since 2010, and the last time the voluntary quits rate was this high was April 2001.
The causes of this uprising may vary by company. However, statistically, the following reasons are among the most common:
1. More Salary
2. Opportunities for Career Advancement
3. Better Benefits
In a 2018 report by Glassdoor, nearly 45 percent of survey respondents cited salary as their main reason for switching jobs. Coming in second and third, respectively, were the desire for career advancement opportunities (32 percent) and better benefits (29 percent).
Employees want competitive pay that reflects their skills, knowledge and experience. Also, they don’t just want a job. Instead, they want a career they can advance in—one that enables them to fulfill their professional hopes and dreams. Lastly, workplaces are becoming increasingly diverse. As a result, employees are seeking flexible benefits that speak to their unique situation rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Main Problem Areas
1. A Weak Onboarding Program
It’s estimated that as many as one in four new hires quits during the first 90 days on the job, and for many, it’s because the employer lacks a strong onboarding process.
In a survey conducted by Kronos Inc. and the Human Capital Institute, 76 percent of respondents were not effectively onboarding their new hires, and only 47 percent said their onboarding system successfully retained new hires. Further, 24 percent had no onboarding system at all.
A structured onboarding program is critical to setting the right tone with your new hires and getting them up and running from Day One.
2. Unclear New-Hire Expectations
Additionally, per a 2018 study by Jobvite, 43 percent of new hires who quit within the first 90 days did so because the position wasn’t what they were expecting. Therefore, it’s important to set clear goals and expectations with your new hires from the outset.
3. A Poor Leader for a Boss
Employees who don’t like their boss often dread going to work every day and are therefore likely to make a swift exit. According to a 2018 Randstad US survey, 60 percent of employees have left their job, or are planning to leave, because of a bad boss. Further, 58 percent of employees say they’d “stay at jobs with lower salaries if it meant working for a great boss.”
How to Help Keep Employees from Quitting
Improve retention by exhibiting great leadership traits, providing clear expectations, offering competitive salary and benefits, and reevaluating your system regularly. You may also consider a total rewards package – or taking steps to improve employee morale.
For help with turnover and retention in your specific company, give us a call.