Shedding Light on Exit Doors: Reasons Employees Don't Share with Their Superiors - and Why They Actually Quit
- Contribution by Viktor Stark
- Approx - 2.8 Min
Prohibited Statements by Employees Towards Superiors: Reasons for Resignation Due to Unacceptable Conduct - hidden insights of employees: reasons they truly opt to resign (and what they conceal from superiors)
Hey buddy, you've got this bizarre notion that employees often keep mum about their issues and eventually bolt because of it. What gave you this wild idea?
I deal with plenty of bosses who are stunned when an employee quits. They can't figure out what's driving the employee up the wall. However, the why is pretty blatant: Employees feel unheard and unappreciated. Yet, bosses tend to overestimate just how clear their communication is.
So employees quit because they're starved for attention?
In a nutshell, yeah. But it's more about a concern that goes deeper. Every ordinary Joe has fundamental psychological needs that need to be met - even at work. The foundation of everything is the need for security. Only those with a secure work environment can summon the courage to admit doubts or uncertainties. If the groundwork isn't laid - which sadly often happens - people tend to hold back more, particularly in remote or hybrid settings.
But why won't people just pluck up the guts and open up to their boss, resulting in them quitting instead?
At its heart, it's the fear of being at a loss if I voice my concerns. Another factor might be self-doubt, as individuals may question their capability to add value, and hence, shy away from expressing criticism. We've got a serious appreciation deficit in Germany: Approximately 45% of employees who bolt do so because of a lack of appreciation from their immediate supervisor. This issue ain't petty; it costs companies cash.
If employees fear appreciation, what do they talk about when they quit?
They'll blabber a load of old tosh like the environment not being suitable or objectives not being clearly defined enough. This is awfully vague, giving the boss nothing useful to learn from. So I'd ask straight-up: What were you missing? What did you desire to be more satisfied within the team? Which need wasn't met? Conversation of this kind should ideally happen before it's too late.
How can bosses make employees vocal about yucky stuff?
The boss needs to cultivate a space where everybody feels secure enough to voice their qualms and dissatisfaction. This is achieved primarily through earnest listening. Employees feel heard, and trust can grow. This also ramps up the willingness to offer honest feedback. From a boss's perspective, I'd suggest concentrating on areas where folks have room to grow and contribute. Gushing praise can be a problem as it fosters dependencies. Instead, take genuine interest in what your employees do, quiz them about how they came up with an idea or tackled a challenge.
How would I as a leader know if my communication has touched my employee?
This is an essential point since leaders frequently believe they've communicated super transparency, only to find that their message never reached the employees as intended. The first bit is simple; just ask: Could you sum up what you've grasped? What did you take away? In the second move, one can then clarify what one had hoped to communicate and what might have been lost in translation. Through this feedback, many misunderstandings can be swiftly cleared up.
And tip number two?
Tip number two is self-examination, that is, consciously assessing what one says. Is it excessively complex or frustratingly simplistic? Should I, therefore, anticipate that the message won't land as intended with the recipient? To grasp your employees, it can be beneficial to switch perspectives and consider your employee as a customer, as a customer for the product of the workplace. It becomes obvious: I don't simply want the individual gagging for more, but actively delighted and having a massive blast. This is largely the boss's responsibility.
Capital is an associate brand of stern. Selected articles can be accessed with your Stern subscription. For more from Capital, visit www.stern.de/capital.
- Employee
- Leader
- Termination
Additional Insights:
Creating a safe, open environment at work is crucial for fostering open communication between leaders and team members, promoting emotional well-being, and improving job satisfaction. Implementing strategies that encourage psychological safety, modeling vulnerability, fostering feedback, and prioritizing diversity can help cultivate a culture that makes employees feel valued and heard. This can ultimately reduce turnover, improve relationships, and bolster overall workplace success.
- In order to foster open communication between leaders and employees, it's vital to provide vocational training for leaders on effective leadership styles and hone their skills in creating a community policy that encourages psychological safety, feedback, and diversity.
- A significant part of leading and reducing employee turnover involves understanding the connections between financing a business and career development. Leaders should prioritize creating career paths for employees, offering financial incentives, and providing opportunities for vocational training to ensure employees feel valued and see a future with the company.
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