Nah, nah, nah, nah. Hey, hey, hey. Goodbye!
Employees are realizing they have the power. It’s a job seeker’s market and recruiters are eager to snatch them up. Better pay, ability to work from home, flexible schedules, career aspirations, or just flat out tired of their current workplace. There are plenty of reasons they’ll be choosing from, but it all ends the same way.
They’re saying the Big Goodbye.
Here is how to prevent the most common Goodbyes of 2021:
“I’m leaving for more money.”
This is why you absolutely must be sure your compensation is competitive. That doesn’t mean giving everyone a raise to beg them to stay. Check those salary bands. Do they match the job description? What do those with similar duties make in your industry? In the region? Look into the virtual offerings too, if applicable.
If you haven’t examined your compensation structure in a while, it may be a good time to do that. There are experts out there that can help. We know a guy, if you need a referral.
“I want to work from home.”
Last year, we discovered that huge chunks of the workforce can actually get their jobs done effectively from home. Virtual work, once such a rarity, became the only option for many. Plenty of workers enjoyed the freedom, lack of frustrating commutes, and a quieter setting. In fact, most of them proved that they could be MORE productive from home.
With companies opening back up, many bosses are pushing everyone to come back. But why? It makes more sense to institute an individual policy based on merit. If that employee wants to work from home AND has proven they can do so productively, then why punish them by making them come back to the office? One size fits all policies can often feel punitive to those that have been doing their job well. Really want those employees in the office? Consider a hybrid model, with some days in office and some days working from home, for those that have earned it.
“I need more flexibility.”
Adjacent to the desire to work from home, we find the need for flexible schedules. Not all jobs can accommodate that, of course. However, if it’s possible, there’s no harm in considering it.
Just like work from home, this is an offering that should be earned and given individual consideration. Assign them focus areas, track goal completion, ask them to communicate their needs with you, and be honest with them.
“My career isn’t going anywhere here.”
The future shifted, sometimes violently, for many people over the last 18 months. Goals and expectations had to change or be abandoned entirely. Some people have discovered new talents or aspirations they never knew they had. Focusing more on themselves and their wants means they aren’t necessarily equating your company success with their own success.
Again, communication is key here. Ask them “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Yes, it’s a bit cheeky, but it’s a great way to start that conversation. Find out where they want to be, both short and long term. It’s possible that it won’t match up with the company’s needs and that is ok. That gives you both time to plan around the eventual departure. Alternatively, it also gives you insight into that employee’s ambitions. Then you can both create a detailed development plan that will get them there, making them more invested in your organization and retaining your best talent.
Last, but not least: “I hate it here.” or “I’m tired of being here.”
This is the hardest one because there isn’t an obvious way to save this one. There is, however, a way to stop it before it starts. A pinch of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I bet you know what I’m going to say. That’s right. Communication. But it’s more than just chatting. Build trust with that employee by asking them to share their accomplishments, disappointments, needs, and goals with you. Don’t dismiss or demean anything they share, but be honest about it. Let them know if anything can and will change from their feedback and then always follow through with your promises. Use their input and add in the needs of the organization to create focus areas you can both agree on. Then empower them to develop and own that plan with regular check-ins to ensure progress is made. It seems like a simple enough concept, but it will be your most powerful tool in strengthening your workforce and keeping your best… IF you execute it well.
That’s a big IF.
If that big IF makes you nervous, it should. Fumbling on that will definitely result in loss of trust and alienating your employees, which will lead to those Big Goodbyes.
Luckily, Catalytic Coaching was designed to do all that and more. It’s also been a proven platform for excellent performance management for more than 20 years. We can take the Big IF out of the equation.
