6 Biggest Reasons Why Unhappy Employees Quit Their New Jobs

Client Theresa asks:
Over the past year, two great employees on my team quit their new job. I was floored. I didn’t see any signs that they were unhappy. We lost a huge amount of talent, and it set us back substantially. How can I improve employee retention?

Coach Joel answers:
Theresa, the six biggest reasons why employees choose to quit their new job within the first 180 days relates to their job satisfaction. Keep employees happy and fulfilled in their work, and retention is likely to be high. However, if your company is failing in even one of these six ways, it’s likely to push employees to look for better opportunities elsewhere. The good news is that as their manager, you have the ability to remedy any of these six major issues that may be influencing employees’ decisions to leave. Of course, you should also be asking your unhappy employees why they’ve quit their new job when they leave, which might highlight other areas in which to improve.

1. Lack of opportunities to grow

   To thrive in their workplace, employees need opportunities to grow their skills and talent. This isn’t just about career advancement. It’s about feeling satisfied by their work and taking pride in their ability to improve their performance and increase their responsibility. Employees need to work toward goals that are ambitious but achievable, so they’ll feel driven to come to work each day. Setting work performance goals together will ensure they stay motivated. Help them develop their talent through consistent coaching. To go the extra mile, hire a motivational trainer who will share actionable advice for growing new skills.

2. Poor working relationships

   A poor relationship with a boss or coworkers will make an employee dread coming to work. Furthermore, when an employee has a poor relationship with a boss, she won’t benefit from the guidance and encouragement that a good boss provides. As the manager, you need to overcome any personality conflicts that exist in order to provide the best support possible for your people. Additionally, you need to take note of any clashes that are arising between coworkers, and to mediate these situations as needed. Set the tone for a harmonious workplace culture by cultivating strong relationships with all of your employees, and make it clear that you expect the same from them.

3. Not understanding the big picture

   When employees don’t understand how their contributions fit into the overall vision of the company, they won’t take as much pride in their work. For their work to feel meaningful, they need to have a strong grasp of how it fits into the company’s goals. That’s why it’s important to talk about vision at team meetings and one-on-one check-ins. Help employees understand how each team objective fits into the vision, and how their own daily work fits into the big picture, and watch their enthusiasm for their work grow.

4. Not feeling respected and appreciated

   A few words of genuine appreciation each day can make a tremendous difference. Make “thank you” a core part of your vocabulary, and say it for the little things as well as the big things. When employees go the extra mile, recognize them for it in an extra special way. Send an email to the whole workplace that explains what they did, or take a couple of moments during a workplace event to tell everyone about it. These gestures cost nothing and take little time, yet they make a dramatic difference in employees’ level of job satisfaction. Recognizing their contributions to the whole team, including higher-ups, will also boost their opportunities for advancement, which employees will truly appreciate.

5. Not having their needs met

   If you don’t periodically check in with employees about what they need, they might not feel they can voice their needs. This can lead to a downward spiral of frustration and despair, leading unhappy employees to quit their new job because they don’t see another option. A parent with young children who is having difficulty balancing family and work demands might want flex-time or the ability to telecommute part-time, for instance. Ask employees how they need to feel more supported, and engage in creative brainstorming with them to find solutions.

6. Fears about the future

   The direction the company is headed in will also influence employees’ decision to stay or jump ship. If promotion opportunities are slim, or there’s a chance their job could be eliminated, they’ll naturally start looking elsewhere. You may not have control over these issues, but you can and should communicate with higher-ups about employees’ need for reassurance. Transparency is key—if employees are left in the dark about potential changes, the rumor mill will create fear and uncertainty. Seeking input and solutions from employees will make them feel invested in the change rather than blindsided by it. Then, you can take action together. If they need to update their skillset to remain relevant in the future workplace, for example, help them create and carry out a plan. Likewise, taking steps to boost their chances of promotion will help secure their loyalty.

Again, the good news is that when you eliminate these six factors that lead people to quit their new job, unhappy employees are likely to stay. You’ll also have a team of more loyal, dedicated, and passionate employees. By addressing these issues, you’ll become a stronger leader who gets better results from your people.

Call to Action:
Ask yourself which of these six areas you need to improve in. Consider a surveying your employees to find out what would make them more satisfied, too. Then, take at least one step every day to remedy the problem. Email Joel to discuss your progress.