Evidence-Based Reasons Why Employees Quit

A recent study has found that almost all HR executives surveyed believe employee retention is a critical issue in their organisations, and the majority see new hire retention as an even more alarming problem in HRM. Some career coaching professionals believe the latest economic trend, 'The Great Resignation', could have also resulted from organisations using ineffective retention strategies. Now that raises the question, what makes employees quit in the first place?

Lack Of Flexible Work Options

It is found that more than half of organisations have seen a rise in employees requesting to incorporate more workplace flexibility.

70% of millennial employees are willing to quit a job for one that boasts flexible working options, and it is considered a perk that all age groups would appreciate in a company. However, less than 10% of employees at the end of the generational spectrum prefer to work at an office to get important work done.

Many companies have already begun to incorporate some degree of flexibility as part of their work culture, mainly to offer employees a factor that demands them to reconsider any quitting decisions.

Demand For Remote-Work

The preference to work remotely has been a growing employee trend for the past decade. This demand has increased further after the world got a taste of it during the covid pandemic.

Falling under the flexibility umbrella but specifically dealing with less contact time in an office, Gallup research found that 37% of employees would quit jobs to switch to ones that would allow them to work atleast part of the time remotely.

An internal survey at Atlassian found that 95% of employees are willing to change how they work to benefit from remote work, again emphasising the strong demand it has among the modern workforce.

The need for remote work among employees seems to align more with the motive to achieve greater work-life balance or work-life integration.

Poor Mental Health

One of the main reasons employees see a workplace or career coach is to aid them with mental health challenges that are part of their job roles. And with three in five employees experiencing work-related mental health issues at some point in their career, it shouldn't be surprising that it is also one of the primary reasons employees quit.

While many driving factors cause poor mental health in the workplace, a survey of 2000 employees found a culture of long working hours as the major contributing factor to this unpleasant outcome.

Lack Of Appreciation

Another concerning reason why employees quit their jobs is the lack of appreciation from colleagues, team members, and leaders. This impact has also been found in a study where 66% of employees admitted they would quit their jobs if they were not appreciated.

The number was higher for young workers, where 8 in 10 millennials in the same study said they would look for a new job if their workplaces lacked appreciation.

Companies who have taken a strategic approach to incorporate an appreciation-rich culture say they see a 31% lower voluntary turnover rate, indicating a clear positive relationship between work appreciation and employee retention.

Relationship With Management

Research shows that the adage of employees working for a boss and not a company can probably be true. In a poll of over one million workers in the US, Gallup found that employees quit mainly to get rid of a bad manager, where 75% of them voluntarily left for the boss and not due to the job role itself.

Another similar study of 1000 workers also found that 79% of employees would consider a bad relationship with management as a factor to quit. Four in ten admitted they would return to the old job if their bosses were replaced.

Relationship with the management, especially the line manager, is critical to employee productivity, morale, and engagement. A breakdown or mismatch in this relationship can lead to mistrust, anxiety, and job satisfaction, eventually leading to employees quitting.

If you're considering quitting or switching job roles or industries, seek professional guidance to lead you through a clear and achievable path.