After a long drought, our nation is beginning to see the signs of an improving economy. Hiring is up a little and unemployment claims are down a little. But as job growth gains momentum, so will something else – turnover. It is no secret that many of those presently employed are unhappy in their positions. Yes, they’re thankful they’ve kept their jobs. No, they are not happy about being saddled with the work of two people and always trying to do more with less. Surveys indicate that as many as 70% of those asked will start looking for new employment when they feel the time is right. Knowing how much it costs to replace competent talent, every employer should be on the lookout for signs of leaving behavior. After all, very few tell their boss they’re searching. They just disappear.
So what does a searching employee look like? What do they say or not say? How do they behave? Over this post and the next, I’ll identify ten signs of “leaving behavior” and some suggestions for successful intervention. The first five will be more obvious. The second five more subtle. So here goes:
More formal attire – Many places have relaxed their dress codes over the years, some to the extent of jeans and flip-flops. But even if they come to work in pajamas and bunny slippers, most people know that dressing up for interviews is still a smart thing to do. Seeing this behavior could be an indication that they are interviewing before or after work. Simple strategy for intervention? Compliment them on their attire. There’s no need to ask anything else. If they’re looking, they’ll kind of know that you know.
Increased absences – This can especially troublesome among those who haven’t missed a day since they arrived. If this is due to an illness or family emergency, they’ll probably share it. If they don’t, could they be looking for new employment. Simple strategy for intervention? Mention the absence(s) in an off-hand and friendly way. Chances are, they’ll have a logical explanation. But if they don’t, it’s a good idea to make note of it.
Tardiness or surprise requests for a couple of hours off – Sure, there are doctor appointments, teacher conferences, and other personal business issues that require a hour or two here or there. But as a general rule, these are scheduled in advance. Employees who mention that they’ll be a couple of hours late “tomorrow morning” or have to take “a long lunch” maybe visiting with a prospective employer. Simple strategies for intervention? #1 – Ask about the nature of the need for time off. After all, they have a responsibility to you and the organization. #2 – Do not excuse the absence, but be prepared for an uncomfortable encounter. This may exacerbate their leaving, but that may be the best thing for both of you.
An “I don’t care” attitude – The reality is that some employees just don’t care. You generally know who they are. The people to be concerned about are those who display a disappointing change in attitude. This can mean sloppy work, inattentiveness in meetings, missed deadlines, and comments that seem to indicate that this job is no longer a priority. Simple strategy for intervention? It’s probably time for a visit about performance anyway. But this will also give you the chance to probe a little and see if they are looking to change circumstances.
Transitional comments – These can include phrases such as “This place isn’t what it used to be,” or “When it comes time for me to leave . . .” and “I guess it’s time to move on.” You might think that no one would say such things unless they have another job. You’d be wrong. Some people use comments like this to begin the process of cutting emotional ties. After all, work relationships can be a bigger part of a person’s life than the job itself. Sure they’re unhappy on the job, but the emotional separation can be worse than job search for some. Simple strategy for intervention?
So what do you do when do you get to a point when something needs to be said? I’ll discuss that next time, along with five more subtle leaving signs and suggestions for intervention.
After a long drought, our nation is beginning to see the signs of an improving economy. Hiring is up a little and unemployment claims are down a little. But as job growth gains momentum, so will something else – turnover. It is no secret that many of those presently employed are unhappy in their positions. Yes, they’re thankful they’ve kept their jobs. No, they are not happy about being saddled with the work of two people and always trying to do more with less. Surveys indicate that as many as 70% of those asked will start looking for new employment when they feel the time is right. Knowing how much it costs to replace competent talent, every employer should be on the lookout for signs of leaving behavior. After all, very few tell their boss they’re searching. They just disappear.
So what does a searching employee look like? What do they say or not say? How do they behave? Over this post and the next, I’ll identify ten signs of “leaving behavior” and some suggestions for successful intervention. The first five will be more obvious. The second five more subtle. So here goes:
More formal attire – Many places have relaxed their dress codes over the years, some to the extent of jeans and flip-flops. But even if they come to work in pajamas and bunny slippers, most people know that dressing up for interviews is still a smart thing to do. Seeing this behavior could be an indication that they are interviewing before or after work. Simple strategy for intervention? Compliment them on their attire. There’s no need to ask anything else. If they’re looking, they’ll kind of know that you know.
Increased absences – This can especially troublesome among those who haven’t missed a day since they arrived. If this is due to an illness or family emergency, they’ll probably share it. If they don’t, could they be looking for new employment. Simple strategy for intervention? Mention the absence(s) in an off-hand and friendly way. Chances are, they’ll have a logical explanation. But if they don’t, it’s a good idea to make note of it.
Tardiness or surprise requests for a couple of hours off – Sure, there are doctor appointments, teacher conferences, and other personal business issues that require a hour or two here or there. But as a general rule, these are scheduled in advance. Employees who mention that they’ll be a couple of hours late “tomorrow morning” or have to take “a long lunch” maybe visiting with a prospective employer. Simple strategies for intervention? #1 – Ask about the nature of the need for time off. After all, they have a responsibility to you and the organization. #2 – Do not excuse the absence, but be prepared for an uncomfortable encounter. This may exacerbate their leaving, but that may be the best thing for both of you.
An “I don’t care” attitude – The reality is that some employees just don’t care. You generally know who they are. The people to be concerned about are those who display a disappointing change in attitude. This can mean sloppy work, inattentiveness in meetings, missed deadlines, and comments that seem to indicate that this job is no longer a priority. Simple strategy for intervention? It’s probably time for a visit about performance anyway. But this will also give you the chance to probe a little and see if they are looking to change circumstances.
Transitional comments – These can include phrases such as “This place isn’t what it used to be,” or “When it comes time for me to leave . . .” and “I guess it’s time to move on.” You might think that no one would say such things unless they have another job. You’d be wrong. Some people use comments like this to begin the process of cutting emotional ties. After all, work relationships can be a bigger part of a person’s life than the job itself. Sure they’re unhappy on the job, but the emotional separation can be worse than job search for some. Simple strategy for intervention?
So what do you do when do you get to a point when something needs to be said? I’ll discuss that next time, along with five more subtle leaving signs and suggestions for intervention.