Understanding why employees decide to leave their jobs can be tricky, but over time, researchers have noticed some common reasons that help explain why people choose to move on. Let’s explore some of these reasons in this article to get a better understanding.
Back in the 1980s, most experts thought that people quit their jobs because they weren’t paid enough or because they didn’t agree with how things were done at work. However, in the 1990s, researchers named Lee and Mitchell found out that there are more reasons why employees might leave.
Unexpected Changes: Sometimes, big changes happen in a company that employees didn’t see coming. This could mean new bosses, new rules, or new ways of doing things that employees don’t like.
Family Problems: If someone in an employee’s family gets sick, they might need to leave their job to take care of them. This could be a spouse or a parent who needs help.
Layoffs: Sometimes, companies have to let people go because they’re losing business or trying to save money. This can make employees feel uncertain about their future and decide to look for a new job.
Expected Changes: Other times, employees might leave because they know changes are coming and they want to be ready. If a company tells its workers that things are going to be different soon, some people might start looking for a new job just in case.
Looking at these reasons, experts say that bosses need to think about how they handle employees leaving because, as some smart people said in the past, companies are made up of people, and how those people act affects others. So, it’s important for companies to figure out what’s causing employees to leave so they can try to fix it.
Author and an IT consultant, Dr. Tracey Manuel discusses in his book, “Navigating the Next Generation- A Guide to Working with Millennials and Gen Z,” how an employee’s decision to quit can often be related to receiving unexpected work-related news. This can come in the form of losing a contract that an individual was working on or a severe stock price decline, both of which might result in people being confused or uncertain about their futures at the companies. In situations where people do not feel secure in their positions within an organization, the intent to quit can increase.
In the end, understanding why employees quit their jobs is important for both companies and the people who work for them. By listening to their employees and making changes when needed, companies can create a better work environment where people want to stay and grow.
Read Dr. Tracey Manuel’s book, “Navigating the Next Generation- A Guide to Working with Millennials and Gen Z,” as it provides valuable insights for business leaders, educators, and anyone with a vested interest in creating effective communication with these generations. The book is available for purchase on Amazon.