Why Employees Are Abandoning Ship
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With an uptick in job opportunities, employees are becoming more optimistic. As a result, those who have been hunkered down, awaiting the economic storm to pass are resurfacing now, and if they don't like what they see, they are on the hunt for better opportunities. Are you one of these employees?



1. You Are Tired of Being Frenetic. If your culture feeds off of drama spurred by poor or last-minute decision-making, little or no vision or project planning;, and constantly shifting gears rather than sticking to a decision or plan, you likely are at risk of losing some key players. Employees understand that disruptions in the economy, marketplace shifts, new product roll-outs that get hung up, technology snafus and other emergencies occasionally happen, and they must therefore pitch in with verve—and swiftly--to ensure a smooth resolution.



However, constant frenzy generally is not an acceptable culture for anyone seeking to sustain their enthusiasm for their job. If their personal lives and their health begin to suffer as a result of a culture of frantic, employees often find themselves networking their way into a new, healthier environment.



2. Your Expertise No Longer Is Respected. For various reasons, well-respected employees may discover a once mutually respectful culture taking a sharp left turn, where their professional opinions no longer seem to hold much weight. For example, if your leadership guard is suddenly replaced, and the incoming CEO has a distinctly different agenda that appears to disregard current employees' opinions and ideas, trouble mounts.



Perhaps the new leadership wants to rapidly grow a small business in order to compete with the Fortune 500 competitors. If they pivot so quickly that the longstanding employees who have navigated the storms of start-up are simply dismissed in the process, they not only risk losing those employees, they also risk making a move that may tear down the foundational core of your company's operation. Since the old guard employees are no longer there, no one with any real experience or company history will be left to help bail your company out.



3. You Feel Stuck, With No Opportunity for Advancement. If your culture does not encourage promotion within, or if you keep great employees stuck in one position because you fear having to replace them, then expect them to begin jumping ship soon. The darkest days of the recession shrouded many employees in fear, and so they stayed put, even if they felt underemployed and/or unhappy. Retention was easier during this time.



However, as employment optimism rises, more careerists are restless for greater responsibility, more stimulating projects, a higher salary and overall, forward career movement. With that restlessness comes initiative and job search activity. They are brushing off their resumes and seeking out opportunities that will fulfill their career needs – emotionally, intellectually and culturally.



4. You Are Being Micromanaged. Sometimes micromanagement stems from a front-line employee being promoted into a supervisory or management role without proper training. Good leaders know how to let go and trust the people they oversee to do the job – even if their employee may do it a bit differently.



Too many times, an inexperienced leader fears that no one can do the job as well as they can. Further, micromanagement often arises in small enterprises where an owner who started out doing it all, finds his business growing. He is unfamiliar with delegating duties, and thus, he becomes his own roadblock to success, demanding oversight of the most minute of details that he should instead entrust to his employees.



Doing so not only stymies your company's growth, but it will also turn off employees who feel frustrated and bogged down. Expect those employees to leave if you can't figure out how to delegate well.



5. Your Company Is Stuck in the Dark Ages. If your company refuses to adapt with the times with technology upgrades, new product innovation, modern customer relationship practices or other trends that directly impact competitive sustainability, then consider this: you may not only suffer the consequences of a declining revenues, but you also will find your best talent defecting.



No one wants to be part of a sinking ship, and so many times, companies with their heads in the sand regarding evolving trends find their engines sputtering for fuel while their competition roars ahead to far-reaching, profitable opportunities.