What Is the Key To Keep Your Best Employees?

Best employees are good because they are: ambitious, keen to learn, consistently produce high-quality work, and deliver value. Nevertheless, they don't always want to stay with the company they are working with.

The Chief Marketing Officer at HubSpot, Ryan Bonnici, wrote a column for Harvard Business Review explaining all the advantages of encouraging the best employees to consider outside job offers. In the beginning, it might seem like a crazy idea since many companies don't want to lose good employees. Nevertheless, the effect is just the opposite.

Why Good Employees Quit?

As a manager, there will come a day where your employee asks to meet with you privately, and in that meeting, they hand over a letter saying that they quit. If it happens to be a fantastic employee, you'll be shocked, and you might even ask them why they are leaving.

In many cases, what your employee will tell you, is likely not going to be the entire truth. They're not going to give you the real reasons as to why they're leaving because their fear of burning their bridge with the entity is much greater than their desire to share the truth.

Linda Raynier, a career strategist, speaker, and coach, gives out three fundamental reasons why good employees quit.

1. Lack of Opportunities

When good employees have made significant accomplishments, they are ready to move up. Naturally, they're going to start to look at what opportunities are available. The key here is to have excellent communication with their boss.

Also read: HAS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CREATED INCOME INEQUALITY?

According to Ryan Bonnici, when he recommends his best employees to consider other job offers, they feel that their boss genuinely cares about their personal and professional development, even if that means leaving the company. From his own experience, by doing this, most of the time, good employees won't quit thanks to their open communication with their manager. Feeling heard and appreciated will make them feel more engaged with the company.

2. A Lack of Challenging Work

Regarding this reason, there are two aspects. The first is that there's not enough autonomy, meaning the employee does not get enough independence and freedom to do their job.

The second reason could be that the work is too routine. If employees get bored and feel stuck, their lack of motivation will increase.

Good employees like to feel a sense of ownership over their work. Having the freedom to do their high-quality work at their own time will create wellness. Here is essential to highlight that companies must fulfill their best employees' professional development expectations.

3. Not Having a Real Connection with Employees

The relationship you have with your employee is essential because it will determine if they will stay in the company or leave. If they view you simply as someone who gives them their paycheck rather than a mentor, they will be more likely to quit. A boss should be someone they want to support and feel empowered by. There's a big difference.

Remember: If you're finding yourself micromanaging every aspect, criticizing, and not complimenting or encouraging, then you will quickly find yourself with an unhappy employee who's going to want to leave. You're not just their boss, but someone who they look to as a key player in their career.