When a dependable employee suddenly jumps ship, employers often act shocked by the news.
But the truth is, departing staffers often leave plenty of clues about their upcoming exit before they actually walk out the door.
Putting managers on alert for key signs may allow your firm to step in before its too late.
A few months before leaving
According to new research by Utah State University, the majority of workers display a number of subtle signs about one or two months before they’re planning to leave their current job.
And workers tend to “leak” these cues from the moment the they first start to consider making a change.
Let managers and supervisors know to be on the lookout for workers who:
- show less interest in the company
- act more reluctant to commit to long-term projects
- exhibit less passion for training and development
- offer fewer contributions in meetings, and
- avoid interacting with their boss and/or management members.
In time for a Stay Interview
Once managers spot a worker who exhibits some “cues of turnover,” they may want to consider holding a stay interview.
Stay interviews are geared toward helping managers understand why a key employee is looking to leave and to see if any issues (e.g., poor treatment by co-worker) could be fixed instead.
They’re also meant to reinforce why the worker chose the job in the first place – and possibly get the staffer to rethink his or her decision.
