7 Mistakes Managers Make That Cause Good Employees To Quit
Did you know that more than 50% of organizations in the world are unable to retain their most valued employees? While career advancement and pay rise are the main reasons, conflicts with bosses is another strong reason why employees quit.
It is often said that employees seldom leave their companies, they actually leave their bosses. And, this is quite true to an extent. Though employees might have their own problems with their organisation, it has been found that managers’ attitude and way of working also contributes to employee turnover.
Managers might have the best educational qualification as per their designation, but their managerial and relationship skills matter the most. Here is a round-up of 7 mistakes managers make that cause good employees to resign.
Favouritism
No workplace is free of office politics. Favouritism often ends up in a lot of dissatisfaction among employees. You can always guess the upcoming name for promotion according to the boss’s favourite list. Similarly, every time there is a new project, it is expected to land in the lap of the ‘preferred’ employee. This actually affects the motivation of the team as a whole. The other team members who feel left out might not put their best of efforts in completing a particular task.
Obstinate Decisions
A leader must follow the rules. But, sometimes rules need to be reconsidered in the best of employees’ interest. Bosses who are quite stubborn are more likely to damage their relationship with employees in difficult situations. Sometimes, employees work relentlessly as per their manager’s instructions but fail to receive a positive response in terms of working hours or taking an off when they need it the most. The leader needs to use wise judgement and flexibility in order to maintain a mutual relation with his or her team.
Lack of Empathy
Each employee plays a key role in the company. It is the manager’s responsibility to pay attention to the employee’s personal as well as job-related well-being. That doesn’t mean that managers have to rule their employees’ lives, but showing that they care works well. Healthy relationships are built if employees feel cared for and not tortured. Personal family problems or health issues should be dealt with empathy and compassion rather than focusing on how the employee can quickly show up from absenteeism.
Blame Game
If a team is facing a tough time, the manager can either put the entire blame on the employees or take up the responsibility on own shoulders to face the blame and find workable solutions. The former puts the leader in a negative zone and employees lose trust in their leader. Rather than pointing fingers at others, the best way to tackle difficult problems is to face it with courage thus setting an example for the rest of the team.
Dictatorship
Being a manager means you have to distribute work and supervise its execution. That doesn’t mean you have to monitor each and every action that your team member does. That kind of micromanagement is disturbing where you keep invading the employees work routine every now and then. The leader must trust his or her employees once they have given a particular task. Let them take small decisions so that they feel responsible and important as a team. Much better, take inputs from the team and consider them while taking bigger decisions.
Neglecting Employee Development
Most of the leadership courses online will have a chapter where you are taught about employee development. How to grow within the organisation is every employee's aim. Whether it is continued education or training or change of department, the manager should pay attention to the developmental demands of the employees too. Lack of support indicates that the company is not interested in professional development.
Overwork
Not respecting work hour rules can be punishing. Good employees stop doing good work if they feel they are over-burdened. Managers need to ensure that there is an appropriate work-life balance for the employees. A stressed-out employee is no good for organizational productivity and morale. Having said that, there are also times when employees are expected to invest extra work hours due to the demand of the project. During such instances, if managers do not appreciate the employees’ contribution or compensate them in extra pay or incentives, employees tend to get frustrated over time and may quit the job.
Avoiding these mistakes can help you retain good employees in the long run. Think of how you treat them and you will have fewer people walking out. An article titled ‘Why People Really Quit Their Jobs’ published in Harvard Business Review says that it is a manager’s responsibility to design jobs and foster a work environment that is too good to leave. Managers who lend support not only motivate people to deliver but also stay longer in the organization.
If you want to know more about good managerial qualities, look through
leadership courses online.
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