Keeping Good People
Know what really hurts a leader or an organization? It’s when one of their best employees unexpectedly resigns. Given how long it takes to hire, train, develop, and retain a great staffer, maybe we should spend more time considering the impact even one person can have on the organization.
Most managers move quickly from the news that someone has resigned to “what are we going to do to hire someone as quickly as possible?” They skip the step looking carefully at the reason(s) the staff member has resigned. They overlook the step of learning the why’s around the resignation.
It is obvious that when you receive the resignation letter it is too late to change the organizational structure or any major policy that might have influenced the resigning employee’s decision. However, there are actions you can take and changes you can make to positively impact the employee experience going forward.
Many organizations conduct exit interviews before the resigning employee leaves, often using a questionnaire to gather information. Having HR conduct an interview with the employee allows follow-up questions to be asked and additional information collected.
Consider these potential questions:
Why are you leaving and how did you make the decision to resign?
What could we have done differently to retain you?
Did you have what you needed to do your job successfully? If not, what was missing?
Did you get the training you needed to be successful? If not, what was missing?
If you were the CEO or Executive Director of this organization for one day, what would be your first action?
If you have a new job, what made you accept it?
Would you recommend this organization to a colleague or friend?
Would you ever consider returning to this organization if we had an opening?
Is there anything I haven’t asked that you want to share?
Listen carefully and reflect on the reasons why people are resigning. Collect feedback from multiple sources. Take action where needed. Constantly look for ways the culture can be improved.
Today’s employees want to make a difference. You can increase retention, enhance your culture and make people feel valued by:
Providing development opportunities
Recognizing employee’s contributions
Paying fairly and providing competitive benefits
Providing a flexible work environment
Providing work/life balance
Creating a sense of belonging
Making work challenging
Setting clear expectations and holding people accountable
You have heard that “people leave managers and not the organization.” Keep in mind that managers play a significant role in hiring, training, and developing staff members which shapes the culture. They motivate people to get things done in a way that brings meaning to the organization.
The best managers—the great managers—work to bring out the best in their people and treat them like human beings. They help their staff members succeed. Resignations can provide managers with good information to help them make good decisions. However, don’t wait until you get a resignation to take action to improve your ability to retain the best talent.