You May Be the Reason Your Employees are Job-Hunting
I know managers and leaders work hard. The number of important decisions that need to happen in a day are staggering. But I firmly believe that there are few decisions more important than those relating to your people (i.e. your talent).

It is your people who make the important connections with your customers, improve your processes, invent new services and do most everything the organization needs to thrive. What are you doing to ensure you are building a strong and supportive relationship with each? If you’re not making this a priority, the truth is that your top talent is likely job-hunting.
Stop and notice how you interact and treat your people. If you are doing any of the following, there is a good chance your best employees are job-hunting:
- Not treating your employees as people, but instead as resources used to achieve your goals.
- Forgetting to applaud exceptional work and instead only finding fault and highlighting shortcomings.
- Losing your cool instead of managing your emotions.
- Telling, controlling and directing instead of asking, guiding and coaching.
- Not taking the time to know who your employees are – what they are good at, interested in and what matters to them – and using that information to build better and more authentic relationships with them.
- Not providing supportive or corrective feedback in a way that helps your employees do more great things and improve and grow where and when needed.
The greatest resource an organization has is its people – their knowledge, passion, experience and commitment. It is a requirement of all leaders and managers to look in the mirror and assess what is working and not working in the way they connect with and activate their employees. If it is ineffective, they are likely encouraging their employees to leave.
Remember: people quit people before they quit companies. In a low unemployment workplace, organizations are poaching great talent from average companies. Managers and leaders who don’t build and sustain strong relationships with their employees become victims of poaching.
Take Action
Spend time with three of your best employees. Get their fair assessment of the way you manage, lead, engage, activate and inspire them. Don’t refute their comments; simply appreciate the feedback and improve what needs improving. Without this exercise done periodically throughout the year, you will find yourself spending your time hiring their replacements.
By Jay Forte
Consider reading How to Get The People Thing Right for Your Business