Why Do Employees Really Leave? Let's Talk About the Impact of Bosses on Attrition

Employees Don't Leave Companies; They Leave Their 'Boss'

How many of you agree or disagree? What can be done to deal with the problem of attrition?

I do not agree with this statement: "Employees don't leave companies, they leave their 'boss'."

All bosses are not bad; very rarely, people (bosses) are bad because of their management stress and work pressure. Employees are leaving the company not just because of their boss, but due to many reasons:

• Delay in salary
• Overly strict rules
• Partiality between the employees
• Targets

The boss is indirectly blamed in all these cases. To be honest, employees are leaving the company. We can find many examples with our friends; if they start working in other companies, they still keep in touch with their previous boss.

Thanks & Regards

The naked truth is, employees leave for better pay packages and proximity to their houses, if applicable. Only a few leave because of bosses and working hours.

Regards, Pon

Please look at this question from the perspective of an HR Professional. Needless to say, we take a lot of effort to find the right talent through various sources. Subsequently, Line Managers fail to capitalize on it.

Imagine you are trying to fill a pot with water and there are small holes in it. You keep on pouring water into it, and it never gets filled.

Hence, I want my fellow HR Professionals to enlighten me on effective solutions to deal with the problem of attrition/retention.

With regards,

I'm not in total agreement with you; one of those factors that precipitate an exit could be the "boss or manager," and those cases can form a pretty low percentage. It will depend on the organization, the management structure, the autonomy, etc.

As Pon1965 has mentioned, people leaving for more money is an absolute truth. However, other reasons today can be proximity to the workplace, dislike of the schedule, long hours at work, finding the job too difficult, lack of work-life balance, and inability to get along with co-workers.

Apart from these, there are innumerable reasons why a person would want to quit a job. Among these, just one component could be the "boss/manager." However, if the "boss/manager" is the primary reason to quit, it would be a major factor if the "boss" is the "whole and sole authority" who makes all the decisions. In companies with an organizational structure and an effective feedback mechanism, particularly a 360-degree appraisal, there are fewer chances that the "boss/manager" can escape scrutiny.

For slightly middle/senior level employees, lack of recognition, being passed over for promotion, poor management decisions, ineffective communication, inconsistent and poor senior leadership, excessive workload, lack of adequate support in terms of tools and resources, lack of simple appreciation, absence of inter-departmental teamwork, excessive focus on numbers rather than people, rude behavior by peers or leadership, organizational instability, lack of trust leading to shaken faith and confidence, and failure to honor commitments can all be reasons. It may be a single reason or a combination, but any of these factors can trigger an exit.

Regards

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Dear professionals,

There is a point that you all need to think about. Imagine yourself as the "boss/manager," and knowing yourself well, would you like an employee to exit saying the "boss/manager" is bad, and that is why he/she is quitting the job? In that case, what would you do? Would you blame the organization, the environment, the business model, the compensation, the management structure, the organizational culture, or something else?

It is also being observed that some candidates are appointed based on their smartness demonstrated during interviews. During these interviews, they promise extraordinary performance.

After joining, when it comes to the practical performance of tasks, due to a lack of knowledge and exposure, they repeatedly fail and are ultimately told by management to seek alternatives. Instead of acknowledging and improving their incapacity, they simply blame the organization's culture, reporting boss, etc.

In my earlier postings, I have dealt with "Employees don't leave companies; they leave their 'boss.' How many of you agree/disagree?" and I said I disagree. Now to the next question:

What Can Be Done to Deal with the Problem of Attrition?

Here is my submission: FIRST BREAK ALL THE RULES, a bestseller which sold millions of copies, authored by MARCUS BUCKINGHAM & CURT COFFMAN. WHAT THE WORLD'S GREATEST MANAGERS DO DIFFERENTLY, BASED ON IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS BY THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION OF OVER 80,000 MANAGERS IN OVER 400 COMPANIES - THE LARGEST STUDY OF ITS KIND EVER UNDERTAKEN.

A Mini Extract from the Book:

"Measuring the strength of a workplace can be simplified to twelve questions. These twelve questions don't capture everything you may want to know about your workplace, but they do capture the most information and the most important information. They measure the core elements needed to attract, focus, and keep the most talented employees.

Here they are:

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?
5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?
9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?
10. Do I have a best friend at work?
11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?
12. This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

These twelve questions are the simplest and most accurate way to measure the strength of a workplace. Most people knew, for example, that strong relationships and frequent praise were vital ingredients of a healthy workplace.

Second, you may be wondering why there are no questions dealing with pay, benefits, senior management, or organizational structure. There were initially, but they disappeared during the analysis. This doesn't mean they are unimportant. It simply means they are equally important to every employee, good, bad, and mediocre. Yes, if you are paying 20% below the market average, you may have difficulty attracting people. But bringing your pay and benefits package up to market levels, while a sensible first step, will not take you very far. These kinds of issues are like tickets to the ballpark — they can get you into the game, but they can't help you win."

Conclusion:

For a company to succeed, it's always good to look for and hire the most talented people, who can be difficult to manage but are certainly winning horses. They will challenge everyone in the organization in every manner as they carve a "career" for themselves. The challenge, therefore, is to go out finding talented people rather than mediocre people who are only a drag on you as a "boss/manager" and the organization as a whole. Talented people will also make the management and leadership think hard to engage them and to also get the best out of them. Such people will quit anyway once they feel satiated, but they will certainly leave a mark and a legacy to carry forward. It can also become a "benchmark" practice for the organization as far as Talent Acquisition and Talent Development are concerned. Successful companies take pride in this aspect.

I really appreciate and respect the knowledge you always share on various posts. This one is truly invaluable for those who run small organizations. Thank you, sir.

In my opinion, employees nowadays, driven by human nature, seek better opportunities, a comfortable work environment, lighter workloads, and higher-paying jobs. While individuals possess talent, skills, and qualifications, their tendency to switch jobs frequently stems from the pursuit of these factors. It becomes challenging for employees to remain in a job for an extended period unless the organization's management ensures growth and advancement opportunities. I believe employees should align themselves with the organization's goals, develop their skills to benefit both the organization and be recognized as valuable assets by management. Simultaneously, it is crucial for organizations to provide employees with the necessary resources and support to fulfill their roles effectively and joyfully, free from excessive pressure.

Ultimately, training and motivation play significant roles in addressing the sentiment expressed by employees who claim, "Employees don't leave companies; they leave their boss."

In conclusion, Mr. Vijay, I firmly believe that "A good boss never abandons their employees, and a good employee remains loyal to a good boss."

Thank you,

Bijay

I am feeling too flattered for words; yet, immense thanks for the appreciation. You are absolutely spot-on in stating your viewpoint, especially your last punch, "A good boss will never leave his employees and a good employee will never leave the company of a good boss." In sporting terms, it is said "the game is above the individual;" using the same analogy, I would say the "Organization is above the individuals."

Regards,