Why your employees might quit this year

A new year can often feel like a fresh start. Your employees may feel inspired by the possibilities the next 12 months could bring, and by having a clean slate in front of them. On the flipside, the start of a new year can also prompt your staff to reflect on their career, and decide they're ready for a change.

As career expert Liz Ryan puts it: "Every year is a wake-up call". In an article on Forbes, she encourages people to think long and hard about how they spend their precious 12 months of 2017. Although it may be tough as a HR professional to think about the fact that some of your could be considering to leave, it's also the best way to prevent them from doing so.

In her article, Ryan lists ten reasons why people might choose to leave their job this year. They include:

• They haven't learned anything new on the job in years.
• Their manager is not someone they respect or can learn from.
• They don't see an upward career path in their current firm.
• Looking ahead at 2017, they don't see their job becoming more interesting, more creative, more fulfilling or more fun.

Although some of these may seem obvious, ask yourself how often you consider them from your employees' point of view. Of course your staff would like to work for a manager they respect and can learn from - but have you ever stopped to truly consider whether this is the case for each and every one of your staff members?

As a HR professional, perhaps you should resolve to keep the list in mind throughout this year. Use it as a talking point during one-on-one meetings and share it with managers to help them connect with their team members. Although it may feel like a negative exercise to constantly ask yourself why employees may want to quit, it could be a great tool to prevent them from doing so.

ALSO READ: Are these your team’s resolutions for 2017?

Photo / 123RF