For managers, one of the worst things is losing an employee unexpectedly. Especially if that employee is really good at their job and leaves a hole at the company. Sometimes it’s due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, but sometimes it’s because the employee simply is unhappy. So how to you catch the problem before you lose a valued worker? There are a few unmistakable signs that an employee is about to quit.
Flickr user Mic445
1. You Hear Less And Less From Them
An employee that used to have great ideas and volunteered to take on new projects, but now seems to avoid new responsibilities and rarely has any helpful suggestions might be felling disconnected and unmotivated to excel at their job. Bad sign.
2. They Do The Bare Minimum At Their Job, And Don’t Care About Doing More
A good employee does a good job no matter what it takes. An employee who doesn’t really care about their future at the company doesn’t bother to. And if an employee who WAS overachieving suddenly starts slacking, don’t ignore it.
3. They Seem To Be Taking More Sick Leave or Days Off
It could be that they have personal stuff going on. Or it could be that they’re avoiding coming to work, or even worse - they’re using the time to interview at other companies.
4. They Avoid Committing To Long-Term Projects
If an employee starts getting twitchy about committing to work that would take several months, or gets weird about going to a conference in a few months for no real good reason…it might be because they’re not planning on being at the company at that time.
5. They Start Making More And More Mistakes
A mistake here and there is natural. But if a good employee starts getting sloppy, it might be because they’re not really motivated to do well anymore. And that might be because they’re not really committed to the company.
6. Colleagues Start To Notice Odd Behavior
Sometimes it’s hard for management to notice everything about every employee. But the employees who work closely with an unhappy employee probably will. If they have concerns about their colleagues, don’t dismiss it as overreacting. Sure, sometimes it might be nothing. But take note of how they describe their colleagues’ actions, and if they align with any of the behaviors on this list.
What are some other telltale signs that an employee is about to quit? Tell us in the comments below?
