Signs an Employee Is About to Leave

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As a manager, you naturally are concerned about employee turnover, too much of which can be a drag on any business. And, when the competition for good talent is so keen, keeping top performers is especially important. This being the case, it would certainly be helpful to have some idea when an employee is not happy and is starting to look elsewhere.

According to HR specialists at TribeHR, there are several tell-tale signs that an employee is getting ready to make a move.

One sign is the increasing frequency of sudden illnesses. The employee is taking a lot more sick days than usual. TribeHR says that Monday absences are even more of a giveaway that the employee is looking around. If you notice more Monday absences, you probably should think about meeting with the employee to discuss his or her situation at the company and to get a sense of the person’s engagement.

Another sign that an employee is getting ready to check out is a drop in productivity. You may notice the person taking more breaks than usual, or that he or she may need to be told to get moving, whereas in the past the person took the initiative. Naturally, there could be other reasons for this situation, but you need to find out what is going on.

Another indication of a pending move is that the worker is becoming more isolated. There is not as much interaction with his or her co-workers or managers. The person may be trying to disengage to minimize the emotional impact of making a move.

Another sign is that the employee is beginning to make comparisons between your company and other firms, comparisons about pay, benefits or working conditions. You may also notice that the employee is not working as well with others. He or she is not the team player as in the past.

Again, these are all signs of an impending move. They are also red flags for human resources to get involved and see if there are any particular problems the employee is having with the company that have caused him or her to look elsewhere. Often, these issues can be resolved by communicating and trying to understand what has the person upset.

If an employee has left and you need to fill the position ASAP (either with a temporary worker while you search for a direct-hire replacement, or even as the direct hire!), contact a recruiter at RealStreet Staffing. We’ve been helping Mid-Atlantic area construction, engineering and architecture firms find great professionals since 2001 and we’d love to show you why we’re better! Contact us today!

RealStreet has been an excellent partner in understanding our programs’ unique staffing requirements-skills, experience, clearances, seasonality—and consistently provides qualified and highly productive team members who are often recognized by our customers for their performance.

Cheryll Bissell

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