It’s a common frustration: You bend over backwards to hire a talented candidate, only to see him or her walk out the door after just a few months. There are five common reasons new hires quit – here’s how you and your managers can avoid them.
But why do so many employees leave within the first year? Sometimes it’s a hiring mistake. Even when the right person for the job was hired, other factors can drive them away, too. The top reasons new hires quit:
The job doesn’t meet expectations
Not meeting expectations is the number one reason new hires quit, according to a survey by the Novations Group. Why does it happen? Recruiters and hiring managers often feel pressured to “sell” the job to candidates. But avoiding the truth to do so will only cause problems.
Focus on the good, of course, but answer candidates’ questions honestly. If you think the truth might turn people away, don’t worry – they probably wouldn’t have stayed for very long.
They don’t move quickly enough
A common mistake managers make to sell the position: exaggerating advancement opportunities. That’s a great benefit if it’s true – but employees will quickly feel stuck if they don’t go where they were promised.
Their ideas go nowhere
New employees should come to the company with fresh ideas – but that doesn’t mean managers always listen to them. And if new hires feel they have no say in how things are done, they’ll quickly become dissatisfied.
Of course, not every idea is a good one – but at the very least, managers should explain why ideas won’t work.
Their bosses expect too much too soon
No matter how talented candidates are, they always need some time to adjust to a new environment. But often, bosses are too hard on new employees when they make the inevitable early mistakes.
Managers shouldn’t take “I’m new here” as an excuse for everything. But not giving new hires time to learn and adapt is an easy way to send them out the door.
They aren’t trained properly
In a similar vein, new employees aren’t always given the training they need to perform well, which leads to frustration.
Managers should ask recent hires if they’ve gotten everything they need to do their jobs effectively. If the answer is no, a little training can save a lot of trouble in the long run.
