While bemoaning the fact that once again some of the most valuable professionals have transferred to another company, managers look for the root cause for anything, forgetting that employees are not leaving organizations, but from bad managers. Companies are well aware of how important it’s to have motivated staff, but most of them don’t require their managers to explain why unwanted employee layoffs occur.
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Tendency to Overwork
Nothing devastates good professionals more than the boss’s desire to “pull” as much out of them as possible. The individual then feels he is being punished for completing tasks in good faith. Moreover, a new study by analysts at Stanford University showed that hourly productivity falls sharply if the work week exceeds 50 hours. And when you have to work over 55 hours, you can put in more and more effort, but you still won’t be able to increase productivity even slightly. In the case of increasing the workload of the best professionals – you need to change their status. A pay raise, a promotion to a higher level position, a change in the title of the position can all be an acceptable way to increase the workload. If you “toss” more and more tasks – only because you are confident in the high professionalism of the employee, while not changing anything, such an individual will look for another place of work, where he will get what he deserves.
Failure to Recognize Achievements
It’s easy to underestimate the value of simple encouragement, especially when it comes to the best employees who are very intrinsically motivated. But pleasant surprises are enjoyed by everyone. So why do you think that those who put in the best effort are the exception? Managers should find out what makes their subordinates feel intrinsically comfortable (for some it may be an increase in compensation, for others – public recognition), and then celebrate the success of the employee accordingly. And it should be assumed that in the case of top specialists – it will happen quite often.
Failure to Develop Subordinates
When managers are asked why they don’t pay proper attention to their employees, they justify themselves by using words like “trust,” “autonomy,” and “empowerment.” This is complete nonsense. Good managers must manage people regardless of the latter’s level of professionalism, which means: constantly listening to subordinates and giving them feedback.
If you have a gifted professional working for you, you need to continually identify areas where they can improve their skill set. Employees in this category require feedback more often than others.
Failure to Engage the Creativity of Subordinates
The most talented employees strive to improve everything they touch. If they need to improve a general gambling platform, they create the best casino accepted NZD, or if they have to create simple ads, they do their best, using all the available Canva or Photoshop tools. If you hold them back because you only feel comfortable with things as they are, they will hate their jobs. By stifling their inner desire to create, you limit not only them, but also yourself.
Indifference to Subordinates
More than half of the people who quit their jobs do so because of a relationship with their boss. Smart companies know how to get their managers to combine professionalism with humanity. Such bosses celebrate the successes of their subordinates, empathize with those going through tough times, and put workers in front of difficult challenges (even if they have to “turn inside out” to meet them).
Managers who fail to be truly caring face high turnover rates. After all, you can’t work with a boss who doesn’t “care” about anything but your performance.
Failure to Deliver on Commitments
When you make promises, you walk a very fine line between making people feel good about themselves and encouraging them to be disappointed in you. When you fulfill your obligations, you grow in the eyes of subordinates because this way you show: you are a man of your word and therefore you can be relied upon (these are very important qualities of the boss). And when you neglect your promises, you will be perceived as a “slippery” unreliable person who has nothing to respect. After all, if the boss doesn’t keep his promises, why should the rest of us do it?
Hiring and Promoting Unsuitable People
Highly skilled and conscientious professionals want to deal with the same kind of managers. If managers are not able to select the appropriate level of personnel, it is very frustrating for those who have to work with them. Promoting incompetent individuals is an even worse manifestation of managerial unprofessionalism. When you work “tirelessly” and see how you are bypassed and appointed to a high position by someone who “earned points” by pleasing his superiors, it’s a great shame.
Not Providing Opportunities for Subordinates to Pursue Their Passions
Talented people tend to have hobbies. If they can pursue their passions in the workplace, their productivity will increase. But many managers set very narrow boundaries for subordinates because they fear that broadening their focus will have a negative impact on their performance. But research suggests otherwise: if people have the opportunity to engage in what they are passionate about, they reach a special state of elevation often called “flow” (productivity increases fivefold in it).
