30 Aug Managers are Not the Only Reason for Resignation
Did you leave your last job because of your manager or the role that was assigned to you?
There’s a saying that says, “Employees don’t leave jobs, they leave managers.” And it’s often true. During my retention conversation with employees, the reason often cited for their resignation is their relationship with their managers. Sometimes they apply for another role, ask for a transfer to a different location or quit.
There are a few employees who want to leave despite their manager doing all the right things and the employee doesn’t seem to like them. In instances like these, we should let the employee go and wish him well.
However, sometimes it is the manager’s fault. The organisation spends a lot of time and resources to select a manager. The organisation ensures that the manager is successful in is capacity by providing onboarding, training, development, mentoring, coaching, etc.
Also See: 3 WARNING SIGNS A GREAT EMPLOYEE IS ABOUT TO QUIT
But when an employee leaves, it’s not always the manager or employee’s fault. Sometimes the organisation needs to accept responsibility. Here are a few examples:
When the job is poorly designed:
If jobs are designed poorly, it can get boring and unfulfilling or the employees. Employees want and need to have a purpose and a connection to the bigger picture (the business). This keeps them engaged and contribute to the company success story. While designing the job, inputs from managers should be taken. They may not be required for the entire exercise, but a detailed feedback should be taken from them, before finalising the job.
If a job offers no growth opportunities:
Employees may still settle for jobs that pay them less because they know that future opportunities exist. While an employee’s current manager might have some say in whether an employee is promoted, if the opportunity doesn’t exist, then it doesn’t matter what kind of say the manager has. It’s about availability.
Also See: 6 REASONS WHY GOOD EMPLOYEES QUIT?
When the job pays poorly:
Salary is just not the pay you take home at the month end. It includes benefits and perks too. There are employees who look at the total package and just not the take home. Employees should be paid competitively to the external market and fair internally. If they figure out there is disparity they will take action and leave.
Conclusion:
Managers always try to create new opportunities for employees, fight for pay increases, and suggest new ways for employees to do the work, only to have their ideas shot down by senior management. But what seems to the employee is that the manager doesn’t care. Now, yes, the manager can tell the employee that they tried but senior management said “no” – effectively throwing senior management under the bus. But that’s not really the best approach.
So many managers simply take the hit. The employee leaves and says it’s because the manager isn’t supportive.
I wish the senior management in every organisation finds the actual reason for employees who quit their jobs – Was it really the manager? or Was it the management?
