Articles : Wondering if an Employee is About to Quit? Here Are Some of the Signs

Losing a member of your team is never ideal. Whether an employee is moving on to advance their careers or transfer to a different industry – it’s always hard to let go of a valued employee.

On the flip side, in some cases, it may be better for an employee to move on from the company, especially if they have been showing some signs of disinterest.

But how do you know if an employee is about to quit? Have you ever wondered if there were any warning signs? Below we will discuss some things to look out for in your employees to help you determine where they stand.

1. What is their behaviour like?
You can tell a lot about how an employee feels working at your company by their behaviour. For example, if an employee is taking more days off, coming into work late a lot, or is taking longer breaks – it could be a sign that they are no longer interested in working at your company and are potentially looking for a new opportunity.

On the other hand, if you notice actions like an employee updating their LinkedIn profile with additional skills or tweaking their job responsibilities – it could mean that they are gearing up for more advanced opportunities, especially if they feel like they aren’t getting enough growth in their current position.

2. What is their attitude like?
Another way to determine how an employee feels about their position at your company is through their attitude or outlook. An employee who no longer cares about working at your company may start to express more negative thoughts about projects or tasks or they may start speaking badly about these things to other employees. They may also be less engaged in meetings or conferences.

On the opposite end, if an employee starts to ask more questions about what else they can do at the company in addition to what they are already working on – perhaps they may feel like they aren’t being challenged enough anymore.

Can you do anything about it?
Yes! Communication is key. If you start noticing any of these behaviours and attitudes, you’ll want to start a dialogue with the employee. Are there any underlying issues you may not be aware of? For example:

• Are they taking more days off because they feel burnt out?
• Are they disengaged because they feel they don’t work well with another employee?
• Do they no longer enjoy their job anymore and they are trying to figure out what the next step is?
• Is the employee bored because they feel like they aren’t doing enough?

You’ll want to ask and get to the bottom of these types of questions before you can move forward with a course of action. If an employee is thinking about leaving the company because they don’t feel challenged enough, how can you help them grow within the company? Will it also come with more compensation? If an employee feels burnt out, what are some projects that can be put on the back burner for the time being to help lighten the load?

Remember, not all conversations will end on a positive note. Sometimes there is no amount of growth opportunities or company adjustments that can be made to change the mind of an employee who is ready to leave. Instead, you can simply support them as best as you can until they are ready to be on their way. 

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