- Nearly half of employees are actively looking for a new job or monitoring job opportunities
- Gallup recommends that employers have “stay conversations” with employees to assess their needs and frustrations
- Conversations can help make business leaders more aware of their employees’ needs and aspirations and reduce the likelihood of turnover
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
It can be a surprise to employers when a worker turns in their two weeks’ notice. Even when they strive to offer a supportive workplace culture, employers may be unaware of their employees’ needs and frustrations.
Gallup says its polls show that nearly half of American employees are actively job hunting or monitoring job opportunities. Fifty-two percent of those who left a job said their employer could have done more to keep them at the company.
The analytics company said companies can be more proactive about retaining employees by having one-on-one “stay conversations” with their workers. These can help to assess employee satisfaction, identify aspirations, and pinpoint factors that might make an employee more likely to consider pursuing work elsewhere.
- Employers can prepare employees by letting them know what the conversation will discuss, and set action items on what is expected of employees and what an employer might be able to commit to
- Topics of discussion can include an employee’s current needs, their development goals, what aspirations they have within the company, and what challenges or frustrations they are facing
- Stay conversations have the benefits of encouraging employee trust, showing that the company is interested in retaining them, promoting mutual responsibility, and reducing the costs and talent loss associated with turnover
