How to Identify Employee Turnover Issues

If you’re anything like more than half of companies, the issue of employee turnover keeps you up at night. And if you ask me, that’s not at all extreme or dramatic. Your people are the lifeblood of your organization and therefore are a major priority when planning the future of the business, whether you’re a CEO, VP, HR director or HR generalist. Across the board, no matter what role you play, being concerned with turnover is a must.

If you're reading this, then you're probably wondering "why is employee turnover a problem for a business and how do I fix it?" The answer to that question varies greatly depending on what the issues stem from, your business, region and industry, but there’s no denying that there are a few foundational reasons that you can typically tie turnover issues back to. Whether it’s compensation problems, company culture issues or a lack of growth opportunities, as with any problem, the first step is to identify what issues you’re dealing with. Take a look at these four steps for identifying employee turnover issues in your organization. Crunch the Numbers It always helps to start with a clear picture of the situation, which can initially be achieved by analyzing your company’s retention and turnover rates. Most likely, you already have these numbers on hand, so this step may just mean taking a hard look at them and putting them to work. Take a look at how you stack up against other businesses in the area and in your industry. Are you doing better or worse than most? And what would the numbers need to look like for you to feel successful in your retention efforts? Talk to Your People The “turnover talk” can be an awkward and intimidating conversation to start but if you’re prepared to make changes, don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions. The tough questions don’t need to be extremely direct, such as asking, “Why do you believe so many employees are leaving?” You can find the answers you need by asking the right questions in the right way. Identify what you believe are several surface reasons for turnover, like the commute, not feeling valued, compensation, etc. and base your questions around those issues. Don’t forget to also ask open-ended questions and questions that encourage employees to speak freely and discuss issues outside of the list you establish. You may choose to utilize an anonymous online survey, a third-party surveyor, focus groups, informal conversations or a number of other methods. Additionally, take advantage of exit interviews with these exit interview questions, which can be eye-opening. See Things Through Their Eyes Even after identifying the turnover issues in your organization, it’s important to drill down and see why and how these issues affect your workforce. It may seem elementary, but spending a day walking, or rather working, in an average employee’s shoes, is not a bad idea. Generalizations are helpful when making company-wide improvements, but don’t lose sight of the fact that every position is different. For instance, someone in an administrative services position may define satisfaction at work very differently than someone in a sales position does. Understanding how to make the most of the knowledge of individual motivations in relation to company-wide initiatives and changes can be valuable. Self-Evaluate While hearing your employees’ opinions is invaluable, it never hurts to take an introspective look at the situation as well. It can be easy to claim ignorance about the issues going on in your company but when you look at things with a critical, unbiased eye, you’ll be surprised what you see. If you were forced to identify the turnover issues in your organization without any guidance or opinions from employees, what would you come up with? Even when you do have the benefit of hearing from employees, you likely bring a different perspective to the table since you also see behind the scenes. It’s your job to connect the dots and help identify the behind-the-scenes causes of their frustrations. What is the most significant cause of turnover in your business? Tell us about it and how you combat it in the comments section below.