WHY EMPLOYEES LEAVE ORGANISATIONS ?- Azim Premji, CEO- Wipro
Every company faces the problem of people leaving the company for better pay or profile.
Early this year, Mark, a senior software designer, got an offer from a prestigious international firm to work in its India operations developing specialized software. He was thrilled by the offer.
He had heard a lot about the CEO. The salary was great. The company had all the right systems in place employee-friendly human resources (HR) policies, a spanking new office, and the very best technology, even a canteen that served superb food.
Twice Mark was sent abroad for training. “My learning curve is the sharpest it’s ever been,” he said soon after he joined.
Last week, less than eight months after he joined, Mark walked out of the job.
Why did this talented employee leave ?
Arun quit for the same reason that drives many good people away.
The answer lies in one of the largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. The study surveyed over a million employees and 80,000 managers and was published in a book called “First Break All The Rules”. It came up with this surprising finding:
If you’re losing good people, look to their manager …. the manageris the reason people stay and thrive in an organization. And he’s the reason why people leave. When people leave they take knowledge, experience and contacts with them, straight to the competition.
“ People leave managers not companies ,” write the authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman.
Mostly manager drives people away?
HR experts say that of all the abuses, employees find humiliation the most intolerable. The first time, an employee may not leave, but a thought has been planted. The second time, that thought gets strengthened. The third time, he looks for another job.
When people cannot retort openly in anger, they do so by passive aggression. By digging their heels in and slowing down. By doing only what they are told to do and no more. By omitting to give the boss crucial information. Dev says:
“If you work for a jerk, you basically want to get him into trouble. You don’t have your heart and soul in the job.”
Different managers can stress out employees in different ways – by being too controlling, too suspicious, too pushy, too critical, but they forget that workers are not fixed assets, they are free agents. When this goes on too long, an employee will quit – often over a trivial issue.
Talented men leave. Dead wood doesn’t.
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This post has 156 comments
December 2nd, 2011
People don’t always have to be followers. Leaders pursue the next step and next level always. That is not a manager’s thing to decide, but your own career path when you trace it yourself. Manager plays an important role with all if his/her direct reports; however, they are just one factor that could be meanningless if your own goals are way greater than of his/hers.
December 13th, 2011
This is possible only where work culture is professional. However, unfortunately, few companies have that kind of work culture and you need to lick your managers to move ahead in other places. In some places its not the work you do that matters, but how close you are to your manager.
December 10th, 2011
Azim, your are 100% correct. Its the way how the employee is treated and the work environment which makes him to take such a decision.
Managers, please don’t hesitate to accept the truth.
December 10th, 2011
I am very much agree with the above point and all my friends too . One thing is most important in any of the organization I.e. Motivation . If any employee feels demotivated from any of the point , from that time only employee try to look over to switch the company.
And motivation should falls down the line.
December 10th, 2011
People leave company not only bcoz of their Managers; The word Manger can be any one, who is immediate supervisor to the employee. He may be TL,PL,PM,VP,Director.
Other factors are… work/projects, team they work with, company policies, performance of the company, appraisal of their work.
do not put blam only on the manager.
December 29th, 2011
I am fully agree with Rachana’s point. The manager is one of the point for movement. The HR Policy, the work/ environment etc are other factors.
December 10th, 2011
Very true Sir…people still adjust with company policies as thts a part of rewiring of synapsis in the brain…but managers are the root cause…especially if the manager is a weak ear guy who has favourite licking his feet all the time….these managers assign their favourite employee with the task of spying on others without realising tht he is actually letting a lower guy dominate his intelligence…I think managers should be the one with spine and a free thinker who is capable of looking at things from others perspective….
December 12th, 2011
I am looking for a time to quit my Managers!!!
December 12th, 2011
I feel managers are only a small reason for employees to leave. Organization and governance also do contribute. B’coz when employees get hired they are really thrilled by the JD and feel elevated that they are going to work on the core of the technologies. Somewhere when talented employee get onboard he is stuck (not all) with the mundane tasks for some reason.
Currently there are lots of tools to perform a Managers overall competency like 360 degree, feedback systems etc., hardly I feel managers are the cause. Talented folks just don’t leave for manager reason, but if we don’t come close to their job expectation or give adequate responsibilities and growth, then retention is pure luck.
December 12th, 2011
Its true, most of peoples leave there companies because of there supervision. And salary, progress and learning are the common feedbacks which employees provide in Exit Interviews.
December 12th, 2011
Not all the managers are sailing on a same boat. Every employee either manager or executive are abide by the companies policies. But I strongly in favor of talented employee retention at any level.
December 12th, 2011
Very true Sir…people still adjust with company policies as thts a part of rewiring of synapsis in the brain…but managers are the root cause…especially if the manager is a weak ear guy who has favourite licking his feet all the time….these managers assign their favourite employee with the task of spying on others without realising tht he is actually letting a lower guy dominate his intelligence…I think managers should be the one with spine and a free thinker who is capable of looking at things from others perspective….
December 13th, 2011
It may be one way to leave the organization. Apart from this, employees will see his/her career. If they are satisfied with career growth, they will stay. Otherwise they will move to other concern where they will get good opportunity.
Its not only about mangers push and etc…
December 13th, 2011
Stretch with supports makes people grow and stretch without support destroys people. Managers are the leaders and they must be able to inspire their teams on a regular interval. The common issue has been found across the globe is “favoritism”. Carrier of many people has spoiled because of this. A talent is always ignored due to favoritism.
December 13th, 2011
60% employees in the companies look for a change when their managers are not cooperating and 30% leave when they are getting good raises in other companies. 10% employees, have no reasons either personal problem or location issues.
December 14th, 2011
Hello,
I’m very happy to notice that at-least there are few people who realizes about the reasons why employees look for change. And I agree with the fact that “Managers are the reasons to loose their best associates. ” I’m one more example to this case since I’m ready no to change from my current organization because of manager. Thanks for the nice review.
Regards,
Vamsi
December 14th, 2011
Definitely, a bad manager could be one of the many reasons for employees to quit.
An underpaid employee often leaves and most companies don’t want to recognize this fact. Sometimes managers are so good, that subordinates don’t have opportunities to grow any further, and they leave. People could leave for – challenge, position, pay and probably a better environment or for personal reasons. A healthy attrition is good to have. What companies should worry about is, ‘when their top performers leave?’ and should address those reasons!
December 14th, 2011
Very true! This is the reality in IT companies now……This article should be read by all the Managers ….
December 17th, 2011
Mr. Azim, you are making me get more confident statement “THE PEOPLE MOVE FOR NOT ONLY MONEY”
December 17th, 2011
WHAT PREM SIR SAID IT S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT , BUT MOST OF THE CASES LEAVING FROM THE ORGANISATION IS RELEATED TO SUPERIOR BEHAVIOR AND HANDLING TO DOWN THE LEVEL STAFF , BECAUSE FOR THE STAFF SUPERIOR IS THE BOSS AND OWNER OF THE COMPANY WHAT IMRESSION STARTS FROM MORNING TO EVENING ITS REGULARLY REFLECTS AND STAFF ALWAYS TRYING TO LEAVING FROM ORGANISATION WHEN SUPERIOR BEHAVIOR IS NOT ACCEPED BY STAFF SO HE TRIES TO MOVE FROM ORGANISATION.
December 18th, 2011
Its a fact. Managers are the catalyst for an employee to quit.(But not in all the cases. Exceptions are there)
December 20th, 2011
Blamed it on TLs and Managers. Kind of true I guess, but nothing about diminishing salaries of IT personals in most Indian Companies.
December 20th, 2011
I think, “the boss is always right”.
There is no need to blame the managers. If the allotted work is in 100% perfection, no need to bother about the manager’s comments and all. Our perfection in work will lead us to the top. Here, managers are just our teachers who are helping us to elevate to the top, gradually. Likewise, they get trained well in the management per se by managing us !!!
December 23rd, 2011
Very true in deed. sometimes the owners of the business are the ones which make managers going as well! Too often managers’ poor performance are notice very late when several good guys have left already! Management skill is mostly learn through experience and less via education. A good manager is the coach of the team, like in sport, his/her performance will reflect on all employees. Germain
December 26th, 2011
Azim Sir, You’re absolutely correct. Getting a persuasive manager by an employee only is one factor of Hertzberg’s motivation factor. Still lot many left… Wonderful article, need to be reviewed by all. Thanks
December 26th, 2011
Fully agree for mid to senior employees. At that level people work beyond money for the fulfilment, aspirations and the potential of those being met in the organization. And for all that they look at no one but their manager, as a coach, as a motivator and truly speaking as a role model. The manager let its employee see things in different perspective in any organizaiton. At junior level dynamics are different. Its a problem of our system which we have built – well we have our own compulsions – binds us with tons of boundaries, like, grade, bell curve, fitment ignoring, potential, aspirations and individual perspective. The day we would be able figure out a way, where we would not consider junior employees as “batch” and treat them as an individual from all perspective, dynamics could be totally different. We will have employees who would one day become CXO in the company they start their career.
December 27th, 2011
Many times employee leaves because he wants to explore the the other challenges in the technology. The company he is working business is in only a particular area and he gets bored.
December 27th, 2011
Its very true lines, I observe these kind issue with tech managers specially,interesting things is that in these all cases HR just keeping as silency.
December 28th, 2011
Not agree with this point. When a manager can take 1000 mistake of his team on his head,can’T he say a single word to his team. This is only for the betterment of his team . But team take it other wise. When first time PM point out their mistake(team),they start thinking for a new job.as they get they leave the organization.We work only for our betterment.Never think about the betterment of company
December 29th, 2011
I too agree with the above article. I would like to know why managers are identifying extra aggressiveness as “too smart” & puts a barrier even before anyone see’s the result of being extra aggressive. Also the safe climbers always gets the top edge. Question is who does a real managers likes having in the team, an anchored safe handler or pinch hitter with results. Anyway, of-course he’ll definitely will have a head stand even than the current manager. I personnely like to be with the extra step with results as a profitable asset to the organization. So i know for sure the organization will take care of my growth.
December 29th, 2011
I looked at this topic and thought it was very timely and interesting. I am looking to move on and most of the reason for this is as you say poor managers (whick includes company owners). We’ve either fired or let go every sales guy they’ve hired in 7 years. Mangement style has either been too restrictive to allow others to “soar to thier best hieghts” or demeaning to inspire. We are controlled with a “kick in the ass” policy and have been told that the “carrot approach” does not work. Funny how some managers are so arrogant they can’t see thier own effects on the team. I so need to be in a place where team players are valued, varied approaches are welcome and where I want to give more than what is expected because there is give and take… I think all employees that have pride would agree.
December 30th, 2011
Agreed, the most important thing as Parmit Jain said is motivation & also clear targets if the employee is confused what exactly he is doing and not focused then also they start looking for a change.
December 31st, 2011
I agree with all of the comments. Management plays a vital role and one needs to have trust in them and that they are looking after your best interests. False promises; micro managing; politics; not empowering their people – makes for poor moral over all. One can only live with this for so long and then they leave.
January 1st, 2012
Dear Sir, One of the important reason why good people leave is “lack of appriciation for good work done” or even worst “manager takes all the credit for the excellent work done actually by his subordinate!”. Good people stay because of work satisfaction, freedon and money. They also donot negotiate many of these at work, if they find lack of any of these, they just leave.