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Dumb Rules That Make Your Employees Want to Quit
Every job is bound to have one or two rules that drive you up the wall. Some of them might be mere trifles that make you roll your eyes before getting on with your day, but others are a bit more problematic.
And while it’s hard to say that any one of these rules will be enough to make an employee want to quit, turnover is often a “death by a thousand cuts” situation. Lots of small things add up over time until we reach a breaking point. And with that in mind, it’s worth reviewing which rules may contribute most to turnover.
Strict Clock-In/Clock-Out Rules
The industrial revolution is over, folks. It’s time to stop making your employees punch-in. (unless you’re working in a medical field or other appointment-based service industry, but that’s a given.) The practice is a holdover from the era of assembly-line manufacturing, where everybody had to be in their position at the same time—but for modern office work and creative roles, it just doesn’t make sense.
Give your team some flexibility in when they arrive. A few minutes of leeway in either direction won’t hurt the business, but the mental stress of having to make it to the clock by 8 a.m. can certainly hurt the employee.
Lack of Remote Working Opportunities
Depending on the job, failing to provide remote working opportunities when needed can be a big detriment to worker satisfaction. If a job can be done remotely, it’s nice to give employees the option.
According to one study, 70% of professionals around the world work remotely at least one day per week, and the benefits of remote working overall are well-documented. They don’t need to go full-time, but getting even one day out of the office can be a big boost to long-term satisfaction.
Outdated Feedback Methods
Feedback is a tricky area to navigate in terms of employee turnover. Here, we’d like to specifically focus on the outdated notion of annual performance evaluations. Lots of companies still rely on this approach, but one review per year isn’t enough to keep tabs on performance.
Instead, we recommend scheduling a series of smaller check-in evaluations, occurring at least every few months. This two-way channel is a simple way to keep tabs on employees, and it guarantees that any concerns they have will be addressed in a timely manner.
Written Proof of Medical Visits
For a long time, it was common for employers to request verification when employees took sick leave. These days, it’s considered a little patronizing. Aren’t we past the days where we need handwritten notes to excuse our absences? This is a question of trust when you get down to it. If you can’t trust your employees to be honest, they shouldn’t be your employees in the first place.
Smart Policies to Avoid Turnover
Some turnover is unavoidable, but if frustrated employees are the norm rather than the exception in your workplace, then you might have a problem. Take a look at your company policies (especially the older ones that haven’t been updated in a while) and see whether your rules may be doing more harm than good.
Urgenci
