The Real Reasons Employees Quit

A human resources friend once told me, “People don’t quit jobs; they quit supervisors.”

 

A recent survey seems to support her assertion. The 2008 survey, conducted online by the human resources consulting firm Right Management, lists the most common reasons that employees change jobs in their careers, in this order:

 

- Downsizing or restructuring (54 percent)

- Sought new challenges or opportunities (30 percent)

- Ineffective leadership (25 percent)

- Poor relationship with manager (22 percent)

- To improve work/life balance (21 percent)

- Contributions were not valued (21 percent)

- Sought better compensation and benefits (18 percent)

- Sought better alignment of personal and organizational values (17 percent)

- Personal strengths and capabilities weren’t a good fit (16 percent)

- Company was financially unstable (13 percent)

- Company or job was relocated (12 percent).

 

It may surprise some people to know that “more money” is not high on the list. Note that it’s seventh and cited by only 18 percent of those surveyed. In fact, “better compensation” is behind “ineffective leadership,” “poor relationship with manager,” and “contributions were not valued” – all reflections of poor management.

 

I’ve been fortunate to have had so many good supervisors in my career. All but perhaps two were good or excellent. Today, I couldn’t tell you my salary when I left those two jobs for other opportunities, but I still remember the unprofessional antics of those two supervisors.

 

Senior leaders in good organizations would do well to heed the results of this study. Employees may complain about money, but they quit supervisors.