Despite a manager’s best efforts or an organization’s noble mission, employees will leave, and that includes the good ones.
In their book “Hello Stay Interviews, Goodbye Talent Loss,” Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans offer several warning signs or observations that could mean someone has a foot out the door. They include:
A project is winding down, no clear next step;
Blocked promotional or learning opportunities;
Doing the same thing for years, and bored;
Perceived or real takeaways (something lost—the water cooler, e.g.—not a lesson learned);
Poor or no relationship with the boss;
Recent or pending downsizing;
Friends have left the company;
No apparent career path;
Hot job market;
“She used to contribute in meetings and is now very quiet. Her heart just doesn’t seem in it;”
“Every day now he arrives late, leaves early, and takes long lunches;”
“A sign they might leave is making a major update to their LinkedIn profile. Every time I’ve seen that, it turned out they were looking;”
“When they stop volunteering for special projects or task forces, I worry that the thrill is gone;”
“When the former optimist turns pessimist, I wonder what’s up. It could be something else, or it could be the job;”
“One guy started showing his buddies the job openings he was finding on the Internet;”
“A younger employee asked several people at work to review her updated resumé;” and,
“When they used to always join the Friday night happy hour and now they don’t.”
