Despite common suppositions and speculations by scholars and managers, we still don’t know very much about the signs which reveal when an employee is about to quit.
Most bosses can be caught off guard when a mass of employees quits, just as it can happen when only one valued employee decides to resign.
So, it is of utmost importance for the managers to look for the symptoms that show someone is about to quit early on because losing a valued employee or several employees would drastically disrupt their business.
So, here are 11 signs given by psychologists that show when an employee is about to quit.
1. THERE IS A CHANGE IN THEIR APPEARANCE
If your employee changes their dressing style and suddenly they are dressing uncommonly sharp – this may be a sign that they are going to job interviews before or after work. Contrary, if someone starts to dress down may be a sign that they feel unhappy or that no one is paying attention to them, so they stopped caring.
2. THERE IS A SUDDEN DECLINE IN THEIR INTEREST IN WORK
If you notice that your employee has ceased offering new ideas and suggestions at meetings – this is a bad sign. Their lack of interest and input in the new projects may be a sign that they have lost their motivation and they don’t care about the future of the company because they won’t be there.
3. YOU CAN TELL BY THEIR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND BODY LANGUAGE
There are subtle shifts in the body language that can give you clues that your employee is about to quit. Look for signs of anger, guilt or shame. They may be disengaged because they are angry, or they may feel guilty if they are job hunting behind your back.
4. THEY START TAKING MORE TIME OFF
Has your employee suddenly started to call in sick more than usual? Or, did they start using up sporadically their vacation days? If yes, these are signs that they are disengaged and unfocused at work, so they use their sick days to find a new job. Plus, their sudden use of vacation days may be a sign that they are about to quit so they want to get all the benefits they can.
5. THEY APPROACH CONFLICT DIFFERENTLY
When someone is about to call it quits, there might be a change in their handling of conflicts. If they tried everything they could to solve a disagreement before, now they no longer do it because they don’t feel like they should bother anymore since they look for a new job.
6. THEY UNDERGO A MAJOR LIFE CHANGE
If they are facing a major disruption or crisis in their family life, they may begin to look for new possibilities due to various reasons – to work closer to home, for instance, for higher incomes, less stressful work environment and so on.
7. THEY LACK A SENSE OF HUMOR
An employee that is about to quit might stop joking around. They are most likely to behave in a straightforward and serious manner. They might also no longer be lighthearted and friendly like they were before because they no longer try to impress anyone or be supportive.
8. THEIR PRODUCTIVITY DROPS
If your employee suddenly gets reports in late, or there is a noticeable fall in their sales – something might be wrong. Any sign that an employee is not fully present at work is a huge red flag.
9. THERE IS A NOTED CHANGE IN THEIR ATTITUDE
If you notice that your employee suddenly makes sarcastic comments more than usual about work issues, or they have become more irritable – it is a sign that they don’t believe in the company and where it is headed. Also, a lack of enthusiasm is a clear sign that you might lose your employee soon.
10. THEY STAY UNDER THE COMMUNICATION RADAR
If your employee is considering resignation, they might try to skip communication at all costs. They might rarely respond to emails, they might be silent in person, or they won’t communicate in general. This is because they don’t want to expose themselves or put themselves at risk having to answer questions that might jeopardize their job.
11. YOU HAVE A GUT FEELING
If you feel there is discomfort among your team, or you get an awkward feeling every time you are at the office – this is a sign that there is a displeasure among one or more of the employees, and they are about to bail. Instincts are important, but most people decide not to trust them. Trust your gut – the truth is always in you.
Mary Wright is a professional writer with more than 10 years of incessant practice. Her topics of interest gravitate around the fields of the human mind and the interpersonal relationships of people.If you have a general question or comment please fill out the form and we will get back to you as soon as possible https://curiousmindmagazine.com/contact-us/ .