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The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It¹s Too Late by Robert Morris

The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It¹s Too Late
Leigh Branham
AMACOM

This book is based on a wealth of research conducted by or in collaboration with the Saratoga Institute. The observations and conclusions which Branham shares are wholly consistent with what has been revealed by countless other research studies. According to Branham, there are four fundamental human needs. If one or more are not being met, an employee becomes dissatisfied, less productive, perhaps disruptive, and may leave. They are the needs for trust and hope as well as for feeling a sense of worth and of having competence. No news there. This book¹s value is derived from what Branham has to say about seven less obvious (if not ³hidden²) needs. He focuses on several ³subtle signs² by which to identify them and then suggests how to take appropriate action before it is too late. For example, Reason #1: the job or workplace was not as expected. Whose fault is that? Could be those involved in the interview/hiring process who over-sold the job; could be the person hired. Perhaps blame must be shared by everyone directly involved. In any event, Branham explains how to recognize the warning signs of unmet expectations, identifies obstacles to meeting mutual expectations, and suggests eight specific ³engagement practices² for matching mutual expectations. Branham also devotes an entire chapter to each of the other six reasons, followed by two appendices, each of which all by itself is well worth the cost of this book. Appendix A offers a ³Summary Checklist of Employer-of-Choice Engagement Practices²; Appendix B offers ³Guidelines and Considerations for Exit Interviewing/Surveying and Turnover Analysis.² In Topgrading: How Leading Companies Win by Hiring, Coaching and Keeping the Best People, Bradford D. Smart explains why the average cost of a mis-hire is 24 times the annual salary. (That¹s right: 24 times the annual salary.) I am unaware of what the average cost of losing a highly-valued employee would be but it must certainly be substantial.