Why do the folks in charge of the company treasure quit their jobs? Not enough money, what else? But that’s just the most often cited reason, and giving good people a richer compensation package isn’t the solution to stemming the flood of top talent going out the door.
That’s what Robert Half, the staffing firm, found when it interview 2,100 CFOs from around the United States. Robert Half also got input from 300 rank-and-file employees, and found that they too tend to leave due to money — even more frequently than do the CFOs.
But it’s not all about money, the survey revealed. A blocked career path leads to many voluntary exits, as do disagreements with the way the folks in the C-Suite are running the show.
Robert Half posed the following question to the CFOs and rank-and-filers:
Which one of the following is most likely to cause good employees to quit their jobs?
Here’s the breakdown by CFOs and rank-and-file, respectively:
Armed with these results, Robert Half helpfully offered some advice on how to address these factors in the loss of key talent.
1. Absence of a career path
Employees need a career map, one that will give them confidence that management has big plans for them. “Work with staff to identify potential advancement opportunities and the resources needed to pursue them,” RH advises.
2. Lack of training
Once you’ve given employees a career laded with real rungs, provide the training they’ll need for each step up. This isn’t one-size-fits-all: guidance should be customized. Skill-enhancing tools, mentorship opportunities and continuing education should be on this menu.