The cost of self-inflicted wounds on employee turnover

So, have you ever had a friend who embarks on really destructive behaviour? It’s obvious to you that it’ll all end in tears, but it’s hard to say anything, or to get your friend to listen?

Years ago, a really great friend of mine was starting to hit the bottle a bit too hard. Then I found that he was drinking in the mornings. Then he was buying cask wine (he was drinking so much he couldn’t afford even cheap quaffing bottles anymore).

I suggested we go out for morning walks. Try playing more golf. Talk about things more. See a professional therapist.

All to no avail: he didn’t think he had a problem.

Until, one day, he realised he did, and it was really, really ugly.

What can be crystal clear to an impartial observer can be clouded when you’re living that experience yourself.

And that’s what we find with so many organisations: they deny they have an employee turnover over problem, until something really awful happens and the really good people leave. That’s a business crisis that could have been avoided with careful planning, checks and balances, clear metrics about what’s acceptable and what’s not.

Do you sometimes think your organisation is in denial? Can more be done about employee turnover in deliberate, measured ways rather than waiting for the crisis?

Prevent your high value staff leaving by coming up with an employee turnover cost and strategy.


Subscribe to Retention Partners and get access to webinars and retention tips.