People with a clear purpose not only gets the job done, but also pushes the boundaries of expectation and possibility

People do not want to job-hunt. It’s a huge pain in the neck. They resist it.

So what would trigger such an action .. mostly the root cause is a non supportive / fearful boss or non contributing or non collaborative work environment. In such a scenario, they will do start job-hunting, whether they want to or not.

On exit interviews, HR will find later that the organisation might not have created a welcoming environment, did not respect the employee well and/or was not mindful of the employee needs.

The top reasons for triggering such an action is as follows .. Insufficient training during the on boarding process. that the boss made the employee feel under-appreciated, overworked or unfairly treated with the expression of favoritism. They will also be left with the feeling of unprepared due to a lack of training or be left to figure out for themselves how their job fits into the bigger picture.

The managers miss to see the fact that a poor (or no) onboarding program, the “process of helping new hires adjust to social and performance aspects of their new jobs quickly and smoothly”, or training opportunities leave the new hire feel demotivated.

In few days time many employees might realises that their boss cannot rise out of his fear-fueled state to see him as a person. They cannot see anyone that way. The fearful boss cannot.

People mired in fear cannot save them from their panicked state. Such bosses won't be able to think longitudinally or relax into the awareness that every problem can be solved if we can trust ourselves and other people. Juniors will feel sorry for people mired in fear but they cannot save them from their panicked state.

Employees might also regularly get in to situations where they worked until midnight to save their boss’s tush and got admonished for coming to work twenty minutes late the next morning.

Not being given the opportunity to do the work he or she was hired to do also causes frustration, as well as mistrust, until the employee realises he can no longer cope with the position, leading them to seek alternative employment.

Employees for a long time, rationalize their boss’s non acceptable behaviors or the tough situations they are facing. They try as hard as they can to make it work.

Finally one day they will announce that an amazing job offer flew in from left field and fell in my lap”.

People leave an organization that doesn’t value them or their observations. Good employees, button their lip through months of years of unfortunate incidents, managerial missteps and indignities their boss neither apologizes for nor, evidently, perceives.

They start thinking that in order to stay healthy ourselves we have to get away from them, and that is why good employees leave. Who would continue to push a rock uphill at work when the world is so big?

And the Manager will bury their head in the sand and say “Too bad Rahul quit — we’ll miss him! He said he loved his job here, but he got an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

To ensure such occurrences are rare, bosses should help employees to gain an in-depth understanding of how the company works ASAP on their joining. Seeing how they can contribute to the success of the company and getting delighted with responsibilities quickly will motivate them, with the assurance that they understand what the brand is all about.

It is also important to establish a positive working relationship environment. The manager should make an effort to get to know the employee, clearly define their role and communicate their performance expectations.

This typically involves coaching and providing regular feedback. In addition, the leaders should lead by example by maintaining healthy office relationships.

During Feb 2017, SBI, the biggest bank in India, put out a big advertisement seeking probationary officers for the bank emphasising the big opportunity bank is offering. Half the advertisement has a smiling picture of the bank’s chairman, Arundhati Bhattacharya, who herself was part of the 1977 batch of probationary officers. It smartly communicated what kind of coaching SBI will provide in terms of career growth.

Employees want to learn and grow their career with people they respect and who respect them in return. As our work is part of our lives, managers and HR should encourage employees to enjoy time away from the office ( after a reasonable hour working day / week/ month), disconnected from the stresses and interruptions that their careers can bring. They should also be given the right tools, empowerment and opportunities that will help them succeed in their role and build on their strengths, so they will be motivated to stay.

The key to success in business is all about people, people, people. It should go without saying, if we look after our people, our customers and bottom line will be rewarded too. 

Managers should embrace the different needs of each member of their team rather than try to impose a one-size-fits-all solution to challenges. People want to work on responsibilities that mean something to them, and be surrounded by colleagues who treat them with the respect they deserve. If treated like the capable adults that they are, they will make capable adult decisions that benefit your business.

A healthy and happy workforce is a motivated workforce. And a motivated workforce with a clear purpose not only gets the job done, but also innovates and pushes the boundaries of expectation and possibility.

"Success in business is all about people – take care of them & they’ll take care of business. It’s that simple" .. Richard Branson