Every day, millions of people around the world hand in their resignation, in fact, around one in five workers plan to quit their jobs this year, according to a recent survey of the global workforce. Yet, managers are often surprised when one of their team hands in their notice.
As a hiring manager, how can you pre-empt this and react accordingly?
If they are displaying these signs, they could be seeking opportunities elsewhere:
- Their performance has waned
Has the quality of their work diminished? Did they always go the extra mile or exceed targets but now it’s like they can’t be bothered?
If an employee has mentally checked out and has a new opportunity on the horizon, this impacts their performance.
Even if they don’t have an offer yet – preparing materials for upcoming interviews or job applications will distract them from their current role and they will be focusing their energy there.
- Their attendance has slipped
While many employees will leave on time regularly because of personal commitments, it’s easy to spot who is leaving because they are completely disengaged from their job.
If an employee is leaving as soon as their shift is over, regardless of the amount of work they have, this is a sign they no longer care enough to put in the extra effort.
Perhaps they’re suddenly submitting short notice leave requests for random days of the week? They could even be taking longer lunches or are unreachable when they work from home.
These are all signs that they’re interviewing.
- They’re disconnected
If an employee seems distant, perhaps having less interaction with colleagues or avoiding work social occasions, they’re starting to disengage with the team and you wouldn’t do that if you planned to stay with your organisation, would you? After all, we spend most of our time at work!
- Using their mobile more frequently
If your employee is regularly disappearing outside to speak on their mobile, or they seem to be using it more often than usual during work hours, they may be speaking to a hiring manager or recruiter.
- Brushing up their LinkedIn
Have you noticed they have updated their LinkedIn profile, and are more active or connecting with hiring managers and recruiters?
Another big sign is that they suddenly have recommendations on their profile when they didn’t before.
If you notice any of these things, they are likely using LinkedIn as a key tool in their job hunt.
- They’re gossiping or disagreeing with other employees
What’s their attitude like with other staff? If they’re gossiping or causing unnecessary drama, this is often a reflection of how they feel about their job and/or the company.
Unfortunately, when people are unhappy with their job, they can quickly spread their thoughts to teammates either by being negative or argumentative, with no intention to patch things up.
Someone who wants to stay with their employer wouldn’t want to fall out with their team or be labelled a gossip.
- They are dressing better
Is your normally casual employee now turning up more formal and groomed than usual? Unless they have a work meeting that day, they may well have an interview scheduled after work.
- They asked for something (but didn’t get it)
Be it a salary increase, promotion, or something else, having their request declined may have prompted them to look elsewhere (remember, the grass sometimes looks greener!).
If any of the above signs coincide with your employee asking for something and not getting it, it would point to them looking for a new opportunity.
What should you do?
Don’t panic! These signs can also point to an unhappy employee – this doesn’t mean it’s work-related either, there could be something happening in their personal lives that is taking up their mental space.
As a manager, the first thing you should do is sit down with them, explain that you have noticed they have been acting differently, and ask them how they are.
If there is a problem in the workplace or their personal life, as a manager its important that you think about how or if you can fix these issues or support them better.
No matter the outcome, this conversation will provide food for thought on how you can improve company culture, retain staff, and cut down employee turnover.
What next?
If your chat doesn’t provide an explanation as to why their performance has changed at work or steps to take to keep them at the company, and you still suspect they are on the job hunt or mid-interview process, you need to prepare for (and mentally accept) a resignation coming your way soon.
You should start working with an expert recruiter on your hiring strategy, from what you are looking for to what type of talent is available in the market and how you can start the hiring process.