July 2017
When some employees quit, we heave a sigh of relief. But when valued employees quit, bosses panic. What made them want to abandon ship? Why didn’t I see this coming? However, what may seem like a sudden employee departure can be easily explained.
Regardless of the job, the reasons are consistent across the board:
Reason #1: Toxic Work Environment
You don’t invest in companies. You invest in people. People and culture are one of the most important aspects of any job. It doesn’t matter if the job role, the title, or the compensation is a perfect fit. As social beings, we need positive, daily interaction with others. At the very least, for spending 40 hours per week in an office, it should be in good company.
Reason #2: Limited Work/Life Balance
Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. Employees seek flexibility in the workplace that will allow them to manage other responsibilities on the side like family, health, and personal goals. Even the most successful and career-driven individuals understand the importance of balance.
Reason #3: Poor Compensation
“If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys,” James Goldsmith—financier and political crusader—famously said. If you’re not willing to pay for top talent, you will be unable to retain or recruit top talent. In this instance, it’s beneficial to compare yourself—and your business—to others. Consider: What do your competitors offer that you don’t? How can you level the playing field?
Reason #4: Rare Recognition
It comes down to positive versus negative reinforcement. While negative reinforcement is more effective for sparking behavioral change and breaking bad habits, positive reinforcement influences whether you get the job done and how well you do it. Employees need to be rewarded for good performance, otherwise they’ll lose motivation.
Reason #5: Bad Benefits
Similar to Reason #3, you must pay to play. Further, employees need tangible assurance that their well being will be attended to on-the-job. This means competitive 401(k) plans with matching, tuition reimbursement, paid time off, etc. Competitive benefits will allow your business to recruit and retain top talent.
Reason #6: Zero Mobility
If employees can’t grow, they’ll go. Not everyone is content with coasting, especially young and hungry candidates—the ones who will work hard, long hours driven by passion and personal goals. If there’s no career trajectory, or employees feels themselves topping out and becoming overburdened by redundant job duties, they’ll seek opportunities elsewhere.
Reason #7: Unfulfilled Goals
Almost everyone has an imagined career path and goals. Sometimes, the path and goals change subtly. Occasionally, they change so dramatically the current job or career path no longer fit the desired destination. It’s up to management to tune into their teams and find ways to integrate company goals with an employee’s personal ones.
Reason #8: Inept Management
Unsurprisingly, the number one reason employees quit is due to bad managers: “According to Gallup polls, 50% of employees who quit cite their manager as the reason.” People join companies for compensation, benefits, and opportunities, but they can’t always anticipate how a future manager will impact mentality and performance and eventually, they leave.
Filled Positions
While your instinct may be to slow down job searches during the summer months, now is a perfect opportunity to regroup on your goals and ramp up your efforts before fall!
The life sciences industry encompasses a myriad of subcategories and potential positions. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics), life sciences occupations are projected to grow 7 percent from 2014 to 2024.
We’ve recently helped candidates fill the following positions:
Clinical Trial Associate
Clinical Project Manager
Clinical Data Manager
Bioinformatics Engineer
SAS Programmer
eTMF Specialist
NGS Engineer