One major key to a successful business is a steady workforce. It is always a major loss when an organization invests its time and resources on top achievers only to have them leave prematurely. There are employees who quit due to health issues and other unavoidable circumstances. Unfortunately, a large number of them who leave do so as a result of an uncomfortable work environment. After putting so much effort into hiring the best employees, it is highly vital to retain that talent.

Retirement plans, good salary, and benefits are some of the factors prioritized by employees when they are looking for a job. However, these are not reasons enough to keep them for the long haul. What makes employees stay or leave?

1. Schedule Flexibility

Many times, managers are too inconsiderate that they forget employees need to attend to other things unrelated to work. A stringent work environment does not allow employees to offload personal demands. Expanding flexibility is a highly critical priority that not only encourages working families to stay around, but also drives engagement.

Job sharing (where a company gains a broader perspective in the position), telecommunicating (productivity increases), reduced work, and sabbaticals, among others, are some of the factors that create a balance between work and personal life.

In fact, flexibility is a powerful asset towards facilitating a healthy balance between work and life obligations. It is something that appeals to employees of all ages. Job flexibility creates high levels of concentration, productivity, commitment, and loyalty.

2. Skill Recognition

Top achievers expect a timely and formal, or informal, acknowledgement of their effort in supporting the goals and values of the company. That alone confirms they are valued partners. Employee recognition has two aspects.

The first one is identifying an opportunity to praise. When not in a receptive frame of mind, many employers miss out on major opportunities to praise. The other one is the tangible act of acknowledging employees for their great effort.

They enjoy recognition through written, personal, public, or electronic praise from the management. As an employer, understand that recognizing skill is a huge communication component. It sends an extremely powerful message to the parties involved affirming that their work is valued.

Recognition increases individual productivity, creates employee satisfaction, reduces turnover, builds higher loyalty from customers, enhances teamwork, and reduces negative effects such as absenteeism.

3. Clear Goals

Setting clear business goals informs employees of where you are going and how you plan to get there. Whenever employees want to make significant decisions, this is what they tend to relate to for guidance.

It is important to formulate job descriptions so employees understand what is required of them. Top achievers look for ways to participate in the success of a business. However, if they are not clear on what they need to do to make it happen, they may lose their motivation and leave.

Lack of clear goals is prohibitive. Instead of feeling empowered, employees feel disempowered.

Top achievers want to build their sense of autonomy over their performance. They want to monitor their progress over a certain period of time to correct their efforts if necessary. They will likely appreciate opportunities to grow their skills, whether through team building seminars or company mentorship programs.

4. Challenge

First, understand there is a huge distinction between challenging and overworking. Challenges allow your employees to invest fully in the business and take ownership of their activities. Overworking them destroys loyalty and kills passion.

Employees who prefer more labor than challenge shouldn’t be working for you in the first place. The desire to get overworked is not a desire to progress and does not represent internal drive. Top achievers want to be challenged to stay lively and passionate about what they do.

This boosts productivity and increases profitability. Without healthy challenge, your top talent is likely to leave. Importantly, practice open communication with your employees to build trust and loyalty.

Unexpected talent departure is one thing that can be highly disruptive to any business. The truth is that employees leave when there is a disconnect with the management. Engaged, highly challenged, rewarded, and valued employees perform highly and rarely leave an organization. However, when any of these areas is overlooked, they tend to leave for a competitor organization.