Think you can spot a flight risk at work? You may be missing some of the less flamboyant signals. Check out our tips below to get a head start on employees who are thinking of leaving the cube farm for greener pastures.
Now, it doesn’t take a genius to know something’s up when a co-worker keeps showing up late, dressed in a suit for no apparent reason, and taking personal calls in the janitor’s closet. Unfortunately, the signs are usually a bit more subtle than that:
They make hard copies/backups of their work. Can’t pad a resume if you don’t have any padding on-hand… you may find employees requesting copies of files they took part in creating with others, or downloading the contents of their PC to a USB drive as “backup.” Might want to keep an eye on those people – especially if they ask for copies of other people’s work.
They ask for more money. There are several schools of thought regarding how to deal with employees who request raises outside of their annual review periods, but the predominant school is to let ‘em go. It isn’t about the money, it’s about being frustrated with their current situation.
They keep showing up on your LinkedIn updates. This one is, frankly, amazingly accurate. In both a nod to the value and a knock on the engagement of LinkedIn, the vast majority of its users only use the site when they’ve landed a new job or are looking for another one. If the guy next to you has connected with 20 people in the past week and written a handful of recommendations, that guy is a goner.
They mentally check out of group-based work, OR they start taking a more active role in mentoring others within the group. This facet really depends on why they employee is leaving, and how close they are. It’s understood that a co-worker who has stopped participating is probably unfulfilled, but once that person feels they’ve secured a new gig, don’t be surprised to see them helping others out like they never have before.
They take anything off their desk that has sentimental value. If you see that a mom took home a photo of her son or a painting by her grandkid, you may want to get the paperwork going on a replacement. Just saying.
Any of these ring true in your experience? Can you think of some more clues? Hit the comments!
Recent Comments