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Employee churn costs U.S. businesses a collective $1 trillion per year. And it turns out about half of that painful spending might be avoidable.
Gallup found that 42% of voluntarily exiting employees say their managers or organizations could have done something to prevent them from leaving, and about half (51%) of U.S. workers are watching or actively seeking a new job as of May 2024. Some turnover is inevitable (retirements, relocations, etc.). But research suggests that about half of voluntary employee churn is preventable through more effective leadership — especially as it pertains to trust, growth opportunities, and legitimate channels for honest feedback.
Tyler Jensen, a leadership consultant and psychotherapist, said people have been burned in the past by speaking their minds at work. Leaders must be mindful of this and consistently demonstrate trustworthiness, he said.
“Besides the tried-and-true method of building trust over time, leaders can also implement self-directed criticism in front of the group, making it a process to be mirrored, rather than one initiated by the followers,” Jensen said.
It’s a conversation that demands specificity about what words mean. In this case, when we say criticism — defined as “the expression of disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults or mistakes” — we’re talking the ability of a staff member to notify a manager of an unforeseen negative outcome, or some time of roadblock or pain point they might be experiencing at work. We’re not talking about toxic negativity, or encouraging a workforce that complains without trying to be part of the solution.
Tina Schust Robinson, founder and CEO of leadership coaching firm WorkJoy LLC, cautions against inviting criticism, and prefers the idea of inviting feedback.
“When we hear criticism, the brain often interprets it as a threat, potentially triggering fight, flight, or freeze responses,” Robinson said. “This shuts down the prefrontal cortex, the part responsible for reasoning, creativity, and learning, making it harder for us to absorb and act upon the received information productively.”
A key concept in building the kind of trust that results in workers not wanting to leave is psychological safety. When we build a culture of safety, people feel empowered to communicate honestly without negative consequences. And a lot of good can result from that, even beyond retaining employees.
A version of this article originally appeared in Quartz’s Leadership newsletter. Sign up here to get the latest leadership news and insights straight to your inbox .
Employee churn costs U.S. businesses a collective $1 trillion per year. And it turns out about half of that painful spending might be avoidable.
Gallup found that 42% of voluntarily exiting employees say their managers or organizations could have done something to prevent them from leaving, and about half (51%) of U.S. workers are watching or actively seeking a new job as of May 2024. Some turnover is inevitable (retirements, relocations, etc.). But research suggests that about half of voluntary employee churn is preventable through more effective leadership — especially as it pertains to trust, growth opportunities, and legitimate channels for honest feedback.
Tyler Jensen, a leadership consultant and psychotherapist, said people have been burned in the past by speaking their minds at work. Leaders must be mindful of this and consistently demonstrate trustworthiness, he said.
“Besides the tried-and-true method of building trust over time, leaders can also implement self-directed criticism in front of the group, making it a process to be mirrored, rather than one initiated by the followers,” Jensen said.
It’s a conversation that demands specificity about what words mean. In this case, when we say criticism — defined as “the expression of disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults or mistakes” — we’re talking the ability of a staff member to notify a manager of an unforeseen negative outcome, or some time of roadblock or pain point they might be experiencing at work. We’re not talking about toxic negativity, or encouraging a workforce that complains without trying to be part of the solution.
Tina Schust Robinson, founder and CEO of leadership coaching firm WorkJoy LLC, cautions against inviting criticism, and prefers the idea of inviting feedback.
“When we hear criticism, the brain often interprets it as a threat, potentially triggering fight, flight, or freeze responses,” Robinson said. “This shuts down the prefrontal cortex, the part responsible for reasoning, creativity, and learning, making it harder for us to absorb and act upon the received information productively.”
A key concept in building the kind of trust that results in workers not wanting to leave is psychological safety. When we build a culture of safety, people feel empowered to communicate honestly without negative consequences. And a lot of good can result from that, even beyond retaining employees.
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