January 10th was National Quitter’s Day—the second Friday of the new year, which is the day when most people forget about their new year’s resolutions and start quitting.
This is also the time when people quit their jobs, after getting their bonuses, of course.
And then managers begin contemplating (read: ruminating on)…what else could I have done to retain this employee?
Maybe you’re wondering how you can get your employees to quit quitting.
Well, you can’t.
As a workplace strategist for the last 25 years and someone who wrote the book (okay a book) on retention, I’m here to tell you that it’s time to give retention a reframe.
First, let’s consider the very definition of “retain”: To keep, hold on to, or possess.
Can you see why retention as a goal is so wrong?
Here’s the thing: The median tenure of an employee as of January 2024 is 3.9 years, the lowest since January 2002, according to the BLS. You can do everything right and people may still leave. Especially Gen Z.
The good news is that if people are going to leave anyway, the pressure is off!
Instead of focusing on retention at all costs, try this instead: transform employee churn into a positive return. What does that mean? It means broadening your view to reconsider the impact employees have on your business. Instead of trying to keep them in rigid roles, expand their ability to add value by allowing them to move around the company. And when you do this well, they can continue to contribute even after they leave.
Because trust me, they will.
Ok, so what can you do to get started on this reframe?
Here are three things that great human leaders do to make sure the revolving door of talent is actually an ecosystem of good will:
- Start as you mean to go on: Especially when onboarding, be intentional about getting people up to speed on your values and how their roles are connected to the mission of your organization. This will help people feel connected to themselves and the purpose of the company, which leads to higher engagement and job satisfaction.
- Develop your employees up, down, and sideways: People want to grow on the job, so make sure you’re giving them opportunities to develop, even (and especially) allowing them to move within the organization. Great human leaders know they can’t hoard talent!
- Say goodbye gracefully: As people move on, think about all the ways to stay connected to that exiting employee and ways to invite them to stay connected (alumni networks, mentor to employees, guest on a company podcast). If they leave on a positive note, they may just become a brand ambassador, a referral resource, a future client, or even a boomerang employee.
So the next time someone comes into your office and says, “I’m quitting,” take a deep breath. Refrain from saying, don’t let the door hit you on the way out (as tempting as it may be!).
And remember that if you’re a great human leader, it’s not goodbye, it’s see you later.
1/28/25
