Why People Quit

As important as such initiatives can be, one bad boss can spoil everything. The way a person is treated by his or her boss may be the primary factor in determining whether an employee stays or goes. People who have quit their jobs cite the following behavior by superiors:

  • Making unreasonable work demands
  • Refusing to value their opinions
  • Failing to be clear about what's expected of subordinates
  • Rejecting work unnecessarily
  • Showing favoritism in compensation, rewards, or promotions
Holding managers accountable for excessive turnover can help alleviate the "bad-boss" problem, at least in the long run. In any case, whenever an employee quits, it's a good idea for someone – someone other than the individual's immediate supervisor – to conduct an exit interview to find out why. Knowing why people are quitting gives an organization the opportunity to correct problems that are causing high turnover rates.