Leigh Branham is the expert on why employees disengagement and eventually leaving their employers. His book, The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It’s Too Late, is based on his data analysis from the Saratoga Institute’s database of 19,700 exit and current employee surveys it had conducted for organizations in 17 different industries from 1999 through 2003. His book identifies and discusses the seven hidden reasons employees disengage and leave:

1. The job or workplace was not as expected: “Many workers have an unrealistic expectation about the job or workplace or in some cases are deliberately misled during the interviewing process.”
2. There is a mismatch between job and person: “The need to hire quickly leads to the hiring of warm bodies just to fill slots; managers think that the skills that make people eligible for the job are more important than the talent that makes them suitable for the job; managers think that anyone can do the low-level jobs well. And by doing so, they disrespect the excellence it takes to keep customers coming back; and managers wrongly think that training will transform the wrong people into the right people — that they can put in what was left out. Instead of asking a turkey to climb a tree, we
   need to learn that it’s better to hire a squirrel.”
3. There is too little coaching and feedback: “Lack of feedback is the number-one reason for performance-problems.”
4. There are too few growth and advancement opportunities: “Obstacles include managers who are reluctant to discuss career issues with their employees, rigid time-in-grade policies that restrict employees from advancing when ready, and managers who hoard and stifle talent by blocking movement to other departments.”
5. Workers feel devalued and unrecognized: “There are many different reasons why workers may feel devalued: inequality of pay for similar work, not being acknowledged for a job well done, being treated with disrespect, having their differences regarded as negative rather than prized, not receiving the right resources, and having to work in an unacceptable physical work environment are a few. Unfortunately, all these are symptomatic of viewing employees as interchangeable, disposable, and easily replaceable, which is still very prevalent in American business.”
6. Workers suffer from stress due to overwork and work-life imbalance: “Workers from Generations X and Y will continue to insist on having more time outside of work to live their lives. They want something their parents didn’t have: a sane work-life balance.”
7. There is a loss of trust and confidence in senior leaders: “If you don’t have trust in your senior leaders, you basically have no foundation for becoming an employer of choice.”

Does this sound familiar? If you’re an employer, then check out Branham’s article and book on the subject so you can make systematic changes in how you’re managing your employees. If you’re an employee feeling any of Branham’s signs, but can’t put your finger on it, then buy his book. It explains why you’re feeling unsettled, unhappy, or angry. After reading book, you’ll be to determine how you can be proactive with your manager in attempting to fix problems with your job, assuming you want to re-engage.

Recommended Reading List

• The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It’s Too Late by Leigh Branham
• Love It, Don’t Leave It: 26 Ways to Get What You Want at Work by Beverly L. Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans
• Love ‘em or Lose ‘em: Getting Good People to Stay (4th edition) by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans

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• 23 Ways to be Happy at Work: #14 - Don’t be unhealthy
• Smart Lemming Rundown Podcast: February 1, 2010 (Episode 2)