1 in 3 Workers Resign Because of a Leaving Colleague: What Can You Do?

Losing employees is an ongoing challenge for businesses of all sizes, but for your small businesses, it can feel like a particularly big hit.

Once a key member of the team resigns, it can have an unexpected impact on the rest of the team and leave other employees looking elsewhere, too. In fact, one in three employees has quit their job because a colleague left – an alarming percentage that can feel impossible to manage from a small business perspective.

Since it costs an average of £3,000 to £5,000 to hire a new employee in the UK, it can put a strain on already tight budgets and leave you having to make cuts elsewhere. When you’re already having to manage expenses like pension contributions and statutory sick pay, added recruitment costs are the last thing you want to be faced with.

Why Does an Employee Quitting Have a Knock-On Effect?

When a key member of a team resigns from the company, it can leave their colleagues wondering why. Whether there are whispers about them being underpaid, unhappy at work, or finding better opportunities elsewhere, this speculation can quickly make other employees wonder if they should be considering their options as well.

This speculation can quickly turn to fear when the rest of the team considers how much their workload could increase once their colleague leaves. If they are responsible for a large number of duties and have specialisms that could be tricky to replace, it can leave other employees worrying that they’re going to have to cover these additional tasks.

Many people are creatures of habit, and if they know that change is right around the corner, it can leave them feeling frustrated or anxious about what is to come. Resistance to change in the workplace is a common occurrence that is especially noticeable in small businesses when new people are brought in and processes are changed. If change is out of their control, it can quickly leave them uncertain about whether they want to remain in the company.

With all of these thoughts and emotions running through the minds of the rest of the team, once an employee resigns, it can be easy for people to wonder if the grass is greener elsewhere. Once this seed of doubt has been planted, it can quickly spiral and result in further resignations.

How to Protect Your Business From the Resignation Ripple

Although resignations are unavoidable, knowing how to manage them can help limit further damage to the team dynamic within your small business. 

Let’s discuss some strategies that you can implement to prevent the dreaded resignation ripple:

Carry out exit surveys

When an employee is working their notice period, it is a good practice to carry out an exit survey. This would either be a form consisting of various pre-set questions or a one-on-one meeting that gives the employee an opportunity to open up about their reasons for leaving and any issues they have faced throughout their time at the company.

This can provide you with invaluable insights about any hidden issues around workplace culture, workload, or employee benefits. By taking the time to listen to feedback, not only will you gain a better understanding, but you can also look for any trends that may become noticeable over time.

Offer growth opportunities

When one of your employees resigns, looking into hiring a replacement straight away has the potential to cause tension among other employees. If people within the same team are looking to progress within the company, this could be the perfect chance to consider offering new responsibilities and promotion opportunities.

By prioritising the growth of your current employees instead of bringing new talent into leadership positions straight away, employees will be able to progress their careers and climb the ladder without having to look elsewhere for opportunities to do so.

Adopt a transparent approach

When there is so much speculation going on within your business, once a key member of the team resigns, transparency is key. If you try to carry on as if nothing is happening, this is when the whispers and resentment start to creep in.

By making a conscious effort to announce the upcoming departure of an employee and discussing what action is being taken to bring in a replacement, everyone will feel more included in the process. It is also a good idea to host one-on-one meetings with any employees who will be directly affected by the change to reassure them that they will still have support at work and that steps are being taken to ensure their workload is not too heavy.

Maintaining a United Workforce

The resignation ripple is an alarming time for any small business, causing large-scale disruption and requiring everyone to get used to a completely new way of working.

By maintaining good relationships and fostering open communication, any sudden resignations will not cause everyone to spiral and feel like they have to do the same.

At the end of the day, the key is to create a strong company culture that makes employees feel content and secure in their role.