As an employer, you invest heavily in your workforce. Finding, training, and developing top talent aligns with your long-term goals. Therefore, it’s incredibly disruptive when a valued employee resigns. Recognizing the early warning signs of an impending departure can be crucial – whether your goal is to retain your manpower or ensure a seamless transition.

Why Focus on Manpower Retention?

The cost of employee turnover is substantial. When someone leaves, you face expenses associated with:

• Recruitment: Finding a suitable replacement takes time and resources.
• Onboarding: Training new hires incurs additional manpower and financial investments.
• Lost Productivity: Productivity dips until the new team member is fully up to speed.

Proactively addressing employees’ needs demonstrates your commitment to your existing manpower, improving morale and overall productivity.

15 Signs Your Best Employees Might Be on the Brink

Research indicates disengaged employees often exhibit subtle behavioral shifts in the months leading up to resignation. Gardner’s study found that if an employee displays six or more of the following behaviors, there’s an 80% probability they intend to leave.

1. Less Vocal in Meetings: Previously engaged employees who disengage may offer reduced input or appear disinterested during meetings, a notable shift in their typical contributions.
2. Hesitation with Long-Term Projects: Reluctance to commit suggests your employee mentally sees themselves elsewhere, impacting your manpower planning for future initiatives.
3. Quieter and More Withdrawn: Outgoing individuals who become reserved may be psychologically preparing to exit, impacting workplace dynamics and overall manpower collaboration.
4. Reduced Ambition: When employees lose interest in career advancement within your organization, it signals dissatisfaction and a potential loss of important manpower.
5. Waning Desire to Please Management: Less effort to cultivate positive relationships with superiors indicates a shift in perspective and potential disengagement with their role and its impact on manpower needs.
6. Avoiding Socializing with Leadership: Employees planning their exit often intentionally limit informal interactions with management, impacting team cohesion and the ability to address manpower concerns.
7. Fewer Creative Suggestions: A decline in innovative ideas signals dwindling enthusiasm, impacting the company’s potential and future manpower needs.
8. Bare Minimum Effort: Dedicated employees typically go above and beyond. If your worker now only does the bare minimum, it indicates a lack of motivation and a potential manpower problem.
9. Declining Training Participation: Disinterest in developing skills suggests a limited future vision with your company, highlighting a potential risk to your manpower capabilities.
10. Decreased Productivity: Dropping output is a serious manpower concern, indicating dissatisfaction and a possible impending departure.

Additional Red Flags:

11. Waning Collegial Relationships: Employees preparing to leave frequently distance themselves from coworkers, creating strain on manpower and team dynamics.
12. Strict Adherence to Hours: Once-flexible employees who now rigidly stick to schedules may be prioritizing the job search, signaling a manpower vulnerability.
13. Recent Certifications (and Keeping It Quiet): New qualifications with minimal fanfare could mean your employee is bolstering their resume to move elsewhere, impacting your existing manpower.
14. Major Company Shifts: Mergers, policy changes, or leadership turnover can spark worker dissatisfaction, leading to unforeseen manpower churn.
15. Significant Life Changes: While often positive, major life events (marriage, parenthood, etc.) can reshape priorities, potentially causing your employee to reevaluate their career and manpower needs.

Protecting Your Investment

Open communication is vital. Stay attuned to your workforce’s needs. Offer opportunities for growth, recognize achievements, and ensure competitive compensation. It’s these positive steps that protect your manpower and create a workplace where your most valuable employees want to stay.