Good employees don't quit their job, they quit their boss - this is how you keep your best people

The number of unemployed in Germany has recently dropped significantly again and now stands at just under 2.3 million. That is good news! At second glance, you notice that most of the unemployed in Germany are low-skilled. Those who are looking for a job as a skilled worker can usually hardly escape offers.

What is nice for job seekers is a challenge for companies. According to a survey by the DIHK (German Chamber of Industry and Commerce), the approximately 23,000 companies surveyed describe the shortage of skilled workers as the greatest business risk. The problem is not only that companies cannot find enough applicants. Increasingly, companies are also having trouble keeping good people.

Why do your employees quit?

One reason is the large number of alternatives. Young employees, who are still in the experimental phase of their career, can easily find another job today. Changing jobs has never been so easy.

In addition to the willingness to experiment, pay is often a decisive factor. Especially in professions where no collective agreements apply and pay therefore varies greatly from company to company, the competition can quickly lure the best brains with attractive salaries.

Above all, however, it depends on the working environment. The saying "Good employees don't quit their jobs, they quit their bosses" often corresponds to reality. Most employees quit because they feel they are not being taken seriously or because they don't like the working atmosphere. The good news is that you can do something about it.

Clarify grievances

A study by the University of Graubünden found that in 2020, grievances occurred in about one in three of the companies studied in Germany, France, Great Britain and Switzerland. Maladministration is defined as illegal or unethical behaviour, from bullying to tax evasion.

Who wants to work in such companies?

That's right, nobody. Or at least almost nobody. Usually only those who have no alternatives remain. Good employees, and the labour market statistics show this very clearly, have more than enough alternatives.

So, the best way to keep good people is to clean up your own shop. Instead of simply accepting grievances, managers should actively counteract them.

Early warning systems

Most of the time, managers are unaware of the abuses that are going on in their own companies. Between meetings, emails, customer appointments and board meetings, there is often little time to pay attention to the sensitivities of employees. But this is precisely a core responsibility of every manager.

That's why we developed whizzla: whizzla is an early warning system that identifies grievances in the company before they get out of hand. No one knows better what is happening in the company than its own employees, the Boots on the Ground. whizzla enables employees to anonymously report grievances to the Compliance Department or the Compliance Officer.

When a report is received in this digital whistleblowing system, it goes into the case processing area. Here, the respective compliance employee can get in touch with the whistleblowers and actively work on solving the problem.

Through these preventive measures, problems are solved directly at the root before they trigger an avalanche. They also do not become public, which avoids reputational damage.

whizzla thus offers a cost-effective and simple solution to make the corporate culture more pleasant, meet legal requirements and improve your own employer brand. Take advantage of this opportunity!