There are a lot of theories out there about why people quit their jobs.
"It's the younger generation—they just don't want to work."
"They're always chasing more money."
"It's burnout. The economy. Or politics. Or just a lack of loyalty these days."
Sure, some of those factors might play a role. But sometimes, the problem is much closer to home.
To put it bluntly: You—or the manager you hired—might be the reason people keep leaving.
In fact, Gallup found that 1 in 2 employees have quit because of how their manager behaved.
Losing a great employee means a loss of knowledge, skill, and experience. But it's also really expensive. Replacing just one person can cost 1.5 to 2 times their salary—so if someone earning $80,000 walks out, you're likely spending $120,000 to $160,000 to replace them.
And that's only if one person resigns. If you're losing people on a monthly basis (or even just a few a year), you're in big trouble.
Here are some signs your retention issues are actually a leadership problem:
Exit interviews are vague or suspiciously polite.
If people constantly say things like "I just need a change" or "It's time to move on," that's your cue to dig deeper. Try asking:
- Is there anything you wish leadership had done differently?"
- "How would you describe the morale on your team?"
- "What changes would have made you stay?"
If no one ever mentions management as a factor, it could mean there weren't major issues. But it could also mean they're afraid to speak up—especially if they think it might burn a bridge or come back to bite them later.
What to do: Consider using third-party exit interviews or anonymous feedback tools to get the real story. And more importantly, do something with what you learn. Otherwise, you'll keep losing people for the same preventable reasons.
You're losing your best people, not just the disengaged ones.
Some turnover is normal. Not every role is the right fit, and sometimes life pulls people in new directions. But when your top performers or long-standing team members start heading for the door, something deeper is going on.
Great employees don't leave without a reason. Sure, it could be about a better salary, a shorter commute, or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But it could also be because they've felt overworked, underappreciated, or passed over one too many times.
What to do: Don't wait for the resignation letter. Have regular check-ins about workload and morale. Use anonymous surveys to stay ahead of issues. Some employees will speak up. Others will simply leave.
People don't speak up.
When a team that once shared ideas goes quiet, it's not by accident—it's stonewalling or fear.
Maybe a new team lead changed the dynamic. Maybe the overall vibe has gotten more negative. Even long-time managers can shift into harsher behavior without realizing the impact. Whatever the cause, a quiet team is often a sign that people no longer feel safe to speak freely. Or are tired of having their feedback ignored.
Psychological safety is a big driver of retention. When people don't feel respected or heard, they stop engaging. They might stick around for a while, but the moment a better opportunity shows up, they're gone.
What to do: Create space for honest conversations. Acknowledge feedback—even if you can't act on it right away. If the team's behavior has noticeably changed, don't guess. Run an anonymous survey and find out what's really going on. And do it now.
The managers you're hiring or promoting aren't trained or supported.
Put a bad engine in a brand-new car, and it won't take long before something breaks. The same goes for putting someone in a management role who isn't ready for it. Even with good intentions, an untrained manager can quickly turn a strong team into a struggling one.
Plenty of people get promoted because they were great at their jobs as individual contributors. But leading people is a completely different skill set. Without proper guidance, you get micromanagement, favoritism, poor delegation, and a tendency to avoid tough conversations.
What to do: Don't throw people into a leadership position and hope they don't drown. Invest in training, coaching, and regular check-ins. And years of helping run 360 programs has taught me that some managers don't even realize they need help unless someone points it out.
HR is either seen as powerless or as the enemy.
According to a survey conducted by Crucial Learning, a mere 9% of people think that HR will advocate for their needs. Other surveys conducted by TeamBlind revealed that more than 70% of people from top U.S. companies don't trust HR.
If you're not worried by these stats, you should be.
HR sole responsibility is to care of the people in the company, from the bottom to the top. They are there to hire, ensure safety protocols are followed, and ensure policies are in place and enforced to protect employees from discrimination, bullying, and harassment. So when employee concerns fall on deaf ears or, worse, HR protects the interests of higher-ups rather than the people, that's a really, really big problem.
What to do: Build HR's credibility by showing that it supports employees, not just the company.
- Offer confidential ways to raise concerns—like anonymous surveys or third-party hotlines.
- Ensure HR listens to employees, stays neutral, and follows up with clear next steps.
- Take visible action when someone speaks up. Even small changes show people their voice matters.
You can offer all the perks in the world, but if people don't trust their leaders, it won't matter.
Your retention data might say "left for better opportunity," but the real story is often: they were tired of feeling ignored, undervalued, or undermined.
If you're seeing high turnover, start with this question: Is it the work—or the way people are being led?
