Attrition in HR is one of the most talked-about topics in the human resources department of companies.
Tenures are important in resumes.
A longer tenure in an organization means the stability of an employee and companies prefer to hire such employees. This is one of the most important things that employers check while hunting for appropriate candidates.
The resume of a candidate who generally hops from one job to another is likely to get lesser attention than a candidate that has served a company for 5-10 years.
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What is Attrition in HR?
Attrition in HR is undoubtedly a hot topic and it basically summarizes the voluntary and involuntary departures from a company.
While some of it is very common in every business house, a high level of attrition can lead to reduced efficiency level and eventually, a lower bottom-line.
A significant lack of manpower can harm productivity in more ways than one.
To reduce attrition, companies should focus on training employees and provide them with the right perks. They should always keep the staff motivated.
Now comes the million-dollar questions – What causes attrition in HR?
Let us dig down deeper in order to understand.
Reasons for Attrition
Here are some of the factors that lead to a high attrition rate.
1. Poor training quality
Per various studies, it is seen that poor quality of training leads to attrition level in companies. Candidates who receive poor training cannot do well in the long-term as they can’t deal with the pressure.
They tend to leave within a few months of joining. To make employees start working at the earliest, companies do not invest time and effort in their training, which costs them a lot later.
2. Disruption in management level
The management level plays a huge role in retaining a candidate. If there is a disruption in the management level, the attrition rate can rise.
There is a saying that employees generally leave their managers and not the organizations. It is true that proper leadership plays a huge role in retaining candidates and honing their skills.
If a company takes time to train and prepare a candidate, it will ultimately fetch them good returns.
3. Lack of motivation or growth prospects
If an employee is not motivated by incentives, bonuses, and perks provided by the company, he will likely start looking for other options soon.
It is important for companies to host events and provide incentives for employees who are putting in their 100%.
Appreciating them from time to time would motivate them. They would see that there is a scope of growth and advancement opportunities.
4. False job descriptions
If the mentioned job profile is false, then a candidate would likely leave the job as soon as he or she realizes the same.
The hiring profile should be truthful and give the candidate a clear idea of what the position has to offer.
5. Retirement
Another normal reason for attrition is retirement and it is, of course, one of the natural reasons.
However, it is unlikely that multiple employees are retiring at the same time.
6. Voluntary attrition
Taking voluntary retirement is quite common in the corporate environment. This can be due to long work hours, etc.
It can have a negative effect on your company’s overall productivity.
Some other reasons for attrition are involuntary attrition, internal attrition, etc.
While all these attritions have various reasons, most of them can be managed by the company. The management has a huge role to play in the same.
If a particular department has higher attrition when compared to other departments, it needs to be investigated at the earliest.
Some of the attritions are also related to the demography. In this case, a class of people such as minorities or veterans is leaving the company in numbers.
You certainly have to conduct employee surveys to save your company’s reputation. You need to look into the matter to identify the root cause of this class leaving.
Attrition control measures
There are various means by which you can control the level of attrition in your organization. It all depends on how you want to handle the issues related to the attrition level.
Here are a few things that you can do to reduce attrition.
- Provide lengthy and solid training to your employees. There should a longer transition period present between the training program and independent job performance.
- There should be a proper investigation when it comes to attrition in a department.
- The company should look into how the management level behaves and deals with the newcomers. It can save them to a huge extent.
Invest in management training as well so that your employees do not leave because of the managers. - Employers should give the time and energy required to create a proper job profile that outlines every responsibility the person has to cater to.
This will save the company from hiring the wrong candidate or rejecting the right one. Take care and hire the right candidates in the very first place. - Hire someone who is less likely to change or leave and is suitable for the job role.
- Identify the right candidates and groom them with care. This will, in turn, reduce your attrition costs.
- The company should offer development scope for people so that they are motivated. Emails should be sent to employees who are working really hard.
To retain talented and hardworking employees, companies should focus on creating the right growth path for them.
Give proper incentives and bonuses to ambitious workers. - You should also conduct a salary survey and check if you are paying lower than the standard market rate. It could also be a reason for a hefty attrition rate.
- If you conduct stay interviews, then also some of the answers could be clear to you. Ask the HR department to listen to the problems that employees are facing.
Also, try to give internal promotion so that employees stay to get a better role or pay.
2020 was a clear example of how work from home is possible. Allow more flexibility to your employees so that they stay.
Attrition is a concern when it comes to workforce planning and there are several ways to combat the same. A high attrition rate can cost a lot, which is why it should be avoided while in control.
Is attrition always bad?
No, it is not always bad.
However, if poor-performing employees leave the organization, attrition can actually be beneficial for the company.
Attrition can bring in diversity in one-dimensional offices.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, employee attrition in HR can be controlled and a company can bring down the costs if they take the right measures at the right time.
