Long gone are the days of people staying at jobs for several decades. Today, it’s much more common to see individuals remain at a job for a year or two before moving on.
Why is that? Why is there so much turnover? Is it the employer or the employee?
While we don’t have the answer to those particular questions, company turnover is probably something you’re looking at when interviewing. It’s safe to say most individuals don’t want to work for a company with extremely high turnover, as it may point to an internal issue.
If you want to grow with a company, you probably don’t want to leave in two years. So what can you ask in your interview to prevent that from happening?
We’ve gathered human resources (HR) and talent acquisition specialists from the team at Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) to help you understand what turnover is, why it occurs, and how you can potentially prevent your own turnover.
What is Employee Turnover?
Employee turnover is the number of employees who leave a company in a given period. Typically, the measurement period is one year.
Some companies calculate voluntary turnover and involuntary turnover separately. Voluntary turnover is when an individual leaves of their own accord. Involuntary turnover occurs when the company terminates or lays off an employee.
Turnover can be calculated by company or by department.
Employers aim for low turnover rates. A high turnover rate means a lot of people are leaving the company. Whether this is by choice or they’re laid off, a high turnover rate shows the company isn’t retaining employees.
Why is It Important to Ask About Turnover Rates?
When interviewing, it’s a good idea to ask your interviewer about the company’s turnover rate.
As a potential company employee, you may not want to work for the company if they have a high turnover rate.
Turnover may occur for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it may be personal, such as a change in career path or family circumstances.
However, sometimes employees leave because the position or company may not be a good fit for them. They may not like the work culture, policies, employee management, the job itself, or something else.
Regardless of the reason for the turnover, high turnover can have a negative impact. For example, it may result in low morale for those who still work with the company and/or a shortage of tenured, skilled staff members left on the team.
As a potential employee, you’ll probably want to know these things before you move forward. While the company can’t disclose the specifics of why people have left the company, they can tell you the turnover rate. In turn, you can also do further research on the company. This may include reading reviews, talking with current and/or former employees, and reviewing the company website.
Related: How to read job reviews
Why Do People Commonly Quit Their Jobs?
In this section, we’ll discuss why people leave jobs. We’ll also include questions you can ask during your interview to prevent your own turnover (i.e. to prevent you from having similar issues).
Reason #1: The job didn’t meet their expectations
People often leave jobs because the role didn’t meet their expectations. They came in with an idea of what it was going to be like and it wasn’t as anticipated.
For example, maybe they didn’t expect that they’d need to do certain tasks. Sometimes, individuals realize that they weren’t actually cut out for a position they thought they’d enjoy or they started the job and their needs changed.
This can be common with cold calling in sales positions. Candidates feel like they’re able to do it and accept the job, but quickly realize they either don’t enjoy it or don’t feel like they’re good at it.
Questions to Ask to Prevent This:
You can try to prevent this from happening to you by asking targeted questions in your interview. They include the following:
- Can I job shadow?
- Can I talk to people in the role right now to see if it’s a good fit?
- Can I talk to other members of the team?
- What specific goals or metrics will I be held accountable to?
- What does a typical day look like?
- What is the toughest part of the job?
Reason #2: They didn’t like their manager
There’s a phrase you’ve probably heard a lot: “People don’t leave their jobs, they leave their supervisors.” An individual may enjoy their job, but they may struggle to get along with their manager. Instead of working through it, they decide to leave the company. Conversely, they may try to work through it but find that they can’t.
To try to get ahead of this issue, you’ll want to make sure you meet your supervisor and have a chance to interview with them and ask questions.
Questions to Ask to Prevent This:
Make sure you align with your future supervisor before accepting a job. Ask questions like:
- What is your management style?
- If I make a mistake, how would you communicate that to me?
- How often will I see my manager?
- How often do managers/leaders in the company meet with “front-line” employees?
- Do managers go through development training?
Related: Tips for dealing with a difficult boss
Reason #3: There was no growth plan
If individuals feel like they don’t have the potential to grow with the company, they may decide to leave.
Some people are satisfied doing the same thing day after day, year after year. That’s okay. However, some people want to advance in their roles and grow into different positions. If potential growth opportunities don’t match your goals, you’ll likely be disappointed.
Questions to Ask to Prevent This:
Ask these questions to better understand advancement opportunities:
- Do you have any training programs in place?
- Can I advance in my career here?
- Do you have a career path in place for this position?
- If so, what does it look like? What’s the timeline?
Reason #4: They didn’t earn enough money
Especially in the labor market we’re currently in and with high inflation rates, individuals will take a job paying as little as 50 cents more than their current role. Every little bit helps.
Understanding the pay structure is an important factor in job selection and satisfaction.
Questions to Ask to Prevent This:
To learn more about compensation packages ask questions like:
- Are employees incentivized?
- Do employees receive annual raises?
- Is there room to grow in this position financially?
Reason #5: They didn’t like the work-life balance or culture
Work-life balance and company culture are important to many folks. If they don’t feel like they get to go home and actually be home because they have to take calls or answer emails, they might not feel like they have a good work-life balance. Similarly, if they’re unable to take sufficient paid time off to accommodate being sick, taking care of their families, or taking a vacation, they may seek other opportunities.
A good culture can make you more likely to stay with a company. Conversely, in a culture where the leadership team isn’t accessible or people don’t take pride in their roles, you may struggle to work there day in and day out.
Questions to Ask to Prevent This:
Ask these questions to see if the company has a good work-life balance and a good culture:
- Are leaders approachable?
- Does the company have a recognition program in place?
- Would you recommend this company to someone else?
- What is the team like?
- What is the work schedule? Are employees expected to work during off hours?
- What are the sick time and vacation time policies?
Related: How to find a company with good workplace culture
Interview the Company
People leave jobs; it happens. These questions won’t guarantee that you won’t leave a job, but they can help. You also can’t predict a personal life change — family emergency, change in interests, etc. — that may cause you to resign from a company.
But, if you’re looking for a role that’s a good fit for you, make sure you interview the company. Be thorough and be prepared for the interview.
Decide what’s most important to you and go into the interview prepared to talk about that.
Most companies will allow you time to ask questions, so be sure you prepare a list of questions and get answers. You’re interviewing them just as much as they’re interviewing you.
Decide what you’re looking for. Do you want to work here specifically because the opportunities, culture, leadership, compensation, and benefits fit what you’re looking for?
Check out this article of 50 questions to ask during an interview. It’s broken down by category. Choose a few questions from each category that are most pressing to you, and get ready to rock that interview!
