My New Employee Just Quit, What Happened?

In 2007, an article from MSN suggested that the average employee that has just started a job would quit within a few weeks of being hired. In today's job market, getting a job has become increasingly harder to achieve. With our job markets under strain from the economy, gas prices, politics, and job cuts due to an increasing overhead doing business, many companies either can't afford to hire more employees, or worse, they've been downsizing to even exist. The Idea of getting a well established, good paying job is recently being compared to finding buried treasure; you have to be there at the right time and have the qualifications to be lucky enough to find a job such as described. So why are so many employees walking away from their current new jobs? Although pay is a main factor, a lot of employers make a few simple mistakes that are commonly not even thought of in the mix. Here is a list of the ten worse mistakes I have encountered working. This is a list of factors gathered through 100 jobs, and the reason why I had to leave, not want to leave. If you are an employee, this list should be as vital to you as your paycheck, because this will affect your paycheck, (as well as your achievements hiring people). If you are a person looking for a job, this list is your prerequisite on what to look for as soon as you get a job, and how to avoid such matters.

Although this list is of the top five, this only describes the most common. Your story might be a little different, but so you can relate to each error, you will see a true story of how I personally encountered each scenario and why that great job I just landed didn't last long, pay or not.

1. Other Employees and Seniority.
One of the biggest reasons why one would quit a job is the current scenarios with other employees and their seniority. A lot of employers place seniority over job performance and usually soon after your new employee starts working, there will be someone mentioning what they can or can't do because of this position in the workforce. Seniority is supposed to give employees benefits over current scenarios over the workforce, not use it to gain precedence over the "new guy". This is not to be confused with job position; we all have someone over us most of the time in the workforce. This situation is often abused under the careful watch of most managers and employers and left unchecked, belittles the "new guy in town". Yes, we know you have been there longer, and you deserve the little benefits that come along with your right to override the new one, but for those of you that have been accused of this: do you know what kind of damage you have done to the person who will probably cover you in case your sick, help out if you have an emergency, or need a ride because your car won't start?

EXAMPLE: I started a job with an established company. The employer not only let us use a stereo while working, they were also privy to our changing the stations to other styles to music. The "senior employee" absolutely hated rock music and made sure the station was never changed. Her "status" kept everyone from changing the channel. One early morning the owner of this agency turned the radio on and changed stations to look for a better reception, doing this before we were open. My "senior" workforce knew I like rock, heard the rock-n-roll on the station, and proceeded to change the channel, yelling at me for this like I was her son. I lasted another hour, then quit because someone else was given authority over me through senior status only and she abused the situation.

2. Pressure To Know All.
This is also a common misconception among employers. Yes, your new employee was qualified to take the job, but does he honestly know how to do it your way? Is the job flowing well or do you see mistakes over things that, (now get this), you know. Most employees that start a new job can do the job as described in the way they were taught. This doesn't mean they have the experience in doing things YOUR WAY. One thing that most new employees honestly calculate before deciding to keep the job is how difficult the job honestly is doing it the way the company does it. Remember this if you are an employer; you're company is not the only one in this field. He probably has experience, just not experience doing it your way.

EXAMPLE: I was hired from a construction company as a helper. I've been in the construction business for years, so wrapping up an extension cord is no problem. The boss made it a BIG problem when I didn't wrap up his cords, HIS WAY. How was I to know? With a menial job as this, there are at least three ways to wrap a cord. This soon led to my short career with this company. Stupid yes, but it was important to them.

3. Job NOT As Described.
This is for you employers. If you need an employee to mop up your mess, clean the toilets, run personal errands and are looking for a "menial employee", or to work on a commission basis only in a dead end job, you should state this in your ad. Too many people these days apply for a job that has been described as "a needle in a haystack", just to find out its one needle you don't want to find. During a recent census, a study was performed on advertising in the job market, and it was found that 55% of the ads misinformed the seeker of employment. One job was classified as "Banker". The employment agency was looking for a janitor in a bank, but skilled people of this work type applied and were mortified when they were handed a mop and suit. If you are looking for a sub servant, advertise for a moron. They are out there and don't mind the work, just stop the "dressing up" of your ad, it's nothing short of lying.

EXAMPLE: I applied for a job in an auto industry washing auto parts. The job, once I was hired, was lifting up skids and sending them through a washer, then stacking them up 14 high. This job lasted two days, and I was on a list of many who came, saw, and left. I found out on the second day, the other employees were taking bets whether I showed up or not. I hope no one gambled on me on the third day.

4. EXPECTATIONS
Almost every employer knows that when they have a workforce under their belt, they have to delegate their options to employees to get the job done. This is vital for a manager or employer of companies and industries. To take the responsibility you have been given to or basically make things run right, you use your counterparts in place, putting your company on track and making due. It's an overwhelming job and often comes with merit when you can delegate your workers to maximize your potential. There is one problem though.
Does the new guy know that? When an employer first hires on new (a) new employee(s), they often miss the opportunity to describe in their interview, EXACTLY what is in store for our newfound employee(s). Remember, when they saw the ad, they replied to what was in the ad. When they passed the interview, no one mentioned that they might have to be on call, take turns cleaning up the bathroom, or worse yet, pull in extra hours because the company needs it. Often, after only a few weeks, you end up losing that great worker, not because of work performance...it's because their expectations took on a whole new meaning...AFTER they were hired! Interviews need to be more detailed. Job descriptions need to be explained thoroughly and hours at work need to be described at maximum. Understand this, your new guy might not be able to work longer hours because of kids, current obligations before he applied for the job, or most importantly, his second job.

EXAMPLE: I was interviewed for a maintenance position for apartment living and passed with flying colors. My job hours were 9:00-5:00, Monday through Friday. I did not live there, so there was no need for me to be there after 5:00 P.M. Two months after I was hired, I was put on a roster to be on call over the weekend. I lived 10 miles away, and having being on call 24/7 for emergencies, I was called out several times in the middle of the night. This was not explained to me in the interview and I was forced to make a decision. Take my turn being on the roster or quit. I was forced to quit.

5. EXPECTATIONS OF THE EMPLOYER
More often then not, once we receive a job, we are given an invisible mark on our forehead "You work for me now, you shall be belittled". Although there is a fine line between being told what to do and being "belittled", employers and managers should have the know-how in this difference. NO ONE with half a brain wants to be underscored by an employer's yelling, crude remarks, and lewd behavior. Although age plays an important factor in communication, "You are my boss, not my parents" comes into play, resulting in a good or even great employee(s) walking away from their job. If both sides are even trying to make a job work out, politics into how you treat an employee is a major factor that most employers and managers don't seem to recognize. How you react and talk to a new employee will play a major role in how they not only respond to their job, but if they are even going to stay employed there. Attitude from the employee is just as important, as this issue is not made to blame employers only. All actions and attitudes need to be addressed early on. If you feel you hired an employee with qualifications, but the morals are not there, let him go. On the other hand, employees should not be "belittled" in any way, shape, or form. This is by far the fastest way to lose a great employee.

EXAMPLE: I ran across a gentleman several times in my past, and realized he was in the same occupational field as I was. We got along great before I finally took a position in his company. Within a week of my schedule, this man screamed, yelled at the top of his lungs at me, (in front of others), slammed tools into the floor, had us crawling on the floor at a moments notice, and often required us to wait for his personal assistance, (which was not required). Our work was more often then not, put down, and he often tore up what we created. Although in this example, I am referring to one of my best friends, he has definitely lost one of the hardest working individuals he would have ever met, giving him whole-heartedly, my everything to make his company successful. I will never work for this guy again, no matter how broke I become.

OVERALL
If you are desperately looking for that "needle in a haystack" employee, and your company is tired of spending thousands of dollars in advertising, many hours of interviewing, and many more teaching "that new guy", do yourself a favor. Follow these few easy steps. This is for employee and employer. A few well thought out questions and answers will save a lot of people a lot of heartache, and who knows, you might actually hang on to that "gem of gems".