Where Is My Top Talent Going?

Turnover can be extremely challenging for a company. It can cost one to four times an employee’s salary to replace them, productivity takes a hit and churn can have a serious negative impact on morale and customer relations. If your agriculture business is losing your top sales and marketing talent, it’s time to take stock of what’s happening internally. Here are some of the most common reasons talented people leave their jobs, and tips on how to correct the problems. 

You’re Not Paying Competitively 

People should not make career decisions based solely on their paycheck, but if you are not paying your employees fair market value and if you are not providing performance-based incentives for high performing individuals, you will lose great employees to your competitors. Review salaries regularly to make sure you are offering fair pay and ensure that talented veterans are given performance-based raises commensurate with their contributions.  

You Have Misaligned Expectations  

Few things are as frustrating as not knowing what your boss expects of you. Employees cannot meet and certainly cannot exceed expectations if they are not clear as to what those expectations are. The frustration that comes with misaligned expectations can often lead to turnover.  

You Hired Bad Managers  

The old HR adage is true – people don’t leave jobs; they leave managers. High turnover in a single department or on a single team can often mean there is something going on with the manager, and it deserves some examination. Read the exit interviews of people who have left those teams and try to pinpoint the problems. Coach managers to help them become stronger leaders and be ready to make some tough choices because sometimes letting a bad manager go is better for the company over the long-term.  

Your Employees Are Bored  

Smart and talented people will not be happy for very long if they are bored or dissatisfied with their work. That’s why it’s important to learn about employees’ true skills and talents and assign work to them that will allow them to use those skills and talents. 

Work Is Assigned Unevenly 

Managers tend to assign new tasks to their best employees because they know they can rely on those people to get the job done. But over time, this creates an imbalance on a team. Some people are constantly busy and under pressure, while others have very little to do. This can quickly cause resentment between team members that ultimately ends in your best employees seeking new jobs. Rather than leaning heavily on the same people over and over, try to distribute work more evenly across teams. 

You Aren’t Providing Opportunities To Grow  

Similarly, stagnation can also lead to turnover. Talented people want to learn and grow over the course of their careers, and if they aren’t getting those opportunities, they will move on. Offer training and development opportunities to help employees with leadership potential see a clear path for growth at your company. 

Are You Looking For Top Sales and Marketing Talent?  

If you are looking for more tips on boosting retention or if you are searching for highly motivated sales and marketing talent for your ag business, contact the agricultural industry staffing experts at Morris Bixby Group. Our proven strategies for success can help you achieve your recruiting and retention goals.  

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