How to lose an employee in 6 months? Approaches that are costing you talents.

What really drives turnover – and what you can do about it?

Imagine this: your top employee just handed in their resignation. On paper, everything was fine. The contract was fair. Responsibilities were clear. And yet… something stopped working.

Turnover doesn’t always mean a company did something wrong. Sometimes it means it stopped listening. The things that once worked no longer resonate. That employees are silently saying: „this no longer aligns with what I need to do my job well”. And the leader? Instead of picking up on these signals, they see departures as flakiness or ingratitude.

But what is a company without its people? Without those who go the extra mile – as long as they see the purpose, they feel seen, and know that they matter.

Yes – you do pay them, so you have the right to expect. But is that enough to motivate someone to stay longer than „from 9 to 5”?

Instead of claiming „companies make mistakes”, a better question may be: what invisible mechanisms slowly push people towards the exit? What happens then not just in theory, but on a day-to-day basis – between the promises and the reality that eventually breaks loyalty?

It’s not always about revolutions. Sometimes it takes a subtle shift in tone, a small realignment, or paying attention to what’s not being said.

Below, you’ll find a few “yellow cards” employees are handing out to their organisations. What if the next one turns out to be red – and it’s too late? Or maybe, just maybe, this is your chance to earn a green one and rebuild trust before it’s gone.

Diagnosis: Why people leave?

1. Lack of development and career paths. When employees don’t see a way forward – in terms of skills or structure – they start looking elsewhere. Development isn’t just training. It’s direction, challenge, and a sense of impact.
2. A gap between promises and reality. Job descriptions say one thing, but the reality proves to be different. When what was promised in recruitment doesn’t match daily life, frustration and demotivation creep in.
3. Lack of recognition and feedback. People aren’t expecting fireworks. Just acknowledgement – for their effort, progress, and engagement. When that’s missing, their sense of worth in the organisation begins to erode.
4. Communication breakdown and poor management style. Sometimes it’s the manager’s approach. Sometimes these are the tools. Sometimes it’s simply the lack of space to talk. Whatever the cause, unclear communication and lack of support can drive people out fast.
5. Overload, stress, and burnout. High pace, unclear responsibilities, constant pressure, no rest – all of this leads to burnout. And burnout is no longer an HR buzzword. It’s a real factor affecting performance and decisions to leave.
6. Unclear organisational culture. When values don’t align, trust is missing, and the rules feel inconsistent – people stop feeling as a part of a mission. They become temporary task executors instead.
7. Uncertainty about the future. If a company doesn’t share its plans or fails to communicate them to employees’ on a day-to-day basis, anxiety creeps in. It’s not about guarantees – it’s about a narrative that helps build the commitment.

And yes – pay does matter. It’s a key factor, but I’m deliberately not focusing on it here. Why? Because compensation isn’t a lever you can just pull. Changing salary bands is a complex, long-term process influenced by inflation, market dynamics, industry benchmarks, and your company’s financial stability. Sure, pay consistently ranks among the top 3 reasons for leaving (according to the 2024 Hays report), but seasoned leaders know: engagement can’t be bought. Or at least, not sustainably. People still leave, despite good salaries – when something more important is missing.

So what can you actually do?

1. Build real development paths. Not every company can promote people yearly. But every company can offer skill growth through cross-functional projects, micro-promotions, mentoring or rotation programmes. The key is a combination of structure and future-focused conversations.
2. Create a thoughtful onboarding process. The first few weeks are make or break. A structured onboarding programme, buddy systems, and clear timelines are trust-builders that pay off well beyond probation.
3. Invest in regular feedback. Set up consistent 1:1s. Support managers with feedback skills. Balance evaluation with appreciation. Feedback doesn’t have to be perfect – but it has to be present.
4. Champion flexibility and wellbeing. Work-life balance is no longer a perk – it’s a baseline. Flexible hours, hybrid options, recovery breaks, access to mental health support – these aren’t luxuries, they’re risk management tools.
5. Use tools like the HPI model. The Human Performance Improvement framework helps identify real issues before jumping to „let’s do a training.” Sometimes, it’s not a skill issue, but poor systems, unclear goals, or broken processes.
6. Enable job crafting. Let people influence what they do, how they do it, and with whom. You don’t need structural overhauls – often a shift in emphasis is enough.
7. Develop leaders – not just „I know better” managers. Grow leadership, communication, and reflection skills. Management style now has a direct impact on engagement – and thus on retention.
8. Reinforce culture through consistency and habits. Culture isn’t what’s written on the wall – it’s what happens every day. How are the meetings run? How are the mistakes handled? What happens after a team wins? Daily practice says more than a strategy slide.

Instead of a conclusion: an invitation.

Turnover isn’t an inevitable evil – it’s a message. The sooner you hear it, the more control you may obtain. The sooner you act, the better chance you have to keep the people who truly bring value.

If your organisation is facing similar challenges, I’d be happy to help you take an outside look and suggest tailored tools to your needs. Sometimes, a few small tweaks can make the whole system work better.

A Big thank you to my amazing peer Ola from Kursy języka angielskiego online – ATL English by Aleksandra Ammer for her support and proofreading!

This article was created with input from my peer Diana Kwarciana – thank you for the inspiration and for sharing your perspective as we shaped this topic.