two years ago, Diane Umuringa quit her job, not because of poor pay, or for greener pastures, but because she felt there was no growth career-wise—that, and a rude manager she couldn’t put up with anymore.

She had worked for the electronics company for three years prior to quitting, and she felt like her boss was always more attentive to fault than compliment, or finding solutions, that he found something wrong in everything.

"The manager was a narcissist, all that mattered was him, but not what was happening in our lives as employees. He had no idea of the issues we faced,” she says.

Umuringa notes that other factors didn’t really torment her as much as being bullied. Her boss was a bully, each time he called her into his office, things didn’t go smoothly, and it affected her self-esteem.

By the time she resigned, she didn’t even have a job offer anywhere else, but she needed a break from her toxic workplace.

Like Umuringa, many people decide to quit their jobs, for reasons that employers need to take note of.

According to Annick Umutibagirana, CEO of Aroma Glam Ltd, there are several factors that make employees quit their jobs, but generally, unhappy employees are the ones who decide to resign. Not because they found a better job than their current one, but because they are not satisfied by the way things run or are handled at the workplace. Even after the brave ones complain, sometimes no change is made, thus such employees decide to leave.

"Some company managers don’t appreciate or motivate their employees which kills their enthusiasm and zeal for the job. Managers need to utilise tools to recognise employee’s efforts, as it helps in building morale and rising output collectively.

"It’s essential for organisations to build a model and managerial structure to boost employee productivity. Otherwise, they will end up spending on training new workers as the old ones keep leaving,” she says.

Umutibagirana says that lack of real friendships at work could make many workers feel lonely and isolated. Therefore, employee interactions are crucial.

Research shows that having a close friend at work is one of the factors that determine whether or not a worker is happy and satisfied with their job.

Umutibagirana says that lack of advancement opportunities is one of the reasons that people look for jobs elsewhere.

Although it is hard for small business owners to internally promote their workers at a fast rate, there are some offers that they can consider, for instance, scheduled raises to increases in responsibility levels and training for new skills, as these can help employees feel like they are advancing within their positions, Umutibagirana adds.

Burnout is another issue as some employees work without getting enough rest.

According to research from Gallup, 23 per cent of employees report feeling burned out at work very often or always, while an additional 44 per cent reported feeling burned out sometimes. And all those burned-out employees are 2.6 times more likely to be looking for another job.

How to retain employees

The best way to retain employees is to stay in touch. Are they happy with their work? Are their needs for a challenge, belonging, development, and meaningful work being met? Do they have the communication, problem-solving, feedback, and recognition that they need from their boss?

"If you stay in touch with your employees, you can head off potential retention issues. But, you must think about employee retention every day. The systems, processes, and requirements in your company should be supportive of employees.”

By knowing the reasons employees leave, employers can directly solve recurring issues and make a more pleasant work environment for everyone.