According to an ADP Research Institute study,* about 30% of employees leave their jobs within a month of their first promotion. Generally, the risk of a worker in the same position leaving at any given time is 18%. Employees in jobs that require little to no training, such as warehouse or hospitality workers, leave at especially high rates. So do those in roles requiring graduate school or an advanced technical degree.
REASONS FOR FLIGHT
One reason for leaving is that employees may feel overwhelmed because they didn’t receive the training to succeed in the new position. Another is that the promotion has given them the confidence to seek a new job that pays more, has better benefits, or offers more opportunities. A third is that the promotion comes too late, and the employee has already started looking for a new position and receives a better offer shortly after the upgrade.
SOLUTIONS
The months after a promotion are critical to retaining the employee. Provide adequate training and support to help the employee succeed. You can ask another employee to mentor the employee. Follow up with the employee post-promotion. After three months, he/she will know whether the job is as described to them and at six months, whether it is a good fit. The ADP study found that the likelihood of a promoted employee leaving after six months is the same as for other workers.
SIGNS OF EMPLOYEE FLIGHT RISK
- Decreased productivity
- Lack of attention in meetings
- Arriving late and missing work
- Apathetic with manager
- Repudiates long-term deadlines
- Expressing job dissatisfaction
*The Hidden Truth about Promotions, ADP Research Institute, 2023