How to Lose an Employee in 10 months or earlier!

There are few things in life that have become easier to do. Losing employees has become the norm across the globe. Very often, uncertain circumstances are blamed or the claim that employees are spoiled for choice, is the excuse.

Although these could feature as some possible reasons, if your attrition rate is high, it's probably time to open 'Pandora's box' and look a little deeper.

These are a few of the best ways to show employees the door earlier than ever:

Gaslighting

A relatively new term to describe an old form of abuse. It is predominantly marked by a controlling behavioural attitude that seeks to undermine a person in all ways. These can range from a sigh to indicate incompetence to outright yelling and discrediting the person and their work. It can be subtle or direct, yet it never fails to miss its target. Keep at it and you can cause a high performer to become one of the lowest, before a potential break down, yet, it is not clearly defined or noticed, until it it too late.

A Chaotic Workflow Process or None at All

No clearly defined roles, tasks or processes often means that there is no accountability for most actions. Processes are defined on the go. Instructions remain unclear with the employee guessing what an instruction could have meant. A task then performed based on these unclear instructions, is then undermined as being incompetent or unintelligent.

Project plans are always subject to change and protocols are always broken. Boundaries for work and life are non-existent and are pushed or withdrawn depending on how much the employee is able to withstand. Willing employees are exploited most willingly.

Getting More for Less

Fairness is rare, worse still is knowing the quality and worth of an employee and yet discrediting them or making them settle for far less than their market worth because you have noted that they need the job or are not in a position to negotiate. They may take the job, but will not fail to note the degree of your integrity towards them.

Micromanaging and a False Sense of Urgency

Give a team member a task to complete stating that it is urgent and ask them about it every hour through chat. Have members from other departments also ask about the same task at regular intervals. Make sure that the employee stays and finishes it above work hours and then safely tuck the document away - your plan has been achieved. It can go next week to the client and you'd have a week to review it at leisure.

Adopt a Top-down Approach and Management Style with a Narrative that ensures Dominion

Use a tone of authority for those employees who will not resist and ensure a form of subservience. If they have the potential to resist, use a strong tone or 'shout them down' to avoid receiving any opinion or feedback. If you receive feedback, discredit it, deny it or do a flip turn indicating that you are the victim.

Use a narrative that undermines them in all your conversations so that the employees you manage will always be aware of their position in the organizational workflow - as being one of subordination. This will serve well in ensuring that you always retain your position of control over them. The use of a narrative that undermines is useful in communicating that they are not valued, although they are used temporarily. Over time, this is effective in lowering self-esteem.

Every individual leaves their mark on another and every employee will always remember those situations and individuals who contributed to their early exit.

It always pays to remember that before positions and titles interact with each other, we first interact as human beings - let's not forget that being human also includes kindness, a rarity once again!