How to Deal with the 'Employee Seeks Greener Grass' Dilemma

It is a common thought among employees that the other side of the grass is greener. Generally, employees leave for the better opportunity or higher remuneration. However, there are several employers who do not even know the actual reason behind it. People may believe in convenient explanations whereas, the real reason of their departure might never be revealed.

According to experts, employers perhaps ask themselves, why the employees are looking for new jobs in the first place. Some unknown source explained that one might think that the grass is greener on the other side. But, if one takes the time to water himself, the grass would be just as green. Both employers and employees need to think this way rather than making a decision in haste.

There are plenty of reasons that might work as a catalyst to leave the present job, but one can't expect an employer to comprehend the reasons every time.  

According to the blog from About Money, the employees leave their job for various reasons. Sometimes employees leave to be with their spouses in other countries or to look after their children for some personal reasons or maybe for further education. Such reasons are tough for an employer to understand because they do not include events in employee's life as their part of work.

Any element of current workplace, culture and environment, the employee's perception of his job and opportunities are all factors that the employers have an emotional impact on. After going through a rough phase for a prolonged time, employees tend to feel tired about the ways things are not changing for better. Even if they realize that bad phase might occur, an instinctive urge to seek out better options is inevitable.

For employers, the best way to retain employees is to learn to put themselves on the employees' shoes. By staying in touch with employees in a regular basis, employers can easily deal with employee retention issues.

Abraham Maslow has provided a detailed view on this thought in his book 'Hierarchy of Needs'.

As per the Fire Up Your Employees news, the major reason why employees think the grass is greener elsewhere and leave is their beliefs. After a certain point of time, they fail to trust their management including the people, work and mission. Employees wish to change jobs only when they do not possess enough confidence that their present authorities can make things right for them.

If employers want to win their employees back, they have to show that they are concerned for real. By following certain agenda, employers might prevent their staffs from searching for greener grass. Management needs to improve employer-employee relationship through transparent communication. The company authorities must show their personnel valid reasons to stay while focusing more on what they can do for the betterment of the employees.

Losing employees might hamper the productivity of the company. Besides, if employees are leaving in waves for greener grass, employers should be worried. Employee departure should always be considered as a wake-up call to the management system. As per LightHouse blog, "Once they tell you they have another offer ... they're already out the door," as Jason Lemkin wrote.

People mostly do not leave their job whimsically and it takes quite a time to decide whether to attend interviews and accept offers. It is not impossible to turn the tide. While employers should not take their employees for granted, employees should also take the decision of changing jobs wisely. If the grass does not prove green on the other side, it could be risky too for employees. Leaving for the greener grass seems justified only if nothing works out well in the current scenario.