Whether you\u2019ve launched a startup of your own or have worked for one, you know that things can be difficult to say the least\u2014it just comes with the territory.<\/p>\n
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The good news is that while problems are bound to arise,\u00a0the culture<\/a>surrounding the startup world is typically fresh, dynamic and fun. Truth be told, for the right person, the startup scene can provide said person all they ever wanted in a career.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The same can\u2019t be said for everyone. \u00a0Have you ever had that terrible conversation of \u201cit\u2019s time for me to move on\u201d from one of your most prized, dedicated and effective performers?\u00a0Sadly, this happens and usually catches the team completely off guard while scrambling to figure out \u201cwhy\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One day, they\u2019re fully engaged and smiling. The next, their desk is empty and being fought over. Making matters even worse, losing a valuable part of your staff can really hinder progress \u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Does any of this sound painfully familiar?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been left scratching your head after a star employee\u2019s sudden departure, consider a few of the following reasons for why they might\u2019ve left:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1) They\u2019re Being Overworked and Neglected<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n First thing\u2019s first\u2014regardless of whether you\u2019re working for a startup or have taken your talents to a larger, more established business, if you plan on becoming an authoritative figure within your industry,\u00a0overexertion<\/a>\u00a0will need to frequently rear its ugly head.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Though great startup employees already know this, their loyalty to your company starts to waver when they feel that they\u2019re alone in their efforts\u2014that nobody else is making similar sacrifices.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Think about it\u2014the beauty of startups largely comes from their communal appeal.\u00a0The best startups thrive via the collaboration from a group of smart, driven people coming together to make a major impact.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Everyone lifts where they stand, drinking coffee late into the night to place an order, meet a pressing deadline or finalize the slides for the next day\u2019s presentation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When left alone for an unacceptable amount of time in the epicenter of the \u201cgrind\u201d, this environment can demean, demoralize and downright weaken an employee\u2019s will to keep putting their best foot forward.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The result? They hit the road, and don\u2019t think twice about coming back.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2) Virtually No Signs of Worker Appreciation<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n No, your startup\u2019s most gifted employees don\u2019t need a pat on the back every five seconds, but they certainly need some sort of validation as to the quality of the work they produce.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Just because someone is highly effective, doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re a machine. At the end of the day, they\u2019re human, and want to be recognized or rewarded for doing a good job.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You\u2019re running a startup\u2014I get it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You might not have the budget to foot the bill for an expensive token of appreciation or a pay raise, but there are plenty of\u00a0ways to show worker appreciation<\/a>\u00a0that cost next to nothing \u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In fact, the easiest is completely free\u2014offer up a heartfelt \u201cthank you\u201d with a conversation on why you value their work and what they did to earn your praise.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That\u2019s all it takes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3) All Bark; No Bite<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Having worked with startups for the better part of two decades, I can confidently say that this reason is easily one of the biggest for which the best employees exit stage left\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They\u2019re tired of lofty and unrealistic goals with zero backup as to why they\u2019ve been formulated along with visions and dreams with no actions to support them. Lip service is just an easy way to appease the mediocre or put a Band-Aid on important issues, and your most brilliant employees know it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Seriously, few things are more frustrating in the working world than feeling like you\u2019re aimlessly spinning your wheels just because someone told you to.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Remember, we\u2019re talking about the kinds of startup employees who frequently go on to become powerful entrepreneurs, themselves.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Because of this, they\u2019re not prone to merely\u00a0going through the motions<\/a>\u00a0like most people\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019re the one in charge, give your brightest minds something to create, and then show them how their efforts are leading to real, quantifiable results\u2014nothing less will suffice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4) Money Seems to Matter More Than People<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Don\u2019t get me wrong\u2014I understand that improving your company\u2019s bottom line, pleasing stakeholders and increasing productivity are all critical, but the moment they take precedence over the wellbeing of people and your customers, you\u2019re standing on shaky ground\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Well, I disagree with\u00a0\u201cGordon Gekko\u201d when he said \u201cgreed is good\u201d<\/a>. \u00a0When you take a short-sighted, greedy approach valuing your bank balance more than being a good boss to do meaningful business, you\u2019ll soon see a sharp uptick in each of the below items:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Low Morale<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Underperformance<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Bad Customer Experience<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And the list goes on\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n