The ups and downs and fast pace of startup life probably leaves little room for twiddling your thumbs. But entrepreneurs looking to retain their best talent might want to make sure that everyone is feeling equally excited and enthused at work. According to a new study, boredom is the main driver behind employees leaving their current employer.
According to the research from Robert Half UK, the recruitment agency, 36% of HR directors in the UK have noticed that the number of workers moving on to other companies has increased over the past three years. Of the people surveyed, 35% stated that boredom and frustrations with their current role or company was the main reason for workers leaving. The problem seems to be more prevalent among larger companies, where 42% said boredom was the main reason for employees leaving. In comparison, 35% at medium-sized and 27% at small businesses said the same.
However, boredom wasn’t the only reason why workers are choosing to hand in their notice. The second most common reason was that the job offered poor work-life balance, with 31% of HR leaders noticing this trend. Meanwhile, 30% of respondents have been told by employees that they chose to move on because they felt like they didn’t have strong enough career prospects within the company.
In a bid to avoid skilled workers from leaving, many employers have been trying out a range of new initiatives. For instance, 63% have begun to offer flexible working arrangements, 45% provide competitive salary packages, 33% offer their workers training and 30% give them internal promotions. However, Robert Half UK noted that most of these initiatives don’t counteract the main driver of staff turnover: boredom.
Commenting on the research, Phil Sheridan, senior managing director at Robert Half UK, said that given the current skill shortages in the labour market, “organisations need to ensure they look after their staff”. He continued: “Losing staff because they feel unhappy and unmotivated can be avoided if businesses develop a strategy which incorporates staff wellbeing initiatives alongside career planning and, above all, nurtures a positive company culture.”
In other words, entrepreneurs might want to ensure that team members are just as excited about the company as they are. 
