Business
Why do employees resign?
Learn the most common reasons employees resign and how you, as a leader, can improve job satisfaction, engagement and loyalty.
By Evalotta Eriksson · Published 25 March 2026 · Read in Swedish
When an employee chooses to leave their workplace, it is rarely about a single incident. Often, the decision is the result of several factors that have built up over time.
By understanding why people choose to resign, leaders can create a workplace where more people want to stay, develop and contribute.
The most common reasons
Research and experience show that employees often leave because of:
- Poor leadership
- Insufficient appreciation
- Limited development opportunities
- Heavy workloads
- Unclear expectations
- Lack of feedback
- Poor communication
- Low psychological safety
Often, it is not the work itself that makes the difference – but how people experience their working environment.
What role does the leader play?
Leaders have a significant influence on people's job satisfaction and development.
Good leadership is characterised by:
- Clear communication
- Regular feedback
- Attentiveness
- Trust
- Participation
When employees feel seen and appreciated, both motivation and loyalty increase.
How can you prevent avoidable resignations?
1. Have regular conversations
Make room for dialogue about job satisfaction, development and needs – not just during development reviews.
2. Show appreciation every day
Small words of appreciation make a big difference over time.
3. Create development opportunities
Employees stay where they can grow.
4. Build psychological safety
Engagement increases when people feel safe to think aloud, ask questions and make mistakes.
5. Prioritise sustainable workloads
Long-term performance requires recovery and reasonable demands.
6. Listen to employees' needs
Ask, listen and act – before problems become too big.
Common signs before someone resigns
Pay attention if an employee:
- Becomes less engaged
- Takes less initiative
- Avoids dialogue
- Withdraws socially
- Seems unmotivated
- Is frequently absent
Early conversations can often make a big difference.
Frequently asked questions
Is pay the most common reason people resign? Pay can be a factor, but many people leave because of leadership, development opportunities and the working environment.
How can a manager reduce staff turnover? Through clear communication, regular feedback, development opportunities and sustainable leadership.
How often should you hold development reviews? In addition to annual development reviews, regular one-to-one check-ins are valuable for identifying needs and challenges.
Next steps
Would you like to develop leadership that strengthens engagement, job satisfaction and long-term loyalty?
Growmaster's corporate programme helps leaders and organisations create sustainable workplaces where people want to stay and develop. Read more about the Growmaster method and explore more articles in the Knowledge Bank under the category Leadership and employeeship.
Further reading:
Frequently asked questions
Is pay the most common reason people resign?
Pay can be a factor, but many people leave because of leadership, development opportunities and the working environment. How satisfied people are at work, whether they feel seen and whether they can develop often carry more weight over time.
How can a manager reduce staff turnover?
Through clear communication, regular feedback, development opportunities and sustainable leadership that builds trust and psychological safety.
How often should you hold development reviews?
In addition to annual development reviews, regular one-to-one check-ins are valuable for identifying needs, challenges and development opportunities early.