8 signs that an employee is about to change jobs

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In the context of increasingly fierce competition for talent today, retaining talent is an important responsibility for every manager and human resources professional. By the time you realize the importance of someone who is crucial to a company or department once they have placed their resignation letter on your desk, it’s already too late. Usually, a person who decides to resign goes through a long period of careful consideration, evaluation, and deliberation. Once the resignation letter is submitted, it means that they have already received an offer from another company; at this point, they are unlikely to be persuaded to stay by their current company, as they are already bound by a contract with the other company. In fact, 1 to 3 months before a person leaves the company (and up to 6 months in the case of managers), they will definitely exhibit different speech or behavior from usual; if you observe carefully, you can spot unusual signs and take measures in advance to stabilize the situation and retain that person. 1. A sudden decline in enthusiasm and initiative for work (No proactiveness and initiative). It is a dangerous sign when a person who has always been proactive suddenly becomes passive and indifferent to everything. When a person decides to leave, they still have their heart elsewhere; therefore, out of a sense of professional ethics, they will continue to do the work that has already been started, but they won’t take on anything that requires long-term commitment. 2. A sudden change in attitude toward the company (Attitude toward the company changes). Someone who used to be full of complaints and opinions about the company suddenly became quiet and stopped participating in discussions about it. When a person has complaints or concerns about a company, they won’t leave for now, because they still hold hope for the company and expect things to improve. But once he had decided to leave, he lost hope for improvements in the company, or it no longer mattered to him. 3. Be low-key (Appear invisible and indifferent). In various situations, he acts more low-key than before: he doesn’t speak in meetings, doesn’t contribute during discussions, doesn’t volunteer for tasks, and stays out of conflicts. To gradually withdraw from the company, he will no longer volunteer for any new projects, nor will he initiate long-term work projects. 4. Lax work discipline (Become loose). Not everyone will do this. But it can be seen among employees in lower-level positions. A person who has always adhered to work discipline suddenly starts showing minor issues such as being late, leaving early, chatting at work, or using the internet. Since I’m leaving, my performance at this company isn’t that important anymore. However, professional managers are often able to see things through to the end. The reason for this is, firstly, their professional competence; secondly, reference checks may be conducted on managers, which can affect whether they receive an offer from the next company. 5. Take long paid leave. Apply for a leave of one or two weeks or more. Due to the intense workload, it is rare for foreign companies to allow employees to take 10 days or half a month off without it affecting their work. If a position remains vacant for such a long time, the boss needs to question whether the company really needs that position However, for those who are leaving, on the one hand it is for personal reasons such as going to other locations for inspections, preparing for and attending interviews, and on the other hand, due to concerns that they may not receive compensation from the company for their paid leave upon departure, they take longer time off. 6. Often leave the office to answer phone calls (Receive mysterious phone calls). Communication with the HR department or headhunters at the other company is usually done via phone; upon receiving such a call, the employee will mysteriously and quickly leave the office to go to a quiet place to answer it. Generally, this involves arranging interviews, company tours, and other such things. 7. Ask HR about the policies regarding year-end bonuses and leave (Check HR policy regarding year-end bonus). Companies have different rules regarding year-end bonuses and paid leave. For example, some companies stipulate that those who have left the company by the time bonuses are distributed are not entitled to receive them ； Unused accrued paid leave to be compensated with salary ； Other companies, on the other hand, stipulate that those who were working as of December 31 of the previous year are still eligible to receive an annual bonus when it is distributed in February or March of the following year. 8. Prepared to leave. People with a strong sense of professionalism, in order to minimize the negative impact of their departure on their current employer, will start training their subordinates, transfer tasks to competent employees, and step back from various long-term projects so that they can leave without any concerns. Otherwise, the current company can delay his departure on the grounds that the project is not completed. If one tries to escape at all costs and causes losses to the current company, it will damage one’s reputation in the industry.