In Quebec's ultra-competitive labour market, losing a key player is a small disaster. Beyond the gap left in the team, the departure of a high performer can cost between 6 and 24 months of their salary in recruitment, training and lost productivity.
The good news? Most of these departures are avoidable. Here are the traps to steer clear of to keep your talent with you.
1. Lack of recognition (the silence that costs you)
Lack of recognition is often cited as the leading cause of voluntary departures.
- The mistake: Waiting for the annual review or the holiday party to say “good job”.
- The solution: A sincere, specific thank-you delivered at the right time often has more impact than an impersonal bonus. Recognition should be part of your everyday DNA.
2. Blocking the horizon: the feeling of standing still
Talented employees are, by definition, ambitious. If they feel they've hit a glass ceiling in your organization, they'll go see whether the grass is greener elsewhere.
- The advice: Talk about professional development before the employee gets bored. A career plan, even an informal one, shows that you're investing in their future.
3. Tolerating the intolerable: the cost of toxicity
Nothing discourages a high performer more than watching a toxic colleague (or manager) act with complete impunity.
- The impact: By protecting a disruptive person “because they deliver results”, you send the message that your values are just wall decor. Your good employees will leave, and the weaker performers will stay.
4. “Punishing” excellence (chronic overload)
It's a classic: we give more responsibility to those who do good work because we know it will get done.
- The risk: Without adjusting resources or pay, this leads straight to burnout or quiet quitting. Excellence shouldn't be punished with a constant extra workload.
5. Flying blind: a lack of vision
Engaged employees don't just want to carry out tasks; they want to contribute to a project.
- The mistake: Keeping the company strategy locked in an ivory tower.
- The solution: Clearly communicate the company's goals and direction. An employee who understands “why” they work will always be more loyal.
6. Inflexibility about personal life
Since 2020, work-life balance has become non-negotiable in Quebec. An employer who refuses a reasonable schedule adjustment for a family emergency or a need for flexibility will lose its best people to more agile companies.
"The number to remember: 75% of employees who resign aren't leaving their job; they're leaving their manager.
Turn retention into a source of attraction
Retaining your talent starts with an honest look at your management culture. Do your practices encourage engagement or departures?
Industrielle RH helps you analyze your turnover rate and put in place people management solutions that are both human and effective. Protect your greatest asset: your people.