Half of workers are ‘thinking about QUITTING’ – but bosses have a chance of retaining them by asking simple question

HALF of workers are currently thinking about quitting their jobs – but bosses have a chance of retaining them by asking simple questions, according to a new study.

Research polling adults in the workplace revealed 27 per cent don’t feel valued by their employer - and some suffered with anxiety.

But small changes such as knowing how staff like their tea, remembering their pet’s name and asking about their day are the top questions bosses should ask to keep staff happy and stop them from leaving.

The research found that a quarter of employees would feel more valued and less likely to quit a job if their boss regularly checked in and asked about their day.

Meanwhile, 11 per cent value a boss knowing how they like their tea or coffee made, alongside a competitive salary. 

One in 12 would also feel more valued by a boss who remembered their pet’s name, according to the study of 2,000 UK businesses.

Amanda Cusdin, chief people officer at Sage, which commissioned the research, said: “Finding and keeping hold of great talent is one of the biggest concerns we hear from small business owners.

“Little things like making the tea round or asking how their staff are doing will make the world of difference, as it will make employees feel valued, resulting in a more loyal and happier workforce.

“It takes more than software and solutions to make a business work.”

Among the bosses already feeling the benefits of treating her team well is Caroline Armstrong, an accountant for 20 years, who now employs eight people at her firm Infinitas.

Caroline says she has gone to great lengths to let everybody know how valued they are, including being open about everybody’s salary brackets, creating a work-place environment where people can openly discuss financial matters.

She said: “Nobody is staff here, everyone is a team member. I operate with transparency, ensuring the team is fully aware of business decisions and our finances.”

Caroline says she makes a point of learning how every staff member likes their hot drinks and regularly makes the drinks. She said: “The gesture doesn’t need to be big - it needs to be caring.”

She believes this strategy has helped her hang onto staff with just one employee leaving since she started in 2020 - who left to home-school her child. 

She said: “My team feels part of what we do - we have a ‘problem shared’ type attitude where everybody pulls together, and I get amazing feedback from my clients about it.” 

This is a world away from the culture she encountered during years working in large corporations.

She said: “Work came home with me. It was long days and long nights. When I left they offered me more money, but it was about work culture and life balance over salary.” 

The study comes as Sage launches , providing customers with exclusive access to ‘Sage Talks’ and articles from the world’s leading experts on the topics that matter to business owners, the first season of which focuses on how to find and keep great people.