Although I’m not that old or highly experienced, I’ve witnessed—more than once—what can be described as mass resignations. It starts off gradually—you and your team step up to cover extra work when someone gets fired. Before you know it, you’ve taken on that role yourself, piling on more tasks and responsibilities. Other times, you find yourself picking up the slack for someone who doesn’t pull their weight, but for whatever reason, the boss likes them. Situations like this are more common than people think. Because I experienced it so often, especially early in my career, I started to see it as normal—sometimes even acceptable. From my perspective as an employee—and let’s be honest, a bit of a people pleaser early in my career—this felt like the natural outcome of truly committing to a company. However, looking back, I realize that this mindset only sets us up for burnout. And that’s when I began to reflect: why did we keep pushing ourselves, even when it wasn’t required? It made me think about the underlying reasons employees often end up in this situation, and I realized it goes beyond just wanting to be helpful.
One big reason is workplace guilt. If you’re seeing your teammates struggling or staying late to finish something, it can make you feel guilty for not doing the same. You start to think, “If I’m not working as hard as they are, am I not doing enough?” This kind of guilt can push you to take on more than you can realistically handle, just so you don’t feel like you’re falling behind.
There’s also the fear of job loss. Many employees worry that if they don’t go above and beyond, they could be the next to go. That fear can drive people to work longer hours or take on more tasks, all in an effort to prove they’re indispensable and make sure they’re not overlooked.
As the years passed, I began to realize that this pattern wasn’t normal at all. Employees resigning one after another because they reached a state of exhaustion? That’s a red flag right there! Then, I began to realize: it wasn’t just about the workload anymore—it was about something deeper. It made me reflect on how workplace culture plays a huge role in driving this behavior. Over time, I started to notice how the expectations around long hours and constant availability weren’t just accepted—they were expected. The more I thought about it, the more I understood that when a company places value on being “always on,” it creates an environment where overwork becomes the norm. And in an environment like that, it’s not surprising that burnout starts to feel inevitable.
The problem is, what many of these companies do is underestimate how harmful it is to suddenly have to replace a large part of its team within days. Replacing employees comes with a significant financial cost. First, there’s the expense of recruitment—from advertising job openings to conducting interviews and background checks, hiring can be both time-consuming and expensive. Once a new employee is hired, the training process begins, which can take weeks or even months, depending on the role. During this time, the new hire might not be fully productive, putting extra strain on the remaining team members. The real hidden cost, however, is the lost productivity. When experienced employees leave, there’s a gap in expertise and efficiency, and it takes time for new employees to reach the same level of performance. All of these factors add up quickly, making turnover not just disruptive but costly in terms of both time and money.
So, how can we prevent this? With skilled labor becoming harder to find and training new employees costing time and money, what’s the secret to keeping a strong team and employee retention?
Well, I’m not an HR specialist, but I always thought there was a simple formula for this: financial recognition + work-life balance. But then I started working with SpotlessMind and realized that, in fact, everyone has a different perspective on success, and the factor that keeps one employee engaged may not be the same for another. What might cause burnout for one person could be a motivating factor for someone else.
The good news is that retaining a great team is entirely possible with the right tools. Knowledge is key: understanding what triggers someone and avoiding it, knowing how to bring out the best in each person, and identifying what truly motivates them makes all the difference. And this goes beyond just the employer—employees also benefit from this knowledge.
At the end of the day, keeping a great team isn’t about guessing what might make people stay—it’s about knowing. When companies take the time to understand their employees on a deeper level, they create an environment where people feel valued, motivated, and actually want to stick around. Retention isn’t just about competitive salaries or fancy perks (though those don’t hurt!). It’s about recognizing that success looks different for everyone and using that knowledge to build a workplace where people can succeed. When employees feel seen, heard, and supported, they don’t just stay—they contribute, grow, and help the company grow.
So, instead of waiting for the next resignation wave, why not get ahead of the game? The best tool is right here with us! It’s just a matter of using it.
