Maslow's Theory of Human Motivation Applied

Keeping Suzanne Chalmers

API is seeing the problem of turnover up close, and it needs to do a better job of addressing it. The case of Suzanne Chalmers leaving to travel for a few months and then join a start-up is a case in point: she does not give any indication that the workplace is an issue; it is simply that she is ready to go somewhere new. There is also the potential of earnings being more lucrative somewhere else due to stock options that start-ups can offer.

It is always difficult when an employee wants to resign, but there are some things that one can do in order to keep them on board. First of all, it is important to try and find out the reasons why they want to leave. Chan attempts to do this, but comes up well short. Chalmers does not give him anything to go on. To get a better idea of why the employee wants to leave, it is important to keep closer contact with employees before they come into the office to resign. That way, one can see what is going on before the phone call comes. Also, when management is closer to staff, the odds of developing tighter workplace relationships is greater, and employee job satisfaction may be higher. When managers show employees along the way they are valued—not just at the point of departure—employees can feel more inclined to stay after all.

Another way to keep an employee is to offer them additional benefits or perks. Chan does this, too—but it is too little too late. These kinds of perks need to be offered before the employee begins to get restless. This could include an annual pay raise or bonus, more holiday days, or flexible working hours. If an employee feels that they are being treated well, they are less likely to want to leave.

Finally, it is also important to make sure that you have a good working environment. This means having a supportive and friendly team, as well as good working conditions. Chan mentions the workplace being cramped: it should never have been allowed to grow cramped in the first place. Whenever there are negatives in the workplace it is simply a reason for employees to start looking elsewhere. Take away the negatives in the environment and employees are less likely to wander away. If an employee feels happy in their job, they will probably not want to resign.

My recommendation would impact the leadership of this organization by modeling it more after the servant leadership style. The key tenets of servant leadership include empathy, humility, and a focus on others. Servant leaders strive to create a positive work environment where employees feel valued and appreciated. They are also open to feedback and willing to make changes based on input from their team.

At its core, servant leadership is about putting people first—a quality that is essential for any successful leader. Chan is demonstrating transactional leadership, but this is not really working. Extrinsic motivation is not impactful in all situations (Gerhart & Fang, 2015). The reason servant leadership would be more effective is this: servant leadership empowers people. Chalmers is leaving because she wants to be empowered; she wants to be in control of her own destiny. If she felt that way already, she would not see a need to leave API.