Do you know what your employees do on vacation?

It's the middle of summer! Do you know what your employees do on vacation?

I don’t mean the specifics of how they are spending their time. Obviously that is personal and not your business unless they choose to share. Some are traveling to see family, while others are relaxing on the beach and others are going on fun adventures. While some might just be unplugging and hanging in their local area. And a few might even be using that time to look for a new job.

But one thing that I think a lot of people do when they have time off over the summer and during winter holidays, is to reflect on their situation. If they are with friends or family, ultimately someone will ask them about their job and if they like it. “How’s work?” they will ask.

If they haven’t yet reflected on their answer to that question, this may give them pause and cause them to start reflecting on how much they do or do not enjoy their work. They might start to think about how fulfilling it is or wonder if there is something better out there. Or worse, they might start complaining about how awful their boss is or how boring their job is or just how unfulfilling it is.

If your company is doing a great job of growth opportunities to your employees, they might be bragging about how great the company and culture are and how excited they are for the future.

But if your company has not been investing in employees and if they haven’t had a career conversation with their manager in a while, they might start complaining or talking about how it’s probably time for a change and how they’d like to take advantage of the job market while it’s hot.

If you have a large company, there are probably plenty of opportunities in the company for that person to grow and find new and exciting work that will help them grow in their careers. But the frustrating thing is that unless that person is taking ownership of their career and/or having regular career conversations with their manager, they may not be aware of these opportunities nor are they being intentional about what they are doing next. So instead they just start complaining and looking for something new.

The grass is always seems greener on the other side of the fence. But I’ve also heard that the grass is usually greener where you water it. And so if you are giving metaphorical water to your company, culture, managers, and employees, they are more likely to stay. What does this look like?

First, it’s providing tools, resources, and pathways for employees to grow. This could include learning and technology platforms, true talent mobility, and an easy way for employees to find out about new opportunities and move around. This also includes developing a culture of growth, mobility, and acceptance that people will make moves and not stay in the same roles for years.

Second, it’s encouraging managers to have regular career conversations with employees so that employees feel like they are getting guidance from their manager and are encouraged to pursue their goals and dreams. This also means managers need to get comfortable with the idea that a talented, ambitious employee might find a new role and move on from their team. But likely this will help build their reputation as a great manager and their legacy as a great leader.

Third, and most importantly, it’s encouraging employees to own their careers. That means they understand they are in the driver’s seat. They can take change. They can be proactive and intentional about what they want to do and where they want to go. They can set their own goals and proactively schedule a meeting with their manager or HR business partner or even a recruiter in the business to discuss different opportunities and where they might want to go next.

When employees are owning their careers, they stop drifting and start doing more things to take control of their future. As a result, they are more confident, fulfilled, engaged, and usually end up staying longer (so long as they receive from support from their manager and the company is providing opportunities for them to grow).

The problem is a lot of companies are not doing this. A lot of companies are waiting to provide these things to their people. A lot of companies want employees to own their careers but aren’t teaching them how to do it. So what happens?