11. TEN ADVANTAGES OF TURNOVER

My goodness!  Every other post on LinkedIn is “I’m excited to share that I’ve accepted a new role as Executive Glow & Dazzle Strategist with Sparkly Shiny Corporation!”

And of course, I say, “HOORAY!  Good for you!!”  And I feel so excited for them.  Really, I do!

But also…I say a little silent prayer for the former employer.  Ooph!  The Great Resignation is no joke and it’s causing pain all over the place.  Recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training—you know the steps.  It’s not awesome. 

Except, really….IT IS AWESOME! (I’m the Advantageist after all.) 

So whether you’re struggling with turnover like you’ve never seen or you’ve lost just one cherished team member, this list is for you.

TEN ADVANTAGES OF TURNOVER—

Please note, this not a “TOP 10.”  These are the 10 advantages that came to mind for me.  You can think of more if you try (and I think you should). 

In no particular order or top-ness, here are 10 reasons to cheer for turnover:

1.       Any departure is a great opportunity to ask, “what have I learned?  How can I do better? Where can we improve?”  Stop to consider how this departure brings awareness to where you can up your game.  You can’t rise to a challenge you can’t define.  This departure can give you the information you need to define the challenge and rise up to meet it.

2.       Turnover can be a time to reflect on what’s working well, too!  Poll your team about what they love best about your work and company and use these insights to draw more people to your mission.  You too can be Sparkly Shiny Corporation!

3.       An opening on your team creates opportunities for growth and professional development for your remaining team members.  Stretching outside of comfort zones gives your team space to try out new skills, innovate, problem solve, and explore new projects.  Here we grow!

4.       A vacancy is an opportunity to look closely at your team/organization’s needs.  Here’s your chance to make sure the position description and the org chart match what’s happening in your company now.  Need a skill you don’t currently have or have never had in this role?  Go get ‘em!

5.       Does your organization or business reflect your diverse community at all levels?  Turnover makes it even more important to consider who is on your team, who is not, and why.  Pause to reflect and ask yourself tough questions about barriers that exist and how you can address them.  Turnover means your team is changing—an advantage is that you have the opportunity to include more people and make your team change for the better.

6.       Pitching in to cover the work of your absent team member can get you reconnected to the role and remind you what’s most important.  It’s also a great time to bond with your team and hear their ideas about success looks like and how to get there.

7.       Turnover reinforces the importance of your networks.  Sharing news of open positions connects you with existing and potential partners within your network.  Ask for their best tips and tricks and don’t forget to ask what openings you can help them fill, too.

8.       Interviewing means you’re about to meet a boat-load of new people.  YAY!  Even if you don’t find your dream candidate right away, you’re bound to have memorable moments and a few good stories.  Remember that time your candidate very seriously imitated a turkey vulture vomiting and you had to bite your cheeks until they bled to keep from laughing? (Oh wait, that probably only happened to me.)

9.       Welcoming new team members means you’ll get a fresh set of eyes on your processes and procedures.  Just think—there will be a whole new world of ideas and possibilities!  Maybe the way you’ve always done something isn’t the best way to do it anymore. SCORE!

10.   Your new hire will be super stoked to start at your company.  After all, you are the Sparkly Shiny Corporation to this new friend!!  This is a great time to capture important information.  What drew them to your company?  What made you sparkle and shine?  Make sure to share the good news with your team so they can build on a good thing and feel the success, too.

What advantages of turnover are you experiencing?  How is your team better, kinder, wiser, more inclusive, more resilient, more creative, or productive because of this disruption?

You got this!  I believe in you.

Rachel