HR departments struggle to find the right candidates while desperately trying to retain top-performing employees who are considering job changes—it’s exhausting! Retaining great employees may seem difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Many managerial mistakes are avoidable, yet when they occur, the best employees often leave first because they have the most options.

A company that fails to engage its top talent fully will inevitably lose them—this should be common sense, yet many remain unaware. The departure of high-performing employees is never sudden. Instead, their enthusiasm for work gradually erodes. Researchers have studied this phenomenon extensively, calling it "power drain." Like dying stars, top employees lose their passion incrementally.

"Power drain" differs from burnout because employees aren’t in crisis—they appear to perform well, dedicating long hours, collaborating efficiently, and excelling in meetings. Yet, they silently endure repeated frustrations until they eventually resign.

To prevent "power drain" and retain top talent, companies and managers must recognize the practices that slowly erode employee motivation. Here are eight critical mistakes to avoid:

1. **Enforcing Pointless Rules** While policies are necessary, short-sighted or overly rigid rules—like strict attendance policies or denying overtime pay—can drive employees away. Top performers resent feeling micromanaged.

2. **Treating Everyone the Same** Uniform treatment may work in schools but fails in the workplace. High achievers won’t stay if they’re rewarded the same as underperformers.

3. **Tolerating Poor Performance** A team’s output is often dragged down by its weakest member. If managers fail to address underperformance, it demoralizes top employees.

4. **Ignoring Employee Achievements** Managers underestimate the power of recognition. Top performers thrive on appreciation—personalized rewards reinforce their value to the company.

5. **Lacking Empathy** Over half of employees quit due to poor relationships with managers. Effective leaders balance professionalism with genuine care, supporting employees through challenges.

6. **Failing to Share the Vision** Assigning tasks without context alienates top talent. They need to see how their work contributes to broader goals—otherwise, they’ll seek purpose elsewhere.

7. **Restricting Personal Passions** (GOOG) allows employees to spend 20% of their time on passion projects, leading to innovations like Gmail. Encouraging such pursuits boosts engagement and productivity—contrary to fears of distraction.

8. **Making Work Dull** Boredom is a management failure. Companies like prioritize fun (free meals, bowling alleys) to keep employees motivated and loyal.

Ultimately, turnover issues often stem from employees leaving managers—not jobs.

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