Throughout my career, I’ve had countless conversations with high-performing employees who unexpectedly handed in their resignation.
Almost every time, their manager was completely caught off guard:
“This came out of nowhere.”
“How could this happen?”
“I had no idea she was unhappy. I thought everything was going great.”
Sadly, in most cases, the departure was entirely preventable.
The leader missed the signs that were obvious to everyone else.
And the consequences? Costly!
Replacing a high performer comes with a steep price: recruiting, training, lost productivity, and often lost revenue, not to mention the burden placed on the rest of the team, who now must pick up the slack.
Retaining top talent is essential. There is a lot at stake.
After hearing these stories again and again, clear patterns began to emerge. I’ve compiled the top 7 reasons high performers leave (in no particular order), and not surprisingly, they closely mirror what the latest research shows. Also, I share a few actions you can take today to fix the underlying problems.
- Minimal Career Advancement
Top performers are ambitious and often seek growth, whether new skills, bigger responsibilities, or upward movement. When there’s no clear path forward, they get frustrated. I often heard things like, “I want to advance, but my manager has never talked to me about my career,” or “I don’t see any advancement opportunities here.”
👉 Fix it: Have regular, open conversations about career goals. Understand what career success means to them. Provide visible development paths, challenging projects, stretch opportunities, and training. Their growth has immediate payback.
- Pay That Doesn’t Reflect Performance
High performers notice when their exceptional results are rewarded the same as average performance. This disconnect undermines their sense of fairness and signals that outcomes don’t matter. A typical response for why they were leaving was, “If I’m doing twice the work, why am I being paid the same?” or “My new organization will value my contributions.”
👉 Fix it: Ensure your compensation packages differentiate pay for performance. Consider performance-based bonuses, equity, or other meaningful rewards that show your top talent they are truly valued.
- Unaddressed Poor Performance
Nothing frustrates high performers more than compensating for team members who are not “pulling their weight”. Tolerance of poor performance sends a message that leadership is unwilling to lead, and that excellence doesn’t matter. It was not uncommon for high performers to say things like, “Why won’t my leader deal with ‘Frank’? He doesn’t do anything, and I’m the one cleaning up the mess.”
👉 Fix it: Address performance issues directly and consistently. Create a culture of accountability where everyone is held to the same standards. Set clear individual and team goals and follow through when expectations aren’t met.
- Internal Politics and Bureaucracy
High performers want to move fast, solve problems, and drive results. When they get bogged down by internal politics or endless red tape, they become disillusioned with the organization. I’ve heard frustrations like, “I can’t get anything done around here. Leadership just keeps putting up roadblocks because they don’t want to make a decision.”
👉 Fix it: Eliminate unnecessary layers that slow things down. Give your top performers the autonomy to make decisions and move forward. Support them when they encounter internal resistance, and clear the path so they can succeed.
- Poor Leadership
A bad manager can drive out a great employee faster than almost anything else. Top performers need clarity, support, and a leader who cares about their potential. But too often, I heard things like, “My manager is never available,” or “She doesn’t understand what I do or listen when I speak up.”
👉 Fix it: Invest in your managers. Train them to coach, give feedback, and build trust.
- Poor Communication
High performers want to understand the bigger picture. They feel disconnected and undervalued when they’re in the dark about company changes or decisions that affect their work. I’ve heard this more times than I can count: “I have no idea what’s going on,” or “Decisions are made, and no one explains how they impact me/our team.”
👉 Fix it: Communicate early and often; be transparent. Share the “why” and help them understand the rationale for the decision. Share how their work connects to the company’s success and create space for feedback and discussion.
- Burnout and Exhaustion
Top performers often become the go-to team members when something needs to be done. They take on more, help others, and go the extra mile. Eventually, though, it takes a toll. I regularly heard things like, “I’m just tired. I’ve been working 60-hour weeks for months, and no one seems to notice.”
👉 Fix it: Don’t take their work ethic for granted. Check in regularly, redistribute workloads when needed, and encourage taking time off. Make it clear that sustainability matters more than constant overachievement.
The Takeaway?
Top performers are invaluable but need more than a paycheck to stay. They’re looking for growth, purpose, great leadership, and recognition that reflects their impact.
Don’t take them for granted. How are they doing? What do you know for sure? Your takeaway is to reach out to your high performers and ask how things are really going. Explore whether any of these common reasons for turnover might be quietly at play and take action to lead, support, and create an environment where they can perform at their best.