How many of you would like to say those two words? I mean, who hasn’t fantasized about making a dramatic, “to hell with all of you!” workplace exit? While cooler heads usually prevail, recent statistics from The Labor Department reveal a spike in the number of quits in recent months. Quits began increasing last year, and have remained steady in some sectors and have grown in others. What does this mean? That economic fear may be subsiding, giving people the confidence to leave jobs they may have previously felt “stuck” in.

On a personal level, the “I quit” trend may be somewhat liberating. But for leaders worried about keeping their teams intact, the rise in quits is something you need to prepare for and, if you care about your people, take action to prevent! Businesses can no longer afford to cop the attitude of “you’re replaceable” or “you’re lucky you have a job,” with their top talent. That “got you by the balls” superiority stance has more than run its course. Valuable, marketable team members are recognizing the availability of opportunities out there, and are leaving for greener pastures.

As a leader, the loss of top talent is your new nightmare. Hopefully, you’ve been behaving like a WOW and have created a culture where people want to stay. But it’s so easy to take good workers for granted. If you’ve gotten sloppy, now’s the time to shape up! Here’s what to do to keep people from walking out the door:

• Demonstrate Passion. People need something to believe in. They desperately want to feel a connection to what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. People aren’t going to last long at a job if they’re just completing results-oriented tasks like a Stepford employee. They want to be empowered, motivated, and inspired by a passionate, engaging WOW leader. Lead by example and make your enthusiasm and passion contagious among the ranks.
• Take a chance. Create a culture where people are valued and invested in. Take a cue from Google, which hires people based on potential (not experience). They hire for skills they can’t teach, such as ambiguity, bias for action, and critical thinking. They take a chance on people, realizing that their potential is worth the investment. The same should be true inside your company. When you see potential in a person, take a chance and hire them. Then invest in their development and growth instead of just bleeding them dry from a performance standpoint. Build a culture where people know they are supported and invested in, right from the start.
• Listen to them. People want to feel valued at work. They need to know that their opinions, ideas, and insights matter, especially to their bosses. Listen to your team. Let them know they have a voice and you value their contributions. If you don’t, they’ll find someone else who does!
• Don’t abandon them. Don’t be the boss that only shows up when problems arise. Be there for your team as a mentor and guide every step of the way. People want to know their leadership has their back and will support and help them. After all, leadership by definition is leading Don’t abandon your top talent, or they’ll eventually abandon you!

Don’t wait around for that “I quit” email or formal resignation to slap you across the face. Let this be your wake-up call. Top talent needs to be valued, invested in, and inspired by their leadership, or they will start looking elsewhere. Be the WOW leader that your team will want to emulate, and everyone wins.

–Sheri Staak