Study: The top reasons that retail employees decide to quit — or stay — are… (2024)

FAQs

Study: The top reasons that retail employees decide to quit — or stay — are…? ›

Considering Leaving: A job that is too physically exhausting/stressful (58%) and low pay (56%) are the top reasons employees are considering leaving their job, along with limited or no advancement opportunities, no opportunities for raises/bonuses and poor or no education benefit.

Low compensation: Financial strain is pushing retail employees to their limits. With inflation and the cost of living surging, 48% of frontline workers cited low pay as the top reason for quitting their jobs. And, of the 85% who experience workplace stress, 36% attribute that stress directly to inadequate compensation.

We've got the facts: The number one reason people quit their job is toxic company culture (62%), closely followed by low salary (59%), poor management (56%), and a lack of healthy work-life balance (49%), according to a Flex Jobs survey.

Poor management, low pay, inflexible work hours and no opportunity for remote work among them. Even so, there are key things you should keep in mind while making your decision. Below, we break down the top reasons employees leave their jobs, as well as examples for how to explain your decision to prospective employers.

According to the Sales Happiness Index, “43% of salespeople who want to leave their current job cited a lack of benefits and 31% cited a lack of bonuses. Additionally, 6 in 10 salespeople would be motivated to leave their company for better benefits, while 51% would be motivated to leave for higher pay.”

Typically it's a low income, long hours and if you don't like what you sell life just sucks. Traditional retail stores are closing down all over the world as we speak as more people switch to online markets thus I would not start a career in retail.

No clear career path—This is the top reason employees leave. Nearly one-quarter (24%) don't see future opportunities in the organization. Most employees want to advance their careers and learn new skills.

1- Poor Work Performance

Poor work performance or an inability to do the job at standard is the most common reason for an employee's termination.

How do you determine why employees are leaving? ›

Employees are more likely to stay with a company when they are engaged in challenging and meaningful work that aligns with their skills and interests. When employees find their work fulfilling, they are motivated to stay and contribute to the organization's success.

For the purpose of the study, job satisfaction, job stress, person organization fit and organizational commitment were considered as the independent variables while the intention to leave was considered as the dependent variable.

Even though many people want and need jobs, they often look to freelance, remote, or higher-paying positions before they consider retail. Another reason for this employee shortage is that many workers state that retail companies don't put enough effort into improving the workplace.

It requires a retail worker's dedication and commitment and generally means long hours, unpredictable and constantly changing schedules, and dealing with the occasional disgruntled customer. It's not uncommon for employees to experience what's commonly referred to as retail burnout.

The demanding nature of retail work, which includes irregular hours, weekend and holiday shifts, plus extended periods of standing, can lead to physical and mental exhaustion. Another significant factor is the retail industry's lack of career advancement opportunities, making employees feel stuck and undervalued.

One of the reasons rude customers go about their antics is because they want to gain special treatment that they do not deserve. A new study by the Journal of Consumer Psychology found that people treat retail workers worse when they're looking for bargains, as opposed to when they're regularly shopping.