Why Employees Leave — And What Companies Can Do About It

Introduction

The "Great Resignation" may have peaked in 2022, but employee turnover remains a major challenge in 2025. McKinsey found that 40% of employees still consider quitting in the next 3–6 months. But why do people really leave? And how can businesses proactively respond?

Let’s unpack the research—and the opportunity.

Top Reasons Employees Quit Their Jobs

Here are the most cited reasons, backed by recent data:

1. Lack of Career Progression

   • 91% of Gen Z and Millennials say career growth is a top priority (Deloitte, 2024).

   • Yet, internal career paths are often unclear or non-existent.

2. Better Pay & Benefits

   • Compensation remains a primary factor, but it’s not the only one.

   • Many leave without exploring internal roles with better packages.

3. Poor Work-Life Balance

   • 37% of global workers cite burnout as a cause of resignation (Microsoft Work Trend Index, 2023).

4. Lack of Recognition or Purpose

   • Employees want to feel valued. A Gallup study showed companies that recognize employees have 31% lower turnover.

5. Toxic Management or Culture

   • People leave managers, not jobs. Toxic work environments are the #1 predictor of attrition (MIT Sloan, 2022).

The Missed Internal Opportunity

What’s surprising is that many of these resignations are preventable.

Research by LinkedIn (2021) shows:

“Employees who have made an internal move have a 75% chance of staying after two years; those who don’t only have a 56% chance.”

Unfortunately, many employees don’t even know internal transfers are an option—or fear repercussions for asking.

Companies lose out because:

• Teams don’t share visibility on open roles.

• Internal moves are seen as “poaching.”

• There’s no structured system to facilitate transfers smoothly.

How OBIT Helps Companies Turn Resignation Into Retention

OBIT’s platform solves these issues at the root:

• Internal Visibility: Employees across companies in the network see roles tailored to their skills.

• Talent Matchmaking Engine: Smart algorithms suggest “best-fit” moves—internally or across companies—ensuring faster deployment and better cultural fit.

• Trade-Back Assurance: If a trade partner withdraws, your employee is not lost in the void.

• Data-Backed Transfers: OBIT keeps detailed logs to analyze what causes churn and where talent thrives.

Case Study: The Domino Effect of Losing a Key Employee

Imagine your senior designer leaves for a more flexible role. It takes 2 months to find a replacement, who then takes another 3 to reach full productivity.

That’s 5 months of lost output.

Now imagine your designer saw an open internal role within the OBIT network—one that suited their desired location and salary, and you received a similar-quality transfer from a partner company.

That’s 0 months of downtime—and you retain IP, culture fit, and continuity.

Key Takeaway

Employees don’t leave just for money—they leave because they don’t see a future. By proactively offering structured, transparent career mobility, you stop guessing—and start retaining.