Why do good employees leave?

We had a discussion on Linkedin recently on the topic of why the average average employee tenure with North American companies these days is 2.5 years. There appears to be little or no loyalty on either side of the employee/employer relationship. Today, I was reminded of a classic Country and Western song that might shed some light on the subject. (Tompall Glaser lyrics):

Put another log on the fire.
Cook me up some bacon and some beans.
And go out to the car and change the tyre.
Wash my socks and sew my old blue jeans.
Come on, baby, you can fill my pipe,
And then go fetch my slippers.
And boil me up another pot of tea.
Then put another log on the fire, babe,
And come and tell me why you're leaving me.

Now don't I let you wash the car on Sunday?
Don't I warn you when you're gettin fat?
Ain't I a-gonna take you fishin' with me someday?
Well, a man can't love a woman more than that.
Ain't I always nice to your kid sister?
Don't I take her driving every night?
So, sit here at my feet 'cos I like you when you're sweet,
And you know it ain't feminine to fight.

So, put another log on the fire.
Cook me up some bacon and some beans.
Go out to the car and lift it up and change the tyre.
Wash my socks and sew my old blue jeans.
Come on, baby, you can fill my pipe,
And then go fetch my slippers.
And boil me up another pot of tea.
Then put another log on the fire, babe,
And come and tell me why you're leaving me.

In other words, treat employees like human beings, ethically, and with respect. If you don't, you get what you deserve.

A colleague of mine put it very succinctly: "employees don't leave jobs....they leave bosses." How true.

JDS