"You should just quit."
How feeling undervalued at work turns into family advice you can’t afford.
“You should just quit.”
That’s the sentence your people are at risk of hearing over the holidays. On repeat.
Here’s why:
Family gatherings, catching up with old friends, what’s one of the first topics of discussion?
“How’s work going?”
There’s 1 of 2 ways that answer can go, and it’s your actions that can be the defining factor.
The line in the sand?
The extent to which your people know they are valued.
Today I want to set you, and your people, up for stronger Q1 performance and engagement.
Why Q1?
Historically, January is the highest month for people quitting.
Why?
A multitude of reasons. But you know what doesn’t help?
Every auntie and uncle telling them they should quit after hearing their stress, burnout, overall under-appreciation from management and leadership.
The Data
While people might say they’re leaving for other opportunities, check out what the data shows us:
The leading reason employees choose to leave a job, selected by 32.4% of employees who quit their job this year, is a toxic or negative work environment, followed by poor company leadership (30.3%) and dissatisfaction with one’s manager or supervisor (27.7%). Surprisingly, unsatisfactory pay ranks sixth (20.5%), just behind poor work/life balance (20.8%). (SHRM)
On the flip side, consider this:
A 2022–2024 longitudinal study from Gallup and Workhuman tracked 3,400+ employees. Those who reported high-quality, meaningful recognition were 45% less likely to have left their organization two years later than their less-recognized peers. (Gallup)
Said another way: when people consistently feel seen and valued, nearly half of the preventable turnover disappears.
What You Can Do Right Now
Ensure your people are heading into the holidays knowing they are valued.
“But Katie, my people know they’re valued!”
Do they? (I absolutely hope so, especially if you’ve been reading my work for a while! 🥳)
And a friendly, respectful challenge back:
Have you ever quit, and it was only then that someone in the company told you how valuable you were?
It happens way, way too often that we don’t truly learn of how others appreciate us until the moment we submit our resignation.
For that reason, regularly ensuring people know, and feel, valued and appreciated has increasingly been a top priority of mine with the people I’ve managed.
A Simple Idea
It’s the holiday season. It’s the end of the year.
It’s perfect time for thoughtful notes of appreciation.
In person? Leave a thoughtful card on their desk, highlighting specifically what you appreciate about them.
Remote? Mail them a card in the mail, capturing their value and your sentiments.
Short on time? Compose emails of appreciation for each individual and schedule the send for their last day in office before their holiday break.
FAQ
What about my lower performers?
Leverage this as an opportunity to commend their progress and their effort, to communicate how much you value their dedication to growth. The holidays can also be a reset to enable them to come into January re-energized and ready to do great things. Convey your belief in them and your eagerness to see what they bring to 2026.
In this job market, are people really going to be quitting in January?
Maybe not. I’d also argue retention is less of an issue than disengagement. Folks might not be handing in their notice in this market. If they’re not feeling valued, they will be disengaged and more likely to phone it in. To me, that’s worse than someone quitting.
Wrapping It Up
A heart-felt note of appreciation won’t change everything.
It will:
Improve their feelings about their work over the holidays
Reduce the family members telling them to quit
Give them hope heading into a new year
And then, because we are Lasting Leaders, we continue our appreciation year round so they never doubt the extent to which they’re valued.
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That’s it for this week! May you build notes of appreciation into your calendar next week so you send your folks off on a high note!
As always, be human and have high standards,
- Katie
I’m Katie!
I help managers drive stronger business results through group training & coaching.
I’m also a mom, triathlete, & aspiring cowgirl who loves good martinis.
Work with Me
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