Carolyn
Written By:

Carolyn Moir-Grant

With over 30 years of experience at Allstaff, Carolyn has been a guiding force in shaping the agency’s reputation as a trusted recruitment partner.

Author Bio

How to Spot the Warning Signs Before Your Best People Leave

Retaining great people doesn’t happen by accident. In today’s competitive job market, even your most loyal employees might be quietly weighing their options. At Allstaff, we work closely with employers across Scotland who are surprised to discover top performers handing in their notice with little warning. But often, the signs were there all along.

Understanding these early indicators allows you to step in before it’s too late, protecting not just your talent pipeline, but your team culture and productivity. Here’s what to watch for, and how to act early.

Behavioural Indicators of Potential Departure

Changes in Work Performance and Engagement

Your top employees don’t usually go from engaged to exit overnight. It often starts with:

  • A dip in quality or output
  • Less enthusiasm for new projects
  • Silence in meetings where they once contributed
  • Skipping company events or optional training
  • Sticking strictly to job descriptions instead of going above and beyond

These subtle shifts can point to deeper dissatisfaction or disengagement.

Shifts in Communication Patterns

Notice how your team communicates. Early red flags include:

  • Shorter conversations or less proactive check-ins
  • Fewer ideas or suggestions
  • Holding back feedback they once offered freely
  • A more formal tone or distant language
  • Avoiding discussions about future projects or goals

These changes often signal someone mentally checking out before physically leaving.

Behavioural Red Flags

Some departures are more visible. Pay attention to:

  • A rise in sick days or unexplained absences
  • Changes to lunch routines or earlier finishes
  • Irritability or signs of burnout
  • Taking more private calls or disappearing for blocks of time
  • A sudden update to their LinkedIn profile

These behaviours might not mean they’re leaving immediately, but they do suggest a mindset shift.

Digital Behaviour Changes

  • An uptick in online networking
  • Less visible in Slack, Teams, or project platforms
  • Avoiding video calls or switching off cameras more often

Don’t assume this is just stress or distraction. When patterns emerge, it’s time to check in.

Workplace Relationship and Attitude Indicators

Changes in Team Dynamics

Employees thinking about leaving often begin to detach:

  • Pulling away from social interactions
  • Less willingness to pitch in or offer help
  • Opting out of mentoring or cross-team initiatives
  • Focusing solely on their own tasks

This withdrawal weakens team cohesion and morale.

Attitude Toward Management

Be mindful of:

  • Increased resistance to feedback
  • Questioning decisions more than usual
  • Closed-off conversations in one-to-ones
  • Hesitation to discuss the long-term

When employees lose trust in leadership, retention becomes harder.

Expressions of Dissatisfaction

When someone starts to:

  • Complain more frequently
  • Criticise internal processes or leadership decisions
  • Compare your company unfavourably to others
  • Mention friends having better experiences elsewhere

…they may already be exploring the door.

Career Development Concerns

Lack of growth remains one of the top reasons employees leave. Look for:

  • Comments like “I feel stuck” or “There’s no room to grow here”
  • Frustration with promotion pathways
  • Skipping internal training opportunities
  • Signing up for external qualifications independently

These are signs someone is planning for the next step – possibly outside your organisation.

Proactive Detection Methods and Analytics

Structured Feedback Mechanisms

Engagement surveys and regular check-ins are only useful if you act on what they reveal. Watch for:

  • Declining scores on career progression and recognition
  • Drop-off in positivity about leadership
  • Avoidance of future-focused questions
  • Patterns in quarterly feedback or 1:1 forms

These metrics can highlight when your people are disengaging, well before they hand in notice.

People Analytics Indicators

HR data can support your instincts. Use it to:

People analytics can help you move from reactive to proactive.

Early Intervention Strategies

  • Stay interviews – Talk to high performers regularly about what keeps them motivated
  • Monitor workloads – Overwhelm is a quiet exit risk
  • Check development conversations – Are they happening? Are they leading anywhere?
  • Team dynamics – Who’s being recognised and who’s being overlooked?

Exit Interview Insights

Don’t let exit interviews gather dust. Use them to:

  • Spot common themes across departments
  • Track how long signs of disengagement were visible
  • Compare stated reasons with observed patterns
  • Refine what your managers could do earlier next time

Final Thought

Retaining your best people starts with recognising what matters most to them – recognition, purpose, opportunity, and trust. The earlier you act, the more options you have to re-engage someone valuable.

At Allstaff, we support organisations across Scotland in not just finding talent, but keeping it. From market insight to recruitment strategy, we’re here to help you build teams that last.