Signs Someone in Your Team May Be Ready to Leave
Reading the Early Warning Signs
People rarely wake up one morning and decide to hand in their notice.
More often, they've been quietly struggling for weeks, sometimes months. The signs are usually there, but they're often subtle enough to be missed, or worse, mistaken for something else.
A dip in performance.
A change in attitude.
Someone who used to be engaged suddenly becoming quieter.
It's easy to assume the person has lost interest, isn't committed, or simply isn't the right fit.
But sometimes, what looks like a performance issue is actually someone who is overwhelmed, disengaged or wondering whether things can improve. And by the time the resignation letter arrives, the decision has often already been made.
The good news? There is usually an opportunity to act earlier.
What You'll Learn
In this blog, we'll look at:
- The early signs that someone may be struggling before they decide to leave.
- Why your key people can sometimes be the ones most at risk.
- How to tell the difference between a performance issue and someone who needs support.
- The practical steps managers can take before a difficult situation becomes a resignation.
Why Your Best People Can Be the Ones Most at Risk
When someone in a specialist or important role leaves, the impact can be significant.
It's not just about finding a replacement.
There's the knowledge they've built, the relationships they've developed, the projects they are involved in and the extra pressure placed on everyone else while the role is vacant.
The challenge is that the people you most want to keep are often the ones with the most options. Experienced, skilled professionals are usually attractive to other employers. If they become frustrated, exhausted or disconnected, they may not wait around for things to improve. They simply start looking elsewhere.
That's why retention isn't just about reacting when someone resigns. It's about noticing what is happening before they reach that point.
The Signs You Shouldn't Ignore
A single bad day doesn't mean someone is unhappy. We all have them. The signs to look out for are changes that continue over time. A noticeable difference from the person they were when they joined.
You might notice that someone:
- Is quieter in meetings or less involved in conversations.
- Seems less enthusiastic about projects they would normally enjoy.
- Stops volunteering for new opportunities or responsibilities.
- Becomes more negative, frustrated or withdrawn.
- Makes more mistakes than usual or their work becomes less consistent.
- Takes more time off or seems to be struggling with energy and motivation
None of these automatically mean someone is about to leave. But they are worth paying attention to.
The question isn't "What's wrong with this person?" - the better question is "What's changed?"
Why These Signs Are Often Missed
One of the biggest mistakes managers make is assuming the worst.
Someone who was enthusiastic when they joined starts missing deadlines, becomes less engaged or pushes back more often, and it can be easy to label them as difficult or underperforming. But there may be something else going on:
- They may be dealing with increasing pressure.
- The reality of the role may not match what they expected when they joined.
- They may not have had the support or onboarding they needed.
- Or they may simply have reached a point where the workload no longer feels manageable.
This is especially common in specialist roles, where expectations can be high and the pressure to deliver is constant.
Sometimes the problem isn't the person. It's the situation they are in.
What to Do When You Notice the Signs
Spotting that someone may be struggling is the first step. What happens next is what really matters.
The instinct for many managers is to focus on the visible issue. If someone's output has dropped, deadlines are slipping or their attitude has changed, the immediate response can be to address the behaviour.
But before jumping straight into problem-solving, it's worth asking a different question:
"What's causing this change?"
A conversation can often uncover far more than assumptions ever will.
Start With a Conversation, Not a Solution
A good one-to-one isn't just about targets, tasks and deadlines. Sometimes the most valuable conversation is simply asking:
"How are you doing?"
And then taking the time to genuinely listen to the answer.
The aim isn't to turn the conversation into a performance review or an interrogation. It's to understand what is happening and whether there is something getting in the way of someone doing their best work.
That might be workload.
It might be a lack of clarity.
It might be that the reality of the role hasn't matched what they expected when they joined.
Whatever the reason, you can't solve a problem you haven't taken the time to understand.
Revisit Expectations
Sometimes people struggle because the role they accepted has changed. Businesses evolve. Priorities shift. Teams grow. Responsibilities increase.
A role that felt manageable six months ago may look very different today. Taking time to revisit expectations can highlight gaps before they become bigger problems.
Are they clear on what success looks like?
Do they have the tools and support they need?
Has the role quietly expanded beyond what was originally discussed?
These conversations don't just help the individual. They help the business understand where things may have drifted.
Look at Workload, Not Just Performance
When someone is struggling, the easiest conclusion is often that they need to work harder. Sometimes the opposite is true.
They may need clearer priorities, better support or a more realistic workload. High performers are often the people most likely to keep pushing until they reach breaking point. Because they are reliable, their workload can quietly grow without anyone noticing.
By the time they say "I'm struggling", they may already be close to deciding that something needs to change.
Don't Wait Until the Exit Interview
The uncomfortable conversations are often the ones that matter most.
It can feel easier to hope things improve on their own, but problems rarely disappear because we avoid talking about them. A conversation today is far less difficult than discovering six weeks from now that someone has accepted another opportunity.
The managers who successfully retain good people are usually the ones who approach these situations with curiosity rather than judgement.
They don't start with:
"Why isn't this person performing?"
They start with:
"What's changed, and what can we do about it?"
Why Acting Early Matters
No business can retain every person forever.
People move on. Circumstances change. Sometimes leaving is the right decision for everyone involved.
But many resignations don't happen overnight.
They happen after months of small frustrations, missed conversations and problems that gradually become bigger. Acting early doesn't mean promising to fix everything.
It means showing people they are seen, their concerns are heard and their contribution matters.
From a business perspective, it also makes sense.
Replacing someone takes time and money. There is the cost of finding a replacement, the disruption while the role is vacant, the impact on the wider team and the knowledge that walks out of the door with them.
But beyond the numbers, there is something else. When someone has invested time building relationships, understanding your business and becoming part of your team, losing them is a loss that can't always be measured on a spreadsheet.
The Best Time to Have the Conversation Is Before the Resignation
Retention isn't about trying to convince people to stay at all costs. It's about creating an environment where good people want to stay.
That starts with noticing when something has changed and being willing to have the conversation. Sometimes a small adjustment can make a big difference. Sometimes simply knowing that someone has noticed can be enough to start turning things around.
And if you are worried about someone in your team, or would like to talk through a situation you're facing, that's exactly the kind of conversation we have with businesses.
Sometimes an outside perspective is all it takes to see the situation more clearly.
Email me - sarah@recruitrecruit.co.uk.