Managers, work culture and career growth matter alongside pay.
Every time a good employee resigns, we often hear the same explanation. “They received a better offer.” And sometimes, that’s absolutely true. But here’s a question worth asking. Was it really just about the money, or had something already changed in how that employee felt about working for the organisation?
As organisations approach year-end, attention naturally turns towards financial results, business performance and plans for the coming year. Yet how often do leaders stop to consider whether the people responsible for delivering those results still want to be part of the organisation’s future?
According to Randstad Malaysia’s 2026 research, 53% of employees cited low compensation as a reason for leaving, while 41% highlighted poor work-life balance and 40% pointed to limited career growth opportunities. Clearly, salary matters. But money alone doesn’t explain why good employees stay or leave.
What Adobe Did Differently
Back in 2012, Adobe recognised that its traditional annual performance review process wasn’t giving employees and managers the kind of meaningful conversations they needed. Under the leadership of Donna Morris, then a senior HR executive at Adobe, the organisation made a bold move. It replaced traditional annual performance ratings with an approach called Check-in.
Instead of waiting until the end of the year to discuss performance, managers were encouraged to have regular conversations with their people, focusing on three important areas: setting clear expectations, providing ongoing feedback and supporting career growth. The change wasn’t simply about removing performance ratings. It was about changing the way managers led, engaged and developed their people.
The reported results were significant. Following the introduction of Check-in, Adobe experienced a 30% reduction in voluntary employee turnover during the programme’s early years, according to Deloitte’s research. While several factors can influence employee retention, Adobe’s experience offers an important lesson. People need more than an annual appraisal to feel valued, supported and motivated to grow.
What makes Adobe’s approach particularly interesting is that it placed greater responsibility on managers to have meaningful conversations with their people. Rather than relying on a formal process once a year, leaders were encouraged to provide continuous feedback, understand individual aspirations and support development throughout the year. This wasn’t just about improving performance management. It was about strengthening the relationship between managers and employees.
Why Leadership, Culture and Growth Matter
Now think about the people in your own organisation. You may have employees who consistently deliver results, meet expectations and contribute positively to the team. But what happens when their efforts go unrecognised, their managers rarely make time for them or they see little opportunity to grow? Over time, even your most committed employees may begin questioning whether their future lies elsewhere.
And here’s where organisations sometimes miss the warning signs. Employees don’t always become disengaged overnight. They may continue doing their jobs, attending meetings and meeting targets, but gradually contribute fewer ideas, show less initiative and become less interested in taking on new challenges. From the outside, everything may appear normal. Yet internally, their commitment could already be declining.
The reality is that employees experience organisational culture through their everyday interactions with leaders. It’s reflected in how managers communicate, how contributions are recognised, how mistakes are handled and whether people feel comfortable expressing their opinions. An organisation can have impressive values displayed on its walls, but if those values are not reflected in daily leadership behaviours, employees will eventually notice the difference.
Career growth is another important consideration. Good employees want to feel that they’re moving forward, whether through new responsibilities, opportunities to learn, coaching or career progression. Not everyone expects a promotion every year, but most people want to know that their organisation is investing in their future. When development conversations rarely happen and opportunities appear limited, employees may start looking elsewhere.
Organisations often invest heavily in attracting the right talent. Yet retaining that talent requires something equally important: creating an environment where people feel heard, appreciated and given opportunities to develop. And that’s not something HR can achieve alone. It requires leaders at every level to take ownership of the employee experience.
One Conversation Before the Year Ends
As we prepare for 2027, perhaps this is an opportunity for leaders to look beyond performance reviews, business targets and year-end celebrations. Before finalising next year’s plans, make time for one meaningful conversation with the people who helped deliver this year’s results. Not another formal appraisal, but a genuine discussion about their experience, aspirations and future with the organisation.
Ask them one simple question: “What makes you want to stay with us, and what might make you consider leaving?” Then listen. Really listen. Understand what matters to them, what may be frustrating them and what you can realistically do differently. More importantly, follow through on what you’ve heard, because asking for feedback without taking action can do more harm than good.
Adobe’s experience reminds us that meaningful conversations shouldn’t be reserved for annual performance reviews or resignation discussions. They need to become part of how we lead people every day. Sometimes, the difference between retaining a good employee and losing one begins with a manager taking the time to listen, recognise and support their growth.
As organisations celebrate their achievements and prepare for another year of ambitious targets, perhaps the most important question isn’t just how well the business has performed.
We’ve spent the year measuring what our people have delivered. But have we paid enough attention to what we’re doing to keep them?