Some months back, a company kept asking me to refer candidates for the same role at one of its branches.
Every one or two months, they needed another replacement.
At first, I thought it was normal staff turnover. But when the pattern continued, I decided to find out what was happening.
What I discovered made me realise that recruitment wasn't the real problem.
I thought I was replacing employees. I later discovered I was replacing victims of a toxic workplace.
Some months back, a company asked me to keep referring candidates for the same role at one of its branches.
Every one or two months, they needed another replacement.
At first, I thought it was normal turnover.
But after seeing the same pattern over and over again, I became curious.
I reached out to some of the candidates I had referred.
Most didn't want to talk. They simply said, "The job is stressful."
Something wasn't adding up.
Then one candidate finally opened up.
She shared that a supervisor was making the workplace uncomfortable. According to her, he spoke to female staff disrespectfully and behaved inappropriately towards them.
She also explained that they didn't feel safe reporting the behaviour because he was part of the management team.
I shared the feedback with the hiring manager because it pointed to a much bigger problem than recruitment.
Think about it.
If employees keep leaving the same role every few weeks or months, should the first response always be to find more candidates?
Sometimes, you need to investigate why the role keeps becoming vacant.
Here are a few things employers should consider when they experience repeated turnover.
1. Find out why employees are leaving.
Don't just conduct exit interviews as a formality. Ask meaningful questions, look for patterns, and take the feedback seriously.
2. Pay attention to workplace behaviour.
A supervisor's technical skills don't automatically make them a good leader. How they treat employees matters, too.
3. Make reporting safe.
Employees should be able to raise concerns about inappropriate behaviour without fearing retaliation. Complaints should be handled fairly, confidentially where possible, and without favouritism.
4. Look beyond recruitment numbers.
Hiring more people may temporarily fill vacancies, but it won't solve the problem if the conditions that caused previous employees to leave remain unchanged.
5. Hold managers accountable.
Management positions should come with responsibility. Allegations of misconduct should be taken seriously and investigated fairly, regardless of the person's position in the company.
As recruiters, we can source, screen, and present qualified candidates. We can help businesses find people with the right skills and experience.
But we cannot guarantee that employees will stay in a workplace where they feel disrespected, unsupported, or unsafe.
If you're constantly hiring for the same role, don't just ask, "Where can we find more candidates?" Ask, "Why are people leaving?"
Sometimes, the solution isn't another recruitment campaign.
It's fixing the work environment so that the people you hire have a genuine reason to stay.
