Why Top Performers Leave: Their 2 Weeks' Notice Started Months Ago
- Jess Get Hired! Podcast
- Jun 30
- 2 min read
Your Top Performer’s 2 Weeks’ Notice Was 6 Months in the Making
We often treat employee turnover like a sudden storm. A surprise resignation drops into your inbox, and you're left scrambling to cover responsibilities, hold onto morale, and convince yourself it was a one-off. But the truth? Most exits aren't sudden. They're slow burns you didn't smell until it didn't smell until it was too late.
Especially when it’s a top performer.
These are the people who rarely complain. They hit deadlines. They mentor others. They show up. Until one day, they don’t.
Resignations aren't surprises. They're symptoms
What You Missed: If you're caught off guard by a high-performer’s resignation, it usually means you've overlooked some early warning signs:
Shifts in Engagement: Their once-detailed updates turn into short bullet points. Cameras off. Fewer ideas shared in meetings.
Decreased Initiative: They stop raising their hand for stretch projects or skip volunteering for extra responsibilities.
Subtle Distance: Less chit-chat with colleagues. Declining invites. More heads-down, less team-up.
Silent Frustration: They may have given feedback before, once. Maybe twice. But if nothing changed, they stopped talking.
These changes don’t happen overnight. They’re often signs of disconnection, burnout, or a lack of growth opportunities. But they’re easy to miss if you’re only managing by results, not relationships.

How to Spot It Earlier:
Regular Stay Interviews: Don’t wait for the exit interview to find out what went wrong. Check in quarterly. Ask, "What's keeping you here? What's tempting you away?"
Track Engagement, Not Just Output. Hitting goals isn’t the same as being fulfilled. Pay attention to how they show up, not just what they deliver.
Create Feedback Loops That Work. If your top talent has raised concerns or ideas and nothing happens, they’ll stop trying. Make sure feedback is met with action.
Invest in Career Conversations. Top performers want to grow. If they can’t see their next step with you, they’ll take it elsewhere.
Audit Recognition and Workload Balance: Are you burning out your best by piling on work? Are you praising performance consistently? High performers often become invisible until they're gone.
The Bottom Line: Retention isn’t about perks, ping pong tables, or once-a-year raises. It’s about being present, proactive, and personal.
If your best employee left today, could you honestly say you saw it coming?
If not, it’s time to lead differently.
Subscribe to Retention with Intention to keep the team you fought hard to hire.
Want help building a retention strategy that actually works? Let's talk: www.jessgethired.com
About Me:
I’m Jessica Fiesta George—Talent Acquisition and HR Leader, Private Equity Talent Consultant, and Former Host of the Jess Get Hired podcast. I specialize in scaling businesses by hiring smarter, building strong talent programs, and retaining top performers.
Let me help you understand why top performers leave your organization, and let's build a scalable program to help your growth story!

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