Your company probably can’t afford a high turnover rate or new employee training costs, especially on a regular basis.

However, if you don’t know why most workers leave their jobs, you could be making some crucial mistakes that will hurt your company’s productivity — and its bottom line.

Watch out for these most common problems employees point to when they quit:

“I never felt appreciated.” Job dissatisfaction is the number one reason why good people quit their jobs. Any time your workers feel unhappy, undervalued or unappreciated, they will soon leave. Good idea: Poll your staffers at least once each year about their job satisfaction. Ask them to give suggestions that will improve their job situation. Be sure they are able to answer your questions anonymously.

“I wasn’t challenged.” Most skilled employees want to feel as though they are solving problems and continually learning. Once the challenge is gone, your staff will soon get bored with their positions. Try this: Identify high performers early on in their tenure at your company. Then listen to and implement their ideas, and ensure they have enough responsibility.

“My company was a sinking ship.” Your employees must believe that their jobs will be there — despite the economy’s ups and downs. Also, you want them to respect your corporate culture and public image. If your employees lack confidence in your company’s future or think your culture lacks respect for others, they will move on to a better environment. Action plan: Create a quarterly report that shows your company’s market strength and outlines what employees can expect from you as the economy ebbs and flows.

“I couldn’t get along with my coworkers.” Try as hard as you’d like, but even the best corporate culture won’t keep a staff member happy if she is the odd girl out with her coworkers. Small personality differences can lead to huge arguments between mismatched employees. Better: Consider workers’ chemistry before you team them up. For instance, an aggressive employee isn’t the best match for a passive employee. Test your staffers’ chemistry by teaming them up for a short-term project before you ask them to work on something long term. You can also try team-building exercises to help everyone work together in harmony.

“I wasn’t paid well enough.” Surprisingly, pay isn’t the top reason workers leave their jobs, but it is a factor. Your employees must feel that they are adequately compensated for the work they perform if you hope to keep them satisfied.

Filed under: Management Minute