PM for a small federal contract that provides 24 hr 365 day support. Had great retention for the last 18 months. Despite my efforts to ensure retention through shift pay, bonuses, and raises, along with the soft leadership of listening, mentoring, and working through productivity and workplace issues, my team is dropping like flies... leaving me with filling in gaps in schedules and driving my family nuts with doubles and triples that I have to work. HR is trying to hire but the customer controls the speed due to clearance process. Money is good, and I’ve made it known i want off this project to my company because of family chronic health issues. My issues: 1) I don’t quit or want to be perceived as letting the project down. 2) Coming up on another month of short staffing and will likely miss Thanksgiving due to work... again 3) Haven’t been able to take vacation in over a year due to staffing despite having over 5 weeks on the books. What would y’all do? Walking off without a bird in hand isn’t an option.
Why is your team leaving if you’re working so hard to keep them?
The 24 hr shifts are burning them out. The client isn’t the easiest to work with. They’re finding day jobs that pay a little less but seems to them to be less hassle. They’re being hired by the client. A few reasons.
To be clearer, the shifts aren’t 24 hrs long. We staff the shop 24 hrs a day.