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A startup founder reveals how a simple question revealed role mismatch as the real reason an employee quit
A simple, thoughtful question from a founder revealed the real reason an employee left (Image-LinkedIn/@preetimalik)
A startup co-founder’s candid take on an unexpected resignation sparks a new discussion about what really drives employee retention in the modern workplace.
Preeti Malik, co-founder of Digital Creativs, recently shared on LinkedIn how she was able to retain a valuable team member who decided to quit. She said that the resignation came as a surprise.
According to Malik, the employee was dependable, capable, and had a strong cultural fit within the organization. You’ve scheduled a one-on-one meeting, intended to address some performance concerns. However, the conversation took a different turn when the employee began to resign.
“I will not be able to continue,” he added.
Instead of going ahead with the feedback she had planned, Malik chose to pause and pivot. I asked a question that would ultimately shape the outcome: “If you could design your ideal role, what would that look like?”
She noted that the response revealed a problem unrelated to compensation. “He wasn’t leaving for more money, he was leaving because there was a role imbalance,” she wrote.
The employee was originally hired for work focused on automation, tasks he enjoyed and excelled at. Over time, additional recurring responsibilities were added to his role. These tasks disrupted his workflow, requiring frequent context switching and reducing his engagement.
“He took out the robotic work, which is what he came for, the stuff I never had a problem with… He loved it. The boring work we put on top? He hated it. Because it made it change context every two seconds and took the focus away from the work he was enjoying,” Malik wrote.
Malek took these comments to heart and re-evaluated the role. The next day, she returned with a revised structure tailored to better match the employee’s strengths and interests. After quick consideration, the employee accepted the new offer.
Malik said this incident highlighted what was really at stake. Losing an employee meant being separated not only from a skilled professional, but also from valuable institutional knowledge and a rare cultural fit.
This experience has changed the way you look at employee retention. “Retaining your team is not about perks or pay raises,” she wrote. “It’s about whether your team feels like they’re doing important work and helping them grow,” Malik said.
She concluded the post by saying that the result depends on asking the right question at the right time. “I totally missed it. One question changed everything,” she wrote.
Social media reaction
The post resonated widely online, with many users pointing out that performance issues are often symptoms of a deeper imbalance rather than a lack of ability, highlighting the importance of listening before drawing conclusions.
“We have a similar story where one of our employees was showing less attention to detail because the expectations around her role weren’t clear enough, but after a reorganization, she’s now one of our stars,” one user wrote.
“It’s very important to always stop to ask the right questions,” another wrote.
02 April 2026 at 10:51 IST
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