10 STRATEGIES

EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEE RETENTION

INTRODUCTION

Employee turnover is virtually

inevitable in any organization.
Some turnover is good, as it
brings new talent, perspectives,
and fresh ideas. Excessive
turnover, however, is a problem
that results in both significant
monetary costs and decreased
workplace productivity and
morale. The reason behind
turnover can be nuanced and
difficult to pin down, but there’s a
lot that companies can do across
the board to improve employee
retention.
Read on for our roundup of the top
ten most effective strategies.

2
1 DEVELOP EFFECTIVE
MANAGEMENT

Your managers are a key piece

in the retention puzzle. An
organization’s people leaders are in
a unique position to drive retention,
as they have great influence
on employee engagement and
performance. You’ve heard the
saying “people don’t leave jobs;
they leave bad managers” before.
Ensuring your managers have the
support and tools to constantly
learn and develop in their roles
as team leaders, visionaries, and
strategic thinkers is crucial.

3
2 MAKE A GREAT
FIRST IMPRESSION

A new hire’s onboarding experience

sets the tone for their satisfaction within
the role and the company. According
to the Society for Human Resource
Management (SHRM), employee
turnover can be as much as 50% in
the first 18 months of employment.*
Having a strong onboarding experience
that focuses on strengthening a
new employee’s connection to the
organization is critical.

*Talya N. Bauer, Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success, SHRM, 2010.

4
3 OFFER
FLEXIBILITY

One simple and straightforward

approach organizations can take to
offer more flexibility is to redirect the
focus from where and when the work
gets done to the end result of the
actual work. Offering work flexibility
also shows that you care about your
people holistically and the way they
balance work and their personal life.

5
4 MAKE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
INCLUSION (DEI) HAPPEN

Fostering a sense of belonging in the

workplace requires organizations to
look beyond hiring quotas and legal
obligations and put focus on ensuring
their people feel like they’re able to
show up as their authentic selves and
know they’re valued for doing so!
Implementing DEI training at all levels of
an organization is a great place to start.

6
 5 INVEST IN
WELL-BEING

According to Gallup, 75% of

employees are likely to be loyal to
an employer that shows a strong
commitment to well-being.*

Organizing well-being initiatives and

supporting workplace wellness start
at the top. When leaders buy into a
program aimed at supporting mental
and physical health, it signals that
the organization values sustainable
workplace habits.

*Jim Harter. Percent Who Feel Employer Cares About Their Wellbeing Plummets, 2022, Gallup 7
6 HELP YOUR PEOPLE FIND
PURPOSE IN THEIR WORK

Employees want to know they’re

making an impact and contributing
to an organization’s purpose.
By defining your organization’s
purpose, communicating it clearly
and frequently, and focusing on why
you do what you do, you can help
employees feel more motivated in
their day-to-day.

8
7 UNLOCK THE POWER OF
INTERNAL TALENT MOBILITY

Having a firsthand understanding of how

an organization functions is one of the best
ways for innovation to happen!

Does your organization have processes

in place that give your top talent the
opportunity and the incentive to learn,
grow, and stay with your company?

9
8 MAINTAIN A CULTURE OF
EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION

It’s no surprise that employee

recognition and retention go hand
in hand. Being seen and recognized
by your colleagues, managers, and
executive leadership for the hard work
you put in goes a long way! Recognize
milestones, both big and small. The
value of even a small gesture like
singling out someone in a meeting
to give that person kudos cannot be
understated.

10
 9 SUPPORT CAREER
DEVELOPMENT

LinkedIn’s Workspace Learning

Report states that providing
learning opportunities is the most
popular way organizations are
working to improve retention.*

When you partner with your

employees in their development
and provide opportunities to
increase their expertise, they
feel more fulfilled and, in turn,
experience more job satisfaction.

*Workplace Learning Report, LinkedIn, 2023 11

10 LISTEN UP

64% of the professional workers

polled in a recent study* stated that
“leaders making decisions without
seeking input” was their biggest
workplace complaint.

Organizations should consider

employee listening strategies like
surveys, as an example, to elicit
meaningful employee feedback and
show their people that their voices
and opinions matter.

Download our free



employee survey template

*John Izzo. Stepping Up: How Taking Responsibility Changes Everything. 2012. 12
blr.com | 800-597-6300 | sales@blr.com