Keeping people longer and helping them give their best

Recruitment is expensive. It makes sense to do what you can to make sure your best people are sticking around for longer. And it’s not just about cost – high staff turnover doesn’t just drain resources, it disrupts teams, impacts morale and slows down business growth. The key to reducing churn isn’t just better pay – it’s creating an environment where people want to stay and thrive.

1. Define and strengthen your employer brand

AKA – make your business a place where people want to work, and shout it from the rooftops. People want to work for businesses with a clear purpose and strong values – as well as fair remuneration and benefits packages. If you don’t define what your business stands for, someone else will. A strong employer brand helps attract the right people and keeps them engaged.

To make your business a magnet for brilliant people:

Ensure leadership is fully committed to making it a great place to work
Clearly communicate company values and long-term vision
Provide clear career progression paths, training, and development opportunities
Establish a structured induction process that sets new employees up for success
Build strong external partnerships with schools, colleges, and industry groups to promote career opportunities

2. Get leadership right

People leave managers, not companies, or so the saying goes. While that may not always be the case, strong leadership is key to engagement and retention, and is one of the greatest differentiators for success.

You therefore need to make your your leaders:

Communicate openly and regularly with their teams
Provide clear expectations and feedback
Recognise and reward great work
Support employee development and career progression
Understand what you’re trying to achieve as a business and how to communicate that to teams
Are equipped to support team development and wellbeing
Are authentically aligned to the values your business professes to stand for

3. Offer real development opportunities

Employees don’t want to feel like they’re in a dead-end job. Creating clear career paths and investing in training keeps people motivated. This doesn’t always mean formal courses – mentoring, job shadowing and stretch assignments can be just as effective. Effective succession planning, reverse boards and well defined talent development processes are all great ways to keep people engaged and moving forward.

4. Build a culture of recognition and belonging

People stay where they feel valued. Regular appreciation whether through a simple thank you, public recognition or structured reward schemes can have a massive impact.

It’s also about creating an inclusive environment where employees feel they belong, and feel safe. Small things like social events, employee networks and open conversations about culture can make a big difference.

5. Keep an eye on the data

Engagement surveys, exit interviews and regular check-ins can help you understand what’s working and what isn’t. If turnover is high or engagement is dropping, dig into the reasons why and make sure to act on the feedback. Anonymous feedback platforms can be a great way to get an honest sense of how your people really feel, but be sure to really listen and take on board what’s being fed back – if people feel they are not being listened to, it can do more damage.

6. Overcome the biggest hurdles

Retention challenges often boil down to leadership quality and poor communication. To tackle this:

Invest in leadership development – either by hiring well or upskilling internally
Commit to open, honest communication at all levels
Regularly listen to employees and act on what you hear
Get the basics right – from fair pay to strong career development structures

People are your greatest asset, but they won’t stay if they don’t feel valued, challenged and supported. By focusing on leadership, development, recognition and a strong employer brand, you can keep your best people for longer and help them do their best work, which, ultimately, is great for business.