Improve Team Retention
12 weeks · 4 milestones
Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Retention improvement starts with understanding why people are leaving — and why those who stayed chose to stay. Exit interview data, stay interviews, and engagement survey signals are the three evidence sources that drive a credible diagnosis. The baseline voluntary turnover rate (voluntary departures ÷ average team size in the past 12 months) is the anchor metric; the diagnosis must go beyond the number to identify the specific factors driving voluntary exits in this team.
Proof required
Submit: (1) a baseline voluntary turnover calculation for the past 12 months: number of voluntary departures, average team size, calculated voluntary turnover rate, and the data source; (2) exit interview synthesis or equivalent evidence (stay interview summaries, anonymised 1-on-1 feedback, engagement survey open-text responses) covering at least 3 data points — what were the stated or implied reasons people left or considered leaving; (3) a retention risk diagnosis (200 words minimum): the 1–2 dominant risk factors based on the exit data, and a pre-committed intervention with the specific change you will implement to address the dominant risk factor.
What gets checked
- Voluntary turnover calculation uses a clear methodology — include the formula used, the data source for departure counts, and the time period; a single figure with no supporting data is not a baseline
- Exit data is genuine — a diagnosis based on 'I think people left because of X' without exit interview evidence or equivalent is speculation; minimum 3 data points (each a departed employee's stated reason, or a stay interview response, or an engagement survey open-text)
- Intervention is specific to the dominant risk factor — 'improve culture' does not address a specific risk factor; 'implement quarterly career development conversations with a written growth plan for each team member' addresses a risk factor of limited career visibility
Resources
Enroll free to unlock learning resources →Mastery
Lenny Rachitsky — People Management and Retention
Go further: practitioner perspectives on stay interview techniques and retention intervention design.
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