Retention Toolkit: Resources for Retaining Valued Staff (2024)

How do you know if you have a retention issue? Begin by asking yourself the following questions:

Does your staff include a large number of employees eligible for retirement?

If 20-50 percent of your staff are eligible to retire within the next five years, you have a retention problem.

Does your unit have high turnover?

If your rate of turnover is over 10 percent, you have a retention problem.

Do you have difficulty attracting and maintaining diversity?

If you have difficulty developing a pool of qualified diversity candidates for both entry level and managerial positions or greater than 10 percent turnover of diversity candidates, you have a retention problem.

Do new staff members leave more frequently than more experienced ones?

If you have a high rate of turnover among staff with five or less years of experience, you have a retention problem.

Do you experience a high rate of transfer to other departments?

If you have 10-20 percent annual turnover of staff leaving for opportunities in other departments, you have a retention problem.

Are you a new supervisor?

If you have less than one year of experience as a supervisor, consider using the Retention Interview process to help identify potential retention challenges. Also: consider taking advantage of the supervisory and leadership skill development opportunities available to you through Learning and Professional Development

If you answered “Yes” to any of these, proceed to Step 2.

Note: For in-depth information about U-M retirement, retention and recruitment trends, consult the University Human Resources Human Capital Report. For custom analyses of trend data for your unit, consult the HR Metrics Tool.

Once you’ve identified the retention issues, you need to identify the staff members most likely to leave.

To help identify and assess retention risk factors and focus your retention efforts on your most valued staff members, your toolkit includes a Retention Risk Matrix to help you gauge individual staff member’s level of risk, based on factors such as performance, job knowledge, leadership skills, professional options and competence.

The Retention Risk Matrix can help you assess the level of risk and then focus your retention efforts on those staff members whose risk is highest. For best results, complete the Retention Risk Matrix on a semiannual or annual basis. Consider incorporating it into your existing performance review or career development discussion cycles.

Follow these easy steps to complete the Retention Risk Matrix:

1. Prepare a list of your staff.
2. Plot your staff into the “Retention Risk 4 Panel Matrix” using the definitions below the chart.
3. List those staff in box 4. They represent the most retention risk. The staff in boxes 2 and 3 may also represent a retention risk but not as great. You may choose to conduct a retention interview with them as well.
4. No action is required for staff in box 1.

After completing the Retention Risk Matrix, follow these steps to complete the Retention Interview Process:

1. Schedule a retention interview (30-45 minutes) with those staff in box 4 and possibly boxes 2 and 3.
2. Give staff the Career Reflection Questions to complete before the interview.
3. Complete the Supervisor Pre-interview Worksheet to prepare for the interview.
4. Review A Sample Interview with a Staff Member to get familiar with what a successful interview entails.
5. Conduct the retention interview using the Supervisor’s Interview Form as a guide.
6. Complete the Job Satisfaction and Growth Plan, if necessary, using the suggested actions on the plan page or other actions you and your staff member agree to.
7. Monitor the Job Satisfaction and Growth Plan together with the staff member.

Complete this matrix to identify staff members who may pose a retention risk.

Once you have determined which staff members may be considering leaving the University, you are ready to begin the retention interview process.

A face-to-face conversation can be valuable for you and your staff member(s). Consider incorporating it into your existing performance review or career development discussion cycles.

The interviews suggested here can be very valuable for both you and your staff members. They are designed to:

• Help you strengthen your relationship
• Get effective ideas about how you can help him or her a better experience on the job
• Guide them toward future career growth, if desired
• Retain a valuable staff member

Allow about 30-45 minutes for each interview. Focus your interviews on those individuals identified as having the highest retention risk (Box 4 on the Retention Risk Matrix). Conduct additional interviews with lower risk individuals (Boxes 2 and 3) as needed.

The retention interview provides a foundation for a positive dialogue to determine if career expectations are being met and whether an action plan is necessary. The discussion also provides an excellent way to reinforce the university’s commitment to diversity by providing an opportunity to engage in one-on-one conversations with staff members from under-represented groups.

Properly conducted, the retention interview is a powerful tool for assessing staff member commitment and identifying his or her specific retention issues and concerns.

Once you’ve completed the interview, you can move on to the next step in the process — developing a retention action plan.

Interview Tools for Supervisors

1. Complete the Supervisor’s Pre-interview Worksheet before conducting the retention interview.
2. Use the Supervisor’s Interview Form to conduct the interview and record your notes.
3. The Sample Interview provides an example of a typical retention interview conversation.

Suggested Career Reflections Questionnaire for the Staff Member

Encourage your staff member to prepare for the retention interview by answering these questions

Schedule an action plan meeting with the employee and continue to monitor the plan to assure that it is implemented.

Actions that may be articulated in the plan might include:

• How the staff member might enhance or stretch in current role
• How s/he can broaden or augment professional expertise
• Exploring promotional and/or developmental opportunities
• Options for developing or mentoring others
• Providing opportunities for formal or informal feedback
• Enhancing work/life balance

Print and save the Job Satisfaction and Growth Plan for future reference

• Careers at the U
• Career Development Resources
• Career Path Navigator
• Center for the Education of Women (CEW)
• Human Capital Report
• Learning and Professional Development
• Performance Management Best Practices
• Plant Academy
• Staff Human Resources
• UMHS Human Resources
• Work-Life Resource Center

Contact: Darrell Washington

University Human Resources
[emailprotected]
(734) 763-0181