The workplace has changed drastically over the past few years. Between the rise of remote work, shifting employee expectations, and evolving job roles, one thing is clear: keeping your best people takes more than just a competitive salary.
We’re in a new era of work—one where employee engagement, development, and retention are top priorities. Organizations that create space for employees to grow, feel recognized, and stay connected to the mission are the ones that retain top talent long-term.
So why are employees still leaving? And more importantly, what can you do about it?
Why Employees Leave: The Real Story Behind Turnover
While personal reasons like relocation or career changes are sometimes unavoidable, many resignations are driven by issues within the organization itself.
Let’s look at some of the most common causes of employee turnover:
- Toxic culture: A negative environment leads to stress and disconnection.
- Poor leadership: People don’t leave jobs—they leave bad managers.
- Lack of career growth: Employees want to see a future for themselves at work.
- No feedback or guidance: Without clarity or direction, people lose motivation.
- No reskilling or upskilling: When jobs evolve but training doesn’t, people leave.
- Poor work-life balance: Burnout drives even high performers to quit.
- Lack of recognition: If people don’t feel appreciated, they won’t stick around.
Understanding why people leave is the first step in designing an effective employee retention plan. The next step is building an environment where people actually want to stay.
What Employees Really Want From Their Employers
According to the Achievers Workforce Institute:
- Only 21% of employees report being very engaged and planning to stay.
- 66% would be more engaged if their company improved culture.
- 52% say better diversity and inclusion would improve their engagement.
In short: employees are looking for meaning, support, and growth—and they’re willing to leave to find it.
How to Improve Employee Retention and Motivation
Let’s get practical. Whether you’re building an employee engagement plan from scratch or just want to refresh your current strategy, here are four high-impact areas to focus on:
1. Listen—and Act on What You Hear
Engagement starts with listening. Regular check-ins, anonymous surveys, and open conversations give employees a voice—and when they see that voice leads to change, they stay invested.
Active listening doesn’t just help your people feel heard—it helps your organization improve. Make feedback part of your culture, and follow up with clear actions and communication.
2. Make Flexibility Part of the Culture
Burnout is one of the biggest threats to engagement and retention. Employees want flexibility—not just in where they work, but in how they manage their time and energy.
Consider hybrid schedules, flexible hours, or results-based work policies. Show employees you trust them to do their best work in the way that works best for them.
3. Prioritize Recognition and Fun
Want a fast way to boost morale? Recognize your people. Employees who feel valued are more likely to stay and contribute at a high level.
But recognition doesn’t have to be all formal awards and milestone celebrations. Try mixing in fun employee engagement examples, like:
- Peer-to-peer shoutouts
- Monthly themed appreciation days
- Team trivia, photo contests, or virtual escape rooms
- Gamified learning or achievement badges
These employee engagement activities build a culture of appreciation—and make work feel more human and connected.
4. Invest in Growth Through Learning and Development
If you want employees to grow with you, you have to give them a reason to stay. Offering personalized learning opportunities—whether through microlearning, mentorship, or hands-on experiences—helps people feel valued and supported.
Not sure where to start? Offer content that supports soft skills, leadership training, and job-specific upskilling. And don’t forget about succession planning training—an essential part of preparing internal talent for the future.
Whether you’re mapping out future leaders or training employees for role changes, providing clear career paths keeps employees engaged and future-focused.
How Succession Planning Supports Long-Term Engagement
Succession planning isn’t just about who’s next in line. It’s a smart way to invest in your people—and build confidence across your workforce.
Here’s how to get started using the 4 stages of succession planning:
- Identify key roles and long-term business needs
- Assess internal talent based on performance, potential, and values
- Develop future leaders through training, coaching, and experiences
- Measure progress using succession planning metrics like bench strength and internal mobility
When employees see clear pathways to growth, they’re more motivated, more productive, and more likely to stay. That’s the true value of a strong employee retention plan.
How to Bring It All Together: Your Employee Engagement Plan
Here’s the truth: there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for engagement and retention. But the strongest strategies share a few things in common:
- They’re proactive, not reactive
- They’re built around listening, recognition, and development
- They include both structured programs and ideas for employee engagement that bring fun and connection into daily work
- They use data and feedback to continuously improve
If you’re wondering how to improve employee retention and motivation, the answer lies in creating an environment where employees feel supported, appreciated, and excited to grow.
Retention Starts with Culture
Retaining your top talent isn’t about perks or ping-pong tables—it’s about purpose, connection, and growth. When you show employees that you’re invested in their success and well-being, they’ll return that investment in loyalty, productivity, and innovation.
Need help creating an engaging culture that supports learning and retention?
BizLibrary can help. From employee engagement activities to leadership training to microlearning that supports real-time development, we’ve got the tools to help your people—and your business—thrive.
