Top 15 employee retention strategies for keeping your best talent

Employee retention strategies matter more than ever — and not just because replacing top talent is expensive. In a world of hybrid work, burnout, and booming job mobility, keeping great people takes more than a competitive offer letter. It takes consistent, well-executed strategy.

Here’s where it gets interesting: nearly half of employees say they’ve had regrets or second thoughts about accepting their job offer within the first week, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s a signal that many organizations are already behind on retention before the onboarding emails even finish sending.

In this blog, we’re breaking down 15 proven employee retention strategies — backed by research, built for real workplaces, and ready to drive results.

The business case for strong employee retention strategies

There’s a clear business case when it comes to retention: keeping your best people is almost always more cost-effective than replacing them. And in today’s labor market, that gap is widening.

According to Work Institute’s 2025 Retention Report, replacing an employee who earns $50,000 a year now costs at least $16,500 — a number expected to rise with inflation, talent shortages, and steeper recruitment costs.

That’s not counting the ripple effects: lost productivity, knowledge gaps, frustrated teams, and the very real risk of turnover turning into a trend. Which makes one thing clear — holding onto great people is a smarter investment than scrambling to replace them.

The 15 best employee retention strategies to reduce turnover

The most effective employee retention strategies are built to address the full employee experience — from onboarding to offboarding, from frontline to remote. And today, it’s not about ticking off HR to-dos. It’s about building workplaces where people feel invested — not just employed.

Here are the strategies making an impact:

1. Recognize and reward frequently

Recognition is one of the most effective employee retention strategies because it reinforces the behaviors that drive culture, performance, and connection. But it only works when it’s consistent, meaningful, and easy to give.

According to Achievers Workforce Institute’s (AWI) State of Employee Recognition Report, employees who are recognized weekly are 9x more likely to recommend their company and 6x more likely to see a long-term future there. In other words: when recognition is part of the everyday, people stop scanning job boards and start seeing a career path.

2. Improve onboarding and integration

First impressions matter — especially when nearly half of employees say they’ve had second thoughts about a job within their first week. A strong onboarding experience builds early connection, confidence, and momentum that carries well beyond day one.

But effective onboarding doesn’t mean a 97-slide orientation deck and a Slack emoji reaction. It means personalized support, early wins, and a clear sense of how someone fits into the team — even before their email signature is set up.

3. Prioritize flexibility

Flexibility is a top driver of employee retention because it shows trust and helps employees build sustainable routines. Whether it’s hybrid schedules, compressed workweeks, or shift swapping, flexible work keeps burnout in check and performance on track.

Of course, flexibility only works if it’s real — not just a bullet point in the policy doc. If “flexible” still means being online 9 to 5 with a “quick sync” every hour? Don’t be surprised when employees start exploring actual options.

4. Develop strong people managers

Managers play a critical role in employee retention. They influence everything from daily motivation to long-term career satisfaction — and are often the reason people stay or leave.

That’s why great managers don’t just track KPIs — they coach, recognize, and support. But if managers are untrained, inconsistent, or in the dark on what their teams need? Don’t be surprised when great employees quietly disappear while leadership scratches their heads at the next exit survey.

5. Create opportunities for career growth

Employees are far more likely to stay when they can see a path forward. But professional growth doesn’t always mean a new title — it’s about skill-building, new challenges, and feeling like your career is going somewhere.

When development is missing, ambition doesn’t go away — it just goes elsewhere. So, offer stretch projects, promote from within, and support learning that aligns with employees’ goals. Because “maybe next year” doesn’t inspire loyalty.

6. Build a positive workplace culture

A strong culture is one of the most powerful employee retention strategies — because people don’t just work for paychecks. They work for purpose, belonging, and shared values.

But culture isn’t created in a slide deck. It’s felt in how people are treated, how values show up in day-to-day work, and how recognition reinforces what matters. If your culture only comes up during onboarding or reorgs? Time for a reset.

7. Offer competitive benefits packages

Benefits have a big impact on retention, especially when they reflect what employees value most. That means going beyond the basics with support for mental health, family care, financial wellness, and lifestyle needs.

If your benefits are still stuck at “dental, vision, done,” you’re not keeping up. Today’s workforce expects flexibility, choice, and coverage that feels personal — not like a relic from 2012. When benefits, or even an employee retention bonus, feel like they were designed for your people (not just the procurement team), they stick around longer.

8. Make performance management ongoing

Annual reviews aren’t enough to keep employees engaged or on track. Today’s best performance management strategies focus on regular check-ins, continuous feedback, and goal setting that evolves with the work.

If your only feedback cycle is once a year (and includes the phrase “meets expectations”), you’re overdue for a refresh. Performance conversations should be as regular as stand-ups — not a surprise calendar invite that makes people wonder if they’re getting fired.

9. Act on employee feedback

Listening to employees is a start. Acting on what they say? That’s what earns their trust — and loyalty. Frequent surveys, pulse checks, and stay interviews help uncover what’s working and where you’re at risk of losing people.

But let’s be clear: feedback isn’t a suggestion box. If employees share concerns and nothing changes, you’re just reinforcing disengagement. Use a structured Voice of Employee software to collect input, close the loop, and show your workforce that their voice drives real decisions.

10. Recognize effort, not just outcomes

Retention isn’t just about celebrating wins — it’s about recognizing the effort, behaviors, and values that lead to results. When employees feel seen for how they show up, not just what they finish, they’re more likely to stay engaged.

Think of it this way: if employee recognition only comes after the trophy, people stop trying when things get hard. But when you acknowledge collaboration, problem-solving, and persistence? You build loyalty before the finish line.

11. Strengthen workplace relationships

Employees are more likely to stay when they feel connected — not just to the work, but to the people they work with. Strong peer relationships create belonging, buffer stress, and make even the busiest weeks feel worthwhile.

Remote? Hybrid? Shift-based? Doesn’t matter. What matters is creating moments of recognition, collaboration, and shared wins — even if your people are in 10 time zones and three different Slack threads.

12. Provide meaningful and personalized rewards

Offering personalized, flexible rewards shows employees that their contributions are valued — in a way that resonates. That means rewards that are culturally relevant, easily redeemable, and tailored to each employee’s interests and passions.

In fact, our State of Recognition Report shows that over 40% of employees feel points-based rewards makes them feel appreciated, and nearly 70% say rewards are a motivating factor at work. Turns out, feeling valued and sticking around are closely connected — and your reward strategy plays a bigger role than you think.

13. Prevent burnout before it starts

Burnout is one of the most preventable — and costly — reasons employees leave. Staying ahead of it means monitoring workloads, encouraging boundaries, and creating a culture where taking time off is the norm, not the exception.

Because when “How are you?” is met with “Hanging in there,” that’s not a vibe — that’s a warning sign. Proactive support gives employees room to breathe, recover, and re-engage before burnout takes hold.

14. Communicate clearly and consistently

Employees want to feel informed, especially during times of change. Regular communication from leadership — about priorities, challenges, and company goals — builds trust and reduces the anxiety that fuels turnover.

Silence isn’t neutral. When people don’t hear from leaders, they fill in the blanks — often with worst-case scenarios. Transparent communication keeps people aligned, calm, and committed.

15. Hire with retention in mind

Retention starts before day one. Hiring employees who align with your values, understand your culture, and see a future with your organization is a smart, long-term play.

If your employee retention program and hiring process ends at “Do they meet the job requirements?” then you’re missing the point. Show your culture, your commitment to growth, and your recognition strategy up front — so new hires arrive excited to stay.

Core pillars behind successful employee retention strategies

Even the best strategies fall flat without the right foundation. These four pillars help companies hold onto talent — not by accident, but by design.

1. Prioritize employee well-being

Supporting well-being means offering flexibility, setting boundaries around workload, and making mental health part of the conversation. Because workplace burnout doesn’t just lead to bad days — it leads to good employees walking out the door.

2. Strengthen company culture

People stay where they feel they belong. A strong company culture shows up in how values are lived, how diverse voices are heard, and how recognition reinforces what matters. Culture is more than posters and perks. It’s what people say about work after they log off.

3. Invest in career development

When employees grow, retention follows. Offering real opportunities to upskill or reskill, take on new challenges, and move up (or across) keeps people learning — and keeps them loyal. Nobody wants to feel like they’re standing still. Show them there’s somewhere to go.

4. Deliver rewards and recognition that matter

Recognition should feel personal, timely, and rewarding — literally. That means moving beyond generic thank-yous to real recognition and rewards that reflect effort and impact. Because nothing says “we value you” like actually valuing someone in a way they care about.

The recognition to retention pipeline

When you’re managing a dozen-plus retention strategies, things can get messy fast — especially across hybrid teams, shifting priorities, and global offices. The smartest HR teams? They’re building the right stack of employee retention software to help scale their efforts.

That’s where Achievers comes in.

We’ve seen first-hand how frequent, meaningful recognition transforms workplaces. And the data backs it up. Research from the State of Recognition Report shows employees recognized at least monthly are 2x more engaged — and that number jumps to 3x when recognition happens weekly. We know that it’s your most scalable retention strategy.

Achievers helps you:

• Recognize in the flow of work through tools like Slack, Teams, Outlook, and more
• Empower managers with real-time insights and nudges
• Deliver personalized rewards in 190+ countries, with no markups
• Track engagement and retention across every team and location
• Guide the employee experience from onboarding to anniversaries

Recognition shouldn’t be an afterthought. It’s your most powerful tool for keeping people on board and connected to your mission.

Retention is built, not bought

At the end of the day, employee retention isn’t about perks or ping-pong tables. It’s about building the kind of workplace culture people want to stay in — with meaningful recognition, real growth opportunities, and leaders who listen.

The good news? You don’t have to do it alone.

With Achievers, HR teams have the tools to scale recognition, support manager success, and measure what’s actually driving retention — all in one platform. Because keeping top talent shouldn’t be a guessing game.

Retention strategies start with insights, not guesswork. See what the latest research on engagement and retention says

Read the report

See how Wesley uses recognition and Achievers to boost their retention strategies

Read their story