Field notes
Writing on retention, managers, and the operators who hold the line. Updated as the work develops.
Cost of turnover
The figure on most turnover calculators is the smallest version of the real cost, because it only counts what is easy to count. Here is the part every calculator misses.
June 6, 2026 · 5 min read
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Preventable turnover
If most departures could be stopped, the real question is why they keep happening anyway. The answer is in the gap between knowing and seeing.
Engagement surveys
US engagement sits at a decade low despite near-universal survey adoption. Here’s what the annual survey can’t see, and what does.
Managers and retention
But it is half a story, and the missing half is where most retention efforts go wrong.
Warning signs
The classic warning signs are real. The trouble is that spotting them is already too late.
The Great Stay
Why lower quit rates are hiding a retention crisis.
Top performers
There is a particular kind of resignation that hits hardest: the one from the person you were sure would stay.
Stay interviews
The retention tool most managers use too late.
Why people quit
It’s not pay.
Turnover rate
Your employee turnover rate is the percentage of your workforce that leaves over a given period. The formula is simple. The judgment calls are where everyone gets it slightly wrong.
June 6, 2026 · 6 min read
Manager 1:1s
Done right, the humble one on one is the single best early-warning system you have for catching a problem before it becomes a resignation.
HR tech
Why more data isn’t helping you keep people, and what comes after the chart.
Retention risk management
Most companies are managing turnover after it happens. Retention risk management means doing something about it while there is still time.
Predictive retention
Predictive retention isn't about predicting the future. It's about seeing what's already happening.
