According to Harvard Business Review, more than half of executives say they’re likely or extremely likely to leave their current roles within the next two years.
If even senior leaders are thinking about leaving, it probably points to something deeper than pay or perks.
It may suggest that, across levels, people aren’t finding enough reason to stay. The usual levers companies rely on, such as annual bonuses, shiny perks, and rigid career ladders, often look good on paper but fail to touch what actually keeps people invested. And when those deeper drivers are ignored, the cost shows up quickly: rising attrition, repeated hiring cycles, disengaged teams, and a culture that feels increasingly transactional.
So if your retention efforts feel ineffective, you’re not alone. The question is: what’s being missed?
Why Top Talent Still Walks Out?
For a long time, retention strategies have been reactive and generic. Free snacks in the pantry. Once-a-year awards. A cost-of-living hike framed as “recognition.” These moves aren’t useless, but they rarely address what really matters.
Most employees want work that feels meaningful, managers who treat them like people rather than performance metrics, and growth opportunities that align with where they actually want to go. When those elements are missing, even with decent pay, people quietly start scanning LinkedIn. Annual reviews, generic learning programs, and one-time “retention bonuses” may make organisations feel proactive, but they often don’t change how work feels on a day-to-day basis.
6 Practical Tips That Actually Work
1. Figure out why people really leave
Exit interviews tend to be polite. If you want honesty, talk to people before they resign. Stay interviews, manager check-ins, and short pulse surveys often reveal patterns long before notice periods begin.
2. Invest in managers, not just policies
People don’t leave companies, they leave managers. Equip managers to give specific, timely feedback and to talk about careers, not just deadlines. A good conversation often matters more than a new policy.
3. Make development part of the job
Growth shouldn’t live only in LMS portals. Stretch assignments, cross-team projects, and shadowing opportunities are what make learning feel real. Waiting for annual promotions is usually too late.
4. Fix the first 45 days
A surprising amount of turnover happens early. When onboarding focuses only on paperwork and tools, people struggle to build confidence and connection. Clear expectations, early wins, and regular check-ins make a measurable difference.
5. Replace vague career talk with visible paths
“Doing well” isn’t a career plan. People stay when they can see what comes next and what it takes to get their skills to build, experiences to gain, and roles to aim for.
6. Take culture and wellbeing seriously
Workload, tone, and psychological safety matter more than many leaders admit. One toxic manager or unsafe team dynamic can undo months of retention effort.
How Headsup Helps Organisations Stop the Talent Leaks?
We’ve seen many organisations invest heavily in hiring, only to lose people because retention was treated as an afterthought. At Headsup, our work starts with understanding why people disengage using both data and real conversations. We help organisations strengthen manager capability, redesign development frameworks, and build practical retention systems, not performative. The goal isn’t to make people stay out of obligation, but to create environments where staying actually makes sense.
Retention isn’t about clever perks or catchy titles. It’s about everyday experiences, how work is structured, how managers show up, and whether growth feels real. When organisations get those fundamentals right, retention stops being a problem to solve and starts becoming a natural outcome.
