Control staff turnover

Improve your management of staff turnover

Regular monitoring of staff turnover can show you why it is happening, and enable you to control and forecast it.

Measure and benchmark turnover

Your current staff turnover should be measured in percentage terms and should follow this simple two step process:

1. Add together the number of staff working at the beginning of the time period and the number of staff working at the end of the period and divide by two. This will give you your average number of staff working within this time period - you will need this number for the next stage.
2. Work out the number of leavers over the time period, multiply by 100 and then divide by the average number of people working in that same period.

This formula will give you a percentage rate for your business that you can compare over time. You can also use this indicator to see how your business compares with averages in your industry. This is known as benchmarking.

Examine turnover

To make a meaningful assessment of your current business' position, try to identify the causes of turnover:

• It is often effective to have consultations with individuals or groups of staff to root out any underlying problems and causes of dissatisfaction.
• Exit interviews are carried out by many businesses and can reveal common reasons for people leaving, and highlight any emerging patterns. See our guide on  workers leaving: the basics .
• Surveys of all staff can often indicate general satisfaction levels but remember to address any issues arising so that they know you take their views seriously.
• Analyse your recruitment and selection procedures  to see if you can identify expectations or potential problems earlier - alternatively you may need to make the business' expectations clearer at the recruitment stage.

Get guidance on staff turnover and absence from the Acas website .

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• Factors affecting staff turnover
• Improve your management of staff turnover
• Manage staff turnover
• Develop and maintain skills
• Checklist: controlling staff turnover
• Here's how improving procedures helped us manage staff turnover

 

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