Build a Retention Plan
Understanding your workforce begins with asking why people stay, not just why they leave.
A thoughtful, intentional retention plan helps your organization make the most of your culture, supervision, communication, and development. Above all, it helps you invest in what matters most: your people.
How to Get Started
Building a retention plan doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You can start small by forming a workgroup to assess current recruitment and retention efforts, review available data, and prioritize the most pressing areas for change.
To dive deeper, explore this detailed Retention Planning Toolkit from Advocates for Human Potential. Below, we’ve summarized key steps and tools.
What a Retention Plan Helps You Do
A strong recruitment and retention plan should help your organization:
- Identify current staffing needs and patterns
- Select recruitment and retention strategies that fit your environment
- Choose interventions that reflect your goals, values, and resources
- Measure success and adapt over time
What You Lose When Someone Leaves
Every time an employee departs, your organization loses more than a warm body. You lose:
- Skills and lived experience
- Familiarity with your systems and processes
- Training time and investment
- Efficiency gained through time on the job
- Institutional knowledge
- Mentorship potential
- Team chemistry and cohesion
Turnover also affects continuity of care and can impact client satisfaction and outcomes.
Gallup estimates that the cost of replacing an individual employee can range from one-half to two times the employee’s annual salary.
Areas to Include in Your Plan
The Advocates for Human Potential toolkit outlines several focus areas to build your plan around:
Research & Evaluation
Start with data:
- Retention, turnover, and vacancy rates
- Feedback from current and exiting employees
- Input from supervisors and other stakeholders
Recruitment
Attract candidates who are well-matched to both the role and the organization. Write job descriptions that show not just the tasks, but the larger purpose.
Selection
Use hiring practices that help identify long-term fits. This matters in both large and small applicant pools.
Orientation & Onboarding
Don’t rush the start. High-quality, immersive onboarding helps employees understand both their role and your culture. The first 90 days matter most.
Career Development & Support
Make growth visible. Show new hires how they can develop within your organization over time through mentorship, supervision training, or stretch opportunities.
Professional Development & Training
CEUs, certifications, and licensing support are not just perks—they’re often required. Ongoing, innovative training is one of the most valued non-monetary benefits in behavioral health.
Supervision
Strong supervision is essential. Equip supervisors to:
- Coach, not just manage
- Support performance, growth, and wellbeing
- Use trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches
- Balance workloads and model healthy boundaries
Recognition
Recognition builds morale and motivation. This doesn’t have to be expensive:
- Share shout-outs in all-staff emails
- Celebrate small wins
- Host annual or quarterly appreciation events
Sources
- Building a Recruitment and Retention Plan – Advocates for Human Potential
- O’Nell, S., Hewitt, A., Sauer, J., & Larson, S. (2002). Removing the revolving door: Strategies to address recruitment and retention challenges. University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration. Read the guide
