How to Retain Top Employees
April 08, 2025
by a professional from The University of Texas at Austin - Red McCombs School of Business in Austin, TX, USA
Here are 7 tips I've seen work at 100s of companies:
Put people in roles that help their life goals.
People management is often something the seller isn’t good at. Here’s your chance to get employees by refining their jobs to something they like better and that helps you make more money or make customers happier.
Give specific 1-1 feedback
Giving high-quality feedback works. Most people would rather avoid the work. That lack of people development is one of the reasons companies reach a peak and stop growing. Help your people grow and watch them do better at their jobs.
Give public recognition
You are amazing.
Everyone loves praise, just like you enjoyed reading that previous sentence. Be very generous with honest, public praise. When you give genuine praise in public, you’re telling the team what you value, showing them you won’t steal credit for their work, and showing that you value their work.
Give more freedom in how they do work
Giving someone more freedom, without any change in their outcomes, makes most people happier to be in the same job. Have clear boundaries, outcomes, and key processes, then give people the freedom to be creative about meeting their performance goals.
Increase flexibility to work remotely
Remember when you were an employee and you thought the 1-hour drive into the office was a waste of your life? While your employees think the same thing. Working from home just 1 day a week can give someone 2 hours back in their life to sleep in, spend time with family, go on a run, and even work more!
When unsure, ASK.
If you don’t know what your team needs, ask them. No one expects you to be perfect. And who likes working for a know-it-all anyway?
What other tips would you give to retain top employees?
Put people in roles that help their life goals.
People management is often something the seller isn’t good at. Here’s your chance to get employees by refining their jobs to something they like better and that helps you make more money or make customers happier.
Give specific 1-1 feedback
Giving high-quality feedback works. Most people would rather avoid the work. That lack of people development is one of the reasons companies reach a peak and stop growing. Help your people grow and watch them do better at their jobs.
Give public recognition
You are amazing.
Everyone loves praise, just like you enjoyed reading that previous sentence. Be very generous with honest, public praise. When you give genuine praise in public, you’re telling the team what you value, showing them you won’t steal credit for their work, and showing that you value their work.
Give more freedom in how they do work
Giving someone more freedom, without any change in their outcomes, makes most people happier to be in the same job. Have clear boundaries, outcomes, and key processes, then give people the freedom to be creative about meeting their performance goals.
Increase flexibility to work remotely
Remember when you were an employee and you thought the 1-hour drive into the office was a waste of your life? While your employees think the same thing. Working from home just 1 day a week can give someone 2 hours back in their life to sleep in, spend time with family, go on a run, and even work more!
When unsure, ASK.
If you don’t know what your team needs, ask them. No one expects you to be perfect. And who likes working for a know-it-all anyway?
What other tips would you give to retain top employees?
from University of North Texas in San Antonio, TX, USA
This post hits home to me. For me, I've learned a simple yet powerful truth: when we take care of people, they take care of customers, and that’s when the entire organization thrives. It’s all about genuinely caring for team members—not just as employees but as individuals with aspirations and potential.
We have the unique opportunity to shape our work environments. It’s not just about closing deals; it’s about investing in people and helping them grow. I’ve seen firsthand how teaching leadership skills and encouraging personal and professional development creates a ripple effect. When your team feels valued and supported, they become more engaged and motivated to contribute their best.
Foster a culture of care, encourage open communication, and celebrate successes—big and small. When we prioritize relationships alongside results, we build a team that’s not just effective but also deeply committed.
from University of Colorado at Boulder in Durango, CO, USA