The 6 retention strategies your can plug in this week

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Welcome to the Leader’s Lens: The Perspective Shift issue!

This issue offers a fresh perspective and actionable tips to enhance your leadership this week.

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A director told me over the summer: 'We just lost another top performer. Exit interview said they felt undervalued. But we gave them a raise six months ago.'

Wouldn’t be easy if money fixed our belonging problems?

According to Gallup, 41% of employees who left their jobs in 2023 cited engagement and culture as the reason. Not pay. Not benefits. Culture.

And the cost? Replacing an employee costs between half to two times their annual salary. For a $60K employee, that's $30K-$120K per departure.

If you're losing people, you're not just losing talent. You're losing money. You’re losing momentum. You’re losing morale.

From the Leader’s Lens survey [Link], you’ve shared a few leadership challenges that plague our workplaces:

• "Morale post layoffs"

• "Staff burnout... incredibly difficult to maintain morale" 

• "Keeping the whole team positive and on the same goal track" 

• "Team lacks accountability, goals and structure" 

• "Attitude of employees and retention" 

Over the 12 years of leadership, I have asked and heard others leaders ask

• How do I keep my team engaged when morale is low?

• How do I rebuild trust after layoffs or leadership changes?

• How do I retain top talent without just throwing money at the problem?

The answer isn't one thing. It's a system.

The RETAIN Approach

Most retention strategies fail because they're reactive: exit interviews, counter-offers, panic raises. But retention isn't a moment. It's a culture you build daily.

That's why I created the RETAIN Framework. It is six strategies that address the real reasons people stay (or leave):

R – Recognize Employee Contributions
People don't leave jobs. They leave feeling unseen. What can we do to recognize and acknowledge them?

E – Emphasize Employee Development
Your best people want to grow. If they can't grow with you, they'll grow somewhere else.

T – Transparent Communication
Silence breeds distrust. Clarity builds loyalty. Leaders who communicate openly create teams that stay.

A – Assess and Address Engagement
You can't fix what you don't measure. Regular check-ins and engagement surveys aren't only HR tasks, they should be added to your leadership tool belt.

I – Inclusive Work Culture
Belonging should be seen as a retention strategy. When people feel they belong, they're 50% less likely to leave.

N – Nurture Interpersonal Relationships
People stay for people. Strong relationships between team members and leaders create the glue that holds culture together.

Here's where to start

This week, choose ONE of these actions:

1. Recognize someone specifically. Don't just say "good job." Say: "The way you handled that client call yesterday, how you stayed calm and found a solution, that's exactly the leadership we need on this team."

2. Ask one engagement question. In your next 1:1, ask: "On a scale of 1-10, how engaged do you feel at work right now? What would move you up one point?"

3. Create one moment of transparency. Share something your team doesn't usually hear—a challenge the organization is facing, a decision you're wrestling with, or a win you want to celebrate together.

Small actions, repeated consistently, create culture change.

I really wish that employee retention metrics could be fixed in one week.

But all the experts say it takes 18-24 months to transform organizational culture.

What if you don't have to figure it out alone?

I've created a complete guide that breaks down:

• ✅ The full RETAIN Framework with step-by-step actions

• ✅ How to align retention strategies with your mission, vision, and values

• ✅ Practical tactics for each of the 6 retention pillars

• ✅ Real examples and resources from leaders who've used this to reduce turnover

It's called The RETAIN Approach: 6 Strategies to Elevate Your Employee Retention Initiatives.

And it's free.

👉🏾 Download the full RETAIN Framework guide here

Inside, you'll get:

• The complete breakdown of all 6 retention strategies

• Action checklists for each pillar

• Questions to assess your current retention efforts

This is the same framework I use with organizations to reduce turnover, rebuild morale, and create cultures where people actually want to stay.

Get your free copy here!

Your team is watching.

They're watching to see if you notice their contributions.
They're watching to see if you invest in their growth.
They're watching to see if you mean what you say.

Retention isn't about keeping people from leaving.
It's about creating a place worth staying.

Let's build that together.

— Ray

P.S. If your organization needs help assessing and implementing elements of the RETAIN Framework across your teams, reply to this email with 'retention workshop' and I'll send you details on how we can work together!

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Whenever you are ready, here are ways you can work with me:

• 🎤Speaking - As a Speaker and Facilitator, I will engage your team on how belonging and inclusivity can increase your team dynamics! ​Book Ray Now

• 🤝Coaching - As a Coach, I will help you enhance the power of inclusivity and empathy to be an effective leader through an equity lens! Book a Call Now

• 📘Consulting - As a Consultant, I will help strengthen your organizational culture to increase the employee experience and retention! Book a Consultation Now

P.P.S. - Thank you to those who have filled out the survey letting me know more about your leadership journey! I am excited to dive into the results over the next couple of weeks to provide you with resources and content that will support your leadership! If you haven’t filled it out yet, do so by clicking the link here!