Retention

High staff turnover disrupts the team, is expensive, and damages your programme. The impact is even wider if competent team members decide not to work for your organisation or even within the sector again.

High staff turnover may reflect errors or weaknesses in planning, recruitment, deployment and management of the team. It may also reflect lack of options for staff development and concerns about termination.

Indicators include:

International contract team members consistently declining to renew fixed term contracts
National contract team members resigning to work for other organisations

Way forward

Discuss with team members who say that they are thinking of not renewing or of leaving
Exit interviews with team members to find out reasons for leaving –
Seek support and suggestions from peers in other organisations, within team and possibly head office – be prepared to find that you might be part of the problem.
Make possible and necessary changes after due reflection

You are also more likely to lose your best team members as they know they have options elsewhere, while weaker team members will remain.