HomeRetention is no longer a numbers game. It is a culture game. It is the quiet, daily work of creating an environment people choose to stay in, not one they feel stuck in. Today’s workforce is looking for more than stability. They want connection, purpose, and trust woven into the fabric of their workday.
Bobbie Kelsey, VP, People and Culture at CUSG, sees the shift firsthand. “Team members aren’t only looking for job security. They’re looking for emotional security. They want to feel seen, valued, and supported by leadership.”
The data backs her up. People Element’s 2024 Employee Engagement Report found engagement levels dropped to 56 percent in 2023, the lowest since 2019. Organizations that maintain consistent feedback loops, not just annual surveys, see retention rates 31 percent higher. The message is clear. Engagement is not a moment. It is a rhythm.
People stay where they feel understood. They stay where the environment affirms who they are and what they contribute.
Traditional retention strategies rewarded longevity. Today, the focus is loyalty. Loyalty grows from belonging. Team members who feel connected to purpose and supported by leadership are less inclined to search for the exit.
“Team members increasingly value flexibility, psychological safety, and purpose-driven work over traditional perks,” Bobbie shared. “They want environments where their voices matter and where inclusion is visible in everyday actions.”
Belonging is not a poster on a wall. It is felt through consistency, clarity, and care. When leaders show genuine curiosity, communicate openly, and follow through on commitments, the culture strengthens one conversation at a time.
Surveys give data. Dialogue gives meaning.
As Bobbie put it, “Asking for feedback is only the starting point. Team members need to see how their insights influence decisions, priorities, and everyday practice. That sense of being heard is what builds trust.”
True engagement is built in the quiet rituals of work life. Pulse checks. Regular one-on-ones. Team huddles that encourage openness. Honest follow through. When leaders close the loop quickly, morale lifts. When they delay or disengage, trust erodes.
Bobbie saw this in action at CUSG. “After our engagement survey, we moved beyond sharing results by creating meaningful dialogue. We hosted deep-dive sessions for team members, presented themes to executive leadership, and embedded the most critical feedback into our People and Culture roadmap. That signaled that voices shape our priorities. Morale rose because our team saw their fingerprints on the plan.”
Retention is not created in a single meeting. It is built in the pattern.
Recognition fuels engagement. Transparency sustains it.
People do not need perfect answers. They need honest ones. A simple “we are working on it” carries more integrity than silence.
“Recognition at CUSG is tied directly to our CARE values – Curiosity, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence,” Bobbie explained. “Through our Performance Pro peer-to-peer platform, recognition includes points that convert to real dollars. It makes appreciation meaningful and tangible. Our engagement scores reflect that impact. Ninety five percent of team members say they feel aligned with our mission and appreciated for their contributions.”
Her advice to managers is simple. “Communicate openly, act on feedback, and model vulnerability. Share the why behind decisions. Invite diverse voices. Follow through. Trust grows when words and actions match.”
Psychological safety is the heartbeat of engagement. It gives people permission to speak honestly, challenge assumptions, admit mistakes, and offer new ideas without fear of backlash.
Small actions reinforce this safety. Active listening. Open-door check-ins. Curiosity in place of criticism.
Bobbie shared a moment that illustrates the point. “During a high-stress project, a leader paused to acknowledge team fatigue and offered flexibility instead of pushing harder. That empathy reduced burnout and improved delivery quality. It showed that emotional intelligence drives results.”
This is what researchers call micro moments of trust. The small, consistent interactions that signal safety or danger. These moments accumulate. They either build courage or build caution. They determine whether a workplace becomes a catalyst for creativity or a container for stress.
Leaders set the tone. Teams follow it.
Culture cannot live exclusively in HR. It does not belong to one department. It belongs to every person who influences the team member experience.
“Everyone has a role,” Bobbie noted. “Engagement works when leaders and team members co-create the environment they want to work in.”
Managers need support to do that work well. Real-time data. Practical toolkits. Coaching they can apply immediately. When equipped with the right tools, managers act on feedback with confidence and conviction.
At CUSG, this shared ownership is structural. Managers receive engagement data and resources to translate insights into team-level actions. The result is a culture where retention becomes a leadership practice, not an HR initiative. Responsibility is shared, not siloed.
As leaders plan for 2026, the question is no longer whether culture matters. The question is whether they will invest in it with discipline.
The retention strategies that will endure are those rooted in belonging, trust, and psychological safety. They are built through transparency instead of polish, dialogue instead of assumptions, and consistent action instead of promises.
Team members do not leave jobs. They leave cultures that fail to see, support, or value them.
Start where you are. Listen without defensiveness. Act faster than is comfortable. Culture is built in every decision, every conversation, every small moment where a leader chooses connection over convenience.
The workforce has changed. Retention strategies must change with it.