← HR Metrics·Engagement & Retention
Regrettable Turnover
Voluntary departures of high-performing employees
How it’s computed
COUNT(regrettable_terms) / COUNT(voluntary_terms)
What the evidence shows
| Relates to | Effect (r) | N | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organizational performance | -0.15 | 50 | A |
What this metric can show you
Regrettable Turnover can tell roughly 27 pre-built stories — each a designed scene the data either confirms or it doesn’t. Bring your numbers and the Story Finder runs every one of these shapes against them.
specific to engagement & retention
Engagement is eroding
engagement · T1
It's two companies, split by manager
leadership-quality · T1
Most are fine — a tail is struggling
engagement · T1
On this trajectory, you breach the benchmark
regretted-loss · T1
One condition is the binding constraint
cams · T1
One exit reason towers over the rest
exit-knowledge · T1
Retention is working
retention · T1
The workforce is splitting in two
engagement · T1
Top talent is quietly leaving
regretted-loss · T1
universal shapes — any single metric can take these
A few large values are doing the talking
any focus · T1
A one-time event, not a trend
any focus · T1
It doesn't track — the premise is false
any focus · T1
It's concentrated — one group stands apart
any focus · T1
Scenes are pre-built; your data is the toggle. Browse the full deck or watch one play end-to-end in The Quiet Exodus.
Run it on your data
This metric is computed in the People Analytics Toolbox on your own numbers. See pricing — posted, no quotes.
sources: toolbox:metrics-catalog · principia:metrics
What the literature says
The measurement literature behind this signal — sourced, so you can defend it.
“Avoidable Voluntary: Admittedly, all exits are either voluntary or involuntary, but it’s possible to break down the voluntary exits a bit further. You can call an exit an Avoidable Voluntary if the employee voluntarily exits the company of their own choice and free will and…”
— People Analytics For Dummiesmatch 63%
“Even though the number of people who actually quit was small, many others were definitely cranky and were dusting off their résumés and perusing online job ads. If the pay cut had been deeper or more prolonged, others would have jumped ship, and I would have been among them. Is…”
— Strategic Compensation Talentmatch 62%
“The story of why we stay: A review of job embeddedness. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 1, 199-216. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-031413-091244 Lee, T. H., Gerhart, B., Weller, I., & Trevor, C. (2008). Understanding voluntary…”
— One Hundred Years of Attrition Research 2017 Ocrmatch 59%
Resources: People Analytics For Dummies · Strategic Compensation Talent · One Hundred Years of Attrition Research 2017 Ocr