Employee turnover and strategies for retention

Abstract

In this chapter, we seek to help researchers and practitioners develop a comprehensive understanding of turnover and retention by synthesizing the most prominent theories, studies and models that have emerged over the past 50 years. In the first section, we trace the evolution of turnover and retention research, showing how scholars have progressively expanded their focus over the past five decades. In the second section, we present a unifying framework of the dynamic process of turnover that integrates the major factors in an employee’s decision to quit. In the third section we highlight evidence‐based strategies for managing turnover and retention within organizations. Finally, we highlight directions for future research.