Turnover is expensive. But what is even more costly is what leaders never hear before an employee walks out the door. Too often, organizations rely on exit interviews to understand why employees leave. By then, it is too late. The decision has been made, disengagement has already happened, and leaders are left reacting instead of leading.
Written by Connie Fiscus
The real opportunity is not at the exit. It is in the everyday conversations leaders are either creating or avoiding.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), replacing an employee can cost between 50 percent and 200 percent of that employee’s annual salary. That includes lost productivity, onboarding time, and the ripple effect on team performance. When turnover is preventable, those costs are not just unfortunate. They are unnecessary.
Gallup reports that only about one-third of U.S. employees are engaged, and more than half are watching for or seeking a new job. A significant portion of turnover is preventable.
So why are leaders still missing the signals?
Because employees are talking. They just might not be talking to you. When feedback is met with defensiveness, justification, or subtle dismissal, psychological safety disappears. Employees quickly learn whether honesty is safe or risky. When it feels risky, they do not stop sharing. They simply redirect it.
What some leaders label as gossip is often feedback that did not feel safe to share directly. That is where the financial impact begins.
Disengagement grows quietly. Performance dips. Frustration spreads. Eventually, one employee leaves, then another, and leaders are left trying to solve a turnover problem that started as a listening problem. Strong leaders understand that preventing turnover is not about waiting for problems. It is about creating conditions where people feel safe enough to speak up early.
That requires intention: Leaders must put aside discomfort and ego. They must ask questions they may not feel ready to hear, and receive feedback without turning it into a debate.
One to one meetings are one of the most underutilized tools in leadership. They are not just for updates. They are the front line of retention. Leaders who want to reduce turnover must use those conversations differently.
Ask the questions that matter:
Have you ever thought about leaving?
If so, what brought you to that point?
What am I doing that is making your job
harder than it needs to be?
If you were leading this team,
what would you do differently?
Then pause.
Listen without interrupting. Resist the urge to defend. Thank the employee for their honesty. Ask follow up questions to understand. Take action when you can and close the loop, so they know their voice mattered. Employees will tell you what they need. But only if it feels safe. The most effective leaders do not wait for exit interviews. They create psychologically safe conversations long before employees consider leaving.
Because when employees feel heard, they stay. Stop guessing, start listening and transform your culture. If you are ready to reduce turnover, strengthen communication, and build a culture where employees feel safe to speak up, let’s connect!
Email me at coach@conniefiscus.com and visit my website to learn more at coachconniefiscus.com.
Connie’s Bio:
Connie Fiscus is the Founder and CEO of Sunflower People & Culture Solutions, LLC, where she helps organizations strengthen leadership, improve workplace culture, and elevate employee engagement. With more than 20 years of leadership experience in healthcare and human resources, Connie brings a practical, real-world approach to developing high-performing teams and partners directly with leaders and teams to drive meaningful growth.
She holds a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA), is a Certified Master Coach, and earned her Business Executive Coaching certificate from Harvard Professional and Executive Development. Connie not only helps transform culture, she specializes in developing both emerging and experienced leaders and improving team dynamics, with the goal that people not only enjoy where they work, but who they work for and with.
Known for her high-energy, engaging training style, Connie blends real-life stories, interactive experiences, and research-backed insights to make learning practical and immediately applicable. Through speaking, training, coaching, and consulting, she works across all levels of an organization to strengthen connection, elevate performance, and create cultures where both people and results thrive.