Reduce employee turnover in the care sector

Reducing employee turnover is a persistent challenge in the not-for-profit and care sectors, where staffing shortages and burnout are already widespread. Traditional approaches like exit interviews come too late, once the decision to leave is made. Stay conversations offer a proactive solution.

This article explores how implementing these conversations can build trust, strengthen engagement, and reduce employee turnover before it begins.

Why you should rethink employee retention strategies

Exit interviews may provide insight into why employees leave, but by then, the opportunity to retain them is lost. Stay conversations flip this dynamic, they focus on learning what will keep employees in their roles while they’re still with you. These discussions are not one-off meetings or a compliance activity; they’re a regular, authentic opportunity to connect with valued staff, uncover frustrations, and work collaboratively on solutions.

Stay conversations occur with current employees; not ex-employees who have already left an organisation. They occur proactively to help identify and resolve any issues an employee might be having and help to ensure that these do not become bigger issues that could lead to an employee exit. They also act as an engagement tool to improve relationships between a leader and an employee and provide a useful vehicle to truly get to know what is driving and motivating an employee.

Why reducing employee turnover matters in NFPs

For not-for-profits and organisations in the aged care and disability sectors, high turnover is not just a logistical issue,  it affects continuity of care, organisational knowledge, and client relationships. According to Gallup, over 50% of people who leave their jobs do so to get away from their manager, not the role itself. In smaller, resource-constrained teams, even one departure can destabilise a program or reduce quality of service.

In the NFP world, where many employees are driven by purpose and values, retention strategies must go deeper than salary. It's about making sure people feel seen, heard, and supported.

Strategies to reduce employee turnover with stay conversations

Stay conversations should be conducted with purpose. Leaders should schedule in regular discussions with employees and let them know the purpose of the meeting, how to prepare for the conversation and the likely focus of the discussion. Regularity of the discussions could be a quarterly occurrence, or perhaps more frequently where issues are identified that need immediate remedy and reflection. 

Leaders should focus on their high performers, the team players whose absence in the team would leave a huge gap, should they select to exit. Whilst stay conversations can be held with all team members, it makes sense to focus on the employees who you actually want to stay.

• Schedule regular check-ins: Don’t wait for annual reviews. Aim for quarterly conversations, or more often if needed, particularly with high performers or at-risk staff.

• Clarify the purpose upfront: Let your employee know that the goal is to understand how to support them, not to monitor performance or raise issues.

• Focus on high-impact employees: Prioritise those whose exit would significantly impact team culture, morale, or service delivery.

• Ask the right questions: Use open-ended, values-aligned prompts to draw out meaningful insights. For example:

  • What are your career goals?  

  • How does this role fit in with your career plans?  

  • What are you passionate about?

  • What parts of your role allow you to explore your passions?  

  • What are your key frustrations in this role?

  • What obstacles are getting in the way of you being successful? 

  • What is important to you, what do you value?

  • How does this role fit in with this?  

  • What else can I do as your leader to support you for success?

  • How do you like to be recognised for your achievements? 

  • What do you want to learn in your role?

  • How can we help you grow?

• Be authentic and listen actively: The stay conversation needs to be genuine, and it needs to not be rushed. If, as a leader, you are approaching this conversation as a ‘one and done’ discussion, you are most likely going to contribute to your employee not wanting to stay in their role. 

  
  

  It’s important as a leader to approach this conversation with purpose, with curiosity and with a genuine willingness to converse on the topic of identifying the key factors that could contribute to your employees’ success, wellbeing and retention.  Where an employee senses a less than authentic approach from their leader, they won’t open up and the opportunity to gain deeper insights is lost.

Follow through on actions: The stay conversation is one part of the critical activity here; the other part being the actions that follow. No two stay conversations are the same, and each will uncover unique truths about your employee and the factors that will influence their job satisfaction and overall retention.  A sound approach here is to own each outcome journey with your employees; work out who is owning what actions and commit to both checking in on this in future discussions. This is an ongoing conversation; one you should be returning to.  

Employees love leaders who do what they say they are going to do; so if you have actions that could translate to an employees’ retention in the team, it’s important that you follow through on your commitments. A stay conversation where an employee doesn’t feel listened to, and doesn’t feel heard has the power to disengage and set them off on a trajectory towards an exit.

How Anson can support your retention goals

At Anson, we understand the unique workforce challenges facing the not-for-profit and care sectors. Our tailored HR consulting services help organisations implement practical, relationship-centred strategies to reduce employee turnover. We can help you:

• Introduce effective stay conversation frameworks

• Train leaders to have meaningful, values-aligned conversations

• Develop retention roadmaps that align with your organisational culture

Key takeaways

• Stay conversations are proactive tools that help reduce employee turnover by building trust and surfacing actionable insights.

• They work best when approached with curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to follow through.

• In NFPs and care-focused organisations, staff are motivated by values. Genuine engagement helps them stay.

• Leaders who listen and respond build stronger, more committed teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What’s the difference between a stay conversation and a performance review?

   A stay conversation is future-focused and centred on the employee’s needs and motivations. It is not about evaluating performance but about retention.

2. How often should conversations happen?

   Ideally, every 3–4 months, or more frequently in high-stress roles. Consistency builds trust and momentum.

3. Do I need to have them with everyone?

   While all staff should feel supported, focus first on high-value team members whose departure would create the most disruption.

4. What if I uncover an issue I can’t fix right away?

   Acknowledge the concern honestly. Staff appreciate transparency and a willingness to try, even if the solution takes time.

Start the conversation that makes them want to stay

You don’t have to wait for someone to hand in their notice to learn how they’re feeling. Stay conversations are simple, powerful tools that can make all the difference in retaining great people. Contact us today to begin making it part of how you lead, support, and strengthen your team for the long term.